[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 30 (Thursday, March 7, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H1793-H1808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3019, BALANCED BUDGET DOWNPAYMENT
ACT, II
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I
call up House Resolution 372 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 372
Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this
resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 1(b) of rule
XXIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union for consideration of
the bill (H.R. 3019) making appropriations for fiscal year
1996 to make a further downpayment toward a balanced budget,
and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall
be dispensed with. General debate shall be confined to the
bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the
Committee on Appropriations. After general debate the bill
shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule.
The amendment printed in section 2 of this resolution shall
be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of
the Whole. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as the
original bill for the purpose of further amendment. This
bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. No further
amendment shall be in order except those specified in the
report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this
resolution. Each further amendment may be considered only in
the order specified in the report, may be offered only by a
Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read,
shall be debatable for the time specified in the report
equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an
opponent, shall not be subject to amendment except as
specified in the report, and shall not be subject to a demand
for division of the question in the House or in the Committee
of the Whole. All points of order against the amendments
specified in the report are waived. At the conclusion of
consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall
rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as
may have been adopted. The previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto 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.
Sec. 2. The amendment considered as adopted in the House
and in the Committee of the Whole is as follows:
Page 539, line 16, strike ``specifically addresses the
availability of'' and insert in lieu thereof ``expressly
makes available for obligation''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier]
is recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from South Boston, Massachusetts
[Mr. Moakley], and pending that I yield myself such time as I may
consume. All time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
(Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, this rule provides for consideration of H.R.
3019, the second Balanced Budget Down Payment Act, under a modified
closed rule, providing 1 hour of general debate divided equally between
the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on
Appropriations.
The rule further provides for adoption in the House and in the
Committee of the Whole for a technical amendment printed in section 2
of the resolution.
Only amendments specified in the Committee on Rules report are in
order.
The rule makes in order four amendments: An amendment by the
gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Lowey] to strike language in the bill
giving States authority to determine if Medicaid shall fund abortions
other than to save the life of a mother within that State; an amendment
by the gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr. Istook] to require organizations
that receive Federal grants to disclose their lobbying activities; an
amendment by the gentleman from Idaho, [Mr. Crapo] to establish a
deficit reduction lockbox; and a substitute that may be offered by the
gentleman from Wisconsin, [Mr. Obey].
Mr. Speaker, the substitute amendment shall be debatable for 60
minutes. The other amendments shall be debatable for 20 minutes each.
Time for each amendment shall be equally divided and controlled by an
opponent and a proponent. All points of order against the amendments
are waived. Each amendment shall be considered as read and shall not be
subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the
Committee of the Whole.
Finally, the rule provides that the previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the bill to final passage without intervening
motion except one motion to recommit which, if containing instructions,
may only be offered by the minority leader or his designee.
Mr. Speaker, less than 6 weeks ago, the President stood right here in
this Chamber and declared to the Congress and the American people that
the era of big government is over. He also closed that State of the
Union Message with a plea, a plea to all of us. He said, ``I challenge
all of you in this Chamber. Let us never, ever, shut the Federal
Government down again.''
Now, Mr. Speaker, this bill will prevent a partial Government
shutdown on March 15. The bill essentially completes the fiscal year
1996 appropriations process so that this House can get down to the
business of dealing with the fiscal year 1997. Most importantly, this
bill continues the process of trimming Federal spending so that we can
proceed to a balanced budget by 2002. It is critical that America's
children wake up on January 1, 2000, and can see that we are on the
verge of ending the annual deficits that are mortgaging their chance
for a bright future.
Regrettably, it appears that the era of big government has returned
down at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. In order to increase Federal spending
in his favored programs, the President is now threatening to, and
listen to this carefully, Mr. Speaker, he is threatening to close down
the Federal Government. He will again shut down the Government with his
veto pen if we do not add another $8 billion in deficit spending to
this bill.
The crocodile tears are flooding out onto Pennsylvania Avenue, and
the rhetoric is right from their pollsters and focus groups. The
President will shut down the Federal Government again rather than sign
a bill that does not spend more on Federal education, environment, and
worker training programs.
Mr. Speaker, there is no substance behind the White House charges.
Just look at the issue of education, for example. Local communities and
States carry the load on education, not the Federal Government. The
President claims that we propose to cut spending by $3.3 billion. Now
to put that into perspective, the United States spends over one-half
trillion dollars a year, over $500 billion a year, on education.
This Congress, the new majority, is strongly committed to improving
education. The President, on the other hand, would not raise a finger
to stand in the way of the powerful teachers unions that are strangling
real education reforms in cities and towns all across this country, but
he will shut down the Federal Government over a .6 of 1 percent cut in
Federal spending.
If he insists on threatening to shut down the Federal Government
again, I wish he would at least threaten to shut down the Government if
we did not pass a tax cut on families and a reduction in the capital
gains tax to get wages moving up. That would finally address the
Clinton crunch that is squeezing working families.
Mr. Speaker, we have a moral obligation to our children to end the
decades of deficits and debt. We must put families ahead of Government
bureaucracies. This is a very tough job because the majority in
Congress supports a smaller Government while the President wants the
Government to solve more and more problems.
{time} 1200
Nevertheless, this Congress remains committed to proceeding down the
road to a balanced budget, and this bill closes out the fiscal year
1996 appropriations process, consistent with that goal.
The challenge that I would offer, Mr. Speaker, to our President is
that he
[[Page H1794]]
should never, never, ever shut the Federal Government down again. I
also challenge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this
rule and support the bill so we can work with the Senate and the White
House to reduce the deficit and avoid a Federal Government shutdown.
Mr. Speaker, I include the following information on the amendment
process:
THE AMENDMENT PROCESS UNDER SPECIAL RULES REPORTED BY THE RULES COMMITTEE,\1\ 103D CONGRESS V. 104TH CONGRESS
[As of March 7, 1996]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
103d Congress 104th Congress
Rule type ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of rules Percent of total Number of rules Percent of total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open/Modified-open \2\.............. 46 44 59 63
Modified Closed \3\................. 49 47 22 23
Closed \4\.......................... 9 9 13 14
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total......................... 104 100 94 100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This table applies only to rules which provide for the original consideration of bills, joint resolutions or
budget resolutions and which provide for an amendment process. It does not apply to special rules which only
waive points of order against appropriations bills which are already privileged and are considered under an
open amendment process under House rules.
\2\ An open rule is one under which any Member may offer a germane amendment under the five-minute rule. A
modified open rule is one under which any Member may offer a germane amendment under the five-minute rule
subject only to an overall time limit on the amendment process and/or a requirement that the amendment be
preprinted in the Congressional Record.
\3\ A modified closed rule is one under which the Rules Committee limits the amendments that may be offered only
to those amendments designated in the special rule or the Rules Committee report to accompany it, or which
preclude amendments to a particular portion of a bill, even though the rest of the bill may be completely open
to amendment.
\4\ A closed rule is one under which no amendments may be offered (other than amendments recommended by the
committee in reporting the bill).
SPECIAL RULES REPORTED BY THE RULES COMMITTEE, 104TH CONGRESS
[As of March 7, 1996]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disposition of
H. Res. No. (Date rept.) Rule type Bill No. Subject rule
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H. Res. 38 (1/18/95)........... O................ H.R. 5........... Unfunded Mandate A: 350-71 (1/19/
Reform. 95).
H. Res. 44 (1/24/95)........... MC............... H. Con. Res. 17.. Social Security....... A: 255-172 (1/25/
H.J. Res. 1...... Balanced Budget Amdt.. 95).
H. Res. 51 (1/31/95)........... O................ H.R. 101......... Land Transfer, Taos A: voice vote (2/
Pueblo Indians. 1/95).
H. Res. 52 (1/31/95)........... O................ H.R. 400......... Land Exchange, Arctic A: voice vote (2/
Nat'l. Park and 1/95).
Preserve.
H. Res. 53 (1/31/95)........... O................ H.R. 440......... Land Conveyance, Butte A: voice vote (2/
County, Calif. 1/95).
H. Res. 55 (2/1/95)............ O................ H.R. 2........... Line Item Veto........ A: voice vote (2/
2/95).
H. Res. 60 (2/6/95)............ O................ H.R. 665......... Victim Restitution.... A: voice vote (2/
7/95).
H. Res. 61 (2/6/95)............ O................ H.R. 666......... Exclusionary Rule A: voice vote (2/
Reform. 7/95).
H. Res. 63 (2/8/95)............ MO............... H.R. 667......... Violent Criminal A: voice vote (2/
Incarceration. 9/95).
H. Res. 69 (2/9/95)............ O................ H.R. 668......... Criminal Alien A: voice vote (2/
Deportation. 10/95).
H. Res. 79 (2/10/95)........... MO............... H.R. 728......... Law Enforcement Block A: voice vote (2/
Grants. 13/95).
H. Res. 83 (2/13/95)........... MO............... H.R. 7........... National Security PQ: 229-100; A:
Revitalization. 227-127 (2/15/
95).
H. Res. 88 (2/16/95)........... MC............... H.R. 831......... Health Insurance PQ: 230-191; A:
Deductibility. 229-188 (2/21/
95).
H. Res. 91 (2/21/95)........... O................ H.R. 830......... Paperwork Reduction A: voice vote (2/
Act. 22/95).
H. Res. 92 (2/21/95)........... MC............... H.R. 889......... Defense Supplemental.. A: 282-144 (2/22/
95).
H. Res. 93 (2/22/95)........... MO............... H.R. 450......... Regulatory Transition A: 252-175 (2/23/
Act. 95).
H. Res. 96 (2/24/95)........... MO............... H.R. 1022........ Risk Assessment....... A: 253-165 (2/27/
95).
H. Res. 100 (2/27/95).......... O................ H.R. 926......... Regulatory Reform and A: voice vote (2/
Relief Act. 28/95).
H. Res. 101 (2/28/95).......... MO............... H.R. 925......... Private Property A: 271-151 (3/2/
Protection Act. 95).
H. Res. 103 (3/3/95)........... MO............... H.R. 1058........ Securities Litigation .................
Reform.
H. Res. 104 (3/3/95)........... MO............... H.R. 988......... Attorney A: voice vote (3/
Accountability Act. 6/95).
H. Res. 105 (3/6/95)........... MO............... ................. ...................... A: 257-155 (3/7/
95).
H. Res. 108 (3/7/95)........... Debate........... H.R. 956......... Product Liability A: voice vote (3/
Reform. 8/95).
H. Res. 109 (3/8/95)........... MC............... ................. ...................... PQ: 234-191 A:
247-181 (3/9/
95).
H. Res. 115 (3/14/95).......... MO............... H.R. 1159........ Making Emergency Supp. A: 242-190 (3/15/
Approps. 95).
H. Res. 116 (3/15/95).......... MC............... H.J. Res. 73..... Term Limits Const. A: voice vote (3/
Amdt. 28/95).
H. Res. 117 (3/16/95).......... Debate........... H.R. 4........... Personal A: voice vote (3/
Responsibility Act of 21/95).
1995.
H. Res. 119 (3/21/95).......... MC............... ................. ...................... A: 217-211 (3/22/
95).
H. Res. 125 (4/3/95)........... O................ H.R. 1271........ Family Privacy A: 423-1 (4/4/
Protection Act. 95).
H. Res. 126 (4/3/95)........... O................ H.R. 660......... Older Persons Housing A: voice vote (4/
Act. 6/95).
H. Res. 128 (4/4/95)........... MC............... H.R. 1215........ Contract With America A: 228-204 (4/5/
Tax Relief Act of 95).
1995.
H. Res. 130 (4/5/95)........... MC............... H.R. 483......... Medicare Select A: 253-172 (4/6/
Expansion. 95).
H. Res. 136 (5/1/95)........... O................ H.R. 655......... Hydrogen Future Act of A: voice vote (5/
1995. 2/95).
H. Res. 139 (5/3/95)........... O................ H.R. 1361........ Coast Guard Auth. FY A: voice vote (5/
1996. 9/95).
H. Res. 140 (5/9/95)........... O................ H.R. 961......... Clean Water Amendments A: 414-4 (5/10/
95).
H. Res. 144 (5/11/95).......... O................ H.R. 535......... Fish Hatchery-- A: voice vote (5/
Arkansas. 15/95).
H. Res. 145 (5/11/95).......... O................ H.R. 584......... Fish Hatchery--Iowa... A: voice vote (5/
15/95).
H. Res. 146 (5/11/95).......... O................ H.R. 614......... Fish Hatchery-- A: voice vote (5/
Minnesota. 15/95).
