[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 14 (Thursday, February 1, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H1185-H1196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2924, THE SOCIAL SECURITY GUARANTEE
ACT
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call
up House Resolution 355 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 355
Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution it
shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R.
2924) to guarantee the timely payment of social security
benefits in March 1996. The bill shall be debatable for one
hour equally divided and controlled by the chairman and
ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means.
The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the
bill to final passage without intervening motion except one
motion to recommit. The motion to recommit may include
instructions only if offered by the Minority Leader or his
designee.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss] is
recognized for 1 hour.
(Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks and to include extraneous material for the Record.)
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Frost], pending
which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration
of this resolution, all time given is for the purpose of debate only.
Mr. Speaker, this is a straightforward, fair rule that allows for
consideration of H.R. 2924, a bill to ensure that Social Security
payments will not be needlessly delayed by the administration. Let me
repeat that, Mr. Speaker. This is a bill to ensure that Social Security
payments will not be needlessly delayed by the administration. In other
words, the checks are going to go out, they are going to go out on
time, they are going to be paid in full.
Mr. Speaker, because this legislation involves a matter of simple
fairness, and due to the predicted impending winter storm, we are
bringing it up under the expedited authority granted earlier by this
House. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate, and preserves
the right of the minority to offer a motion to recommit, with or
without instructions.
Mr. Speaker, we should not really have to be working on this matter
at all. Despite the fact that this Congress will pass a responsible
debt limit increase prior to the March 1 deadline, and despite the fact
that the President has already vetoed two debt limit increases, the
administration has suddenly called into question its ability to pay
for the March Social Security benefits. President Clinton made
suggestive remarks along these lines at State of the Union. Well Mr.
Speaker, passage of H.R. 2924 will make absolutely clear that the
Secretary of the Treasury has the authority to process and send these
Social Security benefit checks--which are printed in late February. I
find it appalling that the sanctity of the Social Security System
should be brought into question in such a cynical manner. Yet we have
listened to the President and some in this body employ similar scare
tactics for: School lunches, Meals on Wheels, Medicare, and so on. Each
time they resort to these threats, I think their credibility drops, and
certainly the President's ability to work in good faith with the
majority of this Congress diminishes.
[[Page H1186]]
I would like to address the concerns raised by those who claim that
Congress is somehow acting less than responsibly by going into a
district work period before passing a full debt limit increase. I
disagree--the truth is that this Congress has passed two debt limit
measures, both vetoed by President Clinton. So, it is clear that in
order to produce a bill that will pass Congress and be signed by the
President, it must be negotiated. And these negotiations have not
concluded. It makes little sense to keep Members in town waiting for
the Clinton administration to get its act together, while Members could
be spending time usefully working in their districts. That is where I
am planning to spend the bulk of the upcoming work period--and the
truth is that even when we are back in our districts we are still on
call, ready to return at a moment's notice to deal with the people's
business. So I would urge my colleagues to ignore the Clinton scare
story du jour and support this rule and this bill which ensures Social
Security checks are sent out on time payable in full.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, before I proceed any further, I yield 30
seconds to the gentlewoman from Oregon [Ms. Furse].
(Ms. FURSE asked and was given permission to speak out of order.)
Congratulations to Senator-Elect Wyden
Ms. FURSE. Mr. Speaker, this is obviously a very important bill, and
I would love to talk about it, but what I really want to talk about is
the dean of my delegation, the Oregon delegation, and congratulate him
for having become the newest Senator from the State of Oregon [Mr.
Wyden].
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to my friend and
colleague, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss], trying to blame the
administration for what is going on here today. This, of course, is a
classic case of the person who kills his parents and throws himself on
the mercy of the court because he is an orphan.
What the majority has done is stubbornly refused to schedule a clean
debt ceiling vote prior to February 26. It is their refusal to schedule
a vote before February 26 which jeopardizes, potentially jeopardizes
Social Security checks being sent out. They are the ones that have
caused this crisis, and now they are coming to the Congress and saying,
we have to pass this bill because we want these Social Security checks
to go out. If they had scheduled a debt ceiling vote in a timely
manner, this would not be necessary.
Mr. Speaker, why can we not just do the Nation's business? Why do we
have to continue to play these games? Why can we not just vote on a
clean debt ceiling?
I, for one, would like the House to have that opportunity this
afternoon. At this hour, it appears the only option open to us is to
amend this rule. In order to do that, we must defeat the previous
question. It is my intention, therefore, to oppose ordering the
previous question.
Mr. Speaker, there seems to be no other way to bring a clean debt
ceiling increase to a vote. I urge each and every Member of this body
to oppose the previous question so that we can vote up or down on a
debt ceiling increase.
Mr. Speaker, the intentions of this legislation are honorable, but
rather than perpetuating this Government by piecemeal funding, the far
better course of action would be just to take up a clean debt ceiling
tonight and pass it. If we do not defeat the previous question, we are
passing up a golden opportunity to do the responsible thing. We should
not continue to play chicken with the full faith and credit of the
United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, we are supposed to be here to do the Nation's business,
and the most pressing piece of business before us is to pass a debt
ceiling to ensure that our Nation does not, for the first time in its
200-plus-year history, default on its obligations.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would suggest that the full faith and credit of the United States
of America would be better served if we got our budget into balance.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
New Jersey [Mr. Saxton].
(Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks and include extraneous material.)
Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to shed some light on this
issue in terms of the recent history of what we have been through, vis-
a-vis the administration and claims made by the administration. As
everybody knows, this rule is here, and the subsequent legislation,
because the administration has stated that come February 26, they will
be unable, because of the way the law is written, to cut the checks for
Social Security beneficiaries.
Obviously, everybody on our side of the aisle and, I assume,
everybody on the other side of the aisle wants people to get their
Social Security checks come the last day of this month or the first day
of next.
Now, the recent history of what this administration has done is that
this action by the administration, as claimed by the administration, is
simply not unparalleled. On November 12 and 13 and 14 of this year,
Secretary Rubin told us and the American people that we had to pass a
debt ceiling because default on our inability to pay our bills would be
unthinkable, and we agreed.
What Secretary Rubin did not tell the American people was that there
was already a plan in place to permit the United States Government to
pay its bills by borrowing from trust funds. In other words, the
Secretary went out of his way to create a situation in which the
American people thought that the United States Government was going to
default, knowing full well the entire time that they had been working
since June 24 at least to put in place a mechanism and a plan whereby
the trust funds would be tapped to avoid default and still claiming to
tell us, the Congress of the United States and the American people,
that we were going to face a horrible default.
{time} 1800
Of course they wanted a clean debt ceiling. Now we hear just a few
days ago that if we do not pass a clean debt ceiling, we will not be
able to send out the Social Security checks. We are not going to let
that happen. If there is a problem with the law, this bill straightens
it out. We know that it is not a dollars problem. We know there is
enough money there to do it. So the Secretary now claims that under the
statutes as they presently exist, he does not have the flexibility to
send out the Social Security checks for older Americans, Social
Security beneficiaries, and therefore, we are now in another state of
alarm where we have to pass a clean debt ceiling.
This bill fixes the problem for the Secretary that he claims he has.
I doubt if there is really a problem there any more than there was a
real problem the last time around. But in this event, in this case, the
rule permits the consideration of a bill to make sure that there is no
reason why the Social Security checks cannot be mailed out.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy].
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address
the remarks of the former speaker with regard to the issue of raiding
the Social Security Trust Fund. Secretary Rubin has done everything
humanly possible to try to avoid the default on the debt of this
country that the Republican Congress has insisted upon.
It was Secretary Rubin who wrote a letter to this Congress saying
that he would not under any circumstances allow the Social Security
Trust Fund to be raided for the purposes of continuing to pay our
bills, No. 1.
No. 2, there were elements of the Republican Party, on your side of
the aisle, that started a movement to impeach Secretary Rubin for the
very actions of him trying to avoid default.
So here you come onto the House floor and condemn Secretary Rubin for
his efforts to try to keep the country afloat. You suggest that he is
the one who is trying to raid the Social Security trust fund. You do
not have the willingness to enter into a debate or a colloquy with me
to discuss the truth of what has actually occurred.
The truth of what has occurred is very simply that a group of
ideological
[[Page H1187]]
zealots in the Republican Party have tried very hard to get an agenda
called the contract on American passed. They have failed because the
American people did not believe in the kinds of changes that the
Republican contract called for.
But rather than agreeing to the procedures of this House of
Representatives that allow us to formulate compromise, you have gone
back and insisted upon guerrilla tactics to force your own views on how
this country's budget ought to be balanced. It is not enough to balance
the budget, it is not enough to do it in 7 years. It is not enough to
do it with CBO numbers, it is not enough to do it with a tax cut, it
has to be with the biggest tax cut that takes the money out of the
pockets of working families and hands it to the richest people in the
country.
Only if that balanced budget, raiding the Medicare fund, raiding the
Medicaid fund, is passed, will you allow the debts of this country to
be paid. You ought to be ashamed.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Texas, Mr. Sam Johnson.
Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this bill became necessary
really because the President, Mr. Panetta, and Secretary Rubin have
used our seniors as political pawns in the public debate. Instead of
working on solving the problems remaining, the President has resorted
to scare tactics, pure and simple, demagoguery to try to frighten our
seniors on a variety of issues.
But we as Americans cannot stand by while this administration
blatantly misstates the facts to make seniors believe that their Social
Security checks are in jeopardy. I find this outrageous. Leon Panetta
himself back in 1993, believe it or not, said it is important to tie
the debt limit to other disciplines people would like to put in place.
Maybe he forgot about saying that, but I bet Leon did not forget
about voting ``no'' against debt limit increases two times back there
because it did not have anything tied to it. These comments are
ridiculous. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill, not only to
reassure our seniors but to prevent the President from playing the
scare game once again. The purpose of this bill is to ensure that
seniors continue, as they have for the past 55 years, to receive their
checks without fail. This will be another Republican promise that will
not be broken, which is more than the President can say.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley].
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, this bill is a very very bad sign. It means
it's time to hold onto your hats, the Republicans are going to try it
again.
