It may seem like wonky, insider talk to criticize congressional Republicans for procedural mischief, but the way GOP lawmakers run Congress says a great deal about their respect for the institution, its rules, and its power.
For example, Kevin noted this Roll Call article, which highlights how Republicans dealt with a conference report.
Shortly before midnight on Sunday, the leaders agreed — after House and Senate negotiators had already signed the report and announced its details to the public — to insert controversial language that protects vaccine manufacturers from product liability claims in the event of a viral pandemic, such as one caused by avian flu.
Observers familiar with the procedural history of conference reports said that they were unaware of any precedent for inserting language after conferees had signed off on the report. A review of several Congressional Research Service guides to conference proceedings make no reference to any prior example.
The whole point of conference reports is that, after they’re negotiated, they’re closed. But not for this gang, which sees the rules as mere suggestions.
On a related note, Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, have created a scheme to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by forcing the issue onto a defense appropriations bill (ignoring one Senate procedural rule) and overriding a filibuster on a simple majority vote (ignoring another Senate procedural rule).
It’s also the party that likes to hold open five-minute votes indefinitely until the get the results they want, prevents the minority from offering amendments (.pdf) to legislation, forbids the minority from participating in conference committees, and shuts down committee hearings went they start to become politically inconvenient.
We’ve all heard the expression about rules that are meant to be broken, but I’m afraid congressional Republicans are taking the adage a little too literally. It speaks volumes about how the GOP operates.