WASHINGTON (16 March) - Today U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), representing Florida’s 9th Congressional District, delivered the following remarks after published reports that House Democrats will bend the rules in an effort to ram through the Senate health care bill without a clear recorded vote:

"Madam Speaker, Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution says that in order for a "Bill" to "become a Law," it "shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate."

"Yet, yesterday Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed the so called “Slaughter Rule”, which would merely "deem" that the House has passed the Senate health-care bill and then send it to President Obama to sign without a direct, recorded vote.

"This scheme is misguided, arrogant and fundamentally wrong.

"The Speaker reportedly added: "Nobody wants to vote for the Senate bill." Given the facts that among other things the $1 trillion bill is marred with special deals, mandates, tax hikes and Medicare cuts – It is no wonder they don’t want to vote for it.

"Considering the wide-ranging affects this trillion dollar effort to change health care will have – The American people deserve a clear up or down vote on this bill."