[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H3029-H3045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HEALTH COVERAGE AVAILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY ACT OF 1996

  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call 
up House Resolution 392 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 392

       Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution it 
     shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 
     3103) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve 
     portability and continuity of health insurance coverage in 
     the group and individual markets, to combat waste, fraud, and 
     abuse in health insurance and health care delivery, to 
     promote the use of medical savings accounts, to improve 
     access to long-term care services and coverage, to simplify 
     the administration of health insurance, and for other 
     purposes. An amendment in the nature of a substitute 
     consisting of the text of H.R. 3160, modified by the 
     amendment specified in part 1 of the report of the Committee 
     on Rules accompanying this resolution, shall be considered as 
     adopted. All points of order against the bill, as amended, 
     and against its consideration are waived (except those 
     arising under section 425(a) of the Congressional Budget Act 
     of 1974). The previous question shall be considered as 
     ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment 
     thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: 
     (1) two hours of debate on the bill, as amended, with 45 
     minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
     ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means, 
     45 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
     ranking minority member of the Committee on Commerce, and 30 
     minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
     ranking minority member of the Committee on Economic and 
     Educational Opportunities; (2) the further amendment 
     specified in part 2 of the Committee on Rules, if offered by 
     the minority leader or his designee, which shall be in order 
     without intervention of any point of order (except those 
     arising under section 425(a) of the Congressional Budget Act 
     of 1974) or demand for division of the question, shall be 
     considered as read, and shall be separately debatable for one 
     hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an 
     opponent; and (3) one motion to recommit, which may include 
     instructions only if offered by the minority leader or his 
     designee. The yeas and nays shall be considered as ordered on 
     the question of passage of the bill and on any conference 
     report thereon. Clause 5(c) of rule XXI shall not apply to 
     the bill, amendments thereto, or conference reports thereon.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss] is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only I yield the 
customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts 
[Mr. Moakley], the ranking member of the Committee on Rules, pending 
which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration 
of this resolution all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
  Mr. Speaker, the Rules Committee has carefully crafted this rule to 
allow for ample debate on the major issues of health insurance reform 
without opening ourselves up to a free-for-all. The purpose is to pass 
a streamlined bill that accomplishes meaningful, results without 
getting bogged down in a replay of last Congress' frustrating and 
fruitless health reform debate.
  Mr. Speaker, this rule is a modified closed rule that allows us to 
knit together the work product of five major committees. This rule 
makes in order as base text for the purpose of amendment the text of 
H.R. 3160, modified by a technical amendment printed in part 1 of the 
Rules Committee report. The rule waives all points of order against the 
bill as amended and against its consideration, except those arising 
under section 425(e) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, relating 
to unfunded mandates. The rule provides for a total of 2 hours of 
debate, with 45 minutes equally divided between the chairman and 
ranking member of the Committee on Ways and Means, 45 minutes equally 
divided between the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on 
Commerce, and 30 minutes equally divided between the chairman and 
ranking member of the Committee on Economic and Educational 
Opportunities. The rule allows the minority to offer the amendment in 
the nature of a substitute, as referenced to the Congressional Record 
in part 2 of our Rules Committee report. That amendment shall not be 
subject to any point of order--except relating to section 425(e) of the 
budget act--or to any demand for a division of the question. The 
amendment shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided between a 
proponent and an opponent. The previous question shall be considered as 
ordered on the bill as amended and on any further amendment thereto, to 
final passage, without intervening motion, except as specified. The 
rule provides for the traditional right of the minority to offer one 
motion to recommit, with or without instructions, but instructions may 
be offered by the minority leader or a designee.

  Finally, this rule provides that the yeas and nays are ordered on 
final passage and that the provisions of clause 5(c) of rule XXI shall 
not apply to votes on the bill, amendments thereto or conference 
reports thereon. The purpose of this last provision, Mr. Speaker, is 
one of an abundance of caution with respect to the new House rule 
requiring a supermajority vote for any amendment or measure containing 
a Federal income tax rate increase. The provision in question in the 
bill is a popular one with Members on both sides of the aisle. It 
closes the loophole that currently allows people to renounce their 
citizenship to avoid paying U.S. taxes.

[[Page H3030]]

  Although most people might agree that bringing a currently exempt 
group of people under an existing income tax rate is not an increase in 
Federal income tax rates, and thus would not be subject to the new 
House rule, we have been advised that some might disagree. And possibly 
the MSA withdrawal penalty could be construed by some as a tax rate 
increase but I do not believe that was what the rule was aiming at.

  And so, to ensure that this important provision does not jeopardize 
passage of this bill, we are providing this protection from the rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this cooperative product, to 
provide genuine health insurance reform for working Americans. The 
committees of this House have taken the bill from the other body and 
built upon it, achieving a better product without overloading it to the 
point of failure. This bill improves on the other body's bill by 
addressing and fixing the problem of affordability. This bill ensures 
that individuals will not be denied health insurance if they change 
jobs. It ensures that individuals who move to another job that doesn't 
offer coverage can buy an individual policy without fear of preexisting 
condition restrictions. These portability provisions are the 
cornerstone, but we have done more because we recognize that if we 
provide access to the uninsured without making it affordable, we have 
accomplished nothing.
  Today, 85 percent of the uninsured work for small businesses. We 
respond by allowing small employers to join together to purchase health 
insurance. This bill allows self-employed individuals to deduct 50 
percent of their health insurance premiums, giving them the same 
advantage larger companies already enjoy. By establishing medical 
savings accounts, this bill offers individuals more control over their 
own health care costs. We propose to limit lawsuit abuse--which drives 
up health care costs and makes insurance more expensive for everyone--
and attack fraud and abuse, with stiff penalties on those who cheat the 
system. It's a solid package of real reform.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill had not even been produced before opponents 
began tearing it apart.
  The same folks who in the last Congress tried to engineer socialized 
medicine, Government-run medicine that tells you when you are sick, 
what doctor you must see and what pills you must take. Well, those 
folks have joined together again to deride our plan which they said 
would ruin the prospect for health care reform. I believe their goal is 
to have Government run all of your lives. But this bill is a positive 
set of proposals for meaningful and doable health care reform now.
  Support the rule; support the bill.
  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 would like to point out today's rule is one more 
closed rule in a year of 100 percent restrictive rules. I just want to 
remind Members of this because of the orations we used to hear from the 
other side on closed rules.
  This year, every rule that has come out of the Committee on Rules so 
far has been restricted in some form. It also waives the three-fifth 
vote required for tax increases, which my Republican colleagues like so 
much, they wanted to make it an amendment to the Constitution. If the 
three-fifth vote for tax increases is that important, Mr. Speaker, why 
are Republicans waiving it on this bill? In fact, this is the second 
time the three-fifths vote has come up and it is the second time that 
they have waived it.

                              {time}  1645

  Mr. Speaker, today we have a great opportunity. We have the chance to 
make a huge difference in the lives of millions of Americans. We have 
the chance to pass a bipartisan health bill that will do two things 
that will affect every single American. Today, if Republicans will join 
with the Democrats, we could pass a bill that would enable more people 
to take their health care with them when they leave a job, and limit 
preexisting conditions so that people are not denied health care just 
because they have been previously ill.
  But, Mr. Speaker, even though this opportunity is right at our 
fingertips in the form of the Kennedy-Kassebaum-Roukema bill, it is 
about to slip away. It is because my Republican colleagues have loaded 
up a very excellent bill with a lot of goodies for special interests. 
My Republican colleagues, Mr. Speaker, have also added medical savings 
accounts which will take over $2 billion from Medicare and spend it on 
tax breaks for younger and wealthier people, and they have added 
controversial malpractice provisions which will virtually ensure the 
bill's veto.
  Mr. Speaker, over the last year I have had a lot of hands-on 
experience with the American health care system, and I know how 
important good health care is, and I know how important good health 
insurance is. I can tell my colleagues there is not a single person in 
this country that does not worry that they may lose their health care 
if they change jobs, or even worse, they would be denied their health 
care coverage just because they have had a previous illness.
  But this Republican-controlled House is once again about to put the 
good of special interests before the good of the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a time of great uncertainty in our country. 
Today many workers wake up each morning wondering whether they will 
have a job at the end of the day and even whether they will be able to 
provide their family health care. Today health care costs are 
skyrocketing, and the Republican House is turning a blind eye to the 
needs of working men and women.
  But we have heard over and over again our Republican colleagues talk 
about providing opportunity for America's middle class. Mr. Speaker, if 
ever there was a chance to do that, this is the bill. This is our 
chance to do something for the people of this country, and we should 
take it.
  I urge my colleagues to defeat the rule, defeat the previous 
question. It is time to put the American people and their health care 
before politics.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I think there are a couple of points that need to be 
made here.
  Technically of course, at the very onset of this rule debate, this is 
not a closed rule which we are debating. This is a modified closed 
rule. What is the difference? The difference in the importance of a 
modified closed rule is that the modified closed rule allows their side 
the opportunity to offer a complete substitute. In addition to that, it 
allows them to make a motion to recommit. There is certainly plenty of 
room for them to maneuver over there, to offer the kind of amendments 
or changes that they feel are important.
  Second, Mr. Speaker, I think a few words should be said in response 
to the comments made about the waiver of clause 5(c) of rule XXI in 
this rule against the bill and the amendments thereto. As my colleagues 
are aware, clause 5(c) requires a three-fifths vote on the adoption or 
passage of any bill, joint resolution, amendment or conference report 
carrying, quote, a Federal income tax rate increase, unquote.
  We do not feel there is any provision in this bill that raises 
Federal income tax rates as construed by the legislative history on 
this rule. As the section-by-section analysis of this rule explained 
when the rule was adopted on January 4 of 1995, and I quote:

       For purposes of these rules the term ``Federal income tax 
     rate increase'' is, for example, an increase in the 
     individual income tax rates established in section 1 and the 
     corporate income tax rates established in section 11, 
     respectfully, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

  Those are commonly understood marginal tax rates, or income bracket 
tax rates, applicable to various minimum and maximum income dollar 
amounts for individuals and corporations.
  In response to the letter from the ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Rules to the chairman last year requesting a clarification 
of this rule, the Committee on Rules published such a clarification in 
the report on the rule for the reconciliation bill. The bottom lien of 
that clarification reads as follows, and again I quote:

       It is the intent of this committee that the term ``Federal 
     income tax rate increase'' should be narrowly construed and 
     confined to the rate specified in those two sections, that is 
     sections 1 and 11 of the Internal Revenue Code, respectfully, 
     establishing marginal rates for individuals and corporations.

