The House Appropriations Committee abruptly adjourned in chaos Thursday before acting on two big domestic spending bills, after Republicans tried to force the committee to take up a bill covering the Interior Department they believe could be used to lower fuel prices.
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Tension began soon after the committee began meeting, when Jerry Lewis of California, the panel's senior Republican, asked Obey to give his word that he would bring the Interior spending bill up for a vote the week Congress returns from its July Fourth recess.
Obey declined, and lectured Lewis. "If the gentleman wants to set the agenda of the committee, he needs to go out and get 30 Republicans elected," he said. [This bit does not appear in the free CQ version of the story, but it is on their pay site here - ed. ]
Lewis stood and offered an amendment to strip the text from the Labor-HHS-Education bill and replace it with the Interior spending bill.
When John E. Peterson , R-Pa., tried to offer an amendment to Lewis' amendment, Rep. Norm Dicks , D-Wash., made a motion to adjourn.
"It should come as no surprise to anybody that Dave Obey has no patience for B.S.
"Yesterday, Obey announced to the committee that the Interior Appropriations bill was scheduled to be marked up in full committee on July 9th, giving folks a real debate and real votes on issues in that bill."
"Today's plan by republicans to tie the committee in knots with a series of unrelated amendments was just another political stunt, the kind the American people have come to despise. It is B.S. and Obey won't put up with it."