Speech #990264255

The Rules Committee has printed no separate report explaining its substitute. The proposed substitute rule also requires separate debate and votes on the amendments of other committees whereas the Rules Committees original rule would have precluded this. The substitute rule does make in order those amendments previously made in order by the Rules Committee to the immigration bill. because the Rules Committee spent a lot of time going over this rule. and with one or two exceptions came up with a good rule. But it makes in order the Lungren and Mazzoli amendments on farmworkers. the Hughes amendment on the commission on legalization. and the motions to strike. Finally. the substitute rule differs from the earlier rule in that it preserves the minoritys traditional prerogative to offer a motion to recommit with instructions. Mr. Speaker. I think Members would agree on reflection that it was most unfortunate that procedural blind spots in the last immigration rule blocked consideration of that important bill. The proposed substitute rule lifts these scales from those eyes and sheds new light on the issue. providing a more open. fair. and bipartisan approach to immigration reform. We have in this procedure a rare opportunity here today to salvage all of the important work that has gone on in this bill and put this 99th Congress in the history books as the Congress that finally faced this most difficult problem. one that has been voted on in the other body and passed in two different Congresses. and again they are waiting for us to complete action here in the House. Let us not blow this opportunity again.