[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 108 (Thursday, June 29, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H6606-H6607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. ARMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I have asked for this time to proceed to 
inform the Members, in consideration of the White House, who just in 
the last hour or so contacted the Speaker with respect to an effort to 
make further and final revisions, and I think conclusive revisions, in 
the rescission bill, we have undertaken negotiations with 
representatives of the White House. Although they are proceeding well, 
it is not possible for us at this time to bring that bill to the floor 
without biasing against our best efforts to work with the White House.
  That being the case, I am going to be asking that we take a recess 
subject to the call of the Chair to give those negotiators an 
opportunity to complete this process in order that we might get the 
best possible rescission bill through the process.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from Missouri.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to inquire of the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Armey], we had also had scheduled for the day 
the legislation commonly known as Medicare Select. Is it possible that 
we could take that up instead of going into recess?
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, that would have been wonderful, but it is not 
possible to do so at this time. Certainly it is an important piece of 
legislation and one we intend to take up and complete this evening.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I ask the gentleman from Texas if we are 
going to complete that this evening or tomorrow?
  Mr. ARMEY. It is our intention to complete that this evening; I 
expect to do so.
  Mr. VOLKMER. On Medicare Select?
  Mr. ARMEY. On Medicare Select.
  Mr. VOLKMER. And the gentleman plans to also do the rescission bill 
yet this evening?
  Mr. ARMEY. Yes, we will do the rescission bill this evening.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Thank you very much. I have no further questions.
  Mr. DINGELL, Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, our committee has been called to the floor 
for purposes of handling the Medicare Select legislation. Could we have 
some appreciation of when we will be called back to do this, if we are 
not going to do it right now?
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, it is our intention to complete our 
negotiations with the White House on the rescission bill in short 
order, in which case we would go to that immediately upon returning 
from the recess, and the Medicare Select would be taken up upon 
completion of the rescission bill.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from Missouri.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I know that it is normal to recess subject 
to the call of the Chair, but I would like to inquire, does the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Armey] have any idea of the amount of time 
that we may be in recess before we would have to call back in, because 
some Members may desire to catch up a little bit from the sleep that 
they did not get last night.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, of course as my colleagues might guess, we 
want to get a rescission decision with precision as quickly as 
possible. And for that reason, Mr. Speaker, I would announce that we 
are going to take a recess subject to the call of the Chair with every 
expectation that given a 15-minute notification, we might anticipate 
being back here at work within a half-hour.
  Mr. VOLKMER. And there will be a 15-minute notification with the 
bells rung so the Members know?
  Mr. ARMEY. Absolutely.
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to ask the gentleman from 

[[Page H 6607]]
  Texas [Mr. Armey] the distinguished majority leader, I hate to forecast 
votes, but my suspicion is that the conference report on Medicare 
Select would pass. I think that everything that has to be said on it, I 
believe it has an hour of debate. And our champion, the gentleman from 
Michigan [Mr. Dingell] is ready to go. And I might respectfully suggest 
that we could accomplish some work if the gentleman wanted to begin 
with that at this point.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's consideration. 
As soon as we are able to be confident that we are fully capable of 
moving forward with that bill, assuming no complications with respect 
to the rescission matter, we will do so.
  But I must caution the gentleman, we have seen a great penchant in 
the last day or so for people to continue talking, even after it has 
been clear that all that needs to be said has been said. So we ought 
not be too optimistic about time.
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, could the majority leader enlighten us a 
little bit about what the negotiations are about and what the sticking 
points might be or where there has been agreement, whether that has 
been on housing or national service or the timber program? Could he 
give us a little bit more information?
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the inquiry, but no, I could not 
enlighten the gentleman.
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, would the majority leader attempt to 
enlighten us, then, would this delay affect our time to get out of town 
tomorrow at 3 o'clock at all?
  Mr. ARMEY. If, in fact we have difficulty getting out of town at the 
appointed time tomorrow, this delay will be the least of the reason for 
that difficulty.
  Mr. ROEMER. Finally, Mr. Speaker, for the majority leader, does he 
expect us, then, to continue these all-night sessions when we get back 
after the July work period or what can we expect with the schedule?
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman from Indiana might be 
able to help us understand that better. I do intend to complete the 
people's work. It would by my hope and my intention to do so as 
cordially and as conveniently and as quickly as possible.

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