  Nothing in the bill before us increases either the individual income

[[Page H3031]]

tax rates contained in section 1 of the Code or the corporate income 
tax rates contained in section 11 of the Code. Thus, according to the 
Committee on Rules clarification, as requested by the ranking minority 
member, this bill does not trigger a three-fifths vote on either the 
minority substitute or on the bill itself. However, as was mentioned in 
the opening statement on this rule, the waiver was provided out of an 
abundance of caution to avoid unnecessary points of order.

       Explanation and Discussion of Clause 5(c), Rule XXI Waiver

   (Excerpted From the Rules Committee's Report on H. Res. 245, the 
                          Reconciliation Rule)

       As indicated in the preceding paragraph, the Committee has 
     provided in this rule that the provisions of clause 5(c) of 
     House Rule XXI, which require a three-fifths vote on any 
     bill, joint resolution, amendment or conference report 
     ``carrying a Federal income tax rate increase,'' shall not 
     apply to the votes on passage of H.R. 2491, or to the votes 
     any amendment thereto or conference report thereon.
       The suspension of clause 5(c) of rule XXI is not being done 
     because there are any Federal income tax rate increases 
     contained in the reconciliation substitute being made in 
     order as base text by this rule. As the Committee on Ways and 
     Means has pointed out in its portion of the report on the 
     reconciliation bill--
       ``The Committee has carefully reviewed the provisions of 
     Title XIII and XIV of the revenue reconciliation provisions 
     approved by the Committee to determine whether any of these 
     provisions constitute a Federal income tax rate increase 
     within the meaning of the House Rules. It is the opinion of 
     the Committee that there is no provision of Titles XIII and 
     XIV of the revenue reconciliation provisions that constitutes 
     a Federal income tax rate increase within the meaning of 
     House Rule XXI, 5(c) of (d).''
       Nevertheless, the Committee on Rules has suspended the 
     application of clause 5(c) as a precautionary measure to 
     avoid unnecessary points of order that might otherwise arise 
     over confusion or misinterpretations of what is meant by an 
     income tax rate increase.
       Such point of order was raised and overruled on the final 
     passage vote of H.R. 1215, the omnibus tax bill, on April 15, 
     1995. The ranking minority member of the Rules Committee 
     subsequently wrote to the chairman of this Committee 
     requesting a clarification of the rule. An exchange of 
     correspondence with the Parliamentarian and the Counsel of 
     the Joint Tax Committee was subsequently released by the 
     chairman of this Committee on June 13, 1995, regarding the 
     ruling and the provision of the bill which gave rise to the 
     point of order.
       The Committee would simply conclude this discussion by 
     citing from the section-by-section analysis of H. Res. 6, 
     adopting House Rules for the 104th Congress, placed in the 
     Congressional Record at the time the rules were adopted on 
     January 4, 1995. With respect to clauses 5(c) and (d) which 
     require a three-fifths vote on any income tax rate increase 
     and prohibit consideration of any retroactive income tax rate 
     increase, respectively:
       ``For purposes of these rules, the term ``Federal income 
     tax rate increase'' is, for example, an increase in the 
     individual income tax rates established in section 1, and the 
     corporate income tax rates established in section 11, 
     respectively, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
     (Congressional Record, Jan, 4, 1995, p. H-34)''.
       The rates established by those sections are the commonly 
     understood ``marginal' tax rates or income ``bracket'' tax 
     rates applicable to various minimum and maximum income dollar 
     amounts for individuals and corporations. It is the intent of 
     this committee that the term ``Federal income tax rate 
     increase'' should be narrowly construed and confined to the 
     rates specified in those two sections. As indicated in the 
     Ways and Means Committee's report, those rates have not been 
     increased by any provision contained in H.R. 2491 as made in 
     order as base text by this resolution.

  Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Hastert].
  Mr. HASTERT. I think the gentleman from Colorado for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I think we need to talk about how this bill came about 
and what is in it and what is not in it. The bill is an amalgam of 
ideas that have been tested around this House for the last 5 or 6 
years, things that made eminent good sense.
  Now this year of course the House has been working on Medicare and 
Medicaid, and insurance reform has been on the back burner, but we have 
always tried to use the issue and work the issue of portability so that 
we could have people move from group to group and group to individual.
  Now, in the Senate bill there was some controversy with the group to 
individual because people who were basically healthy, when they lose 
their jobs, many times do not go out and buy a very expensive insurance 
policy. People who are sick, or if they are 15 years of age, and three 
kids, and a wife who is going to deliver, or if they are 55 years of 
age and have a preexisting condition, and need to go into immediate 
health insurance coverage, they are going to go out and buy that 
insurance policy, probably at whatever cost. So we thought that it was 
very, very important that we design and change the group to individual 
policy so that only sick people would not buy individual insurance, 
that we could hold down the cost so that insurance can be available and 
affordable to everybody.
  So, the way that we structure group to individual allows for that, 
but it is really the central theme of what this bill does.
  Health care availability is something that we all strive for. We know 
that there are a lot of Mercedes and Rolls Royces out there that are 
available. The problem is people do not drive them because they cannot 
afford them. Well, my colleagues, that is the same way in health care. 
If someone cannot afford the health care, if they cannot afford that 
insurance policy, then they do not buy it, and those folks riding 
around in Mercedes and Rolls Royces certainly have a lot of money to 
spend, and they can probably afford anything. But most of those people 
are people that do not have jobs.
  So that is the issue. How do we take people who need a health care 
bill and they do not have a job?
  Our approach to that is an approach of a type of policy that they can 
buy that is a low-cost policy, maybe a deductible, but something that 
is affordable, not for just people who are sick, but people who are 
well. So the theme of affordability and availability is central to 
everything that we have put in this package, and my colleagues know 
this package goes a little bit beyond the Senate package, but it is 
because we think that the Senate package was lacking.
  We have had four committees that have worked on this bill and four 
committees that went out and structured things that were within their 
jurisdiction and moved legislation through their committees, had 
hearings, subcommittee hearings, full committee hearings, took 
amendments, listened to amendments, went through the debate and moved 
out a package; each bill within the jurisdiction of that committee. The 
Committee on Rules then put those three bills together, plus some 
information or piece of legislation that came out of the Committee on 
the Judiciary and put it together in the Rules Committee yesterday.
  Now what is the difference between this bill, the House Republican 
bill sponsored by the chairmen of the four committees and subcommittee 
chairman, and the Senate bill? For one thing, we have medical savings 
accounts, and my colleagues will hear people over here saying, ``Boy, 
medical savings accounts are only for rich people,'' and that is just a 
fraud.

  Medical savings accounts are for everybody. The average employer cost 
per employee family in this country is about $4,500 a year. If my 
colleagues had a $4,500 savings or $4,500 life insurance policy, 
Medisave, a policy, probably my colleagues would take a $2,000 
deductible and buy a high deductible policy; my colleagues would take 
that other $2,500 and put it in their medical savings account.
  Now is that for rich people? No, that is for the average worker. That 
is for the guy who carries a lunch bucket to work. But a fellow or a 
person or a family that wants to control his own choice in health care, 
that does not want an HMO or an insurance company telling him what 
doctor to go to, or what hospital to go to, or what type of treatment 
to get, somebody that wants to control their own health care choice, 
and with a medical savings account we do just that.
  Now if my colleagues do not spend that money, then they get to keep 
it, and that is real portability, because if my colleagues had this 
insurance policy for a couple of years and they have $10,000 or $15,000 
or $20,000 in their medical savings account, that gives them real 
portability. My colleagues can move that and take it wherever they 
want, or buy insurance with it, pay for health care costs with it.
  Also, this bill has long-term care expense so people, seniors, can 
take their assets and move it into long-term care, or if they have a 
fatal disease, they can take their life insurance, cash it in,

[[Page H3032]]

and buy long-term care or health care with it.
  We also have small group employer, so the 85 percent of the people 
who do not have insurance today that live in families that work for 
small businesses, that they can go to the marketplace and get the same 
break that big businesses get.
  Now this is commonsense reform, my colleagues. It is something that 
everybody can work with, it makes health care not just available, but 
affordable. I hope that my colleagues would vote for this rule.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Rhode Island [Mr. Reed].
  Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Republican effort 
to sabotage realistic and meaningful health care this year. Senators 
Kennedy and Kassebaum have sponsored health insurance reform 
legislation that is a positive first step to removing the barriers for 
coverage for thousands of Rhode Islanders and millions of Americans.
  I am cosponsor of the Kennedy-Kassebaum bill. It will be offered as a 
Democratic substitute, and this bill would prohibit insurance companies 
from dropping coverage when a person changes jobs or preventing 
coverage if a person has a preexisting condition. In addition, this 
bill would increase the tax deduction for the self-employed from 30 
percent to 80 percent by the year 2002. It is also estimated that this 
bill would help 25 million Americans each year, with minimal impact on 
individual premiums or the federal budget. In Rhode Island this would 
be terribly helpful for thousands of Almacs workers who were recently 
laid off when the store closed, a supermarket chain.

