WASHINGTON -- Republicans are accusing House Democrats of clamping down on debate to keep the Democratic agenda moving forward on Capitol Hill.
   
With control of the Oval Office, the House and the Senate, GOP leaders say their opponent's way of legislating amounts to silencing the minority.

"They have stopped debate.  They've stopped the ability to put in amendments.  They've changed rules," said Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va.  "They've promised that you were at least going to have time to read the bills.  We get the bills at sometimes 3 a.m. and are voting on them the next day."

Republicans claim their ideas are being brushed aside to keep legislation moving and cut down on long debates often initiated on controversial issues like abortion, gun control and gay marriage.

The practice has even hit some Democrats.  Pro-life Rep. Bart Stupakf, D-Mich., accused party leaders of "muzzling the voices of pro-life members."

Ultimately, Republicans say limited debate means Americans lose out.

"You make huge mistakes," Forbes said.  "You don't give the opportunity to have other viewpoints.. that could have perhaps corrected some of the situations that were in that particular piece of legislation."

Democrats say they're being bipartisan by incorporating Republican ideas, but congressional watch dog groups say they're relinquishing too much control to the agenda of the Oval Office.

"Much like Democrats complained that a Republican Congress was a rubber stamp for the Bush administration, it appears that the Democrats are falling into the same trap," explained Brian Darling of the Heritage Foundation.  "This Congress is becoming a rubber stamp for the policies of the Obama administration."