Reply #14: As for question 2

[Sydnie]

Conyers is not the chairman. He can not demand that the room be made available for what is being considered a "partisan" hearing. This is no different than when he held his election investigation meeting in another room, other than the "official" hearing room and when he held round 2 of those hearings in Ohio as well. Getting those hearings the other day was due to a little used rule in the house. Since there were hearings going on concerning that topic, they could request that hearing the other day. The right is not investigating the DSM, so they can't demand access to the room and the committee with the rule they used for the hearing about the patriot act.

As for question 1 -- they just don't get that it's the right thing to do. Perhaps they think that once they apologize (internment as an example) there will be a "price tag" attached and they want to get on the record as not supporting a government "donation" to the victims of yet another shameful chapter in our history. One that the lawmakers of those days were woefully quiet about dealing with, I might add. They didn't openly support lynchings, but they didn't do much to stop it when they could have. It's all about the money.