H. Res. 149 (5/16/95).......... MC............... H. Con. Res. 67.. Budget Resolution FY PQ: 252-170 A:
1996. 255-168 (5/17/
95).
H. Res. 155 (5/22/95).......... MO............... H.R. 1561........ American Overseas A: 233-176 (5/23/
Interests Act. 95).
H. Res. 164 (6/8/95)........... MC............... H.R. 1530........ Nat. Defense Auth. FY PQ: 225-191 A:
1996. 233-183 (6/13/
95).
H. Res. 167 (6/15/95).......... O................ H.R. 1817........ MilCon Appropriations PQ: 223-180 A:
FY 1996. 245-155 (6/16/
95).
H. Res. 169 (6/19/95).......... MC............... H.R. 1854........ Leg. Branch Approps. PQ: 232-196 A:
FY 1996. 236-191 (6/20/
95).
H. Res. 170 (6/20/95).......... O................ H.R. 1868........ For. Ops. Approps. FY PQ: 221-178 A:
1996. 217-175 (6/22/
95).
H. Res. 171 (6/22/95).......... O................ H.R. 1905........ Energy & Water A: voice vote (7/
Approps. FY 1996. 12/95).
H. Res. 173 (6/27/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 79..... Flag Constitutional PQ: 258-170 A:
Amendment. 271-152 (6/28/
95).
H. Res. 176 (6/28/95).......... MC............... H.R. 1944........ Emer. Supp. Approps... PQ: 236-194 A:
234-192 (6/29/
95).
H. Res. 185 (7/11/95).......... O................ H.R. 1977........ Interior Approps. FY PQ: 235-193 D:
1996. 192-238 (7/12/
95).
H. Res. 187 (7/12/95).......... O................ H.R. 1977........ Interior Approps. FY PQ: 230-194 A:
1996 #2. 229-195 (7/13/
95).
H. Res. 188 (7/12/95).......... O................ H.R. 1976........ Agriculture Approps. PQ: 242-185 A:
FY 1996. voice vote (7/18/
95).
H. Res. 190 (7/17/95).......... O................ H.R. 2020........ Treasury/Postal PQ: 232-192 A:
Approps. FY 1996. voice vote (7/18/
95).
H. Res. 193 (7/19/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 96..... Disapproval of MFN to A: voice vote (7/
China. 20/95).
H. Res. 194 (7/19/95).......... O................ H.R. 2002........ Transportation PQ: 217-202 (7/21/
Approps. FY 1996. 95).
H. Res. 197 (7/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 70.......... Exports of Alaskan A: voice vote (7/
Crude Oil. 24/95).
H. Res. 198 (7/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 2076........ Commerce, State A: voice vote (7/
Approps. FY 1996. 25/95).
H. Res. 201 (7/25/95).......... O................ H.R. 2099........ VA/HUD Approps. FY A: 230-189 (7/25/
1996. 95).
H. Res. 204 (7/28/95).......... MC............... S. 21............ Terminating U.S. Arms A: voice vote (8/
Embargo on Bosnia. 1/95).
H. Res. 205 (7/28/95).......... O................ H.R. 2126........ Defense Approps. FY A: 409-1 (7/31/
1996. 95).
H. Res. 207 (8/1/95)........... MC............... H.R. 1555........ Communications Act of A: 255-156 (8/2/
1995. 95).
H. Res. 208 (8/1/95)........... O................ H.R. 2127........ Labor, HHS Approps. FY A: 323-104 (8/2/
1996. 95).
H. Res. 215 (9/7/95)........... O................ H.R. 1594........ Economically Targeted A: voice vote (9/
Investments. 12/95).
H. Res. 216 (9/7/95)........... MO............... H.R. 1655........ Intelligence A: voice vote (9/
Authorization FY 1996. 12/95).
H. Res. 218 (9/12/95).......... O................ H.R. 1162........ Deficit Reduction A: voice vote (9/
Lockbox. 13/95).
H. Res. 219 (9/12/95).......... O................ H.R. 1670........ Federal Acquisition A: 414-0 (9/13/
Reform Act. 95).
H. Res. 222 (9/18/95).......... O................ H.R. 1617........ CAREERS Act........... A: 388-2 (9/19/
95).
H. Res. 224 (9/19/95).......... O................ H.R. 2274........ Natl. Highway System.. PQ: 241-173 A:
375-39-1 (9/20/
95).
H. Res. 225 (9/19/95).......... MC............... H.R. 927......... Cuban Liberty & Dem. A: 304-118 (9/20/
Solidarity. 95).
H. Res. 226 (9/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 743......... Team Act.............. A: 344-66-1 (9/27/
95).
H. Res. 227 (9/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 1170........ 3-Judge Court......... A: voice vote (9/
28/95).
H. Res. 228 (9/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 1601........ Internatl. Space A: voice vote (9/
Station. 27/95).
H. Res. 230 (9/27/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 108.... Continuing Resolution A: voice vote (9/
FY 1996. 28/95).
H. Res. 234 (9/29/95).......... O................ H.R. 2405........ Omnibus Science Auth.. A: voice vote (10/
11/95).
H. Res. 237 (10/17/95)......... MC............... H.R. 2259........ Disapprove Sentencing A: voice vote (10/
Guidelines. 18/95).
H. Res. 238 (10/18/95)......... MC............... H.R. 2425........ Medicare Preservation PQ: 231-194 A:
Act. 227-192 (10/19/
95).
H. Res. 239 (10/19/95)......... C................ H.R. 2492........ Leg. Branch Approps... PQ: 235-184 A:
voice vote (10/
31/95).
H. Res. 245 (10/25/95)......... MC............... H. Con. Res. 109. Social Security PQ: 228-191 A:
H.R. 2491........ Earnings Reform. 235-185 (10/26/
Seven-Year Balanced 95).
Budget.
H. Res. 251 (10/31/95)......... C................ H.R. 1833........ Partial Birth Abortion A: 237-190 (11/1/
Ban. 95).
H. Res. 252 (10/31/95)......... MO............... H.R. 2546........ D.C. Approps.......... A: 241-181 (11/1/
95).
H. Res. 257 (11/7/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 115.... Cont. Res. FY 1996.... A: 216-210 (11/8/
95).
[[Page H1795]]
H. Res. 258 (11/8/95).......... MC............... H.R. 2586........ Debt Limit............ A: 220-200 (11/10/
95).
H. Res. 259 (11/9/95).......... O................ H.R. 2539........ ICC Termination Act... A: voice vote (11/
14/95).
H. Res. 261 (11/9/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 115.... Cont. Resolution...... A: 223-182 (11/10/
95).
H. Res. 262 (11/9/95).......... C................ H.R. 2586........ Increase Debt Limit... A: 220-185 (11/10/
95).
H. Res. 269 (11/15/95)......... O................ H.R. 2564........ Lobbying Reform....... A: voice vote (11/
16/95).
H. Res. 270 (11/15/95)......... C................ H.J. Res. 122.... Further Cont. A: 229-176 (11/15/
Resolution. 95).
H. Res. 273 (11/16/95)......... MC............... H.R. 2606........ Prohibition on Funds A: 239-181 (11/17/
for Bosnia. 95).
H. Res. 284 (11/29/95)......... O................ H.R. 1788........ Amtrak Reform......... A: voice vote (11/
30/95).
H. Res. 287 (11/30/95)......... O................ H.R. 1350........ Maritime Security Act. A: voice vote (12/
6/95).
H. Res. 293 (12/7/95).......... C................ H.R. 2621........ Protect Federal Trust PQ: 223-183 A:
Funds. 228-184 (12/14/
95).
H. Res. 303 (12/13/95)......... O................ H.R. 1745........ Utah Public Lands.....
H. Res. 309 (12/18/95)......... C................ H.Con. Res. 122.. Budget Res. W/ PQ: 230-188 A:
President. 229-189 (12/19/
95).
H. Res. 313 (12/19/95)......... O................ H.R. 558......... Texas Low-Level A: voice vote (12/
Radioactive. 20/95).
H. Res. 323 (12/21/95)......... C................ H.R. 2677........ Natl. Parks & Wildlife Tabled (2/28/96).
Refuge.
H. Res. 366 (2/27/96).......... MC............... H.R. 2854........ Farm Bill............. PQ: 228-182 A:
244-168 (2/28/
96).
H. Res. 368 (2/28/96).......... O................ H.R. 994......... Small Business Growth. .................
H. Res. 371 (3/6/96)........... C................ H.R. 3021........ Debt Limit Increase... A: voice vote (3/
7/96).
H. Res. 372 (3/6/96)........... MC............... H.R. 3019........ Cont. Approps. FY 1996 .................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Codes: O-open rule; MO-modified open rule; MC-modified closed rule; C-closed rule; A-adoption vote; D-defeated;
PQ-previous question vote. Source: Notices of Action Taken, Committee on Rules, 104th Congress.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the bill we are considering today is the 11th continuing
resolution this fiscal year. That means that we have had to vote on
temporary spending measures 10 times in order to keep the Government
going while my Republican colleagues fiddle with the appropriations
bills.
Those bills, Mr. Speaker, were supposed to be finished October 1--6
months ago. Since they were not the U.S. Government has closed twice
and is now operating thanks only to these continuing resolutions. I
will insert in the Record a list of the first 10 continuing resolutions
at this point.
Continuing Resolutions--104th Congress
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Rule Disposition
------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.J. Res. 108................... (H. Res. 230, 9/28/ Bill passed House
95). 9/29/95; signed 9/
30/95.
H.J. Res. 115................... (H. Res. 257, 11/8/ Bill passed House
95, 216-210). 11/8/95 (230-
197).
(H. Res. 261, 11/ House amendment to
10/95, 223-182). Senate amendment
passed House 11/
10/95 (224-172)
(CR to continue
11 appropriation
bills through 12/
1/95); vetoed 11/
13/95.
H.J. Res. 121................... (H. Res. 270, 11/ Bill passed House
15/95, 249-176). 11/16/95 (277-
151) (CR through
Dec. 5); signed
11/20/95.
H.J. Res. 123................... (Suspension 11/18/ Bill passed House
95). 11/18/95 (416-0)
(CR for Medicare,
SS employees and
veterans benefits
through end of
year); signed 11/
19/95.
H.J. Res. 136................... (UC 12/22/95)..... Bill passed House
12/22/95
(targeted
benefits to AFDC,
foster care,
adoption asst.
through 1/3/96);
signed 12/22/95.
H.J. Res. 153................... (UC 1/3/96)....... Bill passed House
1/3/96 (CR for
D.C.), signed 1/4/
96.
H.J. Res. 134................... (H. Res. 317, 12/ Bill passed House
20/95; H. Res. 12/20/95 (411-1)
336, 1/5/96). House amendment
to Senate
amendment passed
House 1/5/96 (CR
contingent on 7-
year budget),
signed 1/6/96.
H.J. Res. 1643.................. (H. Res. 334, 1/5/ Bill passed House
96). 1/5/96 (401-17)
(CR for targeted
programs); signed
1/6/96.
H.J. Res. 1358.................. (H. Res. 338, 1/5/ House amendment to
96). Senate amendment
passed House 1/5/
96 (CR for
additional
targeted
programs); signed
1/6/96.
H.J. Res. 2880.................. (UC 1/25)......... Passed House 1/25/
96 (371-42) (CR--
``Balanced Budget
Downpayment Act''
for targeted
appropriations
through 3/15/96);
signed 1/26/96.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
If my Republican colleagues had done their job and passed the
appropriations bills instead of wasting time cutting Medicare and
school lunches to pay for tax breaks for the rich--the Government would
not be relying on these continuing resolutions to keep operating.
And, to make matters worse, this continuing resolution makes such
horrible cuts in education and the environment that the President will
veto it. So, once again, Mr. Speaker, the Republicans will put our
Government at risk of shutting down.
Mr. Speaker, and my Republican colleagues, the American people are
sick and tired of these political games. They expect their Government
to remain open and they deserve it. They are having a hard enough time
with college loans thanks to the last shutdown for heaven's sake--don't
do it to them again.
Furthermore, do not attach these enormous education and environmental
cuts to the continuing resolution. They have no place on a bill
designed to keep the Government open, in fact they belong in the trash
can.
The sole reason for a continuing resolution should be to keep the
Government going, while Congress works to pass the appropriations
bills. It should not be used to further a political agenda,
particularly one that hurts the American people as much as this one
does.
