Articles on the events of yesterday regarding the House Ways and Means Committee mark-up of the Portman-Cardin Bill (HR 1776):
- The Washington Post: “The House That Roared: In Ways and Means Brawl, Names, Police and Sergeant at Arms Are Called.”
- New York Times: “Sound, Fury, Pension Rules: Nasty Party Clash in House.”
- Reuters via Yahoo! News.com: “Tempers Flare in House Over Pension Bill.”
- The Associated Press via Yahoo! News.com: “House Melts Down After Pension Flap.”
The most important statement, in my opinion, came from the Washington Post article:
The bill passed the committee with no Democratic votes. “I’ve been here nine years, and this is one of the saddest days we’ve had in the House,” said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.). “What has happened to the Democrats is shameful; it’s embarrassing to our party. I’m sad for our party, and I’m sad for the House.”
The Post also reports:
“This is simple, serious and sad,” said Ways and Means member Nancy L. Johnson (R-Conn.), adding that both parties made mistakes that were “destructive to the body.”
Ironically, the Post also reports that many Democrats support the “bill that sparked yesterday’s furor.”