[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 2 (Thursday, January 4, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H120-H121]
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, we will now be turning our attention to 
special orders for a period of time. During this period of time, the 
majority leadership will be working with and consulting with the 
majority Members on a broad range of questions and issues related to 
the temporary Government shutdown that has resulted from the 
President's veto of recent appropriations bills.
  Mr. Speaker, we intend also during this period of time, while the 
House is entertaining special orders, to do some consulting with the 
minority leadership as well, and in anticipation of what might come of 
these sessions, I must advise the Members that until notified 
otherwise, we should expect that we would be coming back to the floor 
for business requiring votes at some time later in the day.
  We will proceed with special orders; it would be my expectation that 
we would be able to come back, if things go well, and interrupt those. 
If not, and the special orders scheduled for the day were to be 
completed, we would even expect possibly to go into a period of recess 
while these discussions go forward.
  The short point, of course, to the Members at large is, until 
notified otherwise, the Members ought to anticipate that there will be 
additional business which would include votes later in 

[[Page H121]]
the day; and I will return to the floor to inform the body, as things 
develop, of any additional information that might affect the manner in 
which they conduct their affairs today.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I would be happy to yield to the gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. BONIOR. I would ask the majority leader what time he anticipates 
that we would resume business today.
  Mr. ARMEY. I can only say to the gentleman that it is my anticipation 
that that could be at 5 or 6 o'clock tonight. Certainly I should expect 
that by that time I would have enough information to, if we do not call 
the Members back in for such business, at least advise Members further 
on what the schedule would be for the rest of the day and the rest of 
the week.
  Mr. BONIOR. If the gentleman would continue to yield, it is my 
understanding also that the Senate has decided that they will not be in 
today, tomorrow, and the rest of the weekend. If that in fact is the 
case, at least that body not doing any business, what legislation could 
we put forward that would relieve the impasse that we are in?

  It seems to me that the fastest and the best way to do that would be 
to take up the resolution by the majority leader of the Senate, Senator 
Dole, and pass that and get this Government back to work.
  Mr. ARMEY. I thank the gentleman for his suggestion. Let me just say 
there are a very broad range of things that will be under discussion, 
and we will be able to make a report later in the day.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Would the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I would be happy to yield.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank my colleague from Texas for 
yielding, and certainly I appreciate and support the minority whip on 
his comments.
  I would like to indicate that I filed yesterday House Joint 
Resolution 155 that is a clean continuing resolution with several 
original cosponsors that would open the Government until January 19. I 
would like to know if the majority leader would allow a unanimous-
consent request for that to be brought up on the House floor so that we 
could discuss that and debate that opening of the Government until 
January 19.
  Mr. ARMEY. I thank the gentlewoman for her inquiry. I can only say 
that at this time I am not prepared to entertain such a request.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Well, I thank the gentleman if he would 
consider it. I think that we have certainly an opportunity for 
bipartisan direction on this and support on this. I thank the 
gentleman.

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