                              {time}  1700

  These are individuals that need this type of coverage. Regrettably, 
House Republicans decided against taking up this bipartisan bill. House 
Republicans chose instead to cater to special interests and consider a 
bill with controversial and costly provisions. This Republican plan 
will doom the prospect of meaningful health care reform this year in 
the Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge rejection of this measure.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. REED. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is very simple. There was a deal cut in the 
U.S. Senate, the Kennedy-Kassebaum bill. President Clinton agreed to 
Kennedy-Kassebaum. All the Republicans in the Senate agreed to Kennedy-
Kassebaum. The Kennedy-Kassebaum bill does three things. It says to the 
ordinary citizens of this country that if they are willing to pay their 
health care premium if they change their jobs, they are going to 
continue to get health care. If they lose their job, they are going to 
continue to get health care. If they get sick, they will continue to 
get health care.
  With the Republican substitute, the Republicans have taken a stake 
and thrown it into the heart of health care reform. This notion of 
supporting MSA's, this notion of including caps on damages so if you 
lose your leg you are only going to pay people $250,000, ends up doing 
one thing; that is, throwing off the track the ability of the American 
people, once and for all, to get needed health care coverage.
  All we are trying to do is enrich the pockets of the doctors, enrich 
the pockets of the lawyers, and take away from the serious effort of 
getting the people that do not have health insurance or that lose 
health insurance simply because they get sick, simply because they lose 
their job, taking that hope away.
  We have the opportunity to get the job done. Let us come together, 
and let us support the Democratic substitute which will once again put 
health reform back on track.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Maryland [Mr. Cardin].
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts, for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a bad rule. I thought we were going to get a 
rule and a bill before us that will let us deal with health insurance 
portability and preexisting conditions, that will let us deal with the 
problems that our constituents are facing of losing their jobs and 
losing their health benefits, and being unable to get health insurance 
without preexisting condition restrictions. Democrats and Republicans 
agreed to deal with that issue.
  Yet this rule makes it less likely we will get to that day. This rule 
does not permit any amendments to be offered. Many amendments were 
suggested in the Committee on Rules, that would help improve the bill 
that has been brought forward.
  Let me just mention a couple of the areas that troubled me. The bill 
preempts State laws in many, many ways. I thought we were supposed to 
be returning power to our States. This bill makes it very difficult for 
our States to respond to health insurance problems. In my own State, we 
have adopted small group market reform. Yet the provisions in the 
underlying bill would seriously jeopardize Maryland's ability to 
continue that small market reform.
  I had offered an amendment in the Committee on Rules for fraud and 
abuse. There are new provisions in this bill that make it more 
difficult for the Justice Department to bring fraud cases against 
providers that are cheating. Yet the Committee on Rules did not make 
that amendment in order.
  The group-to-individual provisions need to be improved. They are too 
restrictive to a person who loses their health insurance and must 
provide an individual plan. This rule does not allow us the opportunity 
to go forward with the type of portability that we need. The only 
option before us is to support the Democratic substitute if we want 
portability and eliminating preexisting conditions.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from California [Ms. Eshoo].
  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule. I had 
hoped to have an amendment made in order which would raise the lifetime 
benefit cap on health insurance from $1 million to $10 million. My 
amendment would have benefited the 1,500 Americans a year who exceed 
the current cap, and some 10,000 Americans between now and the year 
2000. It would save Medicaid $7 billion over 5 years, and the cost is 
small. The American Academy of Actuaries estimates a 1-percent to 2-
percent increase in premiums.
  Mr. Speaker, a medical catastrophe could befall any one of us here in 
this Chamber and in this body, any one of our children, our parents, 
our loved ones, at any time. Many times I say to myself, ``There but 
for the grace of God go I.'' Not being able to have sufficient health 
insurance coverage severely compounds the catastrophe. A point that 
needs to be made is the plight of the distinguished actor Christopher 
Reeve, who is well known to all of us. In honor of his courage, I 
introduced legislation upon which the amendment was based, named the 
Christopher Reeve Health Insurance Reform Act.
  Mr. Speaker, every day we see inflation adjustments for other needed 
services: for consumer products, for education. In some of these cases, 
the adjustment reflects the reality of current costs. In others, they 
offer protection to the American people. My amendment would have done 
both. I am disappointed not for myself, but for the people of this 
Nation that my amendment was not allowed under this rule.

  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro].
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the hardworking 
families in my district, families who struggle to pay their bills, work 
hard, and they play by the rules. They live in fear of losing their 
health insurance if they change jobs. They cannot get health care 
coverage because of a preexisting condition. These families are a pink 
slip away from disaster.
  I went to visit the Tomaso Construction Co. in my district. I met 
with workers there, and a worker said to me that he was frightened to 
death that he may lose his job. He has a child with a terminal illness. 
He stays up nights worrying that he will lose his job and will not be 
able to have the health insurance he needs for his child. Today 
Congress has the chance to prove that we are here to help working 
families.
  The bipartisan Kennedy-Kassebaum-Roukema bill expands access to 
health

[[Page H3033]]

insurance. It increases portability, it limits a health insurance 
company's ability to deny coverage because of preexisting medical 
conditions. Rather than helping these hardworking families, the 
Republican leadership has hijacked the bill to make a payoff to their 
special interest cronies. The bill provides a big windfall to the 
Golden Rule Insurance Company by including a provision for medical 
savings accounts. The Wall Street Journal said today that Golden Rule 
was the third biggest corporate giver to the Republican party in the 
last election. The Washington Times, not a liberal newspaper, says, 
``Riders imperil health reform.''
   Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this special interest 
payoff and support the Democratic substitute. It will provide real 
health care security to the hardworking families of this country.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from North Dakota [Mr. Pomeroy].
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, the bill reported out under this rule 
preempts and therefore eliminates consumer protections existing in 
State law for employers and employees insuring through associations or 
multiple employer arrangements known as MEWAs. This preemption of State 
law is a horrible idea, and deserves separate consideration and debate 
while the bill is before the House.
  The consequence of allowing insuring entities to operate without 
effective State oversight creates a situation where small businesses 
will be ripped off. Folks who believe they are insured by their 
company's plan will find out they are not, often after they have racked 
up ruinous health bills.
  Mr. Speaker, I am the only Member of this Chamber to have served as a 
State insurance commissioner. I know full well people will be hit with 
fraudulent insurance practices if this bill is enacted. I have seen it 
happen. In the home State of the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss], a 
fraudulent entity collected nearly $35 million in premiums from 7,000 
employers. It collapsed, leaving 40,000 employees without coverage, and 
$29 million in unpaid claims.
  Why in the world would the majority want to wipe out the State laws 
developed to keep this from happening again? Why in the world would the 
Committee on Rules not allow separate consideration on this issue? Time 
and time again we have heard the new majority hail the role of State 
government, yet today's bill wipes out the efforts of States to protect 
small businesses and the workers they ensure. Vote ``no'' on this bad 
bill.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from 
Illinois [Mr. Fawell].
  Mr. FAWELL. I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman has made the statement that it is a 
terrible thing to preempt State law, but the gentleman must be aware 
that under the ERISA statute, most of private health care in this 
Nation is indeed a situation where State law has been preempted, and 
employer-provided health care is basically self-insured, or some with 
fully insured plans. So this is not the evil thing that one would 
think.
  All we are suggesting is that small employers might have the same 
advantages as large employers have. That is all.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Georgia [Ms. McKinney].
  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, this Congress has a historic opportunity to pass 
limited, but meaningful health insurance reform. Just an hour from now, 
however, we'll begin to debate a bill specifically constructed by the 
Republican leadership to sabotage any meaningful reform this Congress.
  Rather than supporting the bipartisan Kennedy-Kassebaum-Roukema bill, 
the G.O.P. House leaders insist on pushing their own bill which 
contains controversial provisions like medical savings accounts.
  And why medical savings accounts? Just follow the money. The Golden 
Rule Insurance Co. has given more than $1.4 million to the G.O.P. and, 
coincidentally, Golden Rule just happens to be the premier company 
peddling medical savings accounts.
  Mr. Speaker, the old saying is true: He who has the gold, rules. And 
while the American people want serious health insurance reform, all 
they are getting from the G.O.P. is cash-and-carry government.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Engel].
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for 
yielding time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, for the whole day today the Republican leadership 
blocked consideration of a raise in the minimum wage. Then the majority 
whip, in relation to my speech that I made, said, ``This is blatant 
politics and blatant hypocrisy.'' His words clearly should have been 
taken down, but the Speaker disallowed it.
  Now the Republican leadership shamefully is not allowing us to 
consider a clean version of the Kennedy-Kassebaum-Roukema health reform 
bill, even though the American people want it. The American people want 
to know that if they lose their jobs, they can continue to have health 
insurance. The American people want to know that if there is a 
preexisting condition used as a excuse not to give them or a loved one 
health insurance, that that cannot be used as an excuse anymore. It has 
bipartisan support in the Senate, and is supported by the President. It 
represents the minimum that can be done to provide additional health 
security to the American people.
  Again, the Republican leadership is blocking it, taking this bill and 
weighing it down with all kinds of strange things that do not belong in 
this bill. They know it is going to kill the bill. That is their real 
motive, to kill this bill. They can pretend they are for health care 
reform, but in reality what they are doing to this bill kills the bill, 
and the American people ought to know that.
  Republicans have been talking a lot about how they want to reconnect 
with average working people. Is this the way they do it? By blocking 
the Roukema bill, this demonstrates that the Republican leadership are 
more interested in political gain than in passing legislation that 
helps the American worker. This is really shameful.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
New York [Ms. Slaughter].
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time 
to me.
  Mr. Speaker, as we debate the merits of health insurance reform, it 
is crucial that we keep in mind a newly emerging and very important 
aspect of health insurance reform, that is genetic information and the 
potential for insurance discrimination. Last December, I introduced 
H.R. 2748, the Genetic Information Non-discrimination in Health 
Insurance Act--a bill to prevent the potentially devastating 
consequences of discrimination based on genetic information.
  I am very pleased to learn that both the Republican version of health 
insurance reform and the Democratic substitute contain some of the 
protections I introduced in my bill last fall.
  While the provision included in both versions of the legislation on 
the floor today is not as comprehensive as those outlined in my bill, 
it represents a crucial first step in providing protection for people 
with predisposition to genetic disease.

