Washington, DC – Rep. Tom Price (GA-06-R) issued the following statement today after Democrats, under claims of an “open process,” included provisions in the enactment of H.R. 1, the Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007, that had nothing to do with the 9/11 Commission Recommendations.

The Promise:

“Let us join together in the first 100 hours to make this Congress the most honest and open in history.” Floor remarks of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, January 4, 2007

“In the first 100 hours: We will make our nation safer and we will begin by implementing the recommendations of the independent, bipartisan 9/11 Commission.” (Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi, Click Here for Statement, Accessed: January 3, 2007)

The Reality:

Due to a lack of an open and regular process, House Democrats railroaded provisions in H.R. 1 that have nothing to do with the 9/11 Commission Recommendations. Since H.R. 1 did not go through committee, it includes such items as collective bargaining rights for TSA personnel – a gift for organized labor – and making the Civil Liberties Oversight Board separate. Neither is a 9/11 Commission Recommendation.

“First Democrats backtrack and failed to implement all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations as they promised,” said Price. “Then to top it off, they include provisions that the Commission never recommended.”

“Including collective bargaining for TSA officials was never the intent of the Commission’s findings, rather a favor to organized labor and other Democrat special interests. What happens when TSA employees go on strike leaving America unprotected? It is just one matter that never got the proper scrutiny because the bill did not go through regular order.

“Unfortunately, Democrats believe America’s homeland security can be strengthened by cherry picking from the 9/11 Commission report for the purpose of political gamesmanship while adding in superfluous items. This misguided action is far from leadership on the issue and far from the promises made to the American people.”

The Solution:

Positive, Principled, Solution-Oriented Leadership

Democrat Broken Promise Meter: 6

Democrats and National Security (1/9/07)

Democrats and Five-Day-Work-Week (1/7/07)

Democrats and 24 Hours to Review Legislation (1/3/07)

Democrats and Committee Assignments (12/27/06)

Democrats and 9/11 Recommendations (12/18/06)

Democrats and the Legislative Process (12/15/06)

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