WASHINGTON, DC—In response to a press conference held today by House Republican Leadership regarding a new package of securities legislation, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) issued the following statement. The package contains a bill that is nearly an exact replica of a bill authored by Himes and passed by the House of Representatives on November 2. The Republican replacement, sponsored by Congressman Ben Quayle (AZ-3), was dropped Friday. Despite Quayle’s newfound interest in financial services legislation, he is not a cosponsor of the Himes bill.
“I’ve enjoyed working with my colleagues on the Financial Services Committee to craft bipartisan legislation that will help create jobs by updating our regulatory framework to reflect the changing business climate in the 21st century. At a time when the American people are desperate to see Members of Congress reach across the aisle and come together, it’s disappointing that Republicans have once again resorted to petty gamesmanship. While it’s unfortunate the Republicans felt it was necessary to copy my legislation rather than include me and my Democratic colleagues in their package and press conference today, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I’m eager to see these bills become law.”