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 previous made in order by the Rules Committee to the immigration bill. but also makes in order the Lungren and Mazzoli amendments on farmworkers. the Hughes amendment on a commission on legalization. and 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. something which the Rules Committee would have denied us. 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 the scales from those eyes and sheds new light on the issue. providing a more open. fair. and bipartisan approach to immigration reform. We have a rare opportunity here today to salvage all the important work that has gone into this bill and put this 99th Congress in the history books as the Congress that faced up to the problem and took decisive action. Lets not blow this opportunity again.