  As chair of the Women's Health Task Force, I closely followed the 
reports last year indicating that increased funding for breast cancer 
research had resulted in the discovery of the BRCA-1 gene-link to 
breast cancer. While the obvious benefits of the discovery include 
potential lifesaving early detection and intervention, the inherent 
dangers of the improper use of genetic information are just becoming 
evident.
  We must learn from the lessons of the past. We must remember the 
disastrous results of discriminating against those genetically 
predisposed to sickle cell anemia. And, we must guard against history 
repeating itself. There are recent reports of people with a family 
history of breast cancer afraid of getting tested for fear of losing 
access to insurance. We must assure our citizens that advances in our 
understanding of human genetics will be used to promote health and not 
to promote discrimination. Both the lessons of the past and the recent 
discoveries point to the need for comprehensive Federal regulations.

[[Page H3034]]

  The bill I introduced last December would prevent discrimination by 
prohibiting insurance providers from: denying or canceling health 
insurance coverage, or varying the terms and conditions of health 
insurance coverage, on the basis of genetic information; requesting or 
requiring an individual to disclose genetic information, and disclosing 
genetic information without prior written consent.
  Mr. Speaker, the provisions contained in the legislation being 
considered today prohibit the use of genetic information as a 
preexisting condition. I applaud the inclusion of that aspect of my 
legislation in the insurance reform packages. However, the provisions 
are limited in two major respects. One, the pool of people covered by 
this legislation is restricted to those in the employment market. Two, 
the legislation does not address the important issue of privacy 
protection.

  I hope that my colleagues and I can continue to work together to 
apply the prohibitions on genetic discrimination across the board to 
cover all insurance policies and to prohibit disclosure of genetic 
information.
  As therapies are developed to cure genetic diseases, and potentially 
to save lives, the women and men affected must be assured access to 
genetic testing and therapy without concern that they will be 
discriminated against. As legislators, I believe it is our 
responsibility to ensure that protection against genetic discrimination 
is guaranteed. Today, we will take the first step in that direction. I 
invite my colleagues to join me in making the commitment to ensuring 
the passage of comprehensive protections against genetic 
discrimination.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this rule.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, for those who are distressed about the opportunity they 
might have or might not have a chance to get at the bill known as the 
Kassebaum-Kennedy-Roukema, I believe it is the substitute that is going 
to be made in order, and they should take it up with the leadership on 
the other side of the aisle.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the 
distinguished gentleman from Florida [Mr. Bilirakis].
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time 
to me.
  Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health and 
Environment of the Committee on Commerce, I truly believe that 
reforming our Nation's health care system is one of the most important 
issues before Congress today.
  Mr. Speaker, who does not support insurance portability? Who does not 
believe that people with preexisting conditions have a right to 
purchase health insurance at a reasonable price, just like everyone 
else?

                              {time}  1715

  And who can argue that fraud in our health care system has to be 
controlled or that unnecessary paperwork should be eliminated? The 
legislation before us today would address these and other important 
issues so that they could be enacted into law this year.
  Mr. Speaker, our legislation is a starting point for reform, a 
reasonable beginning in resolving our Nation's health care problems. 
The bill in the Senate is also a reasonable beginning, and I commend 
Chairwoman Kassebaum for her work, but it does not go far enough. Even 
the President's bill in the last Congress addressed administrative 
simplicity and medical malpractice reform. Those, along with waste, 
fraud, and abuse, are consensus items.
  If we enact into law, Mr. Speaker, these important consensus items, 
then many Americans will certainly benefit. I urge my colleagues to 
show the American people that we truly want change by supporting this 
rule and acting now on health reform.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from California [Ms. Woolsey].
  (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, how often do we get a clear shot at helping 
25 million people? Twenty-five million. Today, we have that chance. We 
can help them stay healthy. We can help them end their fear. We can 
help them achieve their dreams. Unfortunately, however, some Members of 
this body do not want us to have a clear shot with a clean bill. They 
want to gum up the works with proposals we do not need, proposals that 
doom this entire bill.
  Why would they do this? Two words, Mr. Speaker: Special interests.
  Mr. Speaker, many Democrats agree, many Republicans agree, the 
President agrees. Do not gum up the works, do not support special 
interests over our interests. Twenty-five million people are waiting. 
Do not let them down. Vote against this rule.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Salmon].
  Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to strongly endorse this rule.
  I would like to talk about one particular component of the piece of 
legislation that is exposed in the rule, and that is medical savings 
accounts. It truly is an idea whose time has come.
  Let us face the facts. Those on the other side had more confidence in 
bureaucracy and the heavy-handed government than they do in 
individuals. In fact, they do not want to give individuals these kinds 
of choices because they believe that Washington knows better what their 
needs are than they know what their own needs are for themselves. 
Medical savings accounts are being demanded by people out there. In 
fact, there are some 3,000 companies who are already offering medical 
savings accounts.
  Mr. Speaker, the only problem is our tax policy is discriminatory. It 
does not give the same kind of tax advantage to people wanting to 
establish medical savings accounts as it does to those companies 
providing premium coverage for traditional health care. Despite the 
charges of the opponents, MSA's are great for sick people and for the 
less well off. Why? Because you get first-dollar coverage.
  It astounds me the arguments that the other side has used against 
medical savings accounts saying that only healthy people would flock to 
them. Why? When you have a high deductible health care policy that 
kicks in when your medical savings account ends, you are going to get 
first-dollar coverage, and sick people would want it as well as healthy 
people.
  Finally, I would just like to say that they will work, by cutting out 
the bureaucracy, the redtape and the paperwork and replacing it with a 
free market. Individuals will be able to shop around and get the best 
deal that they can. When my last child was born, we had a traditional 
health care policy that paid $3,500 for the delivery. Two months later 
my sister-in-law had a baby at the same hospital, same doctor, yet they 
negotiated a cash payment of $1,500. They work.
  Let us talk about special interests, let us talk about the fact that 
the biggest interest group against this is managed care. Why? Because 
they would rather see the savings go into the managed care, the HMO 
programs, than they would back in the individual's pockets. Let us get 
rid of the heavy-handed government and let us really think about 
special interests and who is in whose pocket.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee].
  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, 
and I would simply say that every time we address this health reform 
question, the American people see us collapse. We do not have to 
collapse today, Mr. Speaker. We can support the Kassebaum-Kennedy-
Roukema bill in the Democratic substitute, which allows for 
portability, and it protects those with preexisting conditions.
  In addition, it recognizes the small businessperson who has been 
working an striving. It allows them an 80-percent deduction for their 
small business health insurance by the year 2002.
  Mr. Speaker, let us stop the game. We know that the medical savings 
plans are simply for those who are healthy and wealthy. Let us face it. 
Whenever we hear from our seniors and those that are least able to take 
care of themselves, they are in these HMO plans and they cap them out, 
the doctors say I cannot see you because I have limits.
  We need real health reform. Let us provide the American worker with 
portability and the opportunity to be covered for a preexisting 
condition.

[[Page H3035]]

Likewise, let us not take the State administrators out of determining 
whether the rates are too high when you have to pay for an insurance 
plan. It is time to support a bill that the Senate will support.
  The New York Times said, health reform now. But the Republican plan 
will kill it. Let us be bipartisan. Support the Kennedy-Kassebaum-
Roukema bill, which is a Democratic substitute, and make sure that we 
do not collapse on the American people. Provide them with good health 
reform, good insurance, portability, and the coverage of preexisting 
disease.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Democratic substitute to 
the Health Coverage Availability Act. This bill contains the 
portability provisions found in the Kassebaum-Kennedy-Roukema proposal, 
and it also increases the tax deduction for the self-employed health 
insurance costs, which is 30 to 80 percent in 2002, instead of the 50 
percent offered in the Republican bill. I believe that this promise of 
portability assists the American worker who changes jobs and needs 
health insurance. I also support increasing the tax deduction to 80 
percent because it would grant to the self-employed the tax favored 
status for approximately the same portion of their health insurance 
costs as is enjoyed by many employees.
  This Democratic substitute has the provisions that hold bipartisan 
support. I believe that we should work together to pass some meaningful 
health care reform this year, and we should not attach controversial 
provisions that will defeat the bill. Contrary to what supporters of 
MSA's claim, medical savings accounts are not equitable. Medical 
savings accounts will be used primarily by upper income healthy 
individuals who can afford the high deductible.