But this time, instead of closing down the Government for political
reasons, they are going to try something else. They are going to force
the country to default on its loans, for political reasons.
And how do we know this, Mr. Speaker? Because this bill we are
considering today will not avert the disastrous consequences of massive
Federal default. It doesn't even come close. It simply says, ``Stop us
before we hurt 43 million American seniors.''
With this bill my Republican colleagues are admitting, ``We're gong
to make the Government default, but we want you to raid the Social
Security trust fund when we do.''
Mr. Speaker, this is outrageous. It's irresponsible, and it's no way
to run the Congress.
The American people are sick and tired of these political games. They
didn't like their Government held hostage for the sake of politics, and
they are going to like it even less when they find out what
congressional Republicans are about to do to their mortgages.
And it won't stop there.
For the sake of politics my Republican colleagues will stop benefits
for 3.2 million veterans.
For the sake of politics they will not pay our troops in Bosnia.
For the sake of politics they will delay pensions for 4.1 million
civilian and military retirees.
For the sake of politics they will leave bond holders holding
worthless paper.
And for the sake of politics they will hurt any and every American
who tries to borrow money for a car, a house, or a college education.
In fact, if you have a loan now, look out. Your interest rate may be
about to go through the roof.
I ask my colleagues, on behalf of a lot of very frustrated American
citizens, stop these games. Congressional Republicans can't possibly
want to be remembered as the people who made the United States of
America default on its loans for the first time in history.
Such dangerous games would have far-reaching, devastating
consequences for the entire country for years to come, and it's
definitely not something to write home about.
Mr. Speaker, the American people don't want their mortgage rates to
go up. They want to get college loans, and they expect and deserve
their military benefits.
I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that we can
offer a clean debt limit extension and stop these games.
The creditworthiness of the United States, and all of its
consequences, is no place to pursue budget politics.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker I yield myself such time as I may consume.
It is important to note and the record should show that the
distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts, who just spoke, voted for
and attached to the 1993 debt limit bill the largest tax increase in
history. There was nothing clean about that debt limit bill, I am sure
he would agreed.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished
gentleman from Glens Falls, NY [Mr. Solomon].
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Sanibel, FL for
yielding me this time and I join him in urging the adoption of this
rule.
Mr. Speaker, I sit here and I listen to this debate, and I just
wonder if many of these people could really earn a living outside the
beltway of this Congress, this Washington, unless of course they are
lawyers, in which they pass all these doggone laws and people have to
go and hire them then to defend them. I just quite do not understand
it.
This bill, and I would just say to the previous speaker and others,
if you do not want to vote for this bill, vote it down. This bill says
that we are going to enact a public debt limit extension before March
1. If you do not want to do that, vote it down. This bill guarantees
that Social Security checks are going to go out on time. If you do not
want them to go out on time, vote it down.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is being brought forward to deal with an
emergency situation raised by the President and the Secretary of the
Treasury, and that is the threat of not sending out Social Security
checks until the debt limit has been increased. That is what this is
all about.
Mr. Speaker, while the crisis may have been fabricated to scare
seniors, we have to take the administration at their word, that they
will carry out their threat whatever their motivations might be. We
will take them at their word.
Mr. Speaker, the bill this rule makes in order first restates the
commitment made by the leaders of both Houses that we will enact a debt
limit prior to March 1. That is what this bill says. The bill goes on
to assure our country's senior citizens that in the interim they will
receive their Social Security checks on a timely basis in March. That
is what this bill does.
The bill then gives the Secretary of the Treasury the legal authority
needed to issue obligations prior to March 1, and we checked with
Secretary Rubin, to ask him if he needed this authority, and he said
yes, in an amount equal to the monthly Social Security benefits payable
in March of this year, estimated at $30 billion. To further amplify on
the legal status of this authority, this bill, which the Secretary of
the Treasury Mr. Rubin says he needs, makes clear that this transaction
will not count against the legal debt limit now in existence.
Are you listening to that?
Mr. Speaker, I think this is an important interim step to take in
assuring our Nation's seniors of the seriousness of our intention and
commitment to not let their benefits lapse. But more importantly, it
also signals to the rest of the country our clear intention not to let
this Nation default on its obligations. We will increase the public
debt limit.
[[Page H1188]]
Mr. Speaker, why, as our Democratic colleagues have asked, do we not
just raise the debt limit today? That is a good question. And I am here
to answer it.
The answer is that a majority of this House, including me, do not
want to continue to raise the debt limit over and over and over again
without taking decisive action to begin to reverse the curse of
continuing deficit spending for as far as the eye can see. That is
sickening, what you are doing to my children and my grandchildren.
Instead of a glide path to a balanced budget, we are currently embarked
on a collision course with financial disaster.
At the very least, we need a substantial downpayment on a balanced
budget that is agreeable to the Congress and the President. It is what
Ronald Reagan used to do. He used to sit down with this Congress and
negotiate. That agreement will not be easy to come by, but I am
convinced we can have something that is acceptable prior to March 1 if
we sit down and work together.
In the meantime, we do need this interim measure to ensure that
Social Security benefit checks will go out and to assure our citizens
and the world that this Government will not default on this Nation's
obligations. I cannot imagine that any Member of this House opposes or
disagrees with those two very lofty yet critical essential purposes of
this legislation. It is very clear in this bill. I therefore strongly
urge adoption of the previous question and the rule and then the
overwhelming passage of this bill.
I want all of you standing up here with all of this rhetoric to come
over here and tell me you are going to vote against this bill. You are
not going to do it. You are going to vote for the bill because the bill
is right and the American people want it.
{time} 1815
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida [Mr. Gibbons].
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, this rule should ultimately pass, this
resolution should ultimately pass. But it is not because it is a good
rule, and it is not because it is a good resolution. It is because the
Republicans will not let us do anything else.
Since early this morning, I have been working with the Committee on
Rules and with other people here in the House trying to get permission
for the Democrats just to simply say we would like to have a vote on a
permanent extension against default to the end of this fiscal year, and
they will not let us have that vote. It is simply just a simple vote,
like that. Now, we would not win that vote, but you know, we would at
least have the opportunity to vote, but they have cut off our right to
vote on that simple question.
This resolution they present is the silliest thing I have ever seen.
Ultimately, all it does is raise the debt ceiling by $29 billion until
March 15, and then it snaps it back to where it is now. That is all it
does. It has got a lot of other verbiage in it. It is the darndest
dance I have ever seen. It runs all around the bush like I am doing
right now, but it comes back to the same place, right back to the same
place, they raise the debt ceiling. They cannot do that, because
politically it is embarrassing for them to do that, and so we have got
to dance this crazy dance. We have got to dance this crazy dance for
their purposes.
Mr. Speaker, I am willing to limit the debate here tonight. I am
willing to cut out all of this garbage. Let us protect the credit of
the United States. Let us not force our good country into default. I
think we can all agree to that.
If the Republicans will only let us have it until March 15, it may
give them a little time for them to think their way out of this mess
that they have gotten themselves into and they have gotten our country
into, but you know, this is the silliest operation that I think I have
ever seen in my 34 years around here.
It should ultimately pass, but the rule is lousy. I would hope that
by some luck, and it would be luck, that we could amend the rule, but
you know, that is not going to happen.
I would hope that they would allow just a simple vote on this floor
that we could get over in 5 minutes to vote on whether or not we want
this crazy dance or whether we want a permanent.
I am trying to limit, cut out all of this long talk and get on and
get to a vote. There is a snowstorm approaching. I would feel terrible
if my long-winded talk led to the death of some Member of this House or
some member of this fine staff.
We ought to get our business done and get it over with and get out of
here.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida [Mr. Weldon].
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the record should show that the
gentleman from Florida who just spoke voted for and attached to the
1993 debt limit bill the largest tax increase in history. I do not
believe that was a clean debt ceiling increase.
This is a good rule on a good bill. It is going to make sure Social
Security's recipients get their Social Security checks.
I have a lot of elderly seniors in my district who rely on those
checks. This is a good bill. Everybody in the body should support this.
We are getting bogged down talking about how the minority wants a
clean debt ceiling increase. Prior to coming to the Congress as a
physician, I had the opportunity to treat AIDS patients, some of whom
had acquired their AIDS through drug abuse. I had the opportunity to
deal with drug addicts. I have to say there are some Members of this
body who are addicted to spending taxpayers' dollars, addicted to
spending money that is not theirs, and it is just wrong.
We put on the President's desk two increases in the debt ceiling, and
they had attached to them provisions that would get us to a balanced
budget, and he vetoed them twice on two occasions, he said, ``No,'' and
now we hear all of this clamor about a clean debt ceiling from a party
that has Members like Senator Chris Dodd in 1987, who is now the
general chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who said it does
not take any imagination, when he was attempting to pass a
controversial financial industry legislation, questioned by the Reagan
administration, he said, ``I can attach an amendment to the debt
ceiling bill which he has to sign, and the vote will be overwhelming.''
In 1984, Senator Ted Kennedy tried to force his nuclear freeze
legislation onto the debt limit, justifying his amendment as the most
important issue of the day.
parliamentary inquiry
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walker). The gentleman will state his
parliamentary inquiry.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman in the chair is an authority on
the rules of the House and I believe under the rules of the House, we
may not mention individual Members of the other body by name. Is that
correct?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is correct. Members are not
supposed to refer to Members of the other body by name nor actions of
the other body as a part of their remarks.
Mr. FROST. I urge the speaker in the well discontinue those actions.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida is recognized to
proceed in order.
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, If I could conclude, let me just
say in 1982, in 1983, again in 1985 and 1986, the minority party has
attached legislation to a debt ceiling increase. To hand this President
a debt ceiling increase that does not have provisions in it to get us
to a balanced budget would be to turn our backs on the people who voted
us in as the majority party in November 1994, saying they want the
budget balanced.
Support this rule. It is a good rule.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I insert extraneous material at this point in
the Record, as follows:
[[Page H1189]]
FLOOR PROCEDURE IN THE 104TH CONGRESS; COMPILED BY THE RULES COMMITTEE DEMOCRATS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Process used for floor Amendments in
Bill No. Title Resolution No. consideration order
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.R. 1*........................ Compliance........ H. Res. 6 Closed................ None.