Mr. Speaker, this bill takes over 3 billion dollars from the
education of American children. It is the single largest education cut
in history, and Mr. Speaker, that is wrong.
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and around the entire country,
education is probably more important than just about anything else.
American children deserve the best education we can give them, and
under no circumstances whatsoever should this Congress be trifling with
their future.
Anyone who votes for this bill is voting to limit access to Head
Start, a good elementary school education, and college.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat this rule, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
distinguished gentleman from Glens Falls, NY [Mr. Solomon], chairman of
the Committee on Rules to counter those arguments that we want to
jeopardize people from getting college degrees and some of the other
crazy things we have just heard.
(Mr. SOLOMON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SOLOMON Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to
me.
Mr. Speaker, I have a prepared statement here, but I think I will
just throw it away and say I have just heard the greatest speech on
this floor about continuing the status quo, the failed status quo on
welfare and all of these other programs, that I have ever heard on this
floor. I commend my counterpart, the ranking member of the Committee on
Rules.
(Mr. SOLOMON asked and was given permission to speak out of order.)
Announcement Regarding Schedule and Submission of Amendments
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, let me interrupt that just for a minute to
make an announcement, if I might, because it concerns the membership
and tomorrow's schedule.
Mr. Speaker, the majority leader, the gentleman from Texas [Mr.
Armey], because of the bad weather reports that are coming in, has
agreed to cancel the session for tomorrow as far as floor action is
concerned. The Committee on Rules was scheduled to meet tomorrow on two
very important bills, the conference report on the State Department
operations, and the death penalty and terrorism bill.
What we are going to do today, with the cooperation of the minority,
the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], is that the Committee
on Rules is going to meet today at 2 o'clock. We will consider the
conference report rule to be brought to the floor next Tuesday. We will
also consider, for general debate only, the death penalty and terrorism
bill. We will not be taking testimony from those Members that want to
ask for amendments to be made in order. We will only take testimony
from the chairman and the ranking member. Then on Tuesday at 2 o'clock,
the Committee on Rules will meet and we will take testimony from any
Member that has timely filed his amendments at that time.
If Members are concerned about this, if they call the Committee on
Rules we will enlighten them, but I would alert
[[Page H1796]]
Members that we will have a Committee on Rules meeting at 2 o'clock
this afternoon.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. SOLOMON. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, does the chairman of the committee agree
that Tuesday noontime is still the cutoff for amendments?
Mr. SOLOMON. Yes. That time has passed now, so no further amendments
can be received.
Mr. MOAKLEY. I thank the gentleman.
Mr. SOLOMON. However, any that were prefiled about a month ago and as
recently as this week would be considered by the Committee on Rules.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule on the Balanced
Budget Down Payment Act, II. This rule provides for expeditious
consideration of the bill, while at the same time allowing the House to
vote on some of the most significant issues raised in this legislation.
There are a total of four amendments made in order by this rule--two
of them are offered by Democrats and two of them are offered by
Republicans.
Mr. Speaker, this rule provides a fair process, and a balanced
process for the consideration of the bill to fund the Federal
Governments for the rest of this fiscal year.
Because there are time limits set on each amendment, the House can
complete this job in a predictable amount of time.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to commend
the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Livingston, for the
way he has handled the difficult job of putting this bill together.
He has wrapped all four unfinished appropriations into one package
and has funded them at levels under the fiscal year 1996 budget
resolution for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Chairman Livingston has also managed to pay for important emergency
funding for disaster relief, Bosnia and Jordan.
In past Congresses funds for such purposes were taken off budget,
which added to the deficit. This time the emergency funding is being
paid for right up front. This is a large step in the right direction.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to note that the budget resolution
called for a $21 billion cut in discretionary spending from last year's
levels. And to this date, the Appropriations Committee has cut $22
billion.
While larger budget negotiations remain on hold, the Appropriations
Committee has been doing its job the right way.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to note that President Clinton, who in
his recent state of the Union speech bragged about downsizing the
Federal Government, has now requested $8 billion in additional social
spending.
This bill contains a contingency title, which will give the President
$3.3 billion of that extra spending, but only if he comes up with cuts
somewhere else to pay for it. And those cuts will have to be acceptable
to this Congress.
In summary, this bill provides a fiscally responsible way to fund the
Government for the rest of the fiscal year, and this rule provides a
fair and balanced way to consider the bill.
Vote ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas [Mr. Edwards].
Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, this rule is unfair to America's veterans.
Let me repeat, this rule is unfair to America's veterans. Do not take
my word for it, listen to what national veterans leaders have to say
about language in this bill that the Committee on Rules did not let us
even vote on to take out in regard to restricting the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
The National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans, Thomas
McMasters, said ``* * * if enacted, would have a devastating impact on
the office of the VA secretary * * *'' and he referred to the language
as ``* * * unreasonable and seemingly punitive limitations * * * if not
deleted, these spending restrictions will send a chilling message to
disabled veterans.''
Do not listen to me, listen to the words of Steve Robertson, Director
of the National Legislative Commission of the American Legion: ``This
language would adversely impact the personal lives of 172 career
employees and programs specifically designed for women and minority
veterans. This is not a request for increased funding, but rather for
fairness to those destined to bear the brunt of the hardship.''
Listen to the words of Richard Grant, with the Paralyzed Veterans of
America: ``These cuts are an attempt to restrict the activities of the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and reduce the effectiveness of the other
affected Offices * * * in reality, the cuts will solely prove to be
detrimental to veterans,'' detrimental.
Listen to AmVets, their National Commander, Kenneth Wolford: ``As a
result of this resolution we may expect that services to our Nation's
veterans will suffer.''
Mr. Speaker, I never thought I would see this House vote to gag a
combat-wounded veteran, Secretary Jesse Brown, who has had the courage
to stand up and fight for our Nation's veterans. I am disappointed the
Committee on Rules turned its back on every national veterans
organization in America that wanted us to simply be able to have a
right to vote to take that language out.
Mr. Speaker, our veterans fought and gave their lives to give us the
right to vote. The Committee on Rules said no to that very essential
right. Oppose this rule.
Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record letters from the officials of
the veterans' organizations to which I referred:
The material referred to is as follows:
Paralyzed Veterans of America,
March 5, 1996.
Hon. Mark O. Hatfield,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Hatfield: On behalf of the members of
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), I request your
opposition to efforts which target spending cuts in the
proposed Continuing Resolution for the Office of the
Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs and for the VA's
Offices of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs,
Congressional Affairs, and Policy and Planning. These cuts
save the government no money at all and are restrictive
artifices contained within the funding for VA General
Operating Expenses (GOE).
These cuts are an attempt to restrict the activities of the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and reduce the effectiveness of
the other affected Offices, but, in reality the cuts will
solely prove to be detrimental to veterans. By restricting
funding, as proposed in the Continuing Resolution, VA will be
less able to communicate with veterans and the public. These
cuts will minimize or preclude VA's ability to effectively
participate in programs such as the National Veterans
Wheelchair Games, which has been, historically, co-presented
by VA and PVA.
Of additional concern is the fact that the cuts will
directly affect career federal employees, many of whom are
veterans, not political appointees, who have demonstrated
their dedication to serving veterans. The prospects of
furloughs, loss of compensation and the uncertainties for
future employment will all compound the already fragile
morale within the VA.
Again, on behalf of the members of PVA and all veterans, I
request that you oppose the restrictive cuts contained within
the VA GOE account of the proposed Continuing Resolution and
afford the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and his staff the
ability to adequately address the needs of veterans.
Sincerely,
Richard Grant.
____
AMVETS,
March 5, 1996.
Hon. Mark O. Hatfield,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Hatfield: AMVETS is greatly concerned about
the FY96 Continuing Resolutions as it pertains to the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
The constraints proposed will not only strongly affect the
Secretary's personnel and travel, but will have a negative
impact on three other supporting offices. Additionally, there
is a real human resources impact which will affect the jobs
of 172 hard-working long-term career employees. Severely
challenged by two needless furloughs, their loyalty and
enthusiasm may not survive this targeted budget action.
As a result of this resolution we may expect that services
to our nations' veterans will suffer. Information that is
vital to veterans service organizations, whether obtained in
written form or from face-to-face sharing at conferences and
conventions, will be severely hampered. Progress gained in
reaching minority and women veterans will be sacrificed.
Let reason prevail. Do not target areas of the VA for the
purpose of punishing the actions of the Secretary, which some
may view as engaging in partisan politics, and others as the
championing of veterans' interests.
Sincerely,
Kenneth E. Wolford,
National Commander.
____
Disabled American Veterans,
Washington, DC, March 6, 1996.
To: All Members of Senate Appropriations Committee
One behalf of the more than one million members of the
Disabled American Veterans (DAV), I take this opportunity to
contact you about an issue of utmost importance to the DAV--
the Fiscal Year 1996 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Appropriation. In particular, I wish to express our grave
concern about a provision of VA's Appropriation
[[Page H1797]]
bill which, if enacted, would have a devastating impact on
the office of the VA Secretary.
As we understand it, the overall funding level for VA's
General Administration account, which is contained in the
Fiscal Year 1996 VA continuing resolution bill now being
considered by Congress, is not in dispute. Rather, the
objectionable provisions of this measure are the
unreasonable, and seemingly punitive limitations being placed
on the personnel and travel budgets for the office of the VA
Secretary as well as three other of its supporting offices.
It appears that the proposed cuts contained in this measure
would require furloughing a significant number of very
dedicated career VA employees, costing these individuals and
their families an average of $10,360 in lost salary over the
next six months. In addition, because of these cuts,
activities of the Center for Minority Affairs and the Center
for Women Veterans will be significantly curtailed.
Obviously, should this happen, these offices will not be able
to fulfill their Congressionally-mandated missions of
assisting deserving minority and women veterans who
faithfully served this nation.
Further, should these proposed spending restrictions be
implemented, not only will the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
be unable to execute his duties to oversee VA operations, the
Secretary will be forced to curtail other activities which
directly support our nation's sick and disabled veterans.
Specifically, these spending restrictions will have an
adverse effect upon the ability of the Office of Public
Affairs to assist with and participate in direct patient care
activities such as the Disabled Veterans Winter Sports
Clinic, National Veterans Wheelchair Games, Golden Age Games,
and Creative Arts Festival. These events, individually and
collectively, represent a true therapeutic and rehabilitative
milieu unmatched in the traditional medical setting.
If not deleted, these spending restrictions will send a
chilling message to disabled veterans and others whose
foremost concern is the welfare of America's veterans. The
message, quite simply, will be: the department charged with
the responsibility of advocating for the interests of
disabled veterans and their families will be unable to do so
because of partisan disagreements between Congress and the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Senator, we urge you to sponsor and support an amendment to
VA's Fiscal Year 1996 Appropriation bill that would remove
these unwarranted spending restrictions. By setting aside
partisan political disagreements with the Secretary of the
VA, Congress can send a positive message to America's
veterans and their families that their sacrifices in defense
of this nation are indeed truly appreciated by a grateful
nation.
We thank you for your courteous attention to this
correspondence and look forward to your early reply.
Sincerely,
Thomas A. McMasters, III,
National Commander.
____
The American Legion,
Washington, DC, March 5, 1996.
Hon. Mark O. Hatfield,
Chairman,
Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, S-128 The Capitol,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: As you and your colleagues take up the
FY 1996 Continuing Resolution, The American Legion directs
your attention to language that sets specific limitations on
personnel and travel costs for the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and three of his supporting offices. This language
would adversely impact the personal lives of 172 career
employees and programs specially designed for women and
minority veterans.
The American Legion believes the overall funding level for
the General Operating Expenses and its subaccount, General
Administration, will force the Secretary to significantly
alter his managerial and leadership styles. Lifting the
specific limitations would not penalize the career employees.
This is not a request for increased funding, but rather for
fairness to those destined to bear the brunt of the hardship.
These innocent victims do their jobs, day-in and day-out,
without regard to partisan politics and most of them have
served under several administrations. Their common goal is
service to America's veterans and their families.
Thank you for taking the views of The American Legion under
serious consideration as you lead the Appropriations
Committee in finalizing the FY 1996 Continuing Resolution.
Sincerely,
Steve Robertson,
Director,
National Legislative Commission.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would simply respond, Mr. Speaker, to my friend, the gentleman from
Texas, and say that it is absolutely preposterous to make that claim.
Jesse Brown has moved throughout this country attacking this new
majority, which is strongly committed to our Nation's veterans. We, to
this day, are committed to ensuring that our veterans are in no way
jeopardized. I hope that that message will get through.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from
Sanibel, FL [Mr. Goss], chairman of the Subcommittee on Legislative and
Budget Process of the Committee on Rules.
(Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from
greater downtown San Dimas, CA [Mr. Dreier], vice chairman of the
Committee on Rules, for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I agree
with his the gentleman's comments about veterans. We have many in south
Florida, and we have tried very hard to look out for them and make sure
they were properly attended to, but I do not think that trying to take
out the administrative expenses that are being used or misused for
propaganda is exactly the same area of expenditure that the gentleman
from Texas was speaking to.
Mr. Speaker, the battle over the fiscal year 1996 budget is coming to
an end. It is time. After two partial Government shutdowns, three
continuing resolutions, and a lot of stonewalling by the White House,
we are prepared to close the books on this fiscal year and move on.
I am pleased that the rule before us is a fair rule in that it makes
two Democratic amendments and two Republican amendments in order,
including the lockbox amendment, which I care about, and many of us
have worked on for a long time. This is going to allow the House to
consider a fiscally responsible bill that will keep the Government
running through the end of the fiscal year.
I make that statement, Mr. Speaker, in the full anticipation that
this bill is a fiscally responsible bill, we believe it is, and that it
will in fact keep the Government running through the end of the year,
the end of the fiscal year. But I have to point out that that only
happens with the cooperation of the President of the United States.
So we are prepared to go forward, get the country on track, and get
into the next year and look at the next step. If the President does not
want to do that and does not want to cooperate, he has that option as
the President of the United States, but of course, that would end up in
a Government shutdown, which we all want to avoid.
Looking on the bright side of the budget debate, Congress has been
able to trim several billions of dollars from the deficit by our
efforts so far, an amount that is not going to be added to the $5
trillion debt, or in fact not going to be passed on to our children and
grandchildren.
Despite our earnest efforts, the President and his administration
have resisted all attempts to make desperately needed reforms to
Medicare, Medicaid, welfare, and a whole bunch of other programs that
we are going to talk about. Particularly upsetting is the fact,
revealed in recent news reports, in fact, that the administration may
well have been holding back on the true depth of the crisis facing the
Medicare part A account. Of course, this matters a great deal in my
district, where I have many senior citizens relying on part A.
For over a year we have been operating under the assumption that this
program would go broke in the year 2002 if we did not do something to
reform it. In fact, the Republicans and fiscal conservatives and others
interested have been trying to come up with a program that will in fact
make those repairs. We knew about this in the Carey Commission report,
so we have proceeded.
Regrettably, the President has vetoed that offering as well. Now we
are learning that we may be in trouble before 2002, and apparently the
Clinton White House has known this but has not seen fit to share that
information with us. The problem is worse than we knew. So this is a
problem that is not going to go away simply because the administration
wants to ignore it.
We are going to continue to work to enact a responsible plan to save
the Medicare Program and to bring greater choice in health care to
seniors, and we are going to do it, and we are going to add to the
benefits and the expenditures in health care, but we are going to do it
responsibly. There will not be any cuts in Medicare.
Mr. Speaker, as we begin to work for the spending bills for fiscal
year 1997, it makes sense for Congress, of course, to wrap up what we
were supposed to have been doing in 1996, and we have done that in
these appropriations measures before us, in this continuing resolution.
I think that the damage done by the President's shutdown of our
national
[[Page H1798]]
parks, service centers, and other areas of Government is well known. We
certainly do not want that to happen now and we do not want another
budget crisis. In fact, I have to say on a personal note, and I thank
the gentleman from California for yielding me the time to say it, that
the damage to small businesses which operate in the Everglades National
Park, down in my part of the world, was of such significance that today
I am introducing a bill to make those businesses eligible for emergency
loans through the Small Business Administration.
Had President Clinton not vetoed the fiscally responsible legislation
we gave him to keep the Government running, that would not have been
necessary, and those people would not have the pain and suffering they
are going through.
If the era of big Government is truly over, as the gentleman from
California says, then this bill we have before us paves the way for the
newer era of smaller Government that spends less and is less intrusive.
I certainly think that is a good proposition to pursue.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I
would like to continue with what my friend opened with, and that is
responding to this preposterous claim that came from the well by my
friend, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Edwards], on this issue of
medical funding for veterans.
I have just been given by the staff of the Committee on
Appropriations the following statement:
Funding in this bill, H.R. 3019, at the conference report
level of the regular bill, H.R. 2099, is $16,654,000,000.
This amount is approximately $400 million above the fiscal
year 1995 post-rescission level, and is the only increase of
any significance in the fiscal year 1996 VA-HUD
appropriation, and in fact, this level is $400 million below
the fiscal year 1996 request.
{time} 1215
The claim that somehow Jesse Brown is being victimized by this, their
administration requested $400 million less, so they should not claim
that we are not doing anything other than trying to improve the
challenges that our veterans face.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I was just handed a note. Under this bill, the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts will lose $33 million of Federal
education funding, so the statement I made about losing educational
college grants and other things is a factual matter.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms.
Jackson-Lee].
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker. I could not help listening to
my colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk with sugar-coated
platitudes about what realisms they think are in this continuing
resolution.
I simply listen to the real people in my district, and clearly we are
facing a shutdown of many programs in our veterans' hospitals in the
Houston area. As I look at this litany of injustice that we are calling
a continuing resolution, and I might add, maybe the yellow paper is
appropriate, because this is a cowardice act.
This is to take to us the end of the year, and what you find in this
list of injustices is no money for the police on the beat program that
the Harris County Sheriff's Department has used, that the Houston
Police Department has used. We see little money for legal services for
the indigent through cuts in funds to the Legal Services Corp. We see
no money dealing with crime prevention, the DARE Program, the safe and
drug free programs.
Then we come, as we move into the 21st century, this is suppose to be
a visionary Congress, what do we say about education? We cut over $3.3
billion. We begin to tell those individuals in Harris County who have
the Goals 2000 Program that, first of all, they will lose $29 million
out of the State of Texas, $13.8 million out of Harris County. We will
then begin to tell our school boards, having met with many of our
school leaders while I was home in the district, that out of the 40,000
teachers that will lose their jobs across the Nation, that we will
begin to be giving pink slips in the month of March in the State of
Texas to some of our own teachers.
Then I hear my Republican colleagues talking about the veterans'
program. We are gutting programs under this continuing resolution and
undermining the leadership of Secretary Brown. We meet with disabled
veterans in the district this coming Saturday. My heart pains for what
I will have to tell them, that this continuing resolution cuts funds
and guts some veterans' programs. But their message is getting after
Secretary Brown because he has simply used his first amendment right, I
did not know that was an appropriate role for an appropriations'
committee.
Let me also add that I rise to support the Lowey amendment, even
though this rule is one that I oppose because it shuts down the
opportunity for other Members to provide reasoned response to this
continuing resolution. The Lowey amendment, of course, will provide the
opportunity to treat indigent women as fair as we treat other women
with Medicaid funding for medical procedures with regard to abortion.
The Istook amendment, how tragic that we come again to tell the Boy
Scouts, the United Way, MECA in my community, an Hispanic organization,
the Houston Symphony and the Houston Grand Opera that you cannot come
and constitutionally press your point before the U.S. Congress.
Mr. Speaker, this appropriation's bill, as I indicated to you, is a
tragedy and a litany of injustice. It is a cowardice act. Until we face
the fact that none of us disagree with a balanced budget, I am here
today standing on a record of voting for a balanced budget. But what my
Democratic colleagues do stand for in this appropriations bill is
educating our children for the 21st century. Those of us who oppose
this bill recognize that economic security is important to Americans.
This bill does nothing but create injustices in this country for all
America, particularly working America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise opposed to this rule and opposed to this
continuing resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule on H.R. 3019. The
Members of the House have not had sufficient time to review this bill.
It is too important and affects too many Americans for us to give it
only a cursory review.
My concerns with this bill include the following:
While the bill does provide additional funding--$681 million--for
veterans compensation benefits and pensions, this additional funding
may be released only upon enactment of separate legislation providing
offsetting budgetary savings. This is unconscionable.
The bill provides only $1.2 billion in funding for Superfund cleanup,
which is 19 percent less than fiscal year 1995 funding.
The bill appropriates only $23.6 billion for the Department of
Education, which is 12 percent less than the fiscal year 1995 level.
Title 1 educational programs are cut 17 percent over the 1995 level,
educational reform programs are cut by 81 percent over the 1995 level,
safe and drug-free schools programs are cut by 57 percent, or $266
million, bilingual and immigrant education programs are cut by 28
percent, or $57 million, vocational and adult education programs are
cut by 9 percent, or $125 million, and student financial assistance
programs are cut by 13 percent, or $974 million.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey [Mr. Pallone].
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule.
The Republican leadership again is keeping up its attack on the
environment.
Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 3019, is the same old antienvironmental
legislation that the President has vetoed twice before. It contains the
same environmental riders, anemic funding levels and special interest
give-aways, just like the previous conference report.
Last night I asked the Rules Committee for permission to offer an
amendment that would restore a sensible level of funding for the EPA,
and of course I was denied. Therefore, there will be no opportunity
today to provide adequate funding for the environment.
My amendment would have increased the level of funding to the EPA for
the remainder of this fiscal year to a level
[[Page H1799]]
that is commensurate with the last fiscal year, funding levels
identical to those recently recommended by the President.
Mr. Speaker, my amendment also would have provided the funding levels
that EPA needs to be able to set environmental and public health
standards for air pollution, pesticides, and clean and safe water, and
to make the Superfund Program faster and more efficient. It would also
restore the funds needed to keep the environmental cop on the beat, to
ensure that once these safety standards are set, that they are properly
adhered to. My amendment would also strip out all the antienvironmental
riders which once again are in this bill.
Mr. Speaker, this bill, like the previous interior conference report,
includes riders that stop the Secretary from listing endangered species
and increase logging in national forests. It contains a 40 percent cut
in the endangered species funding.
The bill, like the previous VA conference report, includes riders
that prohibit the EPA from protecting wetlands, limit enforcement of
the Clean Air Act, prohibit new drinking water standards for radon, and
stop the agency from moving ahead to clean up toxic waste. It contains
funding levels that are 22 percent below the President's fiscal 1996
request.
Mr. Speaker, make no mistake about it, this bill is a bad bill for
the environment. The rhetoric that we received from the Republican
leadership that they were no longer going to try to hurt the
environment, that they were not going to try to turn back the clock any
more, that 1996 was going to be different from 1995 with regard to
environmental measures, it is simply not true. They are back at the
same old game. We have to vote down this rule.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
distinguished gentleman from Metairie, LA [Mr. Livingston], the
chairman of the Committee on Appropriations.
(Mr. LIVINGSTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I applaud what the Rules Committee has
done on this rule, and I urge the adoption of the rule.
Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago I paraphrased the great saying of the
wonderful humorist, Will Rogers, in referring to the Democrats. Let me
reparaphrase it. Basically, they never say a program they did not want
to enact, and they never saw a U.S. taxpayer's dollar that they did not
want to tax and spend, and here we go again.
I just heard a few minutes ago this bill is an act of cowardice, the
bill is riddled with sugar-coated platitudes, the bill is a litany of
injustice. My goodness.
Mr. Speaker, we have been working on fiscal year 1996 bills for a
very long time. There will be some attacks against us because it has
taken so long. This bill wraps up what has been left undone in fiscal
year 1996 because the President vetoed three bills and because the
liberals in the other body filibustered the fourth bill. We have taken
those bills, and we put them together, and we have addressed the
spending needs encompassed in those bills.
We have given the President the funding that he has requested for
Bosnia and other foreign adventures where he had deployed our troops.
We have given the President what he wants in disaster relief for the
people who are devastated in the far Northwest and other parts of the
country and in the Virgin Islands.
We have attempted to provide extra funding for the President. He said
2 months ago he wanted $6 billion in additional spending. Now he says
he needs $8 billion in additional spending, and just yesterday he sent
a letter to Chairman Hatfield, through Alice Rivlin, his director of
OMB, saying they would veto even the Senate bill which provided $4.7
billion in extra spending, saying they still needed an additional $7
billion.
Then by my math it is close to $12 billion that they are now asking
for in additional spending. Basically the President, who said that the
era of big Government is now over, the President, who signed on to the
balanced budget by the year 2002 agreement, is now saying, ``Well, we
like your bills, but you got to spend another $6 to $8 to $12
billion.''
Because we are not spending that money, or we are approaching it in
some fashion because we are doing it contingently, many Members on the
Democratic side of the aisle get up and rail against sugar-coated
platitudes, litanies of injustice and acts of cowardice.