  I do not support MSA's, because medical savings accounts would appeal 
mainly to healthy people, and this would leave less healthy people to 
buy medical coverage at increased cost. This will obviously make health 
insurance more expensive. This so-called reform measure goes against 
the goal of real health care reform, which is to create a more 
standardized health package for everyone and equalize the less healthy 
and the poorer with those more able. The bill generally prohibits 
punitive damages in cases involving drug and medical device 
manufacturers or sellers whose products had been approved by the Food 
and Drug Administration. Prohibiting punitive damages for 
pharmaceutical and manufacturers of medical devices takes away their 
ongoing responsibility to public health after they have received FDA 
approval.
  The Republican bill allows small employers to band together to 
purchase coverage for their workers but then exempts them from State 
taxation. I support such associations, however, this bill would take 
these co-ops out of State administration, and thus makes State level 
health reform more difficult.
  The substitute amendment like the Republican bill assures group to 
group and group to individual portability. It limits the exclusion for 
preexisting conditions to 12 months and provides that the exclusion 
would be reduced by the period of time the person was covered in his or 
her previous job.
  The substitute prohibits insurance carriers and HMO's from denying 
coverage to employers with two or more employees and prohibits 
employment-based health plans from excluding any employee from coverage 
based on health status. This substitute amendment also requires health 
plans to renew coverage for groups and individuals as long as the 
premiums are paid. All of these measures help to assure some 
significant health reform for Americans.
  If we are truly committed to health care reform, then I urge my 
colleagues to pass the substitute amendment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Lipinski].
  (Mr. LIPINSKI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Medical Savings Accounts. 
Unfortunately, MSAs have become a polarizing and partisan issue in this 
House. By giving MSAs tax treatment that is equal to other types of 
employer-provided health insurance plans, we will be giving the 
American people what they desperately need in their health care: 
Portability, lower costs, and more choices.
  MSAs should not be a partisan issue. In fact, Democrats were the 
initial sponsors of MSAs, and MSAs unanimously passed the House Ways 
and Means Committee in 1994 during the debate on the Clinton health 
care plan. While I understand that many of my colleagues do not want to 
weigh down or destroy any health insurance reform with any extraneous 
and unnecessary provisions, I believe that MSAs are an essential part 
of insurance reforms that will benefit all Americans. It goes without 
saying that the health care of the American people should always hold 
priority over partisan politics.
  Those opposed to MSAs claim that they will lead to adverse risk 
selection. But of the over 2,000 MSA plans that employers have in 
place, there are no actual examples of adverse risk selection. And the 
very sick will save money in most cases because their out of--pocket--
costs will be less under MSAs.
  I also support basic health insurance provisions included in the 
Democratic substitute that allow for portability, limits on the 
exclusion for pre-existing conditions, and increases in the health 
insurance tax deductions for the self-employed. These provisions would 
allow employees who get laid off to keep their health insurance, and 
gives an individual the peace of mind to change jobs or start their own 
business based on what is best for their career and family without 
worrying about his or her family's health insurance.

  In addition to portability, exclusion of pre-existing conditions, tax 
deductions, and MSA's, an ideal health insurance reform bill would also 
include provisions that allow small employers to pool together to 
purchase health insurance. These small businesses should be allowed the 
same exemptions from State regulations that big businesses enjoy. But, 
I do not believe that medical malpractice provisions that put a price 
on pain and suffering as low as $250,000 should be included in any 
health insurance bill that we pass today.
  In any case, MSA's should be added to health insurance reform because 
they will lower costs while still giving individuals the freedom to 
make career decisions based on the best interests of the individual. 
MSA's do lead to cost containment, as studies have shown. Soaring 
health costs are a large reason for an increasing anxiety among cash-
strapped working Americans, and MSA's are proven to lower costs to 
employers and employees without sacrificing service and care.
  Lastly, MSA's give the consumer unlimited choices. Patients are 
allowed to shop around to choose their personal doctors based on their 
own unique needs.
  Mr. Speaker, we should subdue our partisan politics for 1 day and 
include MSA's in health insurance reform so Americans can worry less 
about their health care and more about their career and family.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone].
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, when I talk to my constituents about health 
insurance reform, basically they say, look, the quality of health care 
is good in this country, but the problem is a lot of people do not have 
health care coverage and the cost of health insurance keeps going on.
  So when we talk about the Kennedy-Kassebaum-Roukema bill, it 
accomplishes the goal of expanding coverage because a lot more people 
that have the problem with preexisting conditions or problems with 
portability should be able to get health insurance now who were not 
able to get it before. But on the issue of affordability, essentially 
by adding these medical savings accounts to this bill, which I think is 
a big mistake and will essentially kill the bill, what we are doing is 
making health insurance less affordable, going against the goal and 
what most people want.
  The reason is very simple, and that is why I do not understand some 
of the comments on the other side. Essentially the people who are going 
to take advantage of MSAs are people who have a lot of money, or people 
who are healthy who figure that they can put this money aside and have 
it collect, and they only need catastrophic health care coverage. 
People who are sicker and need to go to the doctor or the hospital more 
often are not going to be able to afford a medical savings account, 
because they will have to constantly shell out money to pay for the 
health care coverage that they are receiving.
  So what is essentially going to happen is that this risk pool is 
going to be

[[Page H3036]]

split. The healthy and the wealthy are going to get out of the risk 
pool and have the MSAs. The people who are sicker or do not have as 
much money, probably who will be the majority, they will see their 
premiums go up; and in essence health insurance will be less 
affordable.
  Vote against the rule and vote against this Republican leadership 
bill.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Mica].
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from the opportunity to 
address the question of MSA's and also follow the gentleman from New 
Jersey [Mr. Pallone].
  I serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Service of the 
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight and actually had the 
opportunity to conduct hearings on MSA's. We have heard the other side 
of the aisle and the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone] just bash 
MSA's.
  Let me say what Mayor Schundler testified to, the mayor of Jersey 
City, NJ, who came before our subcommittee. He said MSA's were offered 
and 60 percent of eligible employees chose MSA's over their previous 
plan. What were the results? And this is a city facing financial 
disaster and not being able to provide health care for their employees. 
The results reduced the out-of-pocket costs to employees and still 
saved the city about $275 per employee, but they do not want to deal 
with the facts on the other side.
  Let us take another area, a small county, Ada County, ID, testified 
that under their county's MSA plan, the taxpayer saved money and the 
employees saved out-of-pocket costs which were reduced.
  Then the private sector was at our hearing. At the hearing the 
subcommittee heard of reported cost savings ranging from 17 to 40 
percent by more than 1,000 private businesses that have adopted MSA's.
  Finally, how about the AFL-CIO? Let us see what one of their 
affiliates said. They called MSA's an option offered to their employees 
a win win situation.
  So if we went to provide health care cost effectively, these are the 
facts, this is the result, and this is how we can do it. It just 
happens to be a new idea whose time has arrived.

                              {time}  1730

  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Virginia [Mr. Moran].
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, there is a lot that could and should be said 
about MSA's. I am going to save that for another time. Right now I 
would like to spend maybe a minute and a half and talk about the 
subject of hypocrisy.
  Tomorrow the Committee on Rules is going to bring up a rule for a 
constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds vote to raise 
income taxes, and then, the very next legislative day, April 15, when 
we get back from vacation, we are going to bring that bill up on the 
floor to require a two-thirds vote.
  Now on the first day of this legislative term back in January 1995, 
we passed a law that was supposed to govern all of our actions that 
said we require a three-fifths vote to raise taxes, and do you know, 
every single time it has applied, it has been waived, and here is the 
third time that the Committee on Rules again waives the three-fifths 
requirement.
  We had to waive it, with that Contract With America, Tax Relief Act 
that was a big issue. Remember I raised a point of order. It turns out 
that, sure enough, it did include a tax increase. So the 
Parliamentarian recognized we had to waive it.
  The second time we had the budget resolution, we had the Committee on 
Rules had to waive it, and now the third time we have got tax increases 
here. We are going to waive the rule because it is inconvenient to let 
it apply to this bill, but is it not unbelievable that tomorrow the 
Committee on Rules--just for pure expedience, political gain--is going 
to bring up this rule saying that you need a two-thirds vote, putting 
it in the Constitution and then expecting us to vote on it April 15. 
Unbelievable. I think some of the members of the Committee on Rules 
ought to be embarrassed about this one.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from California [Mr. Royce].
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and this 
legislation because this legislation gives individuals greater control 
over their own health care through the introduction of medical savings 
accounts.
  These medical savings accounts put individuals in charge of their own 
health care. It gives them greater freedom and more choices, and it 
will drive down costs. At the same time, they help resolve the 
portability issue.
  One problem with the current health insurance system in this country 
is that coverage for working people is usually tied to the job rather 
than the individual. Medical savings accounts, which would be owned by 
the individual for life, move with the individual. It is the ultimate 
in portability.
  Medical savings accounts are becoming increasingly common in the 
public sector. This popularity in the private sector is even more 
significant considering the fact that they are handicapped by tax laws 
which give deductions to employers who pay their workers' insurance 
premiums but not to the employers who are paying into the medical 
savings accounts. This inequitable tax treatment penalizes individuals 
who want to select their own health providers and plans as well as 
individuals without health plans at work.

  The legislation before us today removes this handicap and allows 
individuals and employers to make tax-deductible contributions to the 
accounts when employees are covered by a high deductible health 
insurance policy.
  Further, in allowing for a tax-free buildup of these accounts, this 
bill makes the choice of medical savings accounts available to many 
more Americans, and everyone owning an MSA would have an incentive to 
spend their money wisely. That is a marked contrast to the use-it-or-
lose-it approach fostered by third-payer plans. The savings would be 
theirs, and so would the choice.
  The competition would also put pressure on providers to reduce costs 
so everyone would benefit, and while MSA options may not solve every 
problem, it would certainly help consumers giving them more choices, 
more control, lifetime security, and lower costs.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Michigan [Mr. Dingell], the former chairman of the Committee on 
Commerce.
  (Mr. DINGELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this closed rule.
  I want to acknowledge the gracious reception I received at the 
Committee on Rules hearing yesterday from Chairman Solomon and the 
other members of the Rules Committee. And I appreciate that the rule 
makes in order a substitute, which I will offer together with my 
colleagues (Mr. Spratt and Mr. Bentsen), that will enable us to pare 
this bill down to two simple and uncontroversial propositions: a clean 
Kassebaum-Roukema bill, and tax deductibility of health insurance for 
the self-employed.
  But what we asked for was an open rule, and we have not gotten one. 
Thus, while the Republican leadership has loaded this bill down with a 
fine assortment of goodies for their friends in the health insurance 
industry, the medical profession, the HMO's, and other special 
pleaders, Democrats will not have a fair opportunity out here on the 
floor to make changes in those special-interest provisions.
  For example, I had hoped to offer an amendment to strike a provision 
in the Republican bill that contains a sneak attack on the pocketbooks 
of America's seniors. This sneaky provision would put millions of our 
senior citizens at the mercy of health insurance scam artists who want 
to sell policy after policy to the same frightened and infirm people, 
whether they need it or not. The Republican bill would repeal existing 
protections in the Medicare law that regulate the sale of duplicative 
policies that had seniors paying premiums over and over again for 
coverage they didn't need.
  But my amendment was not made in order. It seems that my Republican 
colleagues care more about helping their friends in the health 
insurance business than about protecting seniors from rip-offs. Oppose 
this rule.