H. Res. 6...................... Opening Day Rules H. Res. 5 Closed; contained a None.
Package. closed rule on H.R. 1
within the closed
rule.
H.R. 5*........................ Unfunded Mandates. H. Res. 38 Restrictive; Motion N/A.
adopted over
Democratic objection
in the Committee of
the Whole to limit
debate on section 4;
Pre-printing gets
preference.
H.J. Res. 2*................... Balanced Budget... H. Res. 44 Restrictive; only 2R; 4D.
certain substitutes.
H. Res. 43..................... Committee Hearings H. Res. 43 (OJ) Restrictive; N/A.
Scheduling. considered in House
no amendments.
H.R. 2*........................ Line Item Veto.... H. Res. 55 Open; Pre-printing N/A.
gets preference.
H.R. 665*...................... Victim Restitution H. Res. 61 Open; Pre-printing N/A.
Act of 1995. gets preference.
H.R. 666*...................... Exclusionary Rule H. Res. 60 Open; Pre-printing N/A.
Reform Act of gets preference.
1995.
H.R. 667*...................... Violent Criminal H. Res. 63 Restrictive; 10 hr. N/A.
Incarceration Act Time Cap on
of 1995. amendments.
H.R. 668*...................... The Criminal Alien H. Res. 69 Open; Pre-printing N/A.
Deportation gets preference;
Improvement Act. Contains self-
executing provision.
H.R. 728*...................... Local Government H. Res. 79 Restrictive; 10 hr. N/A.
Law Enforcement Time Cap on
Block Grants. amendments; Pre-
printing gets
preference.
H.R. 7*........................ National Security H. Res. 83 Restrictive; 10 hr. N/A.
Revitalization Time Cap on
Act. amendments; Pre-
printing gets
preference.
H.R. 729*...................... Death Penalty/ N/A Restrictive; brought N/A.
Habeas. up under UC with a 6
hr. time cap on
amendments.
S. 2........................... Senate Compliance. N/A Closed; Put on None.
Suspension Calendar
over Democratic
objection.
H.R. 831....................... To Permanently H. Res. 88 Restrictive; makes in 1D.
Extend the Health order only the
Insurance Gibbons amendment;
Deduction for the Waives all points of
Self-Employed. order; Contains self-
executing provision.
H.R. 830*...................... The Paperwork H. Res. 91 Open.................. N/A.
Reduction Act.
H.R. 889....................... Emergency H. Res. 92 Restrictive; makes in 1D.
Supplemental/ order only the Obey
Rescinding substitute.
Certain Budget
Authority.
H.R. 450*...................... Regulatory H. Res. 93 Restrictive; 10 hr. N/A.
Moratorium. Time Cap on
amendments; Pre-
printing gets
preference.
H.R. 1022*..................... Risk Assessment... H. Res. 96 Restrictive; 10 hr. N/A.
Time Cap on
amendments.
H.R. 926*...................... Regulatory H. Res. 100 Open.................. N/A.
Flexibility.
H.R. 925*...................... Private Property H. Res. 101 Restrictive; 12 hr. 1D.
Protection Act. time cap on
amendments; Requires
Members to pre-print
their amendments in
the Record prior to
the bill's
consideration for
amendment, waives
germaneness and
budget act points of
order as well as
points of order
concerning
appropriating on a
legislative bill
against the committee
substitute used as
base text.
H.R. 1058*..................... Securities H. Res. 105 Restrictive; 8 hr. 1D.
Litigation Reform time cap on
Act. amendments; Pre-
printing gets
preference; Makes in
order the Wyden
amendment and waives
germaneness against
it.
H.R. 988*...................... The Attorney H. Res. 104 Restrictive; 7 hr. N/A.
Accountability time cap on
Act of 1995. amendments; Pre-
printing gets
preference.
H.R. 956*...................... Product Liability H. Res. 109 Restrictive; makes in 8D; 7R.
and Legal Reform order only 15 germane
Act. amendments and denies
64 germane amendments
from being considered.
H.R. 1158...................... Making Emergency H. Res. 115 Restrictive; Combines N/A.
Supplemental emergency H.R. 1158 &
Appropriations nonemergency 1159 and
and Rescissions. strikes the abortion
provision; makes in
order only pre-
printed amendments
that include offsets
within the same
chapter (deeper cuts
in programs already
cut); waives points
of order against
three amendments;
waives cl 2 of rule
XXI against the bill,
cl 2, XXI and cl 7 of
rule XVI against the
substitute; waives cl
2(e) od rule XXI
against the
amendments in the
Record; 10 hr time
cap on amendments. 30
minutes debate on
each amendment.
H.J. Res. 73*.................. Term Limits....... H. Res. 116 Restrictive; Makes in 1D; 3R
order only 4
amendments considered
under a ``Queen of
the Hill'' procedure
and denies 21 germane
amendments from being
considered.
H.R. 4*........................ Welfare Reform.... H. Res. 119 Restrictive; Makes in 5D; 26R.
order only 31
perfecting amendments
and two substitutes;
Denies 130 germane
amendments from being
considered; The
substitutes are to be
considered under a
``Queen of the Hill''
procedure; All points
of order are waived
against the
amendments.
H.R. 1271*..................... Family Privacy Act H. Res. 125 Open.................. N/A.
H.R. 660*...................... Housing for Older H. Res. 126 Open.................. N/A.
Persons Act.
H.R. 1215*..................... The Contract With H. Res. 129 Restrictive; Self 1D.
America Tax Executes language
Relief Act of that makes tax cuts
1995. contingent on the
adoption of a
balanced budget plan
and strikes section
3006. Makes in order
only one substitute.
Waives all points of
order against the
bill, substitute made
in order as original
text and Gephardt
substitute.
H.R. 483....................... Medicare Select H. Res. 130 Restrictive; waives cl 1D.
Extension. 2(1)(6) of rule XI
against the bill;
makes H.R. 1391 in
order as original
text; makes in order
only the Dingell
substitute; allows
Commerce Committee to
file a report on the
bill at any time.
H.R. 655....................... Hydrogen Future H. Res. 136 Open.................. N/A.
Act.
H.R. 1361...................... Coast Guard H. Res. 139 Open; waives sections N/A.
Authorization. 302(f) and 308(a) of
the Congressional
Budget Act against
the bill's
consideration and the
committee substitute;
waives cl 5(a) of
rule XXI against the
committee substitute.
H.R. 961....................... Clean Water Act... H. Res. 140 Open; pre-printing N/A.
gets preference;
waives sections
302(f) and 602(b) of
the Budget Act
against the bill's
consideration; waives
cl 7 of rule XVI, cl
5(a) of rule XXI and
section 302(f) of the
Budget Act against
the committee
substitute. Makes in
order Shuster
substitute as first
order of business.
H.R. 535....................... Corning National H. Res. 144 Open.................. N/A.
Fish Hatchery
Conveyance Act.
H.R. 584....................... Conveyance of the H. Res. 145 Open.................. N/A.
Fairport National
Fish Hatchery to
the State of Iowa.
H.R. 614....................... Conveyance of the H. Res. 146 Open.................. N/A.
New London
National Fish
Hatchery
Production
Facility.
H. Con. Res. 67................ Budget Resolution. H. Res. 149 Restrictive; Makes in 3D; 1R.
order 4 substitutes
under regular order;
Gephardt, Neumann/
Solomon, Payne/Owens,
President's Budget if
printed in Record on
5/17/95; waives all
points of order
against substitutes
and concurrent
resolution; suspends
application of Rule
XLIX with respect to
the resolution; self-
executes Agriculture
language.
H.R. 1561...................... American Overseas H. Res. 155 Restrictive; Requires N/A.
Interests Act of amendments to be
1995. printed in the Record
prior to their
consideration; 10 hr.
time cap; waives cl
2(1)(6) of rule XI
against the bill's
consideration; Also
waives sections
302(f), 303(a),
308(a) and 402(a)
against the bill's
consideration and the
committee amendment
in order as original
text; waives cl 5(a)
of rule XXI against
the amendment;
amendment
consideration is
closed at 2:30 p.m.
on May 25, 1995. Self-
executes provision
which removes section
2210 from the bill.
This was done at the
request of the Budget
Committee.
H.R. 1530...................... National Defense H. Res. 164 Restrictive; Makes in 36R; 18D; 2
Authorization Act order only the Bipartisan.
FY 1996. amendments printed in
the report; waives
all points of order
against the bill,
substitute and
amendments printed in
the report. Gives the
Chairman en bloc
authority. Self-
executes a provision
which strikes section
807 of the bill;
provides for an
additional 30 min. of
debate on Nunn-Lugar
section; Allows Mr.
Clinger to offer a
modification of his
amendment with the
concurrence of Ms.
Collins.
H.R. 1817...................... Military H. Res. 167 Open; waives cl. 2 and N/A.
Construction cl. 6 of rule XXI
Appropriations; against the bill; 1
FY 1996. hr. general debate;
Uses House passed
budget numbers as
threshold for
spending amounts
pending passage of
Budget.
H.R. 1854...................... Legislative Branch H. Res. 169 Restrictive; Makes in 5R; 4D; 2
Appropriations. order only 11 Bipartisan.
amendments; waives
sections 302(f) and
308(a) of the Budget
Act against the bill
and cl. 2 and cl. 6
of rule XXI against
the bill. All points
of order are waived
against the
amendments.
H.R. 1868...................... Foreign Operations H. Res. 170 Open; waives cl. 2, N/A.
Appropriations. cl. 5(b), and cl. 6
of rule XXI against
the bill; makes in
order the Gilman
amendments as first
order of business;
waives all points of
order against the
amendments; if
adopted they will be
considered as
original text; waives
cl. 2 of rule XXI
against the
amendments printed in
the report. Pre-
printing gets
priority (Hall)
(Menendez) (Goss)
(Smith, NJ).
H.R. 1905...................... Energy & Water H. Res. 171 Open; waives cl. 2 and N/A.
Appropriations. cl. 6 of rule XXI
against the bill;
makes in order the
Shuster amendment as
the first order of
business; waives all
points of order
against the
amendment; if adopted
it will be considered
as original text. Pre-
printing gets
priority.