Mr. Speaker, they simple will never be satisfied with enough programs
or enough of Government's reaching into the pockets of the taxpaying
citizens of this country, taking it out and spreading it all over the
place.
In this bill, there is $14.6 billion to fight crime, for law
enforcement, which is a 20-percent increase over last year, including a
25-percent increase for immigration initiatives, 57-percent increase
for State and local law enforcement, 285-percent increase for State
criminal alien assistance, 573-percent increase for violence against
women programs. That is in this bill.
Second, we heard we don't have enough for education, not enough for
Head Start Program. The Head Start Program has been growing. In 1989,
$1.2 billion; 1991, $1.5; 1991, $1.9; all the way up, and in 1995 it
hit $3.57 billion. We trimmed off $100 million, so it is now $3.4
billion, and with this we are destroying the children of America, to
hear the statements that have been made on this floor.
No, we are not. In fact we are spending $23.6 billion for education
for youngsters all around America including Head Start, $23.6 billion
taxpayers dollars, and by the recent count of the chairman of the
Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, in something like
736 separate programs.
I really believe that this Government could operate with fewer than
100 education programs. Probably we could operate with about 50
education programs. We have got 730 some odd education programs and
they say that that is an act of cowardice. I am just overwhelmed by the
arguments against this bill.
For veterans, they say we are cutting veterans. The American taxpayer
is paying $38.4 billion on veterans' programs, which includes $16.9
billion on veterans' health care. That is not hurting the veteran. That
is helping the veteran.
We are spending $19.3 billion on housing. We are spending $5.7
billion on the environmental through EPA alone, the Environmental
Protection Agency, $5.7 billion just on that agency, and it is not
enough, they say. ``It is not enough, we want to spent more,'' they
say. We are spending $5.1 billion on parks and refuges and forests for
the environment, in addition to the $5.7 billion spent on EPA.
The point is, Mr. Speaker, when ever is enough enough for these
people? They will never be satisfied. You have got to spend more or
else you are guilty of an act of cowardice, you are guilty of sugar-
coated platitudes, and you are guilty of a litany of injustices. I beg
to differ, and I think that the vast majority of the American people
agree with me.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New
York [Mr. Schumer].
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill, and I
would be happy to have that blue chart just stay there for 1 minute, if
I might, the real crime bill. I was talking to the gentleman from
Michigan. It is true that it is blue, but that is about it.
{time} 1230
It does not have a badge, it does not have a gun, it does not have a
nightstick, it does not have handcuffs, it does not have any of that.
You know, what is missing in that crime bill, cops, police officers. It
is just what the good gentleman from Louisiana rails against: program
after program that does nothing.
On our side, we are pointing out programs that have worked, whether
it be Head Start or clean water or cops, and saying, ``Why are you
cutting those?'' We would love to join with the other side in finding
programs that are too well funded. But this is a meat ax approach, and
in the area I know best, ask the average citizens, ask the experts, the
best way to fight crime is get cops on the street. There is not one cop
in that $14.6 billion. That is what the crime is.
[[Page H1800]]
So, to call it a real crime bill, I would say to the gentleman from
Louisiana, to call it a real crime bill because it has more money is
wrong. It is just what he says is wrong about so many other programs.
We do not just want more money. We want money aimed at crime
fighting. We want cops.
Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. SCHUMER. I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana.
Mr. LIVINGSTON. So the gentleman wants cops. It is the President's
favorite program. The point is we put $1.9 billion in the block grant.
If the communities want to use it for the Cops on the Street, they can
do it. They also have flexibility to use it for other things.
Mr. SCHUMER. We did that under LEAA. The gentleman was here. LEAA
gave the local communities, local politicians, money to spend. LEAA
gave the local politicians money to spend as they wished, and they
wasted it. We have learned from LEAA.
We have learned, put the money into cops, or we will never see more
cops. And so I say to my colleagues that is no real crime bill. That
bill is a real crime in terms of crime fighting because it does not
have money going to fighting the crime. It has the money going to the
local politicians and the Governors, who will use it for their own
purposes, and the people of America will be no more safe, and, in fact,
a great deal less safe, if the cops bill is repealed, as they attempt
to do.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan [Mr. Stupak].
Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this time
to me.
We are talking about the COPS Program. The last speaker from the
other side, the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], mentioned
the COPS Program, and it is the President's program.
Let me just say what they are saying in New Orleans about the COPS
Program, that since they have implemented the COPS Program there has
been a 15-percent decline in homicides. When the police department,
through the COPS Program, opened 24-hour substations in some of the
toughest housing projects, murders dropped 74 percent, or maybe even
one of the constituents of the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr.
Livingston] said, Deborah Davis, a mother of four, who has lived in
these places, projects, all of her life she said that this is what
community should be like. Instead of a killing place, it is now a place
where we can see the light of hope.
So why would the new majority want to kill the COPS Program?
Understand, this program has not one police officer there. Eighty-seven
percent of the American public will be served by over 33,000 police
officers authorized underneath the COPS Program to date. COPS will fund
small towns in rural areas, where I live, like northern Michigan. Half
of all funding goes to areas serving jurisdictions under 150,000.
The block grant program would go to population centers at the expense
of our smaller rural areas. COPS per State minimum is twice what is
even fashioned or thought of underneath the block grant program,
because it not only funds the hiring of police officers but also is
used to purchase equipment and technology, the hiring of civilian
officers, civilian dispatchers, and the payment of overtime. The
program, the bureaucratic program that they rail against, is a 1-page
form, a 1-page application form.
So what the COPS Program does is it responds directly to the
flexibility of the local needs. Block grants would only allocate money
on a very strict, complex mathematical program. The block grant
proposal provides far less funding for fighting crime and prevention
than the COPS Program.
Mr. Speaker, I would hope that my colleagues throughout this Nation
will look at the COPS Program, the success we have had, and vote ``no''
on this bill and not to gut the COPS Program. It is a good program. It
is a successful program. And I am pleased to be an advocate for the
program on behalf of the President.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy].
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to
thank my friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], for
the efforts that he has made in this bill to try and make certain that
the interests of the working families of our country are looked out
after. I know that, as a veteran, he is particularly concerned about
the treatment that the Veterans' Affairs Department receives in the CR.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule on H.R. 3019. This bill
will unfairly target cuts in funding for the Office of the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs. It imposes these deep cuts in an attempt to punish
the Secretary, Jesse Brown.
But I have to ask--what is Secretary Brown being punished for? For
his strong advocacy for adequate funding for VA programs? For his hard
work in ensuring that the veterans of this country get what was
promised to them? For his efforts to ensure a quality health care
system for all veterans?
Congress created the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Cabinet
Department to insure that the Secretary would be an effective advocate
for veterans. Now Secretary Brown is being punished for fulfilling his
duties.
Congressional rhetoric citing support for veterans is meaningless if
the country's leading veterans' advocate is to be muzzled. The national
commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars testified recently, ``We all
fought for freedom. It is intolerable that Congress would consider
denying Jesse Brown the freedom to be an advocate for veterans.''
This closed rule for H.R. 3019 does not permit an amendment to bring
veterans' funding to an acceptable level. This continuing resolution
provides $900 million less for veterans' programs than the President
requested. Funding for VA health care is $400 million below the
President's request, and $200 million below the House-passed number.
Mr. Speaker, we must not jeopardize Federal programs which benefit
the veterans of this country. These men and women have made great
sacrifices for us and for our country. They deserve our unending
support.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro].
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, this continuing resolution is another
chapter in the sad story that began when Newt Gingrich and his
Republican colleagues took over the people's House. Their agenda hurts
working families, and this bill that we are voting on today is no
exception. It continues to assault on working families by cutting
education by over $3 billion, the largest education cuts in the history
of this country. It cuts funds to improve kids' basic reading and math
skills by over a billion dollars. It slashes more than half of the
funds from the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program 57 percent. That
program includes the DARE Program, which is, in combination, a program
with the COPS and with kids to Say No to Drugs.
It also cuts college loans by almost a billion dollars. The school-
to-work program that says to kids who want to go on to work and not to
a 4-year liberal arts college, we recognize your aspirations and your
dreams, and we want to give you a hand. This program is cut by 23
percent.
Mr. Speaker, at a time when Americans are rightly anxious about their
job security, at a time when we all know a good education is a key to a
good job, the congressional Republicans are launching an assault on
American education.
In my State, these cuts are a disaster. I met with parents and
educators at a school in my district. They are concerned about what
these cuts will mean. Under this proposal, funding for basic skills
training will be cut $8.6 million in Connecticut; $1.5 million under
the Safe and Drug Free Schools will be cut as well.
Let me quote a parent that I met with at the beginning of the week,
Carolyn Jackson. ``The proposed cuts would eliminate students' chances
of being competitive they won't make it. They won't be trained. They
won't be able to go on to a trade school or to college,'' she said.
These after-school programs that would be cut keep the kids off the
streets. It keeps them occupied. It gives them something positive to
do.
[[Page H1801]]
If they cut that off, the only place that they will have left to go
is the street.
Mr. Speaker, these cuts are wrongheaded. The American dream is about
education. Do not cut it off for our children.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to my friend, the
gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Bunn].
(Mr. BUNN of Oregon asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. BUNN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding
me this time.
I rise in strong support of this appropriations package and would
like to thank the distinguished chairman of the committee, the
gentleman from Louisiana, for all the hard work that he has put into
these appropriations bills over the past year.
Included in this omnibus appropriations bill is a natural disaster
title, which is extremely important to the constituents of my district
in Oregon, which was recently overrun by the worst flooding in three
decades. Of the many programs funded by this title, one I am
appreciative the chairman has included at my request, to fund the
emergency livestock feed program at a level of $10 million, $6 million
of which is intended to go to the Tillamook County area of Oregon.
I know the chairman is aware of the desperate situation that most of
the dairy farmers in my district find themselves. In many areas of my
district, which I visited, the silt is more than a foot thick,
smothering any chance that the dairy cows will have feed through this
summer, let alone next winter. The $6 million for the emergency
livestock feed program in this bill that is intended for Tillamook
County will literally help keep dozens of small farms from going under.
Mr. Speaker, I would like also to thank the gentleman for increasing
the funding for the strengthening institutions program, section A. The
$55 million for this program will ensure that no school will lose their
grant this year.
section 2001(k) of the 1995 rescissions act amendment
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the chairman of the committee
and the chairman of the Interior Subcommittee for including two
provisions relating to section 2001(k) of the 1995 Rescissions Act in
this bill.
The first provision will give the administration the additional
flexibility that it has requested to offer alternative timber volume
for either all, or part of, timber sales that they deem to be in an
environmentally sensitive area.
After signing the 1995 Rescissions Act, the President, in a letter to
the Speaker of the House, promised that his administration would
``carry out [the timber provisions of the bill] with its full resources
and a strong commitment to achieving the goals of the program.''
Unfortunately the President, contradictory to his promise, spent all of
last year in court trying to alter the agreement which he said he was
strongly committed to. This has created a problem in that, instead of
having 2 years to harvest the timber released in section 2001(k), the
time available for harvest has been reduced to only 1 year.
To address this issue, the committee has also included a provision
which will extend the authority contained in section 2001(k) for the
life of the timber sale contract instead of the end of calendar year
1996. This provision will likely keep the total harvest allowed under
section 2001(k) to less than 250 million board feet per year. The
option 9 timber volume has yet to exceed 500 million board feet in any
year, so even with the addition of section 2001(k) timber it is
unlikely that timber harvests in the option 9 region will meet the
President's goal of 1.1 billion board feet per year in any given year.
Make no mistake, if we do not extend the length of the authority for
these sales, the companies holding these contracts will rush to harvest
all of the 650 million board feet of timber in one summer. So, the
right thing to do for public safety, environmental responsibility, and
to assist the President in reaching his option 9 goals is to extend the
authority for the life of the timber sale contracts. We have done that
in this bill.
Mr. Chairman, the other body's companion omnibus appropriations bill
contains provisions introduced by the senior Senators from Oregon and
Washington which are similar to the two which I have just outlined. The
Senators' language also contains a provision relating to buy-out
authority which we have not included in our bill. I am very concerned
about this buy-out provision and somewhat disturbed that the President
would request something which would cost the taxpayers of the Nation
millions of dollars and would only serve to put money in the pockets of
the timber-sale owners. It will do nothing to get timber workers back
in the forests. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths to which this
administration goes in their attempts to keep the family wage earners
of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest idle. In the end, if this provision
must move forward in order to keep the remainder of the program intact
I may be willing to accept it, but I remain extremely concerned about
the provision. I would like to one again thank the chairman of the
committee for his hard work on this bill and I look forward to working
with him on fiscal year 1997 funding.
Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. BUNN of Oregon. I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana.
Mr. LIVINGSTON. I appreciate the gentleman yielding the time to me. I
am glad we were able to help him out with some of his requests. We want
to make sure people who are devastated by natural disasters who can be
helped by the Federal Government are helped by the Federal Government.
That has been implicit throughout this process.
I have to point out it had just come to my attention, since funding
for Head Start has been an issue here, from somebody in Fort Wayne, IN,
funding for Head Start in Fort Wayne, IN, has increased 183 percent
while enrollment has increased 56 percent. There are 80 administrators
and 26 teachers in their Head Start Program.
Mr. BUNN of Oregon. I would like to voice my concern regarding the
funding of several higher education programs in our bill, however, in
particular the State student incentive grant program, which helps
support the Oregon State need grant program for low-income students in
my State. The capital contributions to the Perkins loan program, which
also helps low-income students to go forward to college through the
loan program, and also the minimum grants under the Pell grant.
While I thank the Chair for increasing the Pell grant maximum, which
will allow low-income students to keep up with inflation and the rising
cost of tuition, eliminating the minimum Pell grants will be felt
mostly by the community college students who depend upon those minimum
grants. While this bill is a good starting point for higher education,
I hope that we might be able to move toward the Senate funding levels
for these specific programs during conference.
I thank the chairman and look forward to working with him for the
funding of these programs.
{time} 1245
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], the ranking member of the Committee on
Appropriations.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, let me try to put this proposal in context. Bills which
have gone through the Congress this year have cut $33 billion in the
nondefense area. They have also added $7 billion above the President's
request for the defense budget.
All the President has wanted to do is to add back $7 billion of the
$33 billion in domestic cuts, about 20 percent of the cuts that
Congress has made this year, because the President feels, and I agree
with him, that we ought not to cut back on education efforts, that we
ought not to cut back on environmental enforcement efforts, especially
given all the problems we have in both of those areas.
Now, this bill comes to the floor and adds $1 billion back out of the
$33 billion which had been cut in nondefense spending. It adds $1
billion back, principally for the LIHEAP program. Other than that,
there is no real change in dollar terms from the bills as they were
constituted when the President vetoed them originally.
Mr. Speaker, in fact this bill in some ways goes further away from a
compromise than the continuing resolution
[[Page H1802]]
under which we are now operating. For example, with the COPS Program,
under the continuing resolution, the White House was allowed to
continue to spend out at a 75-percent rate for the COPS Program, to
help local communities add police on the beat. This wipes out that
program. What this does is, I think, self-evident.
In addition to that, what this bill does is add $3.3 billion in
``funny money.'' It says, in essence: ``We would like to add some money
back for education, we would like to add some money back for some other
items, but, by the way, that really cannot happen until we pass another
piece of legislation.'' And that piece of legislation is not in
existence.
So it is a way for politicians to pretend that they are embracing
programs which in fact they are providing no real money for. As a
result, this bill is still $3.3 billion, or 13 percent, below last
year's funding for education, it is still $1.5 billion below last
year's funding for EPA enforcement, it is $213 million below the amount
that was in the original House bill for veterans medical care, even
though that bill had $1.5 billion more to play with in conference than
the original House bill.
So for all of those reasons, I, for one, intend to vote against the
bill. This is not a real bill. This is not a real operation. What this
is, is simply an effort to demonstrate movement, when in fact there is
none.
I think what we need, rather than having a meaningless bill on the
floor, I think what we need is to have serious negotiations between the
White House and the top leadership of this Congress, so that we can get
these issues resolved. We are simply spinning our wheels on this, and I
think it serves no one's interest.
I would take note of one additional item. I would at the proper time
be asking unanimous consent to amend the rule to allow the language to
be added that the White House requested on the C-17. That is a fine
plane, the White House wants to buy more of them, the Pentagon agrees.
The White House would like to enter into a multiyear contract on the C-
17. If they do that, they can save about $900 million off what it would
otherwise cost the Government to build those planes. I think we ought
to do that.
So I will be offering a unanimous-consent request at the proper time.
I would like to think it would be accepted, but that is really up to
the majority party to determine whether it will be or not.
Mr. Speaker, very simply, I am going to vote against this rule and
this bill simply because I think this is a meaningless exercise, which
tries to give the appearance of movement, when in fact there is no real
movement, and in some cases there is actually movement in the wrong
direction. I think this bill does not take us any closer to a
compromise. Sooner or later we have to finish action on the fiscal 1996
bills. This bill is not going to contribute to that process.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the gentleman from California [Mr.
Dreier] if he would kindly explain the amendment that is going to be
forthcoming from their side. I would like to know if the kind gentleman
from California would explain the amendment I understand that is going
to be offered by his side of the aisle.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Walker] the distinguished chairman of
the Committee on Science and the vice chairman of the Committee on the
Budget, for an explanation of that.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
I am doing this talking primarily as vice chairman of the Committee on
the Budget.
Mr. Speaker, the idea was our understanding of the reason for the
language in title IV was that this was a contingent spending based upon
the potential for a broad budget deal that would in fact include
entitlement savings. The concern was that the language, as written, was
not specific, that this was to be part of a broader deal. In fact, by
adding the term ``reconciliation'' to it, it does assure that is what
we are doing in the legislation that would come pursuant to this rule.
I would say that there have been questions raised about what if we
have something that happens as part of the debt limit. The feeling is
this bill will be in conference at that point, and the deal can be made
then to make certain everything matches up at that point. At least as
the bill leaves the House, we are certain we are not going to break
budget caps, which is part of the language of title IV, which is you
can exceed some of the caps, depending on what comes down the line in
terms of the offsets.
All we are trying to do is say if you are going to do that, it has to
be a part of a broad budget negotiation that includes broad-based
entitlement savings. We think this language, it is a fairly modest
change, accomplishes that objective. That is the purpose behind it.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. WALKER. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is not using the word
``reconciliation'' as it is used in the Budget Act?
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, it seems to me by doing
that, it would probably have to follow at least the reconciliation
rules, yes.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is using the word
``reconciliation'' in this amendment as it is used in the Budget Act?
Mr. WALKER. Yes, because what part of the effort here is, I would say
to the gentleman, is to allow entitlement money to offset discretionary
money. The only way you can do that is as part of a broader package. We
are trying to assure all the rules are followed as you do those kinds
of trade-offs by putting that language in. That is what we are trying
to accomplish.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois [Mr. Durbin].
(Mr. DURBIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. Speaker, the architects of this appropriation bill
have been sipping Potomac water entirely too long. They are out of
touch with what the real problems are in America and the real
challenges facing working families.
One can judge the priorities of the Republican leadership by their
choices in spending. Let me tell you what they think are lower
priorities, things that we should cut in today's America: They want to
cut the School to Work Program, a program to give high school graduates
adequate skills and training so that they can get good paying jobs;
they want to cut programs like the Safe and Drug Free Schools Act. Did
I miss the headline that said America is now in control of the drug
problem, that we no longer have to worry about violence in our schools?
I think to the contrary, American families know this is still a serious
challenge. Our government and our people need to make a commitment to
solving this problem. The Republican appropriation bill runs away from
it.
They freeze the Head Start Program, a program which takes kids 3, 4,
and 5 years old, and gives them a chance, and they turn around and make
deep cuts in environmental protection, programs that we count on to
make sure that the water we drink is safe and the air we breathe is
clean.
These are the priorities of the Republican leadership, cutting work
training, cutting education, cutting the environment, cutting back on
programs that really help America's working families.
The unkindest cut of all is cuts in college student loans. How many
young men and women from working families will be denied a chance for
higher education because of these Republican cuts in college student
loans?
This is not what America bargained for in the 1994 election. The
Republican spending priorities reflect their values, but not the values
of the working families in this country.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is the 59th restrictive rule, and I know this
really shocks my dear friend from California, but this is the 59th
restrictive rule reported out of the Committee on Rules this Congress
so far this session; 88 percent of the rules reported have been
restricted.
Mr. Speaker, at this point, I include for the Record the following
extraneous material.
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 H1804]]
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 H1805]]
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 Speakers 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 quesetion is
considered as ordered.
H.R. 2924...................... Social Security H. Res. 355 Closed................ N/A.
Guarantee Act.
H.R. 2854...................... The Agricultural H. Res. 366 Restrictive; waives 5D; 9R; 2
Market Transition all points of order Bipartisan.
Program. against the bill; 2
hrs of general
debate; makes in
order a committee
substitute as
original text and
waives all points of
order against the
substitute; makes in
order only the 16
amends printed in the
report and waives all
points of order
against the
amendments;
circumvents unfunded
mandates law;
Chairman has en bloc
authority for amends
in report (20 min.)
on each en bloc.
H.R. 994....................... Regulatory Sunset H. Res. 368 Open rule; makes in N/A
& Review Act of order the Hyde
1995. substitute printed in
the Record as
original text; waives
cl 7 of rule XVI
against the
substitute; Pre-
printing gets
priority; vacates the
House action on S.
219 and provides to
take the bill from
the Speakers table
and consider the
Senate bill; allows
Chrmn. Clinger a
motion to strike all
after the enacting
clause of the Senate
bill and insert the
text of H.R. 994 as
passed by the House
(1 hr) debate; waives
germaneness against
the motion; provides
if the motion is
adopted that it is in
order for the House
to insist on its
amendments and
request a conference.
H.R. 3021...................... To Guarantee the H. Res. 371 Closed rule; gives one N/A
Continuing Full motion to recommit,
Investment of which if it contains
Social Security instructions, may
and Other Federal only if offered by
Funds in the Minority Leader
Obligations of or his designee.
the United States.
H.R. 3019...................... A Further H.Res. 372 Restrictive; self- 2D/2R
Downpayment executes CBO language
Toward a Balanced regarding contingency
Budget. funds in section 2 of
the rule; makes in
order only the
amendments printed in
the report; Lowey (20
min), Istook (20
min), Crapo (20 min),
Obey (1 hr); waives
all points of order
against the
amendments; give one
motion to recommit,
which if contains
instructions, may
only if offered by
the Minority Leader
or his designee.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Contract Bills, 67% restrictive; 33% open. ** All legislation 1st Session, 53% restrictive; 47% open. ***
Legislation 2d Session. 88% restrictive; 12% open. **** All legislation 104th Congress 59% restrictive; 41%
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. N/A
means not available.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the rule is in the eye of the beholder, and we have a
slightly different perspective on the structure of these rules. At this
point I include in the Record the following chart that will go along
with that from the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley].
THE AMENDMENT PROCESS UNDER SPECIAL RULES REPORTED BY THE RULES COMMITTEE,\1\ 103D CONGRESS V. 104TH CONGRESS
[As of March 7, 1996]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
103d Congress 104th Congress
Rule type ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of rules Percent of total Number of rules Percent of total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open/Modified-open \2\.............. 46 44 59 63
Modified Closed \3\................. 49 47 22 23
Closed \4\.......................... 9 9 13 14
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total......................... 104 100 94 100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This table applies only to rules which provide for the original consideration of bills, joint resolutions or
budget resolutions and which provide for an amendment process. It does not apply to special rules which only
waive points of order against appropriations bills which are already privileged and are considered under an
open amendment process under House rules.
\2\ An open rule is one under which any Member may offer a germane amendment under the five-minute rule. A
modified open rule is one under which any Member may offer a germane amendment under the five-minute rule
subject only to an overall time limit on the amendment process and/or a requirement that the amendment be
preprinted in the Congressional Record.
\3\ A modified closed rule is one under which the Rules Committee limits the amendments that may be offered only
to those amendments designated in the special rule or the Rules Committee report to accompany it, or which
preclude amendments to a particular portion of a bill, even though the rest of the bill may be completely open
to amendment.
\4\ A closed rule is one under which no amendments may be offered (other than amendments recommended by the
committee in reporting the bill).
SPECIAL RULES REPORTED BY THE RULES COMMITTEE, 104TH CONGRESS
[As of March 7, 1996]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disposition of
H. Res. No. (Date rept.) Rule type Bill No. Subject rule
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H. Res. 38 (1/18/95)........... O................ H.R. 5........... Unfunded Mandate A: 350-71 (1/19/
Reform. 95).
