Well according to AP News of course its all the republicans fault

Row over words delays House action By CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – The House was tied in knots Wednesday by a partisan row over matters that only a parliamentarian could love: “germaneness,” “motions to rise,” “pay-go.”

Democrats said the day of dilatory huffing and puffing did nothing but postpone action on an annual military policy bill. But Republicans declared victory, at least temporarily, saying their stalling tactics forced Democrats to drop a bid to hinder the minority party’s ability to offer contentious changes to legislation.

The hubbub’s seeds were planted early this year, when congressional Democrats vowed to pay for new programs with spending cuts or tax hikes. The pay-as-you-go plan is often called “pay-go.”

The promise hobbled Democrats in late March, when Republicans sought to block a bill to give the District of Columbia a voting member in Congress and to give Utah an extra House seat.The bill included a tiny tax increase to pay for the House expansion.

House rules require amendments to be germane to the bill at hand. Both parties have used the rules for years to keep the minority from offering unwanted changes.

But in March, House Republicans successfully argued that the tax provision in the D.C. voting bill opened the legislation to many topics. They offered an amendment to overturn D.C.’s strict gun-control laws, forcing Democrats to strike the entire bill.

Republicans had similar successes on other bills, prompting Democratic vows to change the procedures linking pay-go and germaneness, which they said the GOP was abusing. House Republicans responded with a day of civil disobedience Wednesday, starting with a time-consuming motion to adjourn as soon as the chamber convened.

By late afternoon, Republicans had demanded four quorum calls, a second adjournment motion and four “motions to rise,” another form of quorum call. Each required a slow-moving roll call vote summoning members back to the chamber, making it virtually impossible to proceed on the defense authorization bill.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., sought a truce in a private meeting with his GOP counterpart, John Boehner R-Ohio. Boehner later told reporters that he doubted Democrats would try to change the procedures.

Hoyer said in a statement, “Republicans have repeatedly exploited Democrats’ pledge to abide by our fiscally responsible ‘pay-as-you-go’ rules” to offer unrelated changes to important bills “solely to score political points.” He added: “There will not be a change before the Memorial Day recess.”

William Amos on May 16, 2007 at 6:33 PM