H.J. Res. 79................... Constitutional H. Res. 173 Closed; provides one N/A.
Amendment to hour of general
Permit Congress debate and one motion
and States to to recommit with or
Prohibit the without instructions;
Physical if there are
Desecration of instructions, the MO
the American Flag. is debatable for 1 hr.
H.R. 1944...................... Recissions Bill... H. Res. 175 Restrictive; Provides N/A.
for consideration of
the bill in the
House; Permits the
Chairman of the
Appropriations
Committee to offer
one amendment which
is unamendable;
waives all points of
order against the
amendment.
H.R. 1868 (2nd rule)........... Foreign Operations H. Res. 177 Restrictive; Provides N/A.
Appropriations. for further
consideration of the
bill; makes in order
only the four
amendments printed in
the rules report (20
min. each). Waives
all points of order
against the
amendments; Prohibits
intervening motions
in the Committee of
the Whole; Provides
for an automatic rise
and report following
the disposition of
the amendments.
H.R. 1977 *Rule Defeated*...... Interior H. Res. 185 Open; waives sections N/A.
Appropriations. 302(f) and 308(a) of
the Budget Act and cl
2 and cl 6 of rule
XXI; provides that
the bill be read by
title; waives all
points of order
against the Tauzin
amendment; self-
executes Budget
Committee amendment;
waives cl 2(e) of
rule XXI against
amendments to the
bill; Pre-printing
gets priority.
H.R. 1977...................... Interior H.Res. 187 Open; waives sections N/A.
Appropriations. 302(f), 306 and
308(a) of the Budget
Act; waives clauses 2
and 6 of rule XXI
against provisions in
the bill; waives all
points of order
against the Tauzin
amendment; provides
that the bill be read
by title; self-
executes Budget
Committee amendment
and makes NEA funding
subject to House
passed authorization;
waives cl 2(e) of
rule XXI against the
amendments to the
bill; Pre-printing
gets priority.
[[Page H1190]]
H.R. 1976...................... Agriculture H. Res. 188 Open; waives clauses 2 N/A.
Appropriations. and 6 of rule XXI
against provisions in
the bill; provides
that the bill be read
by title; Makes Skeen
amendment first order
of business, if
adopted the amendment
will be considered as
base text (10 min.);
Pre-printing gets
priority.
H.R. 1977 (3rd rule)........... Interior H. Res. 189 Restrictive; provides N/A.
Appropriations. for the further
consideration of the
bill; allows only
amendments pre-
printed before July
14th to be
considered; limits
motions to rise.
H.R. 2020...................... Treasury Postal H. Res. 190 Open; waives cl. 2 and N/A.
Appropriations. cl. 6 of rule XXI
against provisions in
the bill; provides
the bill be read by
title; Pre-printing
gets priority.
H.J. Res. 96................... Disapproving MFN H. Res. 193 Restrictive; provides N/A.
for China. for consideration in
the House of H.R.
2058 (90 min.) And
H.J. Res. 96 (1 hr).
Waives certain
provisions of the
Trade Act.
H.R. 2002...................... Transportation H. Res. 194 Open; waives cl. 3 0f N/A.
Appropriations. rule XIII and section
401 (a) of the CBA
against consideration
of the bill; waives
cl. 6 and cl. 2 of
rule XXI against
provisions in the
bill; Makes in order
the Clinger/Solomon
amendment waives all
points of order
against the amendment
(Line Item Veto);
provides the bill be
read by title; Pre-
printing gets
priority. *RULE
AMENDED*.
H.R. 70........................ Exports of Alaskan H. Res. 197 Open; Makes in order N/A.
North Slope Oil. the Resources
Committee amendment
in the nature of a
substitute as
original text; Pre-
printing gets
priority; Provides a
Senate hook-up with
S. 395.
H.R. 2076...................... Commerce, Justice H. Res. 198 Open; waives cl. 2 and N/A.
Appropriations. cl. 6 of rule XXI
against provisions in
the bill; Pre-
printing gets
priority; provides
the bill be read by
title..
H.R. 2099...................... VA/HUD H. Res. 201 Open; waives cl. 2 and N/A.
Appropriations. cl. 6 of rule XXI
against provisions in
the bill; Provides
that the amendment in
part 1 of the report
is the first
business, if adopted
it will be considered
as base text (30
min.); waives all
points of order
against the Klug and
Davis amendments; Pre-
printing gets
priority; Provides
that the bill be read
by title.
S. 21.......................... Termination of H. Res. 204 Restrictive; 3 hours ID.
U.S. Arms Embargo of general debate;
on Bosnia. Makes in order an
amendment to be
offered by the
Minority Leader or a
designee (1 hr); If
motion to recommit
has instructions it
can only be offered
by the Minority
Leader or a designee.
H.R. 2126...................... Defense H. Res. 205 Open; waives cl. N/A.
Appropriations. 2(l)(6) of rule XI
and section 306 of
the Congressional
Budget Act against
consideration of the
bill; waives cl. 2
and cl. 6 of rule XXI
against provisions in
the bill; self-
executes a strike of
sections 8021 and
8024 of the bill as
requested by the
Budget Committee; Pre-
printing gets
priority; Provides
the bill be read by
title.
H.R. 1555...................... Communications Act H. Res. 207 Restrictive; waives 2R/3D/3 Bi-
of 1995. sec. 302(f) of the partisan.
Budget Act against
consideration of the
bill; Makes in order
the Commerce
Committee amendment
as original text and
waives sec. 302(f) of
the Budget Act and
cl. 5(a) of rule XXI
against the
amendment; Makes in
order the Bliely
amendment (30 min.)
as the first order of
business, if adopted
it will be original
text; makes in order
only the amendments
printed in the report
and waives all points
of order against the
amendments; provides
a Senate hook-up with
S. 652.
H.R. 2127...................... Labor/HHS H. Res. 208 Open; Provides that N/A.
Appropriations the first order of
Act. business will be the
managers amendments
(10 min.), if adopted
they will be
considered as base
text; waives cl. 2
and cl. 6 of rule XXI
against provisions in
the bill; waives all
points of order
against certain
amendments printed in
the report; Pre-
printing gets
priority; Provides
the bill be read by
title.
H.R. 1594...................... Economically H. Res. 215 Open; 2 hr of gen. N/A.
Targeted debate. makes in
Investments. order the committee
substitute as
original text.
H.R. 1655...................... Intelligence H. Res. 216 Restrictive; waives N/A.
Authorization. sections 302(f),
308(a) and 401(b) of
the Budget Act. Makes
in order the
committee substitute
as modified by Govt.
Reform amend
(striking sec. 505)
and an amendment
striking title VII.
Cl 7 of rule XVI and
cl 5(a) of rule XXI
are waived against
the substitute.
Sections 302(f) and
401(b) of the CBA are
also waived against
the substitute.
Amendments must also
be pre-printed in the
Congressional record.
H.R. 1162...................... Deficit Reduction H. Res. 218 Open; waives cl 7 of N/A.
Lock Box. rule XVI against the
committee substitute
made in order as
original text; Pre-
printing gets
priority.
H.R. 1670...................... Federal H. Res. 219 Open; waives sections N/A.
Acquisition 302(f) and 308(a) of
Reform Act of the Budget Act
1995. against consideration
of the bill; bill
will be read by
title; waives cl 5(a)
of rule XXI and
section 302(f) of the
Budget Act against
the committee
substitute. Pre-
printing gets
priority.
H.R. 1617...................... To Consolidate and H. Res. 222 Open; waives section N/A.
Reform Workforce 302(f) and 401(b) of
Development and the Budget Act
Literacy Programs against the
Act (CAREERS). substitute made in
order as original
text (H.R. 2332), cl.
5(a) of rule XXI is
also waived against
the substitute.
provides for
consideration of the
managers amendment
(10 min.) If adopted,
it is considered as
base text.
H.R. 2274...................... National Highway H. Res. 224 Open; waives section N/A.
System 302(f) of the Budget
Designation Act Act against
of 1995. consideration of the
bill; Makes H.R. 2349
in order as original
text; waives section
302(f) of the Budget
Act against the
substitute; provides
for the consideration
of a managers
amendment (10 min.)
If adopted, it is
considered as base
text; Pre-printing
gets priority.
H.R. 927....................... Cuban Liberty and H. Res. 225 Restrictive; waives cl 2R/2D
Democratic 2(L)(2)(B) of rule XI
Solidarity Act of against consideration
1995. of the bill; makes in
order H.R. 2347 as
base text; waives cl
7 of rule XVI against
the substitute; Makes
Hamilton amendment
the first amendment
to be considered (1
hr). Makes in order
only amendments
printed in the report.
H.R. 743....................... The Teamwork for H. Res. 226 Open; waives cl N/A.
Employees and 2(l)(2)(b) of rule XI
managers Act of against consideration
1995. of the bill; makes in
order the committee
amendment as original
text; Pre-printing
get priority.
H.R. 1170...................... 3-Judge Court for H. Res. 227 Open; makes in order a N/A.
Certain committee amendment
Injunctions. as original text; Pre-
printing gets
priority.
H.R. 1601...................... International H. Res. 228 Open; makes in order a N/A.
Space Station committee amendment
Authorization Act as original text; pre-
of 1995. printing gets
priority.
H.J. Res. 108.................. Making Continuing H. Res. 230 Closed; Provides for ..............
Appropriations the immediate
for FY 1996. consideration of the
CR; one motion to
recommit which may
have instructions
only if offered by
the Minority Leader
or a designee.
H.R. 2405...................... Omnibus Civilian H. Res. 234 Open; self-executes a N/A.
Science provision striking
Authorization Act section 304(b)(3) of
of 1995. the bill (Commerce
Committee request);
Pre-printing gets
priority.
H.R. 2259...................... To Disapprove H. Res. 237 Restrictive; waives cl 1D
Certain 2(l)(2)(B) of rule XI
Sentencing against the bill's
Guideline consideration; makes
Amendments. in order the text of
the Senate bill S.
1254 as original
text; Makes in order
only a Conyers
substitute; provides
a senate hook-up
after adoption.
