[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 207 (Friday, December 22, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H15616-H15619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. FAZIO of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I take this time to determine 
from the distinguished majority leader the remainder of the schedule 
for today and perhaps for the rest of the year, and maybe into the next 
year. I would be happy to hear from the gentleman from Texas [Mr. 
Armey].
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would yield, let me begin by 
saying to our colleagues, this is the last vote of the day, and perhaps 
the last of the year, but certainly for a while. So those of our 
colleagues that are anxious about their airplanes are released, may go, 
and have a merry Christmas.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, could the gentleman further 
elaborate on the schedule? I have some questions that perhaps he wants 
to take them up on his time.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I would be more than happy to yield to the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Armey].
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I have just come back from the White House 
where I can say to my colleagues that things are going well. I think 
there is a very healthy rapport that is being established. The 
gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt] I see is back as well, and I 
think he would agree with me that we have a good beginning.
  We have reason to be optimistic, but as everybody knows, there are a 
great many points to these negotiations, and we do not necessarily 
expect them to be completed soon.
  We are able now, I think, to go into a recess that will take us until 
Wednesday evening. I do not expect that we would have business that 
would demand any votes on Wednesday evening. I would expect that we 
would be able to perhaps renew the recess period until Saturday.
  I would ask Members to please be in touch on Tuesday morning with 
your whip phone. We will try to keep you updated, but I do believe at 
this point, unless you receive information to the contrary, that you 
should be able to expect that there will be no business that would be 
compelling enough to bring you back from your districts and your 
constituents prior to next Saturday.
  If, in fact, things pick up with the budget negotiations, obviously 
we would give everybody ample notice and get everyone back. But we have 
no other business rather than the budget that I know of at this time 
that would make us feel constrained to call Members back.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Well, if I could further ask the leader to 
elaborate, so when we come in to session on December 27, on Wednesday; 
on Saturday, December 30, and perhaps again on January 3, we would not 
be having any business on those occasions; except perhaps if the 
majority chooses to extend the recess, there would be no procedural 
votes, nor would there be any substantive matters coming before the 
body. Is that the understanding that the gentleman can leave us with?
  Mr. ARMEY. Well, if the gentleman would yield, I am very confident 
that there would be no procedural votes from our side of the aisle, and 
of course I would feel much more comfortable if I could have the same 
assurance from the gentleman from California. I would expect none from 
your side as well, since it would be, I think we would all agree, a 
terrible inconvenience to the Members who might try to get something 
done in their district.

  Mr. FAZIO of California. Would the gentleman indicate once again how 
much notice he thought we could obtain as Members who might be at some 
distance from this town in order to get back if any votes are required?
  Mr. ARMEY. The Members should be aware that they would get a minimum 
of 12 hours notice. We would certainly try to do better than that, and 
I will try, beginning on Tuesday, to see to it that there is an updated 
information on the whip notice for all of the Members.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. In an earlier dialog, the gentleman 
indicated that he 

