we can point fingers at one another add nazz yam, claiming we did this to you, you did that to us, etc., etc. unfortunately, pointing fingers has never solved a problem. i was also saddened because the rules committee had it within their grasp, within their power, to pull us back from this precipice that we find ourselves on. but they chose not to. they took a pass. as i said at the rules committee hearing last night, history is replete with people who found an excuse to do the wrong thing. it takes a little courage to do the right thing. it's time for us to stand up and show the courage to do the right thing, not as democrats, not as republicans, but as members of congress. it's time to restore this house to the time-honored traditions of open debate, which we inherited from those who came before us when members had the right and ability to retcht their constituents. i find it ironic that around the world, people hope for, pray for, even die for the simple right to have their voices heard. they look to us, not because they want to be americans, but because they want for themselves wha

knowledgeable, it is reviewed and reviewed, anything that happens that has happened, it gets reviewed add nazz yam. -- add nauseam. learning lessons from history is so important that we already have tens of thousands of academies that do that every single day. the proposed lessons learned center has a great name. yet i think this will be simply one more example of spending money on things we want and not limiting ourselveses to those things we need. listen, just listen. you can hear the giant sucking sound of washington finding new and different ways to spend dollars, spend, spend. i don't want to belabor the point but congress has already approved a $700 billion bailout package and an $800 billion stimulus pack -- package in the last year alone. meanwhile, our medicare and social security trust frunds that our constituents relie on will be -- exhausted sooner than we thought. we're also fighting tough wars in two countries why my colleagues belief that a lessons learned center might prevent such costly wars in the future, i would appeal to your intellect and your sense of fiduciary responsibility