H.R. 2425...................... Medicare H. Res. 238 Restrictive; waives 1D
Preservation Act. all points of order
against the bill's
consideration; makes
in order the text of
H.R. 2485 as original
text; waives all
points of order
against H.R. 2485;
makes in order only
an amendment offered
by the Minority
Leader or a designee;
waives all points of
order against the
amendment; waives cl
5 of rule
XXI (\3/5\
requirement on votes
raising taxes).
H.R. 2492...................... Legislative Branch H. Res. 239 Restrictive; provides N/A.
Appropriations for consideration of
Bill. the bill in the House.
H.R. 2491...................... 7 Year Balanced H. Res. 245 Restrictive; makes in 1D
H. Con. Res. 109............... Budget order H.R. 2517 as
Reconciliation original text; waives
Social Security all pints of order
Earnings Test against the bill;
Reform. Makes in order only
H.R. 2530 as an
amendment only if
offered by the
Minority Leader or a
designee; waives all
points of order
against the
amendment; waives cl
5 of rule
XXI (\3/5\
requirement on votes
raising taxes).
H.R. 1833...................... Partial Birth H. Res. 251 Closed................ N/A.
Abortion Ban Act
of 1995.
H.R. 2546...................... D.C. H. Res. 252 Restrictive; waives N/A.
Appropriations FY all points of order
1996. against the bill's
consideration; Makes
in order the Walsh
amendment as the
first order of
business (10 min.);
if adopted it is
considered as base
text; waives cl 2 and
6 of rule XXI against
the bill; makes in
order the Bonilla,
Gunderson and
Hostettler amendments
(30 min.); waives all
points of order
against the
amendments; debate on
any further
amendments is limited
to 30 min. each.
H.J. Res. 115.................. Further Continuing H. Res. 257 Closed; Provides for N/A.
Appropriations the immediate
for FY 1996. consideration of the
CR; one motion to
recommit which may
have instructions
only if offered by
the Minority Leader
or a designee.
H.R. 2586...................... Temporary Increase H. Res. 258 Restrictive; Provides 5R
in the Statutory for the immediate
Debt Limit. consideration of the
CR; one motion to
recommit which may
have instructions
only if offered by
the Minority Leader
or a designee; self-
executes 4 amendments
in the rule; Solomon,
Medicare Coverage of
Certain Anti-Cancer
Drug Treatments,
Habeas Corpus Reform,
Chrysler (MI); makes
in order the Walker
amend (40 min.) on
regulatory reform.
H.R. 2539...................... ICC Termination... H. Res. 259 Open; waives section ..............
302(f) and section
308(a).
H.J. Res. 115.................. Further Continuing H. Res. 261 Closed; provides for N/A.
Appropriations the immediate
for FY 1996. consideration of a
motion by the
Majority Leader or
his designees to
dispose of the Senate
amendments (1hr).
H.R. 2586...................... Temporary Increase H. Res. 262 Closed; provides for N/A.
in the Statutory the immediate
Limit on the consideration of a
Public Debt. motion by the
Majority Leader or
his designees to
dispose of the Senate
amendments (1hr).
H. Res. 250.................... House Gift Rule H. Res. 268 Closed; provides for 2R
Reform. consideration of the
bill in the House; 30
min. of debate; makes
in order the Burton
amendment and the
Gingrich en bloc
amendment (30 min.
each); waives all
points of order
against the
amendments; Gingrich
is only in order if
Burton fails or is
not offered.
H.R. 2564...................... Lobbying H. Res. 269 Open; waives cl. N/A.
Disclosure Act of 2(l)(6) of rule XI
1995. against the bill's
consideration; waives
all points of order
against the Istook
and McIntosh
amendments.
H.R. 2606...................... Prohibition on H. Res. 273 Restrictive; waives N/A.
Funds for Bosnia all points of order
Deployment. against the bill's
consideration;
provides one motion
to amend if offered
by the Minority
Leader or designee (1
hr non-amendable);
motion to recommit
which may have
instructions only if
offered by Minority
Leader or his
designee; if Minority
Leader motion is not
offered debate time
will be extended by 1
hr.
[[Page H1191]]
H.R. 1788...................... Amtrak Reform and H. Res. 289 Open; waives all N/A.
Privatization Act points of order
of 1995. against the bill's
consideration; makes
in order the
Transportation
substitute modified
by the amend in the
report; Bill read by
title; waives all
points of order
against the
substitute; makes in
order a managers
amend as the first
order of business, if
adopted it is
considered base text
(10 min.); waives all
points of order
against the
amendment; Pre-
printing gets
priority.
H.R. 1350...................... Maritime Security H. Res. 287 Open; makes in order N/A.
Act of 1995. the committee
substitute as
original text; makes
in order a managers
amendment which if
adopted is considered
as original text (20
min.) unamendable;
pre-printing gets
priority.
H.R. 2621...................... To Protect Federal H. Res. Closed; provides for N/A.
Trust Funds. the adoption of the
Ways & Means
amendment printed in
the report. 1 hr. of
general debate.
H.R. 1745...................... Utah Public Lands H. Res. 303 Open; waives cl N/A.
Management Act of 2(l)(6) of rule XI
1995. and sections 302(f)
and 311(a) of the
Budget Act against
the bill's
consideration. Makes
in order the
Resources substitute
as base text and
waives cl 7 of rule
XVI and sections
302(f) and 308(a) of
the Budget Act; makes
in order a managers'
amend as the first
order of business, if
adopted it is
considered base text
(10 min.).
H. Res. 304.................... Providing for N/A. Closed; makes in order 1D; 2R
Debate and three resolutions;
Consideration of H.R. 2770 (Dorman),
Three Measures H. Res. 302 (Buyer),
Relating to U.S. and H. Res. 306
Troop Deployments (Gephardt); 1 hour of
in Bosnia. debate on each.
H. Res. 309.................... Revised Budget H. Res. 309 Closed; provides 2 N/A.
Resolution. hours of general
debate in the House.
H.R. 558....................... Texas Low-Level H. Res. 313 Open; pre-printing N/A.
Radioactive Waste gets priority.
Disposal Compact
Consent Act.
H.R. 2677...................... The National Parks H. Res. 323 Closed; consideration N/A.
and National in the House; self-
Wildlife Refuge executes Young
Systems Freedom amendment.
Act of 1995.
PROCEDURE IN THE 104TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION
H.R. 1643...................... To authorize the H. Res. 334 Closed; provides to N/A.
extension of take the bill from
nondiscriminatory the Speaker's table
treatment (MFN) with the Senate
to the products amendment, and
of Bulgaria. consider in the House
the motion printed in
the Rules Committee
report; 1 hr. of
general debate;
previous question is
considered as ordered.
H.J. Res. 134.................. Making continuing H. Res. 336 Closed; provides to N/A.
H. Con. Res. 131............... appropriations/ take from the
establishing Speaker's table H.J.
procedures making Res. 134 with the
the transmission Senate amendment and
of the continuing concur with the
resolution H.J. Senate amendment with
Res. 134. an amendment (H. Con.
Res. 131) which is
self-executed in the
rule. The rule
provides further that
the bill shall not be
sent back to the
Senate until the
Senate agrees to the
provisions of H. Con.
Res. 131.
H. R. 1358..................... Conveyance of H. Res. 338 Closed; provides to N/A.
National Marine take the bill from
Fisheries Service the Speaker's table
Laboratory at with the Senate
Gloucester, amendment, and
Massachusetts. consider in the House
the motion printed in
the Rules Committee
report; 1 hr. of
general debate;
previous question is
considered as ordered.
H.R. 2924...................... Social Security H. Res. 355 Closed................ N/A.
Guarantee Act.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Contract Bills, 67% restrictive; 33% open. ** All legislation 1st Session, 56% restrictive; 44% open. ***
Legislation 2d Session. 100% restrictive; 0% open. **** All legislation 104th Congress 60% restrictive; 40%
open. ***** Restrictive rules are those which limit the number of amendments which can be offered, and include
so-called modified open and modified closed rules as well as completely closed rules and rules providing for
consideration in the House as opposed to the Committee of the Whole. This definition of restrictive rule is
taken from the Republican chart of resolutions reported from the Rules Committee in the 103d Congress. ******
Not included in this chart are three bills which should have been placed on the Suspension Calendar. H.R. 101,
H.R. 400, H.R. 440.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York [Mr. Rangel].
(Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I was just talking to my dear friend, the
gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon], who sits over there, but I asked
him to yield when he was reading the paper there, because I wanted to
make it abundantly clear that as he extends this debt limit, as he
gives us the ability for the United States to pay off its obligations,
that he is only doing it for the old people on Social Security, he
says, he says.
So it means that these people have a lot of compassion, but they give
it to us a little bit at a time. Who knows, maybe the disabled veterans
will get some political attention over there, and we will get another
15 days. How about the widows of those who died defending our country?
How about the crippled, the veterans in the hospital? Oh, I know, you
want to make Clinton change the rules. You do not want to do it at
election time. You cannot do it with overriding a veto, and so what we
are going to do is select who will receive their benefits.
Do you think the United States Congress should be doing this? And of
all of the committees that is doing this to the American people, it is
the Committee on Rules. What substance jurisdiction do you have to
select one group of Americans, people who serve their country, which
groups you decide will receive their checks on time? And we get 15
days. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman for 15 days we get. Thank you.
Maybe when we come back, the rest of the veterans and all the Americans
who deserve their checks, you might give them 10 or 15 days, and
ultimately the rest of the world would say, Can you trust the United
States of America? Just as far as you can check with the chairman of
the committee that determines when they pay their debts.
All I can say is this, if you think we screwed this place up for 40
years, you have broken the record, because you have brought to this
Congress Members who are more anxious to change the policies that we
have had in the last 40 years than to legislate. We are not doing this
by legislating. We are doing it by fear, and it is wrong.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlemen from New
York [Mr. Solomon], the distinguished chairman, who is making sure that
everybody gets their paycheck.
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, do you know that every
single day that passes by, the national debt goes up another $600
million? Think about that, $600 million a day. Every day it goes up
$600 million, that means there are $600 million less to help all of
those people that truly need it.
