20070517 Update on House Democratic effort to change 185-year old House rule

Update on House Democratic effort to change 185-year old House rule

Thu 5/17/2007 5:49 PM

Democrat Whiplash

Dems Try to Take Away GOP Amendment Rights One Day,

Overwhelmingly Support GOP Amendment the Next

YESTERDAY

TODAY

"Republicans threw the House floor into procedural chaos Wednesday in a successful attempt to thwart what they decried as a Democratic 'power grab' to alter House rules in a way that would limit long-standing minority rights to offer alternative measures on the floor...GOP aides said Republican floor staffers were tipped off around noon Wednesday that Democrats were considering the budget rule as a vehicle to change the chamber's rules on motions to recommit." (Roll Call, 5/17/07)

Today, 198 Democrats, or 85 percent of their entire caucus, voted for a Republican motion to recommit to "expand the ballistic missile defense system of the United States to better integrate with the defenses of Israel to provide robust, layered protection against ballistic missile attack." (Vote #372, 5/17/07) This the 11th motion to recommit Republicans have passed with overwhelming, bipartisan support in the last 4 ½ months. Coincidentally, Democrats successfully passed only 11 motions to recommit on the initial passage of legislation over the entire 12 years they were in the minority. (Source: Congressional Research Service)