Democrat silenced on House floor for Katrina remark

[mudesi]

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Democrat_silenced_on_House_floor_for_0321.html


After questioning a Republican congressmember's "decency" for seeking to restrict housing reconstruction funds for Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims, a Democratic Representative was barred Wednesday from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. By a vote of the House's membership, his speaking privileges were quickly restored, and the Member apologized.


Here is his actual quote:

"He wants to punish for mistakes of the Bush administration," said Rep. Taylor. "Mr. Price, I wish you'd have the decency, if you're going to do that to the people of south Mississippi, that maybe you ought to come visit south Mississippi, and see what has happened, before you hold them to a standard you would never hold your own people to, and that you fail to hold the Bush administration to."


Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like Mr. Taylor was speaking the truth. I guess the GOP just can't handle such a thing.

[a kennedy]

1. This happened yesterday......

That's the first time I've ever seen someone get their words taken down and out of the record!!! Yikes..... was pretty interesting and Rep Taylor was really pissed.

[AnnInLa]

2. Well, what's wrong with that statement?

Did he end it with telling Price to go cheney himself?

[Kelly Rupert]

4. He said a fellow Congressman lacks decency on the floor.

Minor, yes, but still against House rules. Personally, I'm just glad that *someone* is enforcing the rules this session.

[Kelly Rupert]

3. Well, there are House rules of decorum.

Now, they seem kind of silly, since any one Congressman is free to walk out onto the steps and call another one a treasonous rat-bastard for the cameras. But really, this is a rather small thing. He got caught up and broke a minor rule--he admits he should have said "courtesy" and not "decency"--and then apologized and got on with the day. It's not like the GOP "silenced" him.

[AnnInLa]

5. More: Should have said "courtesy" instead of "decency"....oh poop

Littig also repeated Taylor's apology to Price, acknowledging that he should have used the word "courtesy" instead of "decency."

Price's office did not respond to e-mailed questions about the incident on the House floor.

Rep. Taylor himself continues to live in his brother's home, as his own house was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

Ultimately, Price's amendment was defeated by a 98-333 vote. The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act, which was originally sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), was successfully passed last night by a 302-125 vote, with 72 Republicans supporting the bill.

[dogday]

6. Wow what a great guy, here is more of what he said

<snip>


Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS): First, let me tell the gentleman from Georgia that I appreciate him trying to save some money. I think his efforts though are a year late.

If you want to look for Katrina fraud, look for the Katrina fraud that was perpetrated by the Bush administration.

In south Mississippi at one point we had 40,000 people living in FEMA trailers, we're grateful for every one of them. But those trailers were delivered by a friend of the president by the name of Riley Bechtel, a major contributor to Bush administration. He got $16,000 to haul a trailer the last 70 miles from Fergus, MS down to the Gulf Coast , hook it up to a garden hose, hook it up to a sewer tap, and plug it in, $16,000. So the gentleman never came to the floor once last year to talk about that fraud.

But now little towns like Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, that have no tax base because their stores were destroyed in the storm, a county like Hancock County, where 90% of the residents lost everything, or at least substantial damage to their home, he wants to punish Bay St. Louis, he wants to punish Waveland, he wants to punish Pass Christian for mistakes of the Bush administration.

Mr. Price, I wish you'd have the decency, if you're going to do that to the people of south Mississippi, that maybe you ought to come visit south Mississippi, and see what has happened, before you hold them to a standard you would never hold your own people to, and that you fail to hold the Bush administration to.


</snip>

[a kennedy]

9. I saw Rep. Taylor on the C-SPAN bus with other Reps, touring

Mississippi after Katrina. It was his district that got hit and his home also was destroyed. He has first hand knowledge of what is and what is not going on there. I'm sure his patience was gone and his disappointment and disgust with this administration was showing. I don't blame him at all for his "disrespect" I thought he should have said more. D*mn that mr. price.

[Nikki Stone1]

7. My new favorite Congressman. :)

:D

[The Count]

8. I saw the brouha-ha over Taylor "inappropriate remarks" when looking

for Conyers' commitee on C_Span - and never knew what the remarks were. They spent a whole morning on that!