You people on that side of the aisle, more than anyone else, ought to
be standing up here trying to put an end to this deficit spending that
is actually ruining this country and turning it into a sea of red ink.
The Record should show the gentleman from New York voted for an
attachment to the 1993 debt limit bill, the largest tax increase in
history. There was nothing clean about that debt limit bill.
What is different now? Nothing.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan [Mr. Levin], another member of the Committee on Ways and
Means.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I say to the gentleman from New York [Mr.
Solomon], the answer is in 1993 the debt ceiling extension was part of
an overall package. We were not trying to blackmail the White House.
You are; you are.
Look, this is nothing but a 2-week extension. That is all this is.
Yes, from March 1 to March 15, 2 weeks.
And why the reference to Social Security? It is because if there were
no extension, Social Security payments would, indeed, be jeopardized,
contrary to the earlier communications from your side. But, look, the
other obligations are also going to be paid, not only Social Security.
So really you are voting for a 2-week straight debt ceiling
extension. You put in Social Security, because some of your extremists
do not want to vote for a debt extension of any kind, and then it says
in here Congress intends to pass an increase in the public debt limit
before March 1, 1996.
Why do you not pass it tonight? I will tell you why, you have got an
addiction of some kind playing with fire. You have been burned twice in
terms of the CR: You played with fire, twice burned, you want to burn
yourself again.
But I think the main reason is you do not know what else to do, so
you are doing the same thing all over again. That is the problem. You
do not have a game plan, so you punt.
The trouble is this is not a game. This is the lives of Americans
that you are playing with lightly.
Stop the blackmail. Pass a clean debt ceiling period, and do it
tonight.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan [Mr. Smith], a member of the Committee on the Budget.
{time} 1830
Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I just sort of handed out this
sheet
[[Page H1192]]
to both sides as a reminder to us that we have not given clean debt
ceiling increases. So it seems like tonight, with this clean increase
in borrowing authority for the Federal Government to make sure that we
get by the rest of this month and into toward mid-March, that we should
pass it and say,``Look, it is a good first step, let us move on.''
Mr. Speaker, to the gentleman from Michigan, I would still like to
point out that the last couple debt limit bills that we had represented
a huge tax increase of $137 billion over the 5-year period in 1990 when
there was pressure on President Bush. Again, there was a large $252
billion tax increase in 1993. Some of these put pressure on an
administration. So the debt ceiling is not very wholesome, not being
used as leverage.
As we researched the records, Treasury does not have the right to
withhold Social Security payments. The trouble is they have not managed
cash flow, so they are out of money right now. They have no legal
authority to withhold payments for Social Security or any other trust
fund when there are surpluses coming into those trust funds.
This action tonight is to give money back to Treasury because they
have not had the kind of cash flow management that allows them to pay
Social Security benefits and the other retirement benefits.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
[Mr. Bentsen].
Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, just so I can set the Record straight so my
colleagues over here do not make a mistake, I was not here in 1993. In
fact, I was in the private sector, in fact outside the Beltway, where I
was earning a living in an industry very similar to what we are talking
about. In fact, my friend from New York, I have been in the private
sector for a while, while you have been in the Congress, in the public
sector, since I have been in high school. Quite some time.
If I wanted to, I could come down here, we could come down here as
Democrats and we could say fine, go ahead and crash the capital markets
of the United States. You will make Herbert Hoover look like an
economic genius if you do this. But that is wrong. It is wrong for this
country. This is a scary situation.
My other colleague from Texas said it is scary. Yes, it is very
scary, because if we allow the Nation's debt to default, we will pay
forever. If we do it for a day, it will be like Chernobyl; it will last
for years and years.
Moody's said over the years that you could invest in treasuries
because they would not default. This is from 1994. They said last week
that they think they are going to default now, and they are looking to
downgrade the debt. That is going to affect at least $300 billion of
State and local debt and school debt. Mr. Druckmiller, your expect,
came out last week and said this was a failed strategy and you should
not do it.
Now, let us understand this bill. You are going to give the Treasury
$30 billion, but the Treasury needs another $55 billion to meet the
payments. Now, I tried to find in the Washington Times so I could
explain to you when Treasury bonds come due. They come due on the 1st
and 15th of the month. The Washington Times does not carry the Treasury
thing, maybe that is why there is a misunderstanding here. But the fact
of the matter is that this is totally irresponsible.
My colleague talks about the private sector. If you were on the board
of a corporation that had a debt payment coming due in 29 days and you
decided that you were going to take the board to Hawaii instead of
staying here and working on it, the stockholders would throw you out,
and they would be right for doing it.
If you were a homeowner and you did not have the money to pay your
mortgage and decided you would take a vacation instead, the bank would
come and take your house and they would have the right to do that.
That is what we are doing. We are not going to deal with the problem;
we are going to go on a vacation. I find that hard to believe,
regardless of whether I am a Democrat or a Republican. What has gotten
into us here? It is incredible. It is simply incredible.
You tell us by March 1 you will get this done. My friends, you did
not make the date for the appropriations bills; you did not even bring
half of them to the floor by the end of the fiscal year. How are we to
believe you will do this by March 1? You know what you are going to do?
You are going to default on the debt that our children, my children,
your children, your grandchildren are going to have to pay for, for
money you already spent in previous years. That is simply
unconscionable.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
[Mr. Boehner], the distinguished chairman of the conference.
Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, the Congress of the United States and the
Government of the United States is not going to default on its debt,
not now nor in the future. But if we are at some point going to
increase the debt limit, which we are going to do the last week of
February, we are going to make a downpayment for the future of our
children and theirs.
For 30 years politicians in this town have done the same thing, pile
up the debt, pile up the debt, and imprison our children and theirs. So
every child born in America today owes $19,000 as their share of the
national debt. A child born this year will pay $187,000 over the course
of their lifetime in taxes just to pay the interest on the national
debt that their parents and their grandparents have left for them. That
is unconscionable.
What is the President of the United States asking? Raise the debt
limit. Let us have more debt. The fact is, it is time to get serious
about balancing the budget of the United States and saving the future
for our kids and theirs. Oh, but no, we do not want to do that. The
President says we can agree on the numbers, but we will save the
policies until later: The same kind of Washington gimmicks, the same
kind of smoke and mirrors that have been used in this town to say one
thing and do something else, year after year after year.
What we are saying on our side of the aisle is it is time to get
serious. It is time for no more gimmicks, no more tricks. It is time to
do the right thing to save the future for our kids and theirs, and we
are going to do it.
Now, in the meantime we want a downpayment on extending the debt
limit of this country. We ought to make some generous effort in a
bipartisan way to move us toward saving the future, and we ought to do
it over the next couple of weeks so that when we get back here on the
26th, we can have a bill that can be agreed to.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North
Carolina [Mr. Hefner].
Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Speaker, if I could enter into a colloquy with the
previous speaker, could I ask a question of the gentleman from Ohio?
The gentleman from Ohio just made a statement that the U.S. Government
was not going to default now, not ever. Let me ask you this question:
Suppose that you put the conditions on the extension of the debt and
the President of the United States does not blink and refuses to sign
the budget or whatever downpayment you call it. Are you going to let
the United States default on its obligations?
Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. HEFNER. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I am sure the President of the United
States would like to make a downpayment toward balancing the budget
just as much as you would and we would.
Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, the gentleman just made
a statement that we will not default on our obligations now, not ever.
He had no qualifications; he was just taking for granted that
everything is going to fall in place and they would yield to blackmail
demands. What he is saying is unless they do, you will let the U.S.
Government default. Enough is enough.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman
from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro].
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is time to get serious and it is time to
stop the blackmail. It is the extremists in the House Republican
conference that are playing political chicken with the credit rating of
the United States. That is what it is about, is our credit rating. This
Government has always paid its bills. For 220 years, through a Civil
War and a Great Depression.
Paying our bills is not just important to the bond market and to the
investment bankers on Wall Street. If this
[[Page H1193]]
nation defaults, the consequences will be most sharply felt by ordinary
Americans. It is not only Wall Street, it is Main Street who pays the
price. If this bill passes, Social Security checks will not bounce, and
that is a good thing. But what about the countless other consequences
of default? What about students whose college loan rates are set by the
Government borrowing rate? What about people who bought their homes
with adjustable rate mortgages, and what about those who hold credit
cards?
At a time when too many Americans are swamped with bills, they are
afraid that they cannot afford to pay their bills. These are people who
have not seen a raise in their salaries in months and years. A
Government default would make paying their bills all the more
expensive. This tactic hits working families in their pocketbooks.
Mr. Speaker, we can easily avoid this crisis. Let us pass a bill that
prevents default by lifting the debt ceiling and that protects the
credit rating and the honor of this great Nation of ours.
Mr. FROST. Does the gentleman not have any speakers at this point?
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, may I inform the Chair and the distinguished
gentleman from Texas that I have one other speaker who is on his way,
and possibly we will have some stimulation in the debate here from
somebody who is here. We are looking at winding down, but I am in the
range of three or four Members.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
[Mr. Doggett].
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, our Republican colleagues have, of course,
already voted four times in this very Congress to adjust the debt limit
to the full amount necessary. But now that it really counts, now that
we are up against the line, they break their promise to the American
people.
They whine and moan about a budget deficit, but as soon as the
President proposes a balanced budget calculated by their numbers, the
Speaker declares defeat. A broken promise. You see, that is the
watchword of this Gingrich Republican leadership: Promises made,
promises broken. The Republicans promised to give us a country that is
governed responsibly, and then they come forward and waste $1.5 billion
with two Government shutdowns that were totally unnecessary, which even
Speaker Gingrich has now confessed was an error.
They promised to guarantee the fiscal integrity of this country, and
now they act in a way that constitutes the biggest broken promise in
American economic history. They promise to breach the promise of the
full faith and credit of this country.
Republican promises made and Republican promises broken, the whole
story of the 104th Congress. They have broken so many promises in this
Congress to the American people, they now want to go out and break
somebody else's promise, and that is the promise that generations of
Americans have stood by to protect the fiscal integrity of this
country.
Can any responsible American, regardless of party, regardless of
philosophy, conceivably be out there saying, Oh, go to Washington. Do
not pay the bond holders. Do not pay those who rely on U.S. savings
bonds. Just bring everything to a halt and default until you get your
way?
