WASHINGTON – On Monday, House and Senate conferees for the annual Homeland Security funding bill met. They debated the issues, concluded the conference, and conferees signed the conference report.

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), the Chairs of the conference, went so far as to promise there would be no additions to the bill after they met.

Staff worked late into the night that night to be sure the bill was ready to file.

But it wasn’t filed.

Despite the conference chairs' best efforts, and even though no changes are supposed to be made after the conference report is signed, the House Republican Leadership is sitting on the bill as they entertain ideas about which additional bills they could tack on.

“What is this, the Soviet Parliament? The leadership will make decisions behind closed doors, regardless of the rules?” said Dave Obey (D-WI), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee. “For the last two weeks Republicans have put us through one feel good security vote after another. Now we have something real we can do on homeland security and they’re playing games.”

Below is a transcript from the conference when Gregg and Rogers promised no additions to the bill.

Rep. Sabo: Can we have assurance from the Chairmen that things are not added to the bill after the conference report is signed... we had a couple of times last year where we left conference reports and signed and forces outside the Committee added major provisions to it...

Rep. Rogers: Not on this bill, right.

Rep. Sabo: No, they used to be...

Sen. Gregg: That's not our policy, and we won't be doing that...

Rep. Sabo: I thank you

Rep. Rogers: ...you have our assurance...you have our assurance...

Watch the video at www.c-span.org or on REAL PLAYER - begins at 1:30:30.