[[Page H15617]]
thought a 24-hour notice would be appropriate, and I realize that he is 
reluctant to make that commitment, but I can tell you there are many 
Members on both sides who think in this kind of an atmosphere with the 
difficulty of travel, a 24-hour notice would be far more appropriate, 
in light of the Members' needs to get reservations and get here in a 
timely way.
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman will yield, the gentleman's point is well 
taken. I am acutely aware that it is this gentleman's habit not to 
promise something unless he is certain he can deliver on it. So let me 
promise my assurance that I will do my very, very best to be sure that 
everyone gets as ample a notice as possible with my whole assurance 
that it would never be less than a 12-hour notice.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Well, I read the gentleman's comments in 
Roll Call today about the family friendly issue, and I think it was in 
the Wall Street Journal as well, and the gentleman has made the point 
he does not want to overpromise, so I do understand.
  Speaking of family friendly, let me yield briefly to the cochairman 
of that caucus, which has had one of the more difficult years, perhaps.
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would yield for a quick response, I would 
like also to refer the gentleman to the editorial page of the Wall 
Street Journal today as well.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I always skip over that page.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Roemer].
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, if I could ask the distinguished leader a 
question or two.
  First of all, Mr. Leader, I would like to extend a great deal of 
thanks to the staffs. If this is the last day that we are in session in 
1995, certainly the staff on the Republican side and the staff on the 
Democratic side, working through the contract, working through December 
22, today; sometimes working longer than we have, and the staff here in 
the Capitol deserve the taxpayers' thanks and the Members' thanks, and 
I would just like to extend a great deal of thanks to the staff.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Reclaiming my time, I just wanted to confirm 
that there will be no other legislation other than a CR or 7-year 
balanced budget brought before the institution at any time during the 
next 2 weeks; is that correct? There will be no other legislation?
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would yield, I should say that there may 
be a few nominal unanimous-consent requests that are cleared by both 
sides. I would expect that anything of consequence of either a CR or 
the balanced budget itself would be a matter consequential enough to 
expect the Members to have an opportunity to vote on it.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, could the gentleman inform us 
as to when we will get a formal legislative schedule for January?
  Mr. ARMEY. I would say that we will try to get you that as soon as we 
can and certainly within a week or two. I understand the concern of the 
gentleman and we will try to do the best we can.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Is there any possibility that you could at 
least give us weeks in January when you anticipate our presence or the 
fact that we would be free to work in our districts with our 
constituents?
  Mr. ARMEY. Again, if the gentleman would yield, it is our intention, 
as we complete this very, very long and difficult year, to make January 
as much a time for district and family as we can.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, let me yield to my colleague 
from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer].
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I would like to ask two questions. First of all, I would like to ask 
the leader, in terms of the recess and the reconvening of the House on 
the days that the leader has indicated that the House may be in session 
for the purposes of recessing to a future time, will we have notice of 
the time of that convening for the purposes of additional recess?
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman will yield.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I would be happy to yield to my friend from 
Texas.
  Mr. ARMEY. The gentleman from Maryland makes a good point, and yes, 
Members will be notified of our intention to reconvene the House, even 
for the purpose of renewing the recess, if that is possible. We will 
try to provide our Members, through their whip phones, as complete 
information about anything that would happen, but certainly we would 
notify Members that we would be reconvening the House at such-and-such 
a time, and we will try to give ample notice on that as well.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I would be happy to yield further to my 
friend from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the leader for his response on that, because there 
may be some of us, obviously, who do live close enough to participate 
in those sessions and would want to know, obviously, of any unanimous-
consent request that will be offered at that time, and I am sure my own 
leadership will keep me informed of that, as well as your leadership.
  The second question I would ask, Mr. Leader, as I hear what the 
gentleman is saying, am I correct that the probability is that the 
first time we could pass legislation to reopen those segments of 
Government that are closed would be January 3, after 5 o'clock?
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would yield, I would suggest to the 
gentleman that no, that is not necessarily the first time. Again, I 
would remind the gentleman, and again, the minority leader is here, at 
the White House today we had a sense of a very cordial workmanship-like 
rapport that should give us some confidence that progress might be made 
in this process, and obviously, everybody, I think, is very much aware 
that this is a serious business and we are resolved to get right to it.
  So I think we should be prepared, with the proper notice, nurturing 
all of the optimism we can and perhaps goodwill among the negotiators, 
to expect that at the very, very most early convenience.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I would yield again to my colleague from 
Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that.
  Mr. Leader, I would hope that in the event that you, who are 
perceived by, I think, many of your Members as I read in the papers as 
being tough enough to make the hard decisions, if you conclude prior to 
a finalization of an agreement that in fact negotiations are being 
conducted in good faith; that there is a reasonable probability that 
they will be successful in accomplishing the objective of the balanced 
budget within 7 years by CBO scoring, or such scoring as the parties 
agree on, that you would contact my leadership to suggest that the next 
time we come back from recess, whether it is Saturday or next Tuesday, 
that we pass a unanimous-consent continuing resolution to put the 
Government back to work.

  Mr. FAZIO of California. I would be happy to yield to my friend from 
Texas.
  Mr. ARMEY. Of course I will be in contact with Members of your 
leadership and with the White House each day, and I think that the 
gentleman would agree with me that it would be quite inappropriate for 
anybody to do anything along the lines of a unanimous consent that 
would not honor each and every Member's right to vote on such an 
action.
  So if we thought that it was appropriate to bring an action of that 
nature to the floor, we would properly notify Members and give them 
their opportunity to be here for debate and to vote.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I would be happy to yield to my friend from 
Hawaii.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Majority Leader, you have indicated that you would give at least 
12-hour notice on giving us the opportunity to get here. My question 
is, ordinarily under those circumstances the House is not called into 
session for possible votes or anything before 5 o'clock when we know 
that people have to travel. Could we count on the same? That is my only 
request. I am not trying to ask for special treatment.
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman will yield, the point of the gentleman is 
very well taken. Yes, on that day in 

[[Page H15618]]
which we would expect action, it would be our intention then to try to 
make it action that would require a vote at 5 o'clock or later. Is this 
what the gentleman is asking?
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Yes. If the gentleman would yield just a moment 
longer, the first time, Mr. Majority Leader, as I understand our recess 
resolution, that we would be called to make a determination or that the 
majority would be called to make some determination as to whether we 
continue in recess, et cetera, would be next Wednesday; is that 
correct?
  Mr. ARMEY. That is correct.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. All I am asking is if you would be kind enough to 
extend what I think what could be called the usual courtesy of calling 
us into session before 5 o'clock.

