Democrats set to return to Austin
Republican leaders, who had called the Democrats cowards for holding out
until time expired on the congressional redistricting bill in the House, on
Thursday offered conciliatory, if not warm, words.
"This thing's over with as far as I'm concerned," Gov. Rick Perry
said. "I hope they have a safe and speedy trip back home."
The thing began Monday when 51 Democrats secretly fled over the
Republicans, who gained control of the House for the first time in 131 years
this session, said they were exercising the prerogative of the majority in
trying to boost the number of congressional seats held by the GOP. They said
Democrats were subverting the system.
State troopers were sent to find the runaway lawmakers, who turned up at a
Holiday Inn, but they had no jurisdiction to arrest and retrieve them. The
standoff dragged on for four days.
Dubbed the "Killer D's" or the "Chicken D's," depending
on which camp you hail from, they became the focus of international attention,
vilified by Republicans and cheered by Democrats.
On Thursday,
The reception is likely to be a little more like raspberries in the House,
where they have kept their frustrated colleagues waiting, and scrambling to
find ways to salvage bills endangered by the stalemate.
House Speaker Tom Craddick, in declaring the redistricting bill dead, also
said he doesn't think there will be retribution against the dissident
Democrats.
"We really just want to move the process on, try to get the session
finished and go forward. I've talked to members that are here. That's the way
they feel," he said.
The dire pronouncements of earlier in the week – when Perry and Craddick
said the Democratic antics could kill dozens of important bills – dissipated on
Thursday. Both said they felt there was plenty of time left in the session, that ends June 2, to address major issues.
While the holdout killed redistricting and 223 other House bills, Lt. Gov.
David Dewhurst in particular has been searching for
Senate bills that House members could fold their measures into as amendments.
"I think there are a lot of vehicles," to carry forward House
proposals, Perry said.
The governor demurred when asked about an identical redistricting bill filed
this week in the Senate. If Perry declared the Senate bill an emergency piece
of legislation requiring immediate attention, it could potentially jump enough
legislative hurdles to be heard.
"I think we've got all the emergencies we can handle right now,"
Perry said.
He made his statement at a bill signing ceremony that included Democratic
lawmakers. One of the bills – studying the effectiveness of a child
immunization program – was sponsored by missing Democrat Rep. Jaimie Capelo.
Perry said measures on lawsuit limits, lowering
home insurance and the budget – the largest bills on his agenda – were alive
and moving.
In
"Now that we have been able to kill redistricting, we are ready to go
back and to finish the business of the state," said Democratic Rep. Craig Eiland. "Hopefully it will send a message that the
Texas House of Representatives is not going to be run by
He said the Democrats are ready and anxious to work with their colleagues,
"to finish the budget, to finish school finance and to finish the remaining
issues."
Eiland also said the Democrats expect their
self-imposed exile will not harm other pending legislation. "We feel that
we will be able to accomplish everything except redistricting," he said.
Just to help things along, two statewide religious groups – Texas Impact and
Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission – called on Texans to say prayers for
the lawmakers.
The groups said they hoped knowing Texans are praying for them,
""will help lawmakers lift their attention from partisan strife to the
greater good."
Democrats are expected to arrive at the south entrance of the Capitol by
about
"They want to be there on time," said Democratic spokeswoman Margaret
Justus, who added that it's unlikely they'll stop at any Denny's along the way.
They are also likely to also see a few dissenters, said Republican state
party spokesman Ted Royer.
"We are not organizing anything. But I suspect there will be protesters
in place that will show up to express their displeasure with this fraternity
prank," Royer said.
Taking their cue from the leadership, House Republicans said they don't
expect any fireworks.
"I don't think there will be any histrionics," said Rep. Larry
Phillips.
Rep. Dan Branch also said, "These people are
our friends and colleagues. We disagreed with their choice, their action, but
that doesn't mean we have to be disagreeable."
He acknowledged that a few members called for
"taking out sabers and striking heads," which he said was
understandable.
"I think there will probably be some
resentment that they cost us time, money and a lot of legislation was
lost," Branch said.
Rep. Sylvester Turner, the speaker pro tempore and one of seven Democrats who remained behind, said the battle over
redistricting is over and it's time to get back to work.
"It's not about victory. It's about the fact that was one bill that was
highly partisan and political in nature that we all felt should not have been
on the calendar," he said.
"Now, collectively we need to work to salvage bills that might have been
lost," Turner said.
Not everyone felt ready to forgive and forget.
Republican Rep. Beverly Woolley, chairwoman of the
House Calendars Committee, said the battle over redistricting will continue, if
not this session, perhaps in a special session or in the 2005 Legislature.
"Never say never," she said.