Mr. Speaker, that is precisely what has been advocated here tonight.
Nobody but a crackpot would advance that point of view. But indeed,
while that might have been true a few years ago, and though we just
heard promises, let us listen to what the Speaker of the House of the
United States said: ``I don't care what the price is. I don't care if
we have no bonds for 30 days.''
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Mica].
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Mr. Speaker, tonight our action is really about choices. The
administration and the other side of the aisle has made their choices.
They would choose in fact to cut off payments for Social Security and
maybe veterans at this point if in fact they run out of additional
money to steal. In fact, the irony of this is they have been stealing
and robbing Federal retirement trust funds to keep the indebtedness
extended for this country.
{time} 1845
So tonight is really about choices. We have seen on TV they are going
to stop the printing presses. They do not want us to pay seniors.
Mr. Speaker, that is not what the Republicans want to do tonight. We
want to see, in fact, that our seniors receive their check. We want to
tell seniors that, in fact, we have made a different choice, that we
think that we should choose in this budget whether people should
continue to be paid for not working; whether we should pay illegal
immigrants who come in and get better health and medical and housing
benefits than our seniors and our veterans.
Those are some of the choices before us, and that is part of the
choice in our budget, in our proposal. And we are going to face that
measure and those choices.
So, tonight the choice is we stop the show, we stop printing the
funny money or continue in a responsible fashion. We set a deadline,
and that is what we have been doing and what we have been trying to do
to get this Nation's finances in order. So our choice is to pay seniors
tonight, to pass this rule, and to act responsibly, and we will meet
our debt obligations; but we will not continue to drive this country
further and further into debt, in an irresponsible fashion.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Minnesota [Mr. Vento].
Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, this H.R. 2924 is about the most convoluted
piece of legislation that I have seen in terms of what is going on.
They say, the Republicans that they bring this bill to us, that they
intend to extend the debt limit. Well, why do they not just do it? No,
they bring this 2-week bill. In other words, the bad news is the fact
that they feel the necessity for a 2 week measure.
If we take them at their word, the face value of what this bill says,
we are going to avert the possibility that the Social Security checks
are going to bounce March 1. We want them to go out, and we all want to
be on the side of those receiving Social Security. But the bad news is
that the veterans' checks are going to bounce, that they are not going
to cash those, that the soldiers and sailors that get checks, even
those in Bosnia, will not be able to cash them. The contractors who
have done work in good faith will not be able to cash checks.
The fact is that this result would result in the ultimate Government
shutdown. Already this year for 4 weeks out of 16, the irresponsibility
in terms of the way that this majority Republican Party has run this
Congress has resulted in partial shutdown of the Government. The fact
is, yes, things were attached to the debt ceiling limit. But under
Reagan and under Bush, and under Clinton, the Democrats got an
agreement with them. We could find common ground and compromise to
achieve this, so we averted the default of bonds, the credit rating of
the country wasn't harmed.
We have been through Reagan and Bush and Clinton. We did it through
World War I, then World War II, the Depression, the recessions, but all
of a sudden now my Republican colleagues cannot do that. They cannot
come to a agreement, and that is what the bad news is in terms of this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, yes, we ought to protect Social Security, but we ought
to protect the faith and credit of this Nation. We ought to really
prevent the type of economic shock wave and damage that this proposal
pretends to do through intention but not action. The fact that the
Republicans want to pass just this measure of platitudes, shows that
they do not understand what they are doing, I think this action
unfortunately underlines the experience and the credibility of what has
been said over here for 2 months. What has been said by the Speaker and
their leader, over the past year that is in fact if default comes, it
comes. Let us just accept it says Speaker Gingrich. That is
unacceptable says this Member. The only snow job is not the one
outside; there is one going on in here tonight from the majority
Republicans.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, the record should show that the gentleman who
just spoke so eloquently voted to attach to the 1993 debt limit bill
the largest tax increase in history. There was nothing clean about that
debt limit bill.
[[Page H1194]]
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
Florida [Mr. Foley].
Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, all the screaming needs to subside. This
Government has been running deficit for a long time. Our credit card is
about to be canceled. Our checkbook is dry.
In America's communities, if we had produced the types of budgets
this Congress has over the last 40 years, we would have had our home
foreclosed, our credit card canceled, our checkbook confiscated, and we
would be sent to jail.
Everybody is yelling about the full faith and credit of this
Government, and many Members that have been on this floor screaming
have been the ones who have run up, through the use of their Member
card, this card that they give us when we are sworn into office, the
credit card of the United States, they have been running deficits each
and every budget year. And now there is screaming going on about the
full faith and credit of the United States of America.
People have to accept responsibility for being the ones that charged
the balance. If we give our child a credit card with a $500 balance and
they run out and use it in one day and we scream at them for not paying
the bill, we have helped get them the credit. We have taught them to
spend maybe recklessly.
I agree that the faith and credit of this Government is essential.
This bill will allow the temporary borrowing of additional monies to
cover Social Security. My grandmother depended on her Social Security
before she died. She worked as a maid in a Travel Lodge motel. She was
not a wealthy women. She had $10,000 in the bank. That is all the money
she had in her life. Social Security was important to her, as it is to
every other American.
Mr. Speaker, we are allowing the debt limit to increase to provide
for that, but we are not perpetrating the sham on the American public
with $200 billion in excess spending year in and year out and call that
democracy, call that compassion, call that good government. We need to
stop the yelling, start working on the problems that face America.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York [Mr. Schumer].
(Mr. SCHUMER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Speaker, well, my colleagues know we have heard a
lot of talking here. We just heard about giving a child a credit card.
And what they are advocating on that side is once the child spends on
the credit card, maybe the child should not have, the parents are
saying we will not pay. That is un-American. That is being a deadbeat.
That has nothing to do with resolving the child's behavior in the
future. That has to do with the past obligation that was incurred by
the family that people on this side are saying we will not pay.
Mr. Speaker, the average homeowner does not have the opportunity to
renege on his or her mortgage. The average credit card purchaser does
not have the opportunity to renege on his or her credit card. These
people are struggling. They cannot do it, and at the height of
irresponsibility, some of the leaders of this Nation are saying, well
our country can do it. What lesson is that to the child we are talking
about? I would say that to the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. Speaker, is it happenstance that we are playing this ridiculous
game of chicken? Is it just unbelievable that we could say we would
renege on our debt? Let us listen to what Speaker Gingrich said: ``The
President will veto a number of things and then we will put them all on
the debt ceiling. And then he will decide how big a crisis he wants.''
That is good government? That is responsibility? That is bullying at
best, and lunacy, irresponsible lunacy at worst. Here is another quote
from the Speaker: ``I do not care what the price is, I do not care if
we have no executive offices, and no bonds for 30 days. Not at this
time.''
He just said that in September. Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of blame
going on. Some extremist, immature freshmen are saying let us let the
country default on its debt. But it came from the Speaker. He should be
ashamed of himself.
Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Regular order.
Mr. SCHUMER. He knows that the credit rating of the America is at
stake. It is a shame.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, the Record should show that the gentleman from
New York who just spoke voted for an attached 1993 debt limit bill, the
largest tax increase in history. There was certainly nothing clean
about that debt limit bill either, and I suspect that the gentleman
from New York would not agree with my conclusion that it is not
responsible parenting to stop children from runaway spending.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey [Mr. Pallone].
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, there was a lot of talk on the Republican
side of the aisle tonight about scare tactics, but I have to tell my
colleagues I am really scared tonight. Until this evening, I did not
really believe that the Republicans would actually default on the debt.
Now I believe that they will.
Mr. Speaker, I listened to what the gentleman from Ohio said, that in
order to avoid default there would have to be a downpayment on the
balanced budget. I listened to the gentleman from New York who said
that, in order to prevent default, there would have to be certain
commitments made by our side of the aisle by March 1.
Now I see a resolution coming before us that says that we will extend
the debt ceiling with regard to Social Security. What is happening here
is the same kind of hostage atmosphere that we saw with the Government
shutdown. The Republicans are saying that we are going to go home. We
are going to come back at the end of the month when there are a few
days before March 1. And if we on the other side do not do certain
things and make certain commitments, if we do not vote for certain
things that they want, then they are going to default.
So I do not believe it when they say that they are not going to
default. The bottom line is if they are willing to say tonight that
they will only extend the debt ceiling for Social Security, I have no
guarantee that they will extend the debt ceiling on anything else. I
think that is the height of irresponsibility.
We are talking about defaulting on a debt that is going to downgrade
the credit rating of these United States in a way that has never
happened before. The bottom line is that if that happens, there is no
precedent for it. There is no way of ever recovering from it, whether
it is mortgage interest rates, whether it is interest rates on car
payments, whether it is the securities in our general credit rating.
Other countries that hold our Government bonds may decide they want to
sell them.
We have no idea what kind of uncharted waters we will be walking into
if we ever default on the debt. This resolution tonight ways that
Congress intends to pass an increase in the public debt limit before
March 1, 1996. But if my colleagues listen to the other side, there is
no reason to believe that.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon], the distinguished chairman of
the Committee on Rules.
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I am going to speak from this side because
I am going to quote one of the most distinguished members in the
Clinton administration when I finish.
But it is no coincidence, and I have been keeping track, that almost
every single speaker that has spoken from the Democrat side of the
aisle is listed by the National Taxpayers Union as the biggest
spenders. They classify us. Biggest spenders in the Congress. Almost
every one of them. That is important to note.
Let me read to my colleagues the Washington Post, March 25, 1993,
that is about 2 years ago. Now listen carefully to this, because this
is the statement that was made by the present chief of staff of
President Clinton. Listen to this because it will really turn this
thing around.
He said: The Clinton administration has waited as long as possible to
seek an increase in the debt ceiling so that lawmakers, that is you and
me, ladies and gentlemen, so that lawmakers can vote for budget
resolutions designed to rein in deficits before being asked to increase
Federal borrowing. Now, this
[[Page H1195]]
is Mr. Leon Panetta. He said it is important to tie, listen to this, it
is important to tie it, the debt limit, he says, to other discipline
people would like to put in place.