                                   1515

  Mr. ARMEY. I appreciate that. The gentleman's point is well taken, 
and we would not expect to have to make the determination by a vote 
before 5 o'clock.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. I thank the gentleman very much, and I thank the 
gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, just to confirm what the 
majority leader told the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer], we would 
not move a CR by unanimous consent. It would take a vote of the 
Members. Therefore, Members would be called back on one of those days 
and we would vote any CR that would be proposed by your leadership?
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would yield further, that is right. If I 
may say, our Members would be called back with proper notice.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Virginia [Mr. Moran].
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Leader, I do not want to belabor this discussion, but 
I want to ask, I know that you are aware that 500,000 Federal employees 
only got half a paycheck for this current paycheck. But I wanted to 
emphasize that the January 5 paycheck for everyone, whether they worked 
or did not work, will be zero.
  Of course for those who have been working all along, I think that is 
a serious situation, that they have worked every day, they have 
probably done twice as much work because of the number of people who 
have not been working, and their paycheck will be zero as of January 5. 
So the problem is, if we do not get a full continuing resolution, and I 
think the date is probably January 3, for that January 5, paycheck, 
then I think we have an extremely serious situation, that we could not 
possibly recess for the rest of the month of January without rectifying 
it. I want to bring that to the leader's attention. I assume that he 
has considered that.
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would yield further, I say to the 
gentleman from Virginia, again I am reminding that the gentleman from 
Missouri [Mr. Gephardt] is here and was at the White House. We are 
acutely aware of this circumstance and we are acutely, I think, 
convinced that it would be in the best interest of all parties 
concerned for us to negotiate, complete these negotiations, come to an 
agreement that would have the blessing of both bodies, and resolve the 
dilemma as quickly as possible.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
California, who I am sure also shares the concern about a 24-hour 
notice requirement.
  Mr. DREIER. Absolutely. I thank my friend from West Sacramento for 
yielding. I would simply like to, in behalf of the California 
congressional delegation represented here on the floor by the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Riggs] and the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim] 
and others, and most especially my colleague, the gentlewoman from 
California [Mrs. Seastrand], would like to inquire of the majority 
leader what we could anticipate as far as comprehensive immigration 
reform legislation.
  Many of us in California have been insistent that we move this as 
quickly as possible, and other States, we have people like the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Foley] here and others, and I suspect the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss] over my shoulder and others who are 
hoping very much that we will move as quickly as possible--maybe even 
the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon], the chairman of the Rules 
Committee, and any other names shouted out to me I am happy to repeat--
but I would like to inquire of the distinguished majority leader what 
we can anticipate as far as scheduling for the comprehensive 
immigration reform legislation.
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would yield further, the gentleman from 
California does make a good point. The California delegation has been 
very enthusiastic in inquiring about this. I have had many inquiries 
and there has been a good deal of good work done, as you know, 
particularly by yourself and the gentlewoman from California [Mrs. 
Seastrand] and other Members.
  I should say that, again as we talked earlier about the vagaries of 
putting together a calendar, that I can say with full confidence that 
we would have an immigration bill on the House floor no later than the 
week of March 18, 1996.
  Mr. DREIER. I thank my friend for that understanding, and I thank my 
California colleague for yielding.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. The gentleman is welcome.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to the gentleman from Virginia 
[Mr. Moran] once again for a question that is more international in 
scope. He is concerned, as he will make clear, about Israeli bond 
default.
  Mr. MORAN. I think we are all aware of the situation that Israel is 
in, a unique situation where they get their $3 billion at the beginning 
of the fiscal year. We understand that their bond credit rating is now 
in jeopardy because of the fact that it is unclear if and when they 
will get that money in a timely manner.
  I wonder if the leader would like to assure them as to what to 
expect, and perhaps the Members of the House, who surely will be asked 
what the status is of the $3 billion for Israel. Would you like to 
assure us, Mr. Leader, as to what they should expect? At this point 
unless we taken action, there is some likelihood that Israel's bond 
credit rating will drop through the floor.
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would yield, again the gentleman from 
Virginia raises an important point, and again let me remind the 
gentleman this is another one of these very weighty matters that we are 
all concerned with as we are working so hard on this budget agreement. 
We will move on and try to accomplish this as well as the others.
  Mr. MORAN. If the gentleman would continue to yield, I guess the real 
question is, would we anticipate being called back perhaps to vote on 
that? Is that some possibility? I know there has been a request. Does 
the leadership think that that is of an urgent enough matter that we 
might be called back to vote on that independently?

