reclaiming my time , i think they would have followed the gentleman 's lead , but i thank the gentleman very much . 
let me move forward with the amendment before us . 
this is my very point . 
i encourage my colleagues , both republicans and democrats , to look very carefully at the jackson-lee amendment , and i ask for their support . 
this is the problem we have here today , and that is the continuity and the preservation of this historic and honorable institution , the members of the united states congress , really should be a bipartisan process . 
i am disappointed we are not , even in time of death and tragedy , terrorism , that we can not find in our hearts and in our intellectual minds the ability to be collegial and to work in an very informed and thoughtful way . 
this particular amendment is very succinct , and i ask my colleagues to give it considerable thought and vote for it . 
one , the amendment has the expansion of the ability of an aggrieved party to file suit for either declaratory or injunctive relief from just 2 days to 5 days . 
this is a question to answer the needs of the secretaries of state and the states that when this crisis occurs , that all of them have the procedures in place to be able to fulfill our democratic calling . 
this is not a constitutional amendment . 
i wish it were . 
but since we are doing this by statute , why not give the opportunity for there to be enough open view and transparency for this to occur ? 
number 2 of this amendment is a provision for an expedited appeals process to the united states district court for matters rising out of the special election process because a 45-day deadline for special state election already places significant constraints on the electoral process and on the citizens represented due to its brevity , taking away the right to an appeal to the u.s. district court . 
this gives an expedited appeal . 
in addition , this provides for an expansion of the right to sue for declaratory judgment beyond the governor , but to citizens and classes of citizens . 
mr. chairman , the gravity of the matter of reconstituting the house of representatives in the face of catastrophe requires the fullest debate possible . 
however , due to the fact that a structured rule was reported out of committee , this body is relegated to saving this severely flawed legislation by way of the only two amendments made in order last tuesday -- those of my colleague , the distinguished ranking member of the house administration committee and the jackson-lee amendment . 
the jackson-lee amendment has three essential components which propose to preserve the rights of the states , the voters , and of the spirit of democracy : the first portion of this amendment , jackson-lee # 1 , reads as follows : in section 26 ( b ) ( 4 ) ( b ) ( i ) of the revised statutes of the united states , as proposed to be added by the bill , strike `` 2 days '' and insert `` 5 days. '' this change would amend the section of the bill that deals with the time in which a person ( s ) may file a lawsuit arising out of the speaker of the house 's announcement of vacancies in the house of representatives in excess of 100 . 
this change would amend paragraph ( 4 ) , subparagraph ( b ) ( i ) and expand the ability of an aggrieved party to file suit for either declaratory or injunctive party to file suit for either declaratory or injunctive relief from just two ( 2 ) days to five ( 5 ) days . 
because not every state has a capital beltway or even a superhighway system , and because information travels at a different rate in every location , it is important that we establish a fair standard for a filing rule that affects every state in the country . 
the principle of procedural due process dictates that every citizen of each state have a realistic opportunity to obtain legal relief through our judicial branch . 
the second portion of this proposal speaks even more to the issue of due process for all citizens . 
its text reads as follows : in section 26 ( b ) ( 4 ) ( b ) ( iii ) of the revised statues of the united states , as proposed to be added by the bill , insert after `` the action '' the following : `` ( taking into account an opportunity for an expedited appeal of the initial decision ) . '' . 
because the 45-day deadline for special state elections already places significant constraints on the electoral process and on the citizens represented due to its brevity , taking away the right to an appeal from the u.s. district court would excessively curtail the procedural due process rights enjoyed by citizens . 
given that the time in which a federal judge has to compose an order disposing of these matters is provided in this bill , an equally expeditious appeals process should be provided so as to maintain consistency with the u.s. constitution and the commitment to both the 5th and 14th amendments . 
thirdly , the amendment reads as follows : in section 26 ( b ) ( 4 ) ( b ) ( iv ) of the revised statutes of the united states , as proposed to be added by the bill , insert after `` vacant '' the following : `` any citizen of the district or any group of citizens of the state. '' . 
this proposal is very important to protect the interests of all citizens in the various congressional districts in the midst of party politics as well as the certification of classes in legal actions . 
as the bill is drafted , section 2 , paragraph ( 4 ) , subparagraph ( iv ) would confer the right to sue in the event of a vacancy announcement by the speaker of the house solely to the `` executive authority , '' in the case of texas , the governor . 
such overly restrictive language almost certainly threatens to deprive the citizens of a right that they should enjoy in the event that the governor chooses not to participate in a suit for declaratory or injunctive relief pursuant to a vacancy announcement made by the speaker of the house . 
in order to protect the rights of every person who truly has an interest in a call for a special election under this act , this provision must be amended to allow citizens and classes of citizens to sue for relief . 
mr. chairman , i ask that my colleagues support the voters of each state , the framework of the u.s. constitution , and the spirit of democracy by supporting the jackson-lee amendment . 
mr. chairman , i reserve the balance of my time . 
