Relive the drama

I am planning a staged reading of the Congressional Record for the 109th Congress. In this scene, the part of Rep. Don Young (R-AK) will be played by Alan Rickman. The part of Rep. David Obey (D-WI) will be played by George Clooney.

House of Representatives chamber, U.S. Capitol, Interior.

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. Chairman, I knew we still had charter members of the Flat Earth Society walking around this country. I didn't realize there were quite so many in the United States Congress.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. (Sneering) I am just curious, were you referring to yourself?

Mr. OBEY. The rules don't allow me to say who I was referring to.

The gentleman says we should have studies, we should have hearings. Your party has controlled this Congress for 14 years. The time for studying is over. The time for studying is past... He may be right, and you may be right. If you are right, then moving to deal with this problem costs us very little. If he is right, not moving costs us everything. The gentleman refers to an ice age.

(voice rising to a crecscendo)

If you shut down the ocean currents' conveyors, you are going to have an ice age in one heck of a hurry. So I would suggest the gentleman has committee responsibilities. If he does not want this committee to meet our responsibilities, as we have tried to do, then it is about time you meet yours and actually do something about it rather than denying that this is a real problem.

(with authority) Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

(Congressional Record)