[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 72 (Friday, June 10, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. MICHEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. MICHEL. Madam Speaker, I have asked for this 1-minute for the 
purpose that I might inquire of the distinguished majority whip, the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior], the program for next week.
  Mr. BONIOR. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. MICHEL. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. BONIOR. I thank the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Michel], the 
minority leader, for yielding.
  The schedule for next week is as follows. On Monday, June 13, the 
House will meet at 10:30 a.m. for morning business, and then will meet 
officially at noon. There will be four bills for suspension that 
afternoon, H.R. 3013, to establish a center for Women's Veterans in the 
Department of Veterans Affairs; S. 1904, Board Of Veterans' Appeals 
Administration Procedures and Improvement Act; H.R. 1015, Fair Credit 
Reporting Act; and H.R. 4246, Panama Canal Commission Authorization 
Act.
  Then we plan to go back to the California Desert Protection Act, the 
bill which we have just been working on. We do not expect votes until 
after 5, and we do expect to finish our work at around 7 o'clock on 
Monday.
  On Tuesday we meet at 10:30 for morning business, and then meet at 
noon for a session.
  For Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we will begin at 10 a.m. The 
legislation to be considered Tuesday through the rest of the week is 
the energy and water development appropriations bill, the Treasury 
authorizations bill, the Transportation appropriations bill, the 
Agriculture appropriations bill, and we also hope to complete work on 
the Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act.
  On Tuesday we would like to finish by 6 because of a dinner that we 
understand will be attended by a large number of our colleagues. On 
Wednesday and Thursday, we can expect late nights, late, late nights on 
Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday we will be out by 3.
  Mr. MICHEL. Will there definitely be a session on Friday?
  Mr. BONIOR. There certainly will be on Friday, and we will be going 
until 3 o'clock.
  Mr. MICHEL. Monday's votes on the suspensions will be delayed until 5 
o'clock?
  Mr. BONIOR. That is correct. Let me correct myself, if the gentleman 
will yield further. The suspensions, I misspoke, will be rolled until 
Tuesday. We will go back to the California Desert Protection Act at 5 
o'clock.
  Mr. MICHEL. Assuming we get through with the suspensions before five, 
will there be an interval there?
  Mr. BONIOR. We anticipate a hiatus, a recess, yes.
  Mr. MICHEL. I see. How long would we go on Monday?
  Mr. BONIOR. Until about 7.
  Mr. MICHEL. So there could be rollcall votes between 5 and 7, if we 
are taking up the controversial bill we have just handled.
  Mr. BONIOR. We may start the debate on the California desert 
amendments at four, but Members should understand that we will not have 
any votes prior to 5 o'clock.
  Mr. MICHEL. I thank the gentleman. I yield to the gentleman from 
California.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished Republican 
leader for yielding to me. I would simply like to inquire of my very 
good friend and fellow Committee on Rules Member what the schedule 
could be on the issue of congressional reform. As the gentleman knows, 
last year we put into place the Joint Committee on the Reorganization 
of Congress charged specifically with bringing about a wide range of 
recommendations.
  We were told last fall that the measure would be brought to the 
floor. We were told early this year that because we did not get it to 
the floor before the end of calendar year 1993 we could see it on the 
floor in the spring. We have been told we will have it the early 
summer. Now there is rumor it will be broken up and we will not have 
H.R. 3801, the measure reported out just before Thanksgiving of last 
year, charged with bringing about the reorganization of this Congress 
which Members in a bipartisan way wanted to address.

  I wonder if my friend could tell me as to when we could expect to see 
that on the floor?
  Mr. BONIOR. As the gentleman knows, the Committee on Rules on which 
we both serve is deliberating on this bill. It is a very important 
piece of legislation. We expect to take this bill up some time after 
the Fourth of July recess. That is the intention as of today.
  Mr. DREIER. If my friend would continue to yield, I would just like 
to state that yesterday, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee 
began its markup on this issue. Next week I understand the Committee on 
House Administration is scheduled to begin its markup simply on the 
issue of congressional compliance, beginning this process of breaking 
up congressional reform. We have had some hearings up in the Committee 
on Rules on this, but, unfortunately, we have not really seen any 
action. I understand this is going to be brought up after the Fourth of 
July break?
  Mr. BONIOR. That is the intention right now, that is correct.

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