[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H9250-H9251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRIES

  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Why would a unanimous-consent request to permit the 
immediate consideration of this resolution not be in order even if it 
has been referred to a committee.

[[Page H 9251]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Speaker has announced the following 
guidelines----
  Mr. DOGGETT. This is an announcement by Speaker Gingrich?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. First by Speaker O'Neill. It has been a 
continual policy. It has been the policy of the Speakers. Let the Chair 
quote precisely from section 757 of the Manual:

       The Speaker has announced and enforced a policy of 
     conferring recognition for unanimous consent requests for the 
     consideration of unreported bills and resolutions only when 
     assured that the majority and minority floor and committee 
     leaderships have no objection.

  Mr. DOGGETT. Further parliamentary inquiry, the minority leadership 
has been consulted. Every Democrat has signed on to this proposal to 
allow us additional time to consider the details of this Medicare plan, 
and my inquiry would be then if the Democratic minority leadership has 
agreed to this, it is only the Republican leadership that wants to 
thwart a fair and open hearing?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair is not aware of clearance by all 
necessary Members.
  Mr. DOGGETT. All Democratic Members have signed on to this resolution 
and the ranking member.
  Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, point of order.
  Mr. DOGGETT. The Democratic membership here is indicating for fair 
and open hearings.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is no longer asking for a 
parliamentary inquiry. He can draw his own conclusions. The Chair has 
stated the fact.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Further parliamentary inquiry, what procedure then would 
be appropriate for a Member, myself or a Member of our leadership, the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut, to present? What timing, what form would 
be appropriate to present a unanimous consent request so that we could 
have a full hearing on Medicare instead of just 1 day?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair must be aware of clearance by all 
the necessary Members, as announced in the Speaker's policy.
                              {time}  1015

  Mr. DOGGETT. Further parliamentary inquiry then, Mr. Speaker.
  If the Democrat leadership comes to the floor of this House and 
announces its desire to have this resolution considered immediately, 
will the unanimous-consent request be accepted at that time?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Knollenberg). The Chair will repeat. The 
Chair will not entertain that request according to the guidelines as a 
matter of discretionary recognition.
  Mr. DOGGETT. So, further parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  So a statement then on behalf of the Democrat leadership by the 
minority leader or by all members of the Democrat Caucus that they 
request that this unanimous-consent request for full and complete 
Medicare hearings occur, that would not be enough to get it entertained 
here on the floor.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman understand the Chair's 
guidelines? They have been stated at great length.
  Mr. DOGGETT. If I understood it, I would not be asking the further 
parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has referred to what is proper. 
The leadership on both sides must consent to this request, and they 
have to clear this. It cannot be brought up in this manner.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Further parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  Unless Speaker Gingrich clears us having more than 1 day of hearing, 
it cannot occur. Is that the ruling of the Chair?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The majority floor leader and the chairman 
of the Committee on Rules must clear this request.
  Mr. DOGGETT. So, unless the Republican chairman of the committee, Mr. 
Solomon, and----
  Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, point of order.
  Mr. DOGGETT. We cannot take up a full hearing.

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