[[Page H3037]]

  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Virginia [Mr. Scott].
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, the original bill had broad bipartisan 
support that guaranteed that those who lose their job for any reason 
can still get health insurance coverage.
  This bill is loaded up with so many special interest provisions that 
for the consumer, the poor and the sick, it does more harm than good. 
The medical savings accounts will allow a few health people to take 
money out of the Medicare Program, leaving behind a group that are, on 
average, sicker and, therefore, will have higher health care costs.
  The malpractice changes are all slanted to help the wrongdoer at the 
expense of the victim. They only preempt State laws to the extent that 
they hurt the victim. Incredibly, the bill provides if the victim is 
hurt worse under State law, then the State law prevails.
  Mr. Speaker, we should reject the special-interest wrongdoer 
protections and instead pass the original bipartisan consumer 
protection health care bill.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Missouri [Mr. Volkmer].
  (Mr. VOLKMER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I am sure that the Members are watching and 
listening to this debate on the rule for the so-called Health Coverage 
Availability and Affordability Act.
  I hope Members will really take a look at what is happened here. This 
is blatant politics and blatant hypocrisy. The bill's title speaks of 
laudatory goals, while the provisions of the bill for medical savings 
accounts will ultimately have adverse effects on health insurance 
policies of all persons in this country who are not wealthy and cannot 
afford a medical savings account. The Golden Rule Insurance Co. is 
being repaid by the Gingrich majority for Golden Rules contribution to 
GOPAC and the Republican's campaign coffers. It's more than 30 pieces 
of silver. It is millions from taxpayers' pockets to put into the 
pockets of Golden Rule. Blatant politics and blatant hypocrisy.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Weldon].
  (Mr. WELDON of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk about what 
the American people want and the facts about the bill before us. They 
want medical insurance that is available, affordable, and portable. 
Most Americans without health insurance work for small business. Most 
small businesses also want to provide health insurance to their 
employees but find it too expensive to do so. Large corporations, on 
the other hand, are able to buy health insurance in bulk for their 
thousands of employees at more affordable rates.
  Current law does not give small businesses the same opportunities to 
join together with other small businesses and purchase insurance in 
bulk. The end result is that insurance is not affordable.
  Our bill makes health insurance affordable and available for small 
businesses by allowing them to pool together and buy insurance for 
their employees in bulk at affordable rates. This change will make 
medical insurance available and affordable for tens of millions of 
Americans who work for small businesses and have no insurance today. 
This is supported by small business associations across the board and 
deserves the full support of Congress.
  We also make insurance more portable. We make it easier for employees 
to take their health insurance with them when they change jobs. For too 
long employees have resisted changing jobs and advancing in their 
careers because of fear of losing their health insurance. By making 
health insurance more portable, we open new job opportunities for 
millions of Americans. This is a good bill. Let us pass the bill. Let 
us pass the rule. If there is anything blatant about this, it is 
blatant democracy at work.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Scarborough].
  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Speaker, I have been really intrigued by this 
debate. We hear actually some of the architects of the Clinton health 
care plan, that would socialize the health care system and one-seventh 
of our economy, lecturing us on how we need to now fix health care in 
America. Very intriguing.
  The fact of the matter is that what it shows is we have two different 
views of America; those Americans who believe in empowering Americans, 
and those Americans who believe that we must socialize government, 
socialize health care, and do everything we can to take the decision 
out of the hands of the consumers and the doctors.
  Who could not like medical savings accounts? Who could not? They take 
the middle man out. They give power to patients and doctors, family 
doctors, to sit down and decide what the best course of treatment is to 
cure people who are ill that come to their office without having to 
call an insurance company first and decide how to use the money.
  Somebody said it helps special interests and actually drives up 
costs. Let me tell my colleagues, that is a novel approach. I wonder 
what economics class has ever been taught that shows that free 
enterprise and empowering consumers drives up the cost of medical care. 
It makes absolutely no sense.
  So let us look at the two different views of America. With Democrats 
in control, they wanted to socialize; with the Republicans in control, 
we want to privatize. We want to drive down cost, and we want to 
empower doctors and patients to sit down together and decide what is 
best for their medical future. That makes sense to me.
  I support the rule and the bill.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Stearns].
  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding this time 
to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule. The legislation we will 
vote on today addressed the most fundamental and important issues that 
currently prevent a large majority of the uninsured from accessing the 
health care system.
  What do Americans want from Health Care Reform?
  They want health care reform that ensures portability, controls 
costs, and expands access.
  If we are to have true health care reform, we must include 
malpractice reforms, medical savings accounts, increases in tax 
deduction for health insurance for self-employed individuals, 
provisions to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, and administrative 
reforms. Without providing such necessary relief, we will not succeed 
in bringing down the costs associated with delivering health care.
  Passage of this bill will benefit all Americans, especially the 39 
million who lack any type of health coverage. These individuals must 
live in constant fear of becoming sick and not having the necessary 
insurance to meet their medical needs.
  Lastly, I am particularly pleased that my suggestion to include 
``genetic information'' in the definition of health status was agreed 
to and made part of the final package. I believe by doing so we have 
enhanced and made it an even better piece of legislation. I will have 
more to say about this in the next period of debate.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia 
[Mr. Kingston].
  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I find it amazing that last year the group 
that wanted to nationalize health care has taken exception with the 
Republican Party because we want to go beyond the portability issue. 
What is it that we want to do that we disagree? Medical savings 
accounts, giving consumers choices rather than command-and-control 
Washington Bureaucrats. We want to stop waste, fraud, and abuse.
  I realize the Democratic Party is partial to waste, and I can 
understand that. We want to stop medical malpractice, and we have tort 
reform. The Hill newspaper, though, explains the Democrats' position on 
that with $2.2 million in campaign contributions last year going to 
political candidates, 94 percent Democrats.
  I will put this in the Record, Mr. Speaker.

[[Page H3038]]

  That is why they are against this. It is a tort reform issue. It is a 
trial lawyers' issue. They are also against small businesses. I like 
the idea of pet shops, clothes stores, bicycle shops, combining 
together to get economies of scale that large corporations can. My 
small businesses are in favor of that, as are all small businesses all 
over America. Then again, the Democratic Party has never been 
partial to small businesses. What is it on long-term health care? We 
want long-term health care.

  Mr. Speaker, I support the rule and strongly urge a ``yes'' vote on 
the bill.
  The article referred to follows:

                  Trial attorneys Seek More Hill Clout

                           (By Craig Karmin)

       In a move that would increase the political power of trial 
     lawyers and benefit Democratic congressional candidates, the 
     Association of Trial Lawyers of America is planning a new 
     program to encourage its members to contribute to ATLA-
     endorsed candidates.
       These individual contributions would supplement ATLA's 
     political action committee, which was the sixth largest 
     contributor during the 1994 elections. It donated more than 
     $2.2 million to congressional campaigns, with Democrats 
     receiving 94 percent of the funds. In 1995, despite 
     Republican majorities in the House and Senate, the 
     association gave 79 percent of its $700,000 in campaign 
     contributions to Democrats.
       The political and financial clout of the trial lawyers has 
     been credited with President Clinton's threat to veto the 
     product liability law, and the group has come under fire from 
     congressional Republicans.
       According to a letter the association sent to the Federal 
     Election Commission, ATLA would ``obtain advance commitments 
     from its members to contribute a specified amount'' to 
     certain candidates. It would further ``recommend the size of 
     contributions that members should send to particular 
     candidates'' and ``suggest when members should mail their 
     contributions.''
       The FEC met last week on the subject and is expected to 
     approve ATLA's request to engage in these activities in the 
     near future. But these contributions could be prohibited 
     under bipartisan campaign finance reform bills pending in 
     both the House and Senate. ATLA contends that these 
     contributions are constitutionally protected by the First 
     Amendment.
       The association's plan to strongly urge its 60,000 members 
     to contribute to congressional campaigns would expand the 
     power and influence of an already formidable special interest 
     on Capitol Hill and in the White House.
       Josh Goldstein of the Center for Responsive Politics said 
     he thought the ATLA plan would provide ``a way for trial 
     lawyers to distinguish themselves from other lawyers when 
     giving to campaigns,'' and therefore ``give them more bang 
     for their buck on Capitol Hill.''
       ATLA's program encouraged Democrats about their chances in 
     the fall elections. ``I think it could impact a number of 
     races because it will probably benefit Democrats more than 
     Republicans,'' said Don Sweizer, a Democratic consultant and 
     former finance director at the Democratic National Committee. 
     ``It's good news for our team.''
       Republicans seemed to agree. ``In general, I think 
     Republicans should be concerned,'' said Dawn Sciarrino, a 
     vice president at Brockmeyer, Allen and Associates, a 
     Republican consulting firm. ``This helps them funnel a great 
     deal of money to the candidates of their choice.''
       Pam Liapakis, president of ATLA, said that she was inspired 
     by a similar program at EMILY's List, an association whose 
     contributors give money to Democratic pro-choice women 
     candidates. Liapakis expects to have the program ``up and 
     running'' well before the November elections.
       But if campaign reformers have their way, this could be the 
     only election in which ATLA, EMILY's List, or any other 
     organization can engage in what is sometimes referred to as 
     ``bundling'' contributions. Bipartisan campaign finance 
     reform bills submitted in the House and Senate would ban this 
     kind of activity.
       Liapakis, however, said she believed ATLA's program was 
     within the law. ``There is a right under the First Amendment 
     to communicate and to participate in elections,'' she said.

