Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) started a shouting match on the House floor Wednesday by alleging that Republicans were siding with a big oil company over protecting individuals from loosing their land.
Rush said that the GOP's push to force approval of the controversial Keystone oil pipeline would end up with private land being seized by eminent domain to clear a path.
“Why don’t you protect the landowners, the private landowners?” Rush said, triggering shouts form both sides of the aisle.
Rush said that members of Congress were sent to Washington to “protect” Americans and not “let a big oil company, Keystone and TransCanada come in and just take their land, take their land.”
On the other side of the argument was Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.). He said, “They don’t take the land; there’s a legal process in eight states,” but, as he was not recognized by the chair, he was gaveled as out of order.
