Press Releases

(Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) released the following statement after voting against Speaker Pelosi’s 117th Congress rules package that would further consolidate her power as Speaker by reducing the power of the minority and attempting to censor the speech of Members of Congress:

“The Founding Fathers designed the House of Representatives to be an institution where the majority can work its will.  However, I am appalled at the blatant lack of respect from Speaker Pelosi for the minority party as she fundamentally changes the rules by which we conduct our work for the 117^thCongress.  The most egregious change is Speaker Pelosi’s stripping the minority party of the motion to recommit, which was granted over 100 years ago and is one of the very few tools afforded to the minority to serve as a check on the majority party.  This is an attempt to further weaken the voice of the minority party to mount a challenge to the ideas of the majority by eliminating the ability to debate a motion to recommit, and the ability to offer a motion to recommit with instructions - a process that allows for a bill to go back to the committee of jurisdiction to be amended accordingly. Additionally, these rules would censor free speech by subjecting all Members to an ethics violation if files, social media posts, or other communications are deemed to be ‘distorted or manipulated’ or designed to ‘mislead the public’ – a completely subjective benchmark that is sure to punish dissenting viewpoints and further silence the minority - that applies to both personal and public communications. Furthermore, these far reaching rules continue to allow for the proxy voting scheme implemented last Congress that continues to allow for remote hearings and proxy voting. These rules are intended to limit free speech, silence the minority party, and limit the voices of Americans through the consolidation of power at the top.”