H. Res. 44 (1/24/95)........... MC............... H. Con. Res. 17.. Social Security....... A: 255-172 (1/25/
H.J. Res. 1...... Balanced Budget Amdt.. 95).
H. Res. 51 (1/31/95)........... O................ H.R. 101......... Land Transfer, Taos A: voice vote (2/
Pueblo Indians. 1/95).
H. Res. 52 (1/31/95)........... O................ H.R. 400......... Land Exchange, Arctic A: voice vote (2/
Nat'l. Park and 1/95).
Preserve.
H. Res. 53 (1/31/95)........... O................ H.R. 440......... Land Conveyance, Butte A: voice vote (2/
County, Calif. 1/95).
H. Res. 55 (2/1/95)............ O................ H.R. 2........... Line Item Veto........ A: voice vote (2/
2/95).
H. Res. 60 (2/6/95)............ O................ H.R. 665......... Victim Restitution.... A: voice vote (2/
7/95).
H. Res. 61 (2/6/95)............ O................ H.R. 666......... Exclusionary Rule A: voice vote (2/
Reform. 7/95).
H. Res. 63 (2/8/95)............ MO............... H.R. 667......... Violent Criminal A: voice vote (2/
Incarceration. 9/95).
H. Res. 69 (2/9/95)............ O................ H.R. 668......... Criminal Alien A: voice vote (2/
Deportation. 10/95).
H. Res. 79 (2/10/95)........... MO............... H.R. 728......... Law Enforcement Block A: voice vote (2/
Grants. 13/95).
H. Res. 83 (2/13/95)........... MO............... H.R. 7........... National Security PQ: 229-100; A:
Revitalization. 227-127 (2/15/
95).
H. Res. 88 (2/16/95)........... MC............... H.R. 831......... Health Insurance PQ: 230-191; A:
Deductibility. 229-188 (2/21/
95).
H. Res. 91 (2/21/95)........... O................ H.R. 830......... Paperwork Reduction A: voice vote (2/
Act. 22/95).
H. Res. 92 (2/21/95)........... MC............... H.R. 889......... Defense Supplemental.. A: 282-144 (2/22/
95).
H. Res. 93 (2/22/95)........... MO............... H.R. 450......... Regulatory Transition A: 252-175 (2/23/
Act. 95).
H. Res. 96 (2/24/95)........... MO............... H.R. 1022........ Risk Assessment....... A: 253-165 (2/27/
95).
[[Page H1806]]
H. Res. 100 (2/27/95).......... O................ H.R. 926......... Regulatory Reform and A: voice vote (2/
Relief Act. 28/95).
H. Res. 101 (2/28/95).......... MO............... H.R. 925......... Private Property A: 271-151 (3/2/
Protection Act. 95).
H. Res. 103 (3/3/95)........... MO............... H.R. 1058........ Securities Litigation .................
Reform.
H. Res. 104 (3/3/95)........... MO............... H.R. 988......... Attorney A: voice vote (3/
Accountability Act. 6/95).
H. Res. 105 (3/6/95)........... MO............... ................. ...................... A: 257-155 (3/7/
95).
H. Res. 108 (3/7/95)........... Debate........... H.R. 956......... Product Liability A: voice vote (3/
Reform. 8/95).
H. Res. 109 (3/8/95)........... MC............... ................. ...................... PQ: 234-191 A:
247-181 (3/9/
95).
H. Res. 115 (3/14/95).......... MO............... H.R. 1159........ Making Emergency Supp. A: 242-190 (3/15/
Approps. 95).
H. Res. 116 (3/15/95).......... MC............... H.J. Res. 73..... Term Limits Const. A: voice vote (3/
Amdt. 28/95).
H. Res. 117 (3/16/95).......... Debate........... H.R. 4........... Personal A: voice vote (3/
Responsibility Act of 21/95).
1995.
H. Res. 119 (3/21/95).......... MC............... ................. ...................... A: 217-211 (3/22/
95).
H. Res. 125 (4/3/95)........... O................ H.R. 1271........ Family Privacy A: 423-1 (4/4/
Protection Act. 95).
H. Res. 126 (4/3/95)........... O................ H.R. 660......... Older Persons Housing A: voice vote (4/
Act. 6/95).
H. Res. 128 (4/4/95)........... MC............... H.R. 1215........ Contract With America A: 228-204 (4/5/
Tax Relief Act of 95).
1995.
H. Res. 130 (4/5/95)........... MC............... H.R. 483......... Medicare Select A: 253-172 (4/6/
Expansion. 95).
H. Res. 136 (5/1/95)........... O................ H.R. 655......... Hydrogen Future Act of A: voice vote (5/
1995. 2/95).
H. Res. 139 (5/3/95)........... O................ H.R. 1361........ Coast Guard Auth. FY A: voice vote (5/
1996. 9/95).
H. Res. 140 (5/9/95)........... O................ H.R. 961......... Clean Water Amendments A: 414-4 (5/10/
95).
H. Res. 144 (5/11/95).......... O................ H.R. 535......... Fish Hatchery-- A: voice vote (5/
Arkansas. 15/95).
H. Res. 145 (5/11/95).......... O................ H.R. 584......... Fish Hatchery--Iowa... A: voice vote (5/
15/95).
H. Res. 146 (5/11/95).......... O................ H.R. 614......... Fish Hatchery-- A: voice vote (5/
Minnesota. 15/95).
H. Res. 149 (5/16/95).......... MC............... H. Con. Res. 67.. Budget Resolution FY PQ: 252-170 A:
1996. 255-168 (5/17/
95).
H. Res. 155 (5/22/95).......... MO............... H.R. 1561........ American Overseas A: 233-176 (5/23/
Interests Act. 95).
H. Res. 164 (6/8/95)........... MC............... H.R. 1530........ Nat. Defense Auth. FY PQ: 225-191 A:
1996. 233-183 (6/13/
95).
H. Res. 167 (6/15/95).......... O................ H.R. 1817........ MilCon Appropriations PQ: 223-180 A:
FY 1996. 245-155 (6/16/
95).
H. Res. 169 (6/19/95).......... MC............... H.R. 1854........ Leg. Branch Approps. PQ: 232-196 A:
FY 1996. 236-191 (6/20/
95).
H. Res. 170 (6/20/95).......... O................ H.R. 1868........ For. Ops. Approps. FY PQ: 221-178 A:
1996. 217-175 (6/22/
95).
H. Res. 171 (6/22/95).......... O................ H.R. 1905........ Energy & Water A: voice vote (7/
Approps. FY 1996. 12/95).
H. Res. 173 (6/27/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 79..... Flag Constitutional PQ: 258-170 A:
Amendment. 271-152 (6/28/
95).
H. Res. 176 (6/28/95).......... MC............... H.R. 1944........ Emer. Supp. Approps... PQ: 236-194 A:
234-192 (6/29/
95).
H. Res. 185 (7/11/95).......... O................ H.R. 1977........ Interior Approps. FY PQ: 235-193 D:
1996. 192-238 (7/12/
95).
H. Res. 187 (7/12/95).......... O................ H.R. 1977........ Interior Approps. FY PQ: 230-194 A:
1996 #2. 229-195 (7/13/
95).
H. Res. 188 (7/12/95).......... O................ H.R. 1976........ Agriculture Approps. PQ: 242-185 A:
FY 1996. voice vote (7/18/
95).
H. Res. 190 (7/17/95).......... O................ H.R. 2020........ Treasury/Postal PQ: 232-192 A:
Approps. FY 1996. voice vote (7/18/
95).
H. Res. 193 (7/19/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 96..... Disapproval of MFN to A: voice vote (7/
China. 20/95).
H. Res. 194 (7/19/95).......... O................ H.R. 2002........ Transportation PQ: 217-202 (7/21/
Approps. FY 1996. 95).
H. Res. 197 (7/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 70.......... Exports of Alaskan A: voice vote (7/
Crude Oil. 24/95).
H. Res. 198 (7/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 2076........ Commerce, State A: voice vote (7/
Approps. FY 1996. 25/95).
H. Res. 201 (7/25/95).......... O................ H.R. 2099........ VA/HUD Approps. FY A: 230-189 (7/25/
1996. 95).
H. Res. 204 (7/28/95).......... MC............... S. 21............ Terminating U.S. Arms A: voice vote (8/
Embargo on Bosnia. 1/95).
H. Res. 205 (7/28/95).......... O................ H.R. 2126........ Defense Approps. FY A: 409-1 (7/31/
1996. 95).
H. Res. 207 (8/1/95)........... MC............... H.R. 1555........ Communications Act of A: 255-156 (8/2/
1995. 95).
H. Res. 208 (8/1/95)........... O................ H.R. 2127........ Labor, HHS Approps. FY A: 323-104 (8/2/
1996. 95).
H. Res. 215 (9/7/95)........... O................ H.R. 1594........ Economically Targeted A: voice vote (9/
Investments. 12/95).
H. Res. 216 (9/7/95)........... MO............... H.R. 1655........ Intelligence A: voice vote (9/
Authorization FY 1996. 12/95).
H. Res. 218 (9/12/95).......... O................ H.R. 1162........ Deficit Reduction A: voice vote (9/
Lockbox. 13/95).
H. Res. 219 (9/12/95).......... O................ H.R. 1670........ Federal Acquisition A: 414-0 (9/13/
Reform Act. 95).
H. Res. 222 (9/18/95).......... O................ H.R. 1617........ CAREERS Act........... A: 388-2 (9/19/
95).
H. Res. 224 (9/19/95).......... O................ H.R. 2274........ Natl. Highway System.. PQ: 241-173 A:
375-39-1 (9/20/
95).
H. Res. 225 (9/19/95).......... MC............... H.R. 927......... Cuban Liberty & Dem. A: 304-118 (9/20/
Solidarity. 95).
H. Res. 226 (9/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 743......... Team Act.............. A: 344-66-1 (9/27/
95).
H. Res. 227 (9/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 1170........ 3-Judge Court......... A: voice vote (9/
28/95).
H. Res. 228 (9/21/95).......... O................ H.R. 1601........ Internatl. Space A: voice vote (9/
Station. 27/95).
H. Res. 230 (9/27/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 108.... Continuing Resolution A: voice vote (9/
FY 1996. 28/95).
H. Res. 234 (9/29/95).......... O................ H.R. 2405........ Omnibus Science Auth.. A: voice vote (10/
11/95).
H. Res. 237 (10/17/95)......... MC............... H.R. 2259........ Disapprove Sentencing A: voice vote (10/
Guidelines. 18/95).
H. Res. 238 (10/18/95)......... MC............... H.R. 2425........ Medicare Preservation PQ: 231-194 A:
Act. 227-192 (10/19/
95).
H. Res. 239 (10/19/95)......... C................ H.R. 2492........ Leg. Branch Approps... PQ: 235-184 A:
voice vote (10/
31/95).
H. Res. 245 (10/25/95)......... MC............... H. Con. Res. 109. Social Security PQ: 228-191 A:
H.R. 2491........ Earnings Reform. 235-185 (10/26/
Seven-Year Balanced 95).
Budget.
H. Res. 251 (10/31/95)......... C................ H.R. 1833........ Partial Birth Abortion A: 237-190 (11/1/
Ban. 95).
H. Res. 252 (10/31/95)......... MO............... H.R. 2546........ D.C. Approps.......... A: 241-181 (11/1/
95).
H. Res. 257 (11/7/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 115.... Cont. Res. FY 1996.... A: 216-210 (11/8/
95).
H. Res. 258 (11/8/95).......... MC............... H.R. 2586........ Debt Limit............ A: 220-200 (11/10/
95).
H. Res. 259 (11/9/95).......... O................ H.R. 2539........ ICC Termination Act... A: voice vote (11/
14/95).
H. Res. 261 (11/9/95).......... C................ H.J. Res. 115.... Cont. Resolution...... A: 223-182 (11/10/
95).
H. Res. 262 (11/9/95).......... C................ H.R. 2586........ Increase Debt Limit... A: 220-185 (11/10/
95).
H. Res. 269 (11/15/95)......... O................ H.R. 2564........ Lobbying Reform....... A: voice vote (11/
16/95).
H. Res. 270 (11/15/95)......... C................ H.J. Res. 122.... Further Cont. A: 229-176 (11/15/
Resolution. 95).
H. Res. 273 (11/16/95)......... MC............... H.R. 2606........ Prohibition on Funds A: 239-181 (11/17/
for Bosnia. 95).
H. Res. 284 (11/29/95)......... O................ H.R. 1788........ Amtrak Reform......... A: voice vote (11/
30/95).
