CORRECTION

A story Thursday on Page 3A gave an incorrect location for U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry's residence. He is from Cherryville.

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On the eve of a new Congress being heralded by its Democratic leadership as ushering in an age of bipartisanship, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry of Hickory led a group of Republicans on Wednesday in accusing Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi of hypocrisy.

Pelosi campaigned last fall on the theme of giving members of the minority party a bigger role in affairs of the House. But this week, Pelosi said she does not plan to allow Republican amendments or alternatives to the Democrats' agenda for the first 100 hours, a to-do list that includes stem cell research, ethics reform and raising the minimum wage.

"If, in their opening moment of power, they close us out of the process, imagine what they'll do in the future," McHenry said. "It is so hypocritical just on its face, it has to be called out."

McHenry organized a packed news conference at the Capitol with nearly a dozen Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx of Banner Elk. The group touted a "Minority Bill of Rights" based, they said, almost word-for-word on a proposal Pelosi made as minority leader in 2004.

It includes provisions for 24-hour reviews of legislation before votes, a process to allow all members to offer amendments on bills, and full hearings on all bills.

"I pulled it off her Web site," McHenry said.

The Democrats take over Congress today after 12 years of Republican control, much of it marked by rules that prevented Democrats from offering significant amendments or shut them out of some conference committees.

Republicans shrugged off questions about the past.

McHenry said that he never closed Democrats out and that he was upset that Democrats campaigned on the issue of openness last fall.

"It's not whining," McHenry said. "It's a matter of calling them out on this rhetoric."

Democrats defended the lockout.

"I think they've reached the height of hypocrisy throwing a fit over this," said Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi. "The 100-hour agenda items aren't controversial. They'll pass; they'll draw bipartisan support."

U.S. David Price, a Chapel Hill Democrat, said the Democrats' top-priority legislation has already passed committees.

"Very predictable. Very predictable," he said of GOP complaints. "Now they're the opposition party, and they're not going to give [Pelosi] credit for anything. ... The way the first 100 hours are handled is not a template for any other legislation. I would insist on that."

Democratic U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield of Wilson said Republicans squandered their opportunities to pass many of the bills being considered.

"We're not going to shut out the Republicans, but we do have a mandate from the American people, and we take that mandate very seriously," Butterfield said.

Once the first 100 hours are through, Hammill said, the House will go back to its usual process.

And, he added, there are 52 new members of Congress who haven't had any say about the bills on the Democrats' agenda.