Speech #980091710

I just want to answer the gentleman from Texas. who is an eloquent speaker and makes a very strong point. I would just like to say that the gentleman from Kentucky has no intention of holding any bill hostage. like this. for example. or the children of the State of Texas. What is being held hostage. the gentleman from Kentucky would assert. is the immigration reform bill which affects 220 million Americans. not just the people in Texas. not just the people in California. So if anything is being held hostage. in the judgment of the gentleman from Kentucky. it is the overall approach. not necessarily the version which is pending in the Rules Committee because. as I have said many. many times in the past. it is imperfect. but I would contend it is the least imperfect bill that we have before us at this time and. under the rules that any assembly operates on. that is the kind of thing which ought to come out as the mechanism for this Congress to make its mind up and exercise its wisdom. The House may decide that the gentleman from Kentucky is absolutely wrong. in which case. fine. it passes whatever bill it wishes.