[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 115 (Tuesday, August 16, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   INQUIRY REGARDING PRIVILEGED REPORT ON RESOLUTION WITH RESPECT TO 
                         CLAUSE 4(b) OF RULE XI

  (Mr. WALKER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. WALKER. I just wanted to know, Mr. Speaker, if this is a two-
thirds rule for purposes of doing the crime rule.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is correct.
  Mr. WALKER. The idea being, Mr. Speaker, that this gives us the 
ability, then, if some kind of an arrangement is arrived at, that we 
would take it up utilizing the two-thirds rule. Is that what the plan 
is here, Mr. Speaker?
  Mr. MOAKLEY. If the gentleman will continue to yield, Mr. Speaker, I 
cannot hear the gentleman, but the two-thirds rule allows us to take up 
the rule the same day.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I assume that is predicated on the idea that 
we would arrive at some kind of arrangement acceptable to both sides, 
is that correct?
  Mr. MOAKLEY. It does not say that, but I am sure it is.
  Mr. WALKER. Otherwise, Mr. Speaker, it would be difficult to get two-
thirds.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. If the gentleman will yield further, this waives the 
two-thirds requirement.
  Mr. WALKER. This waives the two-thirds requirement. So the fact is, 
what we are trying to do is make certain the House would not have a 
chance to look at the new bill?
  Mr. MOAKLEY. If the gentleman will continue to yield, no, Mr. 
Speaker. This waives the two-thirds requirement, allowing the majority 
Members to vote on another rule that will be coming forward addressing 
the crime bill.
  Mr. WALKER. However, Mr. Speaker, it does then, at that point, assure 
that the House can take up the rule very quickly on a conference report 
that may get rewritten as a result of some of the negotiations that are 
going on?
  Mr. MOAKLEY. The gentleman is correct.
  Mr. WALKER. That makes it, then, more difficult for us to have a 
chance to look at those new provisions, if in fact we are going to run 
it out here on a very quick basis, does it not?
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield further, the 
reality is that we waived the two-thirds in order that if there is any 
chance we get out of here Friday, this is the only key we can use.
  Mr. WALKER. So the idea is that this would be used to try to get the 
House out of here on Friday to go home, hopefully?
  Mr. MOAKLEY. If everything falls in place, not waiving the rule on 
this would not allow us to take this matter up before Friday.
  Mr. WALKER. I thank the gentleman. With all the controversy that has 
been surrounding the bill, there is some concern on the part of Members 
that they do want to have a chance to understand what is in this bill.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. WALKER. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I was not going to talk on this, 
but I have some concern. How many pages are in the crime bill, 1,400 
pages?
  Mr. WALKER. 700 hundred pages, or something.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. There is at least 700 pages.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. If the gentleman will yield further, does the gentleman 
from Indiana [Mr. Burton] mean to say that he has not read the bill?
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. If the gentleman will continue to yield, 700 
hundred pages, Mr. Speaker? I must admit, I have read the synopsis, but 
not all 700 hundred pages. That is why I am concerned about running 
this thing through without Members having a chance to look at the thing 
before taking it up.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. If the gentleman will continue to yield, the rule may 
not come up until Friday, Mr. Speaker. This is just getting it ready in 
case all the other piece of business fall into place. As the gentleman 
knows, his leadership is at the White House now trying to work out the 
crime bill.
  Mr. WALKER. That is correct, Mr. Speaker, and basically what I am 
trying to do is figure out how this particular action fits in with the 
meetings that are taking place. If I understand the gentleman 
correctly, this is being done in hopes that arrangements can be made 
that will include a little bit of everybody, that we can move something 
expeditiously toward the end of the week, and we will move it at a 
point that everybody will understand what it is we are doing.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. If the gentleman will continue to yield, Mr. Speaker, I 
cannot go that far, that everybody will understand what we are doing. 
Other than that, I agree with the gentleman.
  Mr. WALKER. I thank the gentleman.

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