                              {time}  1745

  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Washington [Mr. McDermott].
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, as a physician, I am particularly 
concerned with the section of this bill that many may not have had a 
chance to study. Buried within the 300-plus pages of this bill is a 29-
page section called ``Administrative simplification.''
  Now, ``administrative simplification'' has a nice right to it, but 
let me tell you why everyone concerned with the future of health care 
in this country should oppose the inclusion of this section in any 
health care reform bill.
  First of all, section 1173 on page 222 forces a physician to reveal 
confidential patient information for billing purposes. The bill says 
``The Secretary shall adopt standards for transactions and data 
elements for such transactions to enable health information to be 
exchange electronically.'' This bill sets up electronic elearinghouses 
for all the health care administration information in this country.
  Now, among the transactions that doctors will be forced to make, on 
page 223, it says ``Claims or equivalent encounter information.'' This 
will require doctors to submit not just general information, but 
personal, private information that patients need to disclose to their 
doctors.
  Next, this bill fails to adequately protect the privacy of patient 
health information, which is vital if you are going to have good 
quality care in this country. Instead of actual privacy protections, 
the administrative simplification section provided vague promises to 
develop privacy standards in the future.
  The bottom of page 226, part E of section 1173, it says ``Privacy 
standards for health information.'' It reads, ``The Secretary shall 
adopt standards with respect to the privacy of individually 
identifiable health information.''
  Now, we do not know what those protections are going to look like, 
yet we are going to set in place a collection mechanism from all the 
patients in this country in this bill. We have overridden all States, 
all insurance commissioners, everybody else in one provision, stuck in 
a 300-page bill that most people on this floor have never read.
  When I asked in the Committee on Ways and Means about this section, 
they said it has been cleared with all the groups. So I called some of 
the groups, and it has not been cleared with the groups. They 
understand that this is an invasion of privacy.
  I cannot understand how Republicans can be putting a bill out here 
that invades the public privacy for people who say they want privacy, 
and they want the Government out of their lives, to suddenly say to the 
insurance industry in a 29-page section buried in this bill, you can 
gather all the information you want and have a electronic transfer, so 
any insurance company can type in a name and here it will come printed 
out somewhere in a computer somewhere.
  That is what is being set up in this bill, and it is for the 
insurance industry, and everybody ought to understand it. You are going 
to come to rue the day that you pass this bill without talking about 
it.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kolbe). The gentleman from Massachusetts 
is recognized for 1\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous 
question. If the previous question is defeated, I shall offer an 
amendment to the rule which will make in order the amendment by the 
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Gunderson], the gentleman from Illinois 
[Mr. Poshard], the gentleman from Kansas [Mr. Roberts], the gentleman 
from Texas [Mr. Stenholm], the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. 
Gutknecht], and other members of the Rural Health Coalition.
  Yesterday several of these members appeared before the Committee on 
Rules and spoke eloquently on the importance of a 24-hour emergency 
care antitrust relief to small rural hospitals and expanded 
telemedicine services in rural areas. It is important when we consider 
health care reform to ensure that Americans who live in small towns and 
rural communities are able to enjoy the same access to health care as 
those in urban areas.
  Mr. Speaker, the text of my proposed amendment is as follows:

        Previous Question Amendment Text (H.R. 3103-H. Res. 392)

       On page 3, line 11 of House Resolution 392, immediately 
     after ``opponent;'' strike ``and 93)'' and insert the 
     following:
       ``(3) the amendment printed in Section 2 of the resolution 
     by Representatives Gunderson, Poshard, Roberts and Gutknecht 
     or their designee, which shall be in order without 
     intervention of any point of order (except those arising 
     under section 425(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974) 
     or demand for division of the question, shall be considered 
     as read, and shall be separately debatable for 30 minutes 
     equally divided and controlled by the proponent and opponent; 
     and (4)''.
       At the end of the resolution, add the following new 
     section:
       ``Sec. 2. At the end of the bill, add the following new 
     title (and conform the table of contents accordingly):


[[Page H3039]]


TITLE V--PROMOTING ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH COVERAGE IN RURAL 
                                 AREAS
                      Subtitle A--Medicare Program

     SEC. 501. MEDICARE RURAL HOSPITAL FLEXIBILITY PROGRAM.

       (a) Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program.--Section 
     1820 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-4) is 
     amended to read as follows:


             ``medicare rural hospital flexibility program

       ``Sec. 1820. (a) Establishment.--Any State that submits an 
     application in accordance with subsection (b) may establish a 
     medicare rural hospital flexibility program described in 
     subsection (c).
       ``(b) Application.--A State may establish a medicare rural 
     hospital flexibility program described in subsection (c) if 
     the State submits to the Secretary at such time and in such 
     form as the Secretary may require an application containing--
       ``(1) assurances that the State--
       ``(A) has developed, or is in the process of developing, a 
     State rural health care plan that--
       ``(i) provides for the creation of one or more rural health 
     networks (as defined in subsection (d)) in the State,
       ``(ii) promotes regionalization of rural health services in 
     the State, and
       ``(iii) improves access to hospital and other health 
     services for rural residents of the State;
       ``(B) has developed the rural health care plan described in 
     subparagraph (A) in consultation with the hospital 
     association of the State, rural hospitals located in the 
     State, and the State Office of Rural Health (or, in the case 
     of a State in the process of developing such plan, that 
     assures the Secretary that the State will consult with its 
     State hospital association, rural hospitals located in the 
     State, and the State Office of Rural Health in developing 
     such plan);
       ``(2) assurances that the State has designated (consistent 
     with the rural health care plan described in paragraph 
     (1)(A)), or is in the process of so designating, rural 
     nonprofit or public hospitals or facilities located in the 
     State as critical access hospitals; and
       ``(3) such other information and assurances as the 
     Secretary may require.
       ``(c) Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program 
     Described.--
       ``(1) In general.--A State that has submitted an 
     application in accordance with subsection (b), may establish 
     a medicare rural hospital flexibility program that provides 
     that--
       ``(A) the State shall develop at least one rural health 
     network (as defined in subsection (d)) in the State; and
       ``(B) at least one facility in the State shall be 
     designated as a critical access hospital in accordance with 
     paragraph (2).
       ``(2) State designation of facilities.--
       ``(A) In general.--A State may designate one or more 
     facilities as a critical access hospital in accordance with 
     subparagraph (B).
       ``(B) Criteria for designation as critical access 
     hospital.--A State may designate a facility as a critical 
     access hospital if the facility--
       ``(i) is located in a county (or equivalent unit of local 
     government) in a rural area (as defined in section 
     1886(d)(2)(D)) that--

       ``(I) is located more than a 35-mile drive from a hospital, 
     or another facility described in this subsection, or
       ``(II) is certified by the State as being a necessary 
     provider of health care services to residents in the area;

       ``(ii) makes available 24-hour emergency care services that 
     a State determines are necessary for ensuring access to 
     emergency care services in each area served by a critical 
     access hospital;
       ``(iii) provides not more than 6 acute care inpatient beds 
     (meeting such standards as the Secretary may establish) for 
     providing inpatient care for a period not to exceed 72 hours 
     (unless a longer period is required because transfer to a 
     hospital is precluded because of inclement weather or other 
     emergency conditions), except that a peer review organization 
     or equivalent entity may, on request, waive the 72-hour 
     restriction on a case-by-case basis;
       ``(iv) meets such staffing requirements as would apply 
     under section 1861(e) to a hospital located in a rural area, 
     except that--

       ``(I) the facility need not meet hospital standards 
     relating to the number of hours during a day, or days during 
     a week, in which the facility must be open and fully staffed, 
     except insofar as the facility is required to make available 
     emergency care services as determined under clause (ii) and 
     must have nursing services available on a 24-hour basis, but 
     need not otherwise staff the facility except when an 
     inpatient is present,
       ``(II) the facility may provide any services otherwise 
     required to be provided by a full-time, on-site dietitian, 
     pharmacist, laboratory technician, medical technologist, and 
     radiological technologist on a part-time, off-site basis 
     under arrangements as defined in section 1861(w)(1), and
       ``(III) the inpatient care described in clause (iii) may be 
     provided by a physician's assistant, nurse practitioner, or 
     clinical nurse specialist subject to the oversight of a 
     physician who need not be present in the facility; and

       ``(v) meets the requirements of subparagraph (I) of 
     paragraph (2) of section 1861(aa).
       ``(d) Rural Health Network Defined.--
       ``(1) In general.--For purposes of this section, the term 
     `rural health network' means, with respect to a State, an 
     organization consisting of--
       ``(A) at least 1 facility that the State has designated or 
     plans to designate as a critical access hospital, and
       ``(B) at least 1 hospital that furnishes acute care 
     services.
       ``(2) Agreements.--
       ``(A) In general.--Each critical access hospital that is a 
     member of a rural health network shall have an agreement with 
     respect to each item described in subparagraph (B) with at 
     least 1 hospital that is a member of the network.
       ``(B) Items described.--The items described in this 
     subparagraph are the following:
       ``(i) Patient referral and transfer.
       ``(ii) The development and use of communications systems 
     including (where feasible)--

       ``(I) telemetry systems, and
       ``(II) systems for electronic sharing of patient data.

