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G_j

(40,366 posts)
Thu Mar 7, 2013, 12:14 PM Mar 2013

Democrats Protest Committee Vote With Rare Walkout, Decry Lack Of Bipartisanship

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2013/03/06/democrats-protest_n_2822369.html

Democrats Protest Committee Vote With Rare Walkout, Decry Lack Of Bipartisanship

Dave Jamieson

WASHINGTON -- Several House Democrats walked out of a committee vote in protest on Wednesday, accusing their Republican counterparts of refusing to negotiate in a bipartisan manner over a job training bill.
While it's common for members of Congress to simply not show up for committee meetings, it's rare for them to actually boycott one.


"We didn’t come to this decision lightly," said Reps. John Tierney (D-Mass.), Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas) and George Miller (D-Calif.), members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, in a statement. "Unfortunately, we viewed boycotting this proceeding as our only alternative after many months of repeatedly requesting bipartisan negotiations and being rebuffed by committee Republicans."

"It would have been a dereliction of duty to continue to participate," they added.
<snip>

The legislation at issue is a bill to reauthorize and reform the Workforce Investment Act, the largest source of federal funding for job training. Republicans want to consolidate more than 30 workforce development programs into a single fund, which they say would eliminate redundant programs and cut out red tape. Democrats say the plan would make it harder for vulnerable groups like the elderly and disabled to get access to the job training they need.

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Democrats Protest Committee Vote With Rare Walkout, Decry Lack Of Bipartisanship (Original Post) G_j Mar 2013 OP
If a tree falls. . . annabanana Mar 2013 #1
Wow, spines?! K&R nt Mnemosyne Mar 2013 #2
"several" G_j Mar 2013 #3
Progress. Nt Mnemosyne Mar 2013 #4
Unless this action denies the Republicans a quorum, it is meaningless... Bandit Mar 2013 #5

annabanana

(52,791 posts)
1. If a tree falls. . .
Thu Mar 7, 2013, 12:16 PM
Mar 2013

I applaud their action. I am sorry it had to happen where only the winter birds could see.

Bandit

(21,475 posts)
5. Unless this action denies the Republicans a quorum, it is meaningless...
Thu Mar 7, 2013, 02:03 PM
Mar 2013

In fact it will only embolden republicans to make even more cuts if they think Democrats won't be around to harass them...

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