Ehrlich on Washington column, October 5, 1997

с 1407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 2 1 093 NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Week of October 5, 1997 DICK GEPHARDT, MEET FERRIS BUELLER Do you remember the movie Ferris Bueller ’s Day Off! It is about a clever high school senior who, using a phantom illness as an excuse, takes a day off from school so he can have fun with his friends. We all knew a few Ferris Buellers back in school. Sometimes it is fun to look back upon their hijinks, and to remember the lengths to which some kids would go just to avoid their studies. Of course, the Ferris Buellers I knew eventually outgrew that kind of frivolous behavior. Most people do once they have adult responsibilities. Unfortunately, this is not true of some liberal House Democrats. Through a series of procedural delays, they have proven that Buellerism is alive and well in Congress. Over the past month, they have repeatedly abused the procedures of the House in an attempt to shut down Congress and prevent it from doing business. Under House rules, any member may introduce a procedural motion, such as a motion to adjourn. Some liberal Democrats have repeatedly introduced these motions — some minutes after the start of the legislative day, some right in the middle of debate on important legislation. And while each of these motions is routinely defeated, House rules require that members have a minimum of 15 minutes to record their votes. So, for example, if three motions to adjourn C