H. Res. 287 (11/30/95)......... O................ H.R. 1350........ Maritime Security Act. A: voice vote (12/
6/95).
H. Res. 293 (12/7/95).......... C................ H.R. 2621........ Protect Federal Trust PQ: 223-183 A:
Funds. 228-184 (12/14/
95).
H. Res. 303 (12/13/95)......... O................ H.R. 1745........ Utah Public Lands.....
H. Res. 309 (12/18/95)......... C................ H.Con. Res. 122.. Budget Res. W/ PQ: 230-188 A:
President. 229-189 (12/19/
95).
H. Res. 313 (12/19/95)......... O................ H.R. 558......... Texas Low-Level A: voice vote (12/
Radioactive. 20/95).
H. Res. 323 (12/21/95)......... C................ H.R. 2677........ Natl. Parks & Wildlife Tabled (2/28/96).
Refuge.
H. Res. 366 (2/27/96).......... MC............... H.R. 2854........ Farm Bill............. PQ: 228-182 A:
244-168 (2/28/
96).
H. Res. 368 (2/28/96).......... O................ H.R. 994......... Small Business Growth. .................
H. Res. 371 (3/6/96)........... C................ H.R. 3021........ Debt Limit Increase... A: voice vote (3/
7/96).
H. Res. 372 (3/6/96)........... MC............... H.R. 3019........ Cont. Approps. FY 1996 .................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Codes: O-open rule; MO-modified open rule; MC-modified closed rule; C-closed rule; A-adoption vote; D-defeated;
PQ-previous question vote. Source: Notices of Action Taken, Committee on Rules, 104th Congress.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. DREIER. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I am using the same perspective we used
last Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr.
Obey].
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, let me simply ask with respect to the recent
comments of the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Walker] with respect
to section 4002, does that mean in essence that what the gentleman is
saying is that none of the funds in this bill will be provided unless
we in fact go through an entire new budget process, an entire new
reconciliation process?
I think the gentleman from Pennsylvania indicated the answer was yes.
If that is the case, I would like to know how this legislation is
supposed to speed us to a compromise on these issues that are already
almost 6 months overdue.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, we are looking for the gentleman from
Pennsylvania [Mr. Walker] to respond. I am sorry, I do not have a
response for my friend.
Mr. OBEY. I thank the chairman anyway. I think the gentleman from
Pennsylvania [Mr. Walker] has made clear that what they evidently
intend is an entirely new budget resolution and reconciliation process.
This is no way to speed things up.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
amendment offered by mr. dreier
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Dreier: Page 3, after 12, add the
following:
``Page 539, line 15, strike `legislation' and insert in
lieu thereof `reconciliation legislation'.''.
[[Page H1807]]
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I move the previous question on the
amendment and the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by
the gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier].
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. MOAKLEY. 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.
Without objection, the Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the vote on the
resolution, if ordered.
There was no objection.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 228,
nays 183, not voting 20, as follows:
[Roll No. 49]
YEAS--228
Allard
Archer
Armey
Bachus
Baker (CA)
Baker (LA)
Ballenger
Barrett (NE)
Bartlett
Barton
Bass
Bateman
Bereuter
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bliley
Blute
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bono
Brownback
Bryant (TN)
Bunn
Bunning
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canady
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Chenoweth
Christensen
Chrysler
Clinger
Coble
Coburn
Collins (GA)
Combest
Condit
Cooley
Crane
Crapo
Cremeans
Cubin
Cunningham
Davis
Deal
DeLay
Dickey
Doolittle
Dornan
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Ehlers
Ehrlich
Emerson
English
Ensign
Everett
Ewing
Fawell
Fields (TX)
Flanagan
Foley
Forbes
Fowler
Fox
Franks (CT)
Franks (NJ)
Frelinghuysen
Frisa
Funderburk
Gallegly
Ganske
Gekas
Geren
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Goodlatte
Goodling
Goss
Graham
Greenwood
Gunderson
Gutknecht
Hall (TX)
Hancock
Hansen
Hastert
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Hefley
Heineman
Hilleary
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hoke
Horn
Hostettler
Houghton
Hunter
Hutchinson
Hyde
Inglis
Istook
Johnson (CT)
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Kasich
Kelly
Kim
King
Kingston
Klug
Knollenberg
Kolbe
LaHood
Largent
Latham
LaTourette
Laughlin
Lazio
Leach
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Lightfoot
Linder
Livingston
LoBiondo
Longley
Lucas
Manzullo
Martini
McCollum
McCrery
McDade
McHugh
McInnis
McIntosh
McKeon
Metcalf
Meyers
Mica
Miller (FL)
Molinari
Moorhead
Morella
Myrick
Nethercutt
Neumann
Ney
Norwood
Nussle
Oxley
Packard
Parker
Paxon
Petri
Pombo
Porter
Portman
Pryce
Quillen
Quinn
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Riggs
Roberts
Rogers
Rohrabacher
Roth
Roukema
Royce
Salmon
Sanford
Saxton
Schaefer
Schiff
Seastrand
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Shuster
Skeen
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Solomon
Souder
Spence
Stearns
Stockman
Stump
Talent
Tate
Tauzin
Taylor (NC)
Thomas
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Torkildsen
Upton
Vucanovich
Waldholtz
Walker
Walsh
Wamp
Watts (OK)
Weldon (FL)
Weller
White
Whitfield
Wicker
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
Zeliff
Zimmer
NAYS--183
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Andrews
Baesler
Baldacci
Barcia
Barrett (WI)
Beilenson
Bentsen
Berman
Bevill
Bishop
Bonior
Borski
Boucher
Brewster
Browder
Brown (CA)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Cardin
Clayton
Clement
Clyburn
Coleman
Collins (IL)
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)
Filner
Flake
Foglietta
Ford
Frank (MA)
Frost
Furse
Gejdenson
Gephardt
Gibbons
Gonzalez
Gordon
Gutierrez
Hall (OH)
Hamilton
Harman
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
Manton
Markey
Martinez
Mascara
Matsui
McCarthy
McDermott
McHale
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek
Menendez
Miller (CA)
Minge
Mink
Moakley
Mollohan
Montgomery
Moran
Murtha
Nadler
Neal
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Orton
Owens
Pallone
Pastor
Payne (NJ)
Payne (VA)
Pelosi
Peterson (FL)
Pickett
Poshard
Rahall
Rangel
Reed
Richardson
Rivers
Roemer
Rose
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sabo
Sanders
Sawyer
Schroeder
Schumer
Scott
Serrano
Sisisky
Skaggs
Skelton
Slaughter
Spratt
Stark
Stenholm
Studds
Stupak
Tanner
Taylor (MS)
Tejeda
Thompson
Thornton
Thurman
Torres
Torricelli
Towns
Traficant
Velazquez
Vento
Visclosky
Volkmer
Ward
Waters
Watt (NC)
Waxman
Williams
Wise
Woolsey
Wynn
Yates
NOT VOTING--20
Barr
Becerra
Bryant (TX)
Chapman
Clay
Collins (MI)
Cox
Diaz-Balart
Gilman
Green
Hayes
Herger
Myers
Peterson (MN)
Pomeroy
Ros-Lehtinen
Scarborough
Stokes
Weldon (PA)
Wilson
{time} 1318
The Clerk announced the following pair:
On this vote:
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen for, with Mr. Stokes against.
Mr. ZELIFF changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
personal explanation
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 49, I was inadvertently
delay. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''
personal explanation
Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed
rollcall vote No. 49. I would like the Record to reflect that I would
have voted ``nay'' on that rollcall vote.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The question is on the
resolution, as amended.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
recorded vote
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 235,
noes 175, not voting 21, as follows:
[Roll No. 50]
AYES--235
Allard
Archer
Armey
Bachus
Baesler
Baker (CA)
Baker (LA)
Ballenger
Barr
Barrett (NE)
Bartlett
Barton
Bass
Bateman
Bereuter
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bliley
Blute
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bono
Borski
Brownback
Bryant (TN)
Bunn
Bunning
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canady
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Christensen
Chrysler
Clinger
Coble
Collins (GA)
Combest
Cooley
Crane
Crapo
Cremeans
Cubin
Cunningham
Deal
DeLay
Dickey
Doolittle
Dornan
Doyle
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Ehlers
Ehrlich
Emerson
English
Ensign
Everett
Ewing
Fawell
Fields (TX)
Foley
Forbes
Fowler
Fox
Franks (CT)
Franks (NJ)
Frelinghuysen
Frisa
Funderburk
Furse
Gallegly
Ganske
Gekas
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gilman
Goodlatte
Gordon
Goss
Graham
Greenwood
Gunderson
Gutknecht
Hall (TX)
Hancock
Hansen
Hastert
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Hefley
Heineman
Herger
Hilleary
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hoke
Holden
Horn
Hostettler
Houghton
Hunter
Hutchinson
Hyde
Inglis
Istook
Johnson (CT)
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Kanjorski
Kasich
Kelly
Kim
King
Kingston
Klug
Knollenberg
Kolbe
LaHood
Largent
Latham
LaTourette
Laughlin
Lazio
Leach
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Lightfoot
Linder
LoBiondo
Longley
Lucas
Manzullo
Martini
Mascara
McCollum
McCrery
McDade
McHugh
McInnis
McIntosh
McKeon
Metcalf
Meyers
Mica
Miller (FL)
Molinari
Mollohan
Moorhead
Morella
Murtha
Myrick
Nethercutt
Neumann
Ney
Norwood
Nussle
Oxley
Packard
Parker
Paxon
Petri
Pombo
Porter
Portman
Poshard
Pryce
Quillen
Quinn
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Regula
Riggs
Roberts
Rogers
Rohrabacher
Roukema
Royce
Salmon
Sanford
[[Page H1808]]
Saxton
Schaefer
Schiff
Seastrand
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
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
Volkmer
Vucanovich
Waldholtz
Walker
Walsh
Wamp
Watts (OK)
Weldon (FL)
Weller
White
Whitfield
Wicker
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
Zeliff
NOES--175
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Andrews
Baldacci
Barcia
Barrett (WI)
Beilenson
Bentsen
Berman
Bevill
Bishop
Bonior
Boucher
Brewster
Browder
Brown (CA)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Cardin
Clayton
Clement
Clyburn
Coburn
Coleman
Collins (IL)
Condit
Conyers
Costello
Coyne
Cramer
Danner
de la Garza
DeFazio
DeLauro
Dellums
Deutsch
Dicks
Dingell
Dixon
Doggett
Dooley
Durbin
Edwards
Engel
Eshoo
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Fazio
Fields (LA)
Filner
Flake
Foglietta
Ford
Frank (MA)
Frost
Gejdenson
Gephardt
Geren
Gibbons
Gonzalez
Gutierrez
Hall (OH)
Hamilton
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hefner
Hilliard
Hinchey
Hoyer
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jacobs
Jefferson
Johnson (SD)
Johnson, E.B.
Johnston
Kaptur
Kennedy (MA)
Kennedy (RI)
Kennelly
Kildee
Kleczka
Klink
LaFalce
Lantos
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lincoln
Lipinski
Lofgren
Lowey
Luther
Maloney
Manton
Markey
Martinez
Matsui
McCarthy
McDermott
McHale
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek
Menendez
Miller (CA)
Minge
Mink
Moakley
Montgomery
Moran
Nadler
Neal
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Orton
Owens
Pallone
Pastor
Payne (NJ)
Payne (VA)
Pelosi
Peterson (FL)
Peterson (MN)
Pickett
Pomeroy
Rangel
Reed
Richardson
Rivers
Roemer
Rose
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sabo
Sanders
Sawyer
Schroeder
Schumer
Scott
Serrano
Sisisky
Skaggs
Skelton
Slaughter
Spratt
Stark
Stenholm
Studds
Stupak
Tanner
Tejeda
Thompson
Thornton
Thurman
Torres
Torricelli
Towns
Traficant
Velazquez
Vento
Visclosky
Ward
Waters
Watt (NC)
Waxman
Williams
Wise
Woolsey
Wynn
Yates
Zimmer
NOT VOTING--21
Becerra
Bryant (TX)
Chapman
Chenoweth
Clay
Collins (MI)
Cox
Davis
Diaz-Balart
Flanagan
Goodling
Green
Hayes
Livingston
Myers
Ros-Lehtinen
Roth
Scarborough
Stokes
Weldon (PA)
Wilson
{time} 1326
The Clerk announced the following pair:
On this vote:
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen for, with Mr. Stokes against.
So the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________