  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would further yield, this is certainly a 
matter of enormous concern and we would not rule that out.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Michigan [Mr. Ehlers].
  Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I just would like to 
assure the majority leader of my full confidence in his good judgment. 
And in regard to the issue of delaying any action on a continuing 
resolution until we are present to vote on it, I would assure him that 
if he and the other Members of both parties and leadership should 
decide to adopt a continuing resolution for a day or two, if we have 
good progress, I would certainly encourage them to pass such a short-
term continuing resolution by unanimous consent pending our return for 
a full-fledged vote on a further continuing resolution, so that we can 
get the Government operating as soon as possible.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I appreciate the gentleman's comments. I 
yield to the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] because I believe he 
and the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ehlers] are together on this 
matter.
  Mr. HOYER. I want to say--and I thank the gentleman from California 
for yielding, the distinguished chairman of the Democratic Caucus--the 
comments of the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ehlers], I think, are ones 
that reflect what I would refer to as a commonsense way of proceeding. 
Because, and that was the reason for 

[[Page H15619]]
my question, I believe that the Members of your conference have 
confidence in you, Mr. Leader, and I believe the Members of our caucus 
have confidence in the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt]. I think 
if the two of you agree that this can be moved forward, with the 
Speaker's concurrence as well, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ehlers] 
is echoing what I said, that we ought to be able to do that, it seems 
to me, by unanimous consent and put the Government back to work at 
least through January 2, which after all is a very short time.
  But what it does is, it solves the problem that the gentleman from 
Virginia [Mr. Moran] has referenced with reference to getting paychecks 
to people for the second half of this month. We are running into a time 
now where we are not going to be able to pay people, not going to be 
able to send out checks except for the exceptions we have made.
  I thank the gentleman for his comments and would concur with him. I 
do not believe, very honestly, Mr. Leader, that that takes any pressure 
off because of the short-term nature of that action.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Leader, perhaps we could delegate this 
responsibility to the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] and the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ehlers].

  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would yield further, I appreciate the 
observation of the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] about the 
enormous confidence my colleagues have in me, and I am sure they would 
agree that they have every confidence that I would not deny them their 
right to vote on a matter of such consequence as a continuing 
resolution in any shape.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Leader, let me at this point yield to 
the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Foley], who I believe is seeking 
recognition. Is the gentleman still interested in commenting?
  Mr. FOLEY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I just wanted to see 
if the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon], the chairman of the 
Committee on Rules, will engage in just 1 minute of question.
  I want to be certain, and I have received a number of phone calls to 
my office both in the district and in Washington, inquiring as to 
whether veterans of wars, disabled veterans, and others, would receive 
a check on January 1. There has been a lot of stress on the phone of 
some people who are deeply, deeply concerned. I just want to make 
certain we are taking care of those men and women who have spilled 
blood for this Nation for the freedoms that we enjoy.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I am more than happy to yield 
to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon] for a response.
  Mr. SOLOMON. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Let me just assure the gentleman that in the recently passed 
continuing resolution over in the Senate, that the veterans provisions 
that guaranteed that those checks would go out for medical 
compensation, medical disability compensation, for GI bill, all of 
those checks are provided for in the Senate bill. In the bill just 
passed by the House the same is true.
  There is one little difference, that the Medicaid provision that 
passed over in the Senate is not in our bill, so there is still a 
difference. As I understand, we are protected because the veterans are 
in both bills. But what it does mean is that one of the Houses will 
have to act on the other's bill before we go home this evening. That 
will be done by unanimous consent. But whichever way it works out, it 
guarantees that those checks for veterans will go out in a timely 
manner.
  Mr. FOLEY. If the gentleman would continue to yield, that means the 
Senate must act today on the appropriations matter before them in order 
for those checks to be delivered?
  Mr. SOLOMON. That is correct.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I will reclaim my time, unless 
the leader has any further comments he may wish to make. I appreciate 
the gentleman's comments.
  I would just like to announce to my colleagues on the Democratic side 
of the aisle that the most updated schedule, that will be updated 
daily, will be available through our Cloakroom, and Members should call 
that number at any point to receive the latest information on a 
regularly updated recording.

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