That is what Leon Panetta said. That is exactly what we are doing
here. Secretary Rubin has said he does not need this authority until
March 1. We want to wait as long as we can to get as much of the
savings as we can to put the fiscal house in order of the people of
this country. That is what we are doing. Come over here and vote for
this good bill.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a no vote on the previous question. If the
previous question is defeated, I shall offer an amendment to the rule
which would make in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute to
provide for a clean debt ceiling.
This amendment consists of the text of H.R. 2409 and provides for a
clean debt ceiling increase for a full year. This number is the same
figure that was in the Republican budget resolution and reconciliation
bill. Our country's economy is far too important to be used as a
political pawn. We cannot risk the catastrophe that will occur should
we default on our Nation's debts.
{time} 1900
Let us stop the game playing and pass a clean debt ceiling. I urge
Members on both sides of the aisle to take the moral high ground and to
vote down the previous question, so the substitute amendment can be
considered by the full House.
Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a copy of the amendment:
The amendment referred to is as follows:
At the end of the resolution add the following new section:
``Section--. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
resolution, it shall be in order without intervention of any
point of order to consider an amendment in the nature of a
substitute consisting of the text of H.R. 2409, if offered by
the Minority Leader or his designee. The amendment shall be
considered as read and shall be debatable for 60 minutes
equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an
opponent. The previous question shall be considered as
ordered on the amendment.''.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge that we defeat the previous
question. This is a very serious matter. It is the other side of the
aisle that will not bring a debt ceiling vote to the floor this week.
They bring only this little piece of it. It is an important piece, and
we will want Social Security checks to go out, but they will not bring
a debt ceiling increase.
Mr. Speaker, they want to take this right to the brink. They want to
walk us up to 2 or 3 days before the deadline, and hope that the perils
of Pauline will somehow rescue the lady from the track, as the train
heads to hear. If the people on the other side have miscalculated, and
if the train in fact runs over that maiden on February 29, this country
is in enormous, enormous trouble.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I many times watched the Perils of Pauline, and I never
actually saw the train run over the victim.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to close with a couple of points. First of
all, this has been a very intriguing debate about the rule. I do not
think I have heard the rule mentioned, more than in passing at the
beginning, but we have had a pretty good debate on some other things.
I frankly have gotten to see my colleague, the gentleman from
Florida, my good friend, the distinguished ranking member of the
Committee on Ways and Means, show us that in addition to his
extraordinary oratory, he has exemplary footwork as well in the well of
the House, and I commend him on that. That was certainly a fresh moment
in my experience in the U.S. Congress.
Mr. Speaker, some on the other side have mentioned that we are going
on vacation. If Members are going on vacation over there, I wish them
well. I do not believe anybody over here is planning to go on vacation.
We have a considerable amount of work to do. We are doing some
negotiating. We will be in our district in a work period. I know some
of us will actually be here working on committee work as well, as is
our custom. If those Members have time to go on vacation on the other
side of the aisle and can work it into their schedules, they are
fortunate, indeed.
Mr. Speaker, the next question I wanted to raise very briefly is this
sort of switching of the debate from what is really adding on, piling
onto a $5 trillion national debt an unlimited amount of money for the
future without any kind of control. That is really what Members are
proposing to do. What you are doing, however, is switching the subject
and saying ``My gosh, if we do not do that, we are affecting the full
faith and credit of our country.'' I think that is very bizarre.
The people who keep score about full faith and credit are more
interested in us getting control of our spending now. That is the
signal they are looking for. I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, that if we
do not do the responsible thing, we will in fact do more damage to the
full faith and credit, which, or course, nobody wants to cause any
problem for in any way.
The next thing that has happened, Mr. Speaker, my friend, the
gentleman from New York, said we are going to have a big vote on this.
We are indeed going to have a big vote on this. We are going to get
probably a unanimous vote on this piece of legislation. Who would vote
against sending out the Social Security checks? Who would vote against
making sure those checks were not going to bounce? It seems to me that
is a pretty good proposition to vote for. We have a good rule, we have
a good proposition to vote for. I am having a little trouble
understanding what, therefore, the problem really is.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot of talk about gloom and doom and the
sky falling. I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, that those who are talking
about all this red hot partisan rhetoric, self-fulfilling rhetoric I
hope it is not, about the world ending and the full faith and credit
coming apart and so forth, need to go back and look at their voting
records. I did not read them all because of time, but most everybody,
as the chairman has said, who got the low rating from the NTU for being
big spenders are also the people who, by and large, have voted for the
largest tax increase in history, and that was attached to a debt limit
bill, so let us get real.
The other point I would make is I would suggest that Alan Greenspan's
pulse rate is probably more important to the interest rates than the
debate we are having here today in terms of the well-being of our
economy, so I urge that we pass this rule and get on with it. We will
then pass this legislation and remove anxiety.
Mr. Speaker, I move the previous question on the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous
question.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5 of rule XV, the Chair
announces that he will reduce to a minimum of 5 minutes the period of
time which a vote by electronic device, if ordered, will be taken on
the question of the adoption of the resolution.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 229,
nays 178, not voting 26, as follows:
[Roll No. 28]
YEAS--229
Allard
Archer
Armey
Bachus
Baker (CA)
Ballenger
Barr
Barrett (NE)
Bartlett
Barton
Bass
Bateman
Bereuter
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bliley
Blute
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bono
Boucher
Brownback
Bryant (TN)
Bunn
Bunning
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canady
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Chenoweth
Christensen
Chrysler
Clinger
Coble
Coburn
Collins (GA)
Combest
Condit
Cooley
Cox
Crane
Crapo
Cremeans
Cubin
Cunningham
Davis
Deal
DeLay
Diaz-Balart
Dickey
Doolittle
Dornan
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Ehlers
Ehrlich
Emerson
English
Ensign
Everett
Ewing
Fawell
Fields (TX)
Flanagan
Foley
Forbes
Fowler
[[Page H1196]]
Fox
Franks (CT)
Franks (NJ)
Frelinghuysen
Frisa
Funderburk
Gallegly
Ganske
Gekas
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gilman
Goodlatte
Goodling
Goss
Graham
Greenwood
Gunderson
Gutknecht
Hancock
Hansen
Hastert
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Heineman
Herger
Hilleary
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hoke
Horn
Hostettler
Houghton
Hunter
Hutchinson
Hyde
Inglis
Istook
Johnson (CT)
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Kasich
Kelly
Kim
King
Kingston
Klug
Knollenberg
LaHood
Largent
Latham
LaTourette
Laughlin
Lazio
Leach
Lewis (KY)
Lightfoot
Linder
Livingston
LoBiondo
Longley
Lucas
Manzullo
Martini
McCollum
McCrery
McDade
McHugh
McInnis
McIntosh
McKeon
Metcalf
Mica
Miller (FL)
Molinari
Moorhead
Morella
Myers
Myrick
Nethercutt
Neumann
Ney
Norwood
Nussle
Oxley
Parker
Paxon
Petri
Pombo
Porter
Portman
Pryce
Quillen
Quinn
Ramstad
Regula
Riggs
Roberts
Rogers
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roth
Roukema
Royce
Salmon
Sanford
Saxton
Scarborough
Schaefer
Schiff
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shays
Shuster
Skeen
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Solomon
Souder
Spence
Stearns
Stockman
Stump
Talent
Tate
Tauzin
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Thomas
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Torkildsen
Upton
Vucanovich
Waldholtz
Walker
Walsh
Wamp
Watts (OK)
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
White
Whitfield
Wicker
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
Zeliff
Zimmer
NAYS--178
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Andrews
Baesler
Baldacci
Barcia
Barrett (WI)
Beilenson
Bentsen
Berman
Bevill
Bishop
Bonior
Borski
Brewster
Browder
Brown (CA)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Cardin
Clayton
Clement
Clyburn
Coleman
Collins (MI)
Conyers
Costello
Coyne
Cramer
Danner
de la Garza
DeFazio
DeLauro
Dellums
Deutsch
Dicks
Dingell
Dixon
Doggett
Dooley
Doyle
Durbin
Edwards
Engel
Eshoo
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Fazio
Fields (LA)
Flake
Foglietta
Ford
Frank (MA)
Frost
Furse
Gejdenson
Gephardt
Geren
Gonzalez
Gordon
Gutierrez
Hall (OH)
Hall (TX)
Hamilton
Hastings (FL)
Hefner
Hilliard
Hinchey
Holden
Hoyer
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jacobs
Jefferson
Johnson (SD)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnston
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy (MA)
Kennedy (RI)
Kennelly
Kildee
Kleczka
Klink
LaFalce
Lantos
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lincoln
Lipinski
Lofgren
Lowey
Luther
Maloney
Markey
Mascara
Matsui
McCarthy
McDermott
McHale
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek
Menendez
Miller (CA)
Minge
Mink
Moakley
Mollohan
Montgomery
Moran
Murtha
Nadler
Neal
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Orton
Owens
Pallone
Pastor
Payne (NJ)
Payne (VA)
Pelosi
Peterson (FL)
Peterson (MN)
Pickett
Pomeroy
Poshard
Rahall
Rangel
Reed
Richardson
Rivers
Roemer
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sabo
Sawyer
Schroeder
Schumer
Scott
Serrano
Sisisky
Skaggs
Skelton
Slaughter
Spratt
Stark
Stenholm
Stokes
Studds
Stupak
Tanner
Tejeda
Thompson
Thornton
Thurman
Torres
Torricelli
Towns
Traficant
Velazquez
Vento
Visclosky
Volkmer
Ward
Waters
Watt (NC)
Waxman
Williams
Wise
Woolsey
Wyden
Yates
NOT VOTING--26
Baker (LA)
Becerra
Bryant (TX)
Callahan
Chapman
Clay
Collins (IL)
Filner
Gibbons
Green
Harman
Kolbe
Lewis (CA)
Manton
Martinez
Meyers
Mfume
Ortiz
Packard
Radanovich
Rose
Sanders
Seastrand
Shaw
Wilson
Wynn
{time} 1922
So the previous question was ordered.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
personal explanation
Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 28 on
House Resolution 355 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I
would have voted ``nay''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walker). The question is on the
resolution.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________