This was a procedural vote on a resolution setting a time limit for debate and determining which amendments could be offered to legislation providing roughly $67 billion for programs relating to transportation, housing, and urban development in 2011.

If passed, this particular procedural motion -- known as the “previous question" -- effectively ends debate and brings the pending legislation to an immediate vote.  

Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY) praised the underlying transportation, housing, and urban affairs legislation: “I rise…in strong support of H.R. 5850 [the transportation and housing bill]… because housing and transportation are two areas that must be priorities, especially in tough economic times such as we are in, because we get the double return on our investment. As we have seen with the recovery bill, investment in infrastructure not only generates economic recovery by putting people back to work, but those construction jobs strengthen our transportation system and improve our housing stock. They make our roads safer, our bridges safer for our families and our friends and our constituents to travel on.”

Republicans generally focused their remarks on the resolution limiting amendments to the bill, rather than the bill itself. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) criticized the Democratic majority for limiting amendments to the bill: “Always throughout the history of the Republic, appropriations bills have been brought forth under open rules [allowing for unlimited amendments]…. sometimes the process of debate on appropriations bills got unruly and long and frustrating. But that's the way democracy's supposed to work…. this process is unjust and it's unnecessary…It's a colossal mistake that the majority will come to regret.”

The House agreed to the motion ordering the previous question by a vote of 236-179. Voting “yea” were 236 Democrats. All 167 Republicans present and 12 Democrats voted “nay.” As a result, the House proceeded to a final vote on a resolution setting a time limit for debate and limiting amendments to legislation providing roughly $67 billion for programs relating to transportation, housing, and urban development in 2011.