By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX – House Speaker Tom Craddick said earlier today he feels no ill will toward the 50-plus House Democrats who staged a walkout to break quorum and end the possibility of consideration of a Congressional redistricting bill.
However, judging from the tone and temper of a press conference this afternoon involving members of the House Republican Caucus, the now-majority GOP members may not be so forgiving.
Waving a fistful of paper, Rep. Beverly Woolley noted, "This is our calendar for Monday and Tuesday. There were over 100 bills to be heard Monday and Tuesday, not just the redistricting bill."
Among the legislation that could die if the Democrats do not return before midnight Thursday are bills representing $650 million in savings to state government, she said. "These are Democrats' bills and Republicans' bills," said Woolley, warning that if members have to return for a special session of the legislature it will cost the state $1.5 million per day.
She also noted that while Republican members wait for the Democrats to return, the Democrats are drawing a per diem of $125 from the state for every day they're gone.
"They need to come back and they need to do the work they were sent here to do by their constituents."
Rep. Elvira Reyna of Mesquite, who chairs the House Local and Consent Calendar, noted she is the first Republican Hispanic female named to chair a House committee and said she is "disappointed" that her fellow Hispanics Democrats "are not here to help us continue the work that is here for us."
Rep. Geanie Morrison of Victoria said the walkout over the redistricting bill "goes far beyond one single bill." She read off a list of bills that she called "important to the people of Texas - most notably Texas children and Texas elderly" that could die as a result of the walkout. "All of these bills are dying, or there are dead," she said.
Morrison said the "irresponsible actions of a few individuals" would affect the lives of children and the elderly "who will pay the ultimate price."
Rep. Dianne Delisi of Temple reminded of the redistricting battle of 1991. She alleged that maps were drawn behind closed doors. "We offered amendments," she said of her Republican colleagues. "They were defeated. But we stayed the course. We did not desert to Oklahoma or another state."
Rep. Kent Grusendorf agreed. "We stayed here and we voted no. Republicans have been in the minority for 130 years in Texas, and I'm not aware of them ever breaking a quorum.
"We're elected to come to Austin to debate the issues and to vote on them. Sometimes we lose. We have the responsibility under both our constitutions (state and federal) to draw congressional lines. Those lines should reflect the political landscape of Texas. This is not about party politics.
"I wish my colleagues would come back and help us do our job. We're here and we're ready to work."