       ``(iii) The provision of emergency and non-emergency 
     transportation among the facility and the hospital.
       ``(C) Credentialing and quality assurance.--Each critical 
     access hospital that is a member of a rural health network 
     shall have an agreement with respect to credentialing and 
     quality assurance with at least 1--
       ``(i) hospital that is a member of the network;
       ``(ii) peer review organization or equivalent entity; or
       ``(iii) other appropriate and qualified entity identified 
     in the State rural health care plan.
       ``(e) Certification by the Secretary.--The Secretary shall 
     certify a facility as a critical access hospital if the 
     facility--
       ``(1) is located in a State that has established a medicare 
     rural hospital flexibility program in accordance with 
     subsection (c);
       ``(2) is designated as a critical access hospital by the 
     State in which it is located; and
       ``(3) meets such other criteria as the Secretary may 
     require.
       ``(f) Permitting Maintenance of Swing Beds.--Nothing in 
     this section shall be construed to prohibit a State from 
     designating or the Secretary from certifying a facility as a 
     critical access hospital solely because, at the time the 
     facility applies to the State for designation as a critical 
     access hospital, there is in effect an agreement between the 
     facility and the Secretary under section 1883 under which the 
     facility's inpatient hospital facilities are used for the 
     furnishing of extended care services, except that the number 
     of beds used for the furnishing of such services may not 
     exceed 12 beds (minus the number of inpatient beds used for 
     providing inpatient care in the facility pursuant to 
     subsection (c)(2)(B)(iii)). For purposes of the previous 
     sentence, the number of beds of the facility used for the 
     furnishing of extended care services shall not include any 
     beds of a unit of the facility that is licensed as a 
     distinct-part skilled nursing facility at the time the 
     facility applies to the State for designation as a critical 
     access hospital.
       ``(g) Waiver of Conflicting Part A Provisions.--The 
     Secretary is authorized to waive such provisions of this part 
     and part C as are necessary to conduct the program 
     established under this section.''.
       (b) Part A Amendments Relating to Rural Primary Care 
     Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals.--
       (1) Definitions.--Section 1861(mm) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395x(mm)) is amended to read as follows:

     ``Critical Access Hospital; Critical Access Hospital Services

       ``(mm)(1) The term `critical access hospital' means a 
     facility certified by the Secretary as a critical access 
     hospital under section 1820(e).
       ``(2) The term `inpatient critical access hospital 
     services' means items and services, furnished to an inpatient 
     of a critical access hospital by such facility, that would be 
     inpatient hospital services if furnished to an inpatient of a 
     hospital by a hospital.''.
       (2) Coverage and payment.--(A) Section 1812(a)(1) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1395d(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``or 
     inpatient rural primary care hospital services'' and 
     inserting ``or inpatient critical access hospital services''.
       (B) Sections 1813(a) and section 1813(b)(3)(A) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1395e(a), 1395e(b)(3)(A)) are each amended by 
     striking ``inpatient rural primary care hospital services'' 
     each place it appears, and inserting ``inpatient critical 
     access hospital services''.
       (C) Section 1813(b)(3)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395e(b)(3)(B)) is amended by striking ``inpatient rural 
     primary care hospital services'' and inserting ``inpatient 
     critical access hospital services''.
       (D) Section 1814 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395f) is amended--
       (i) in subsection (a)(8) by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital'' each place it appears and inserting ``critical 
     access hospital''; and
       (ii) in subsection (b), by striking ``other than a rural 
     primary care hospital providing inpatient rural primary care 
     hospital services,'' and inserting ``other than a critical 
     access hospital providing inpatient critical access hospital 
     services,''; and
       (iii) by amending subsection (l) to read as follows:
       ``(l) Payment for Inpatient Critical Access Hospital 
     Services.--The amount of payment under this part for 
     inpatient critical access hospital services is the reasonable

[[Page H3040]]

     costs of the critical access hospital in providing such 
     services.''.
       (3) Treatment of critical access hospitals as providers of 
     services.--(A) Section 1861(u) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395x(u)) is amended by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital'' and inserting ``critical access hospital''.
       (B) The first sentence of section 1864(a) (42 U.S.C. 
     1395aa(a)) is amended by striking ``a rural primary care 
     hospital'' and inserting ``a critical access hospital''.
       (4) Conforming amendments.--(A) Section 1128A(b)(1) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``rural 
     primary care hospital'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``critical access hospital''.
       (B) Section 1128B(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(c)) is 
     amended by striking ``rural primary care hospital'' and 
     inserting ``critical access hospital''.
       (C) Section 1134 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-4) is amended 
     by striking ``rural primary care hospitals'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``critical access hospitals''.
       (D) Section 1138(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-
     8(a)(1)) is amended--
       (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``rural primary care hospital'' and inserting ``critical 
     access hospital''; and
       (ii) in the matter preceding clause (i) of subparagraph 
     (A), by striking ``rural primary care hospital'' and 
     inserting ``critical access hospital''.
       (E) Section 1816(c)(2)(C) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395h(c)(2)(C)) is amended by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital'' and inserting ``critical access hospital''.
       (F) Section 1833 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l) is amended--
       (i) in subsection (h)(5)(A)(iii), by striking ``rural 
     primary care hospital'' and inserting ``critical access 
     hospital'';
       (ii) in subsection (i)(1)(A), by striking ``rural primary 
     care hospital'' and inserting ``critical access hospital'';
       (iii) in subsection (i)(3)(A), by striking ``rural primary 
     care hospital services'' and inserting ``critical access 
     hospital services'';
       (iv) in subsection (l)(5)(A), by striking ``rural primary 
     care hospital'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``critical access hospital''; and
       (v) in subsection (l)(5)(B), by striking ``rural primary 
     care hospital'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``critical access hospital''.
       (G) Section 1835(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395n(c)) is 
     amended by striking ``rural primary care hospital'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``critical access hospital''.
       (H) Section 1842(b)(6)(A)(ii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395u(b)(6)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking ``rural primary 
     care hospital'' and inserting ``critical access hospital''.
       (I) Section 1861 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended--
       (i) in subsection (a)--
       (I) in paragraph (1), by striking ``inpatient rural primary 
     care hospital services'' and inserting ``inpatient critical 
     access hospital services''; and
       (II) in paragraph (2), by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital'' and inserting ``critical access hospital'';
       (ii) in the last sentence of subsection (e), by striking 
     ``rural primary care hospital'' and inserting ``critical 
     access hospital'';
       (iii) in subsection (v)(1)(S)(ii)(III), by striking ``rural 
     primary care hospital'' and inserting ``critical access 
     hospital'';
       (iv) in subsection (w)(1), by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital'' and inserting ``critical access hospital''; and
       (v) in subsection (w)(2), by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital'' each place it appears and inserting ``critical 
     access hospital''.
       (J) Section 1862(a)(14) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395y(a)(14)) is amended by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital'' each place it appears and inserting ``critical 
     access hospital''.
       (K) Section 1866(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C 1395cc(a)(1)) 
     is amended--
       (i) in subparagraph (F)(ii), by striking ``rural primary 
     care hospitals'' and inserting ``critical access hospitals'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (H), in the matter preceding clause 
     (i), by striking ``rural primary care hospitals'' and ``rural 
     primary care hospital services'' and inserting ``critical 
     access hospitals'' and ``critical access hospital services'', 
     respectively;
       (iii) in subparagraph (I), in the matter preceding clause 
     (i), by striking ``rural primary care hospital'' and 
     inserting ``critical access hospital''; and
       (iv) in subparagraph (N)--
       (I) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``rural 
     primary care hospitals'' and inserting ``critical access 
     hospitals'', and
       (II) in clause (i), by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital'' and inserting ``critical access hospital''.
       (L) Section 1866(a)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(3)) 
     is amended--
       (i) by striking ``rural primary care hospital'' each place 
     it appears in subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting 
     ``critical access hospital''; and
       (ii) in subparagraph (C)(ii)(II), by striking ``rural 
     primary care hospitals'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``critical access hospitals''.
       (M) Section 1867(e)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395dd(e)(5)) 
     is amended by striking ``rural primary care hospital'' and 
     inserting ``critical access hospital''.
       (c) Payment Continued to Designated EACHs.--Section 
     1886(d)(5)(D) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(D)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in clause (iii)(III), by inserting ``as in effect on 
     September 30, 1995'' before the period at the end; and
       (2) in clause (v)--
       (A) by inserting ``as in effect on September 30, 1995'' 
     after ``1820 (i)(1)''; and
       (B) by striking ``1820(g)'' and inserting ``1820(e)''.
       (d) Part B Amendments Relating to Critical Access 
     Hospitals.--
       (1) Coverage.--(A) Section 1861(mm) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395x(mm)) as amended by subsection (d)(1), is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) The term `outpatient critical access hospital 
     services' means medical and other health services furnished 
     by a critical access hospital on an outpatient basis.''.
       (B) Section 1832(a)(2)(H) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395k(a)(2)(H)) is amended by striking ``rural primary care 
     hospital services'' and inserting ``critical access hospital 
     services''.
       (2) Payment.--(A) Section 1833(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395l(a)) is amended in paragraph (6), by striking 
     ``outpatient rural primary care hospital services'' and 
     inserting ``outpatient critical access hospital services''.
       (B) Section 1834(g) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(g)) is 
     amended to read as follows:
       ``(g) Payment for Outpatient Critical Access Hospital 
     Services.--The amount of payment under this part for 
     outpatient critical access hospital services is the 
     reasonable costs of the critical access hospital in providing 
     such services.''.
       (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to services furnished on or after October 1, 
     1996.

     SEC. 502. ESTABLISHMENT OF RURAL EMERGENCY ACCESS CARE 
                   HOSPITALS.

       (a) In General.--Section 1861 of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subsection:

  ``Rural Emergency Access Care Hospital; Rural Emergency Access Care 
                           Hospital Services

       ``(oo)(1) The term `rural emergency access care hospital' 
     means, for a fiscal year, a facility with respect to which 
     the Secretary finds the following:
       ``(A) The facility is located in a rural area (as defined 
     in section 1886(d)(2)(D)).
       ``(B) The facility was a hospital under this title at any 
     time during the 5-year period that ends on the date of the 
     enactment of this subsection.
       ``(C) The facility is in danger of closing due to low 
     inpatient utilization rates and operating losses, and the 
     closure of the facility would limit the access to emergency 
     services of individuals residing in the facility's service 
     area.
       ``(D) The facility has entered into (or plans to enter 
     into) an agreement with a hospital with a participation 
     agreement in effect under section 1866(a), and under such 
     agreement the hospital shall accept patients transferred to 
     the hospital from the facility and receive data from and 
     transmit data to the facility.
       ``(E) There is a practitioner who is qualified to provide 
     advanced cardiac life support services (as determined by the 
     State in which the facility is located) on-site at the 
     facility on a 24-hour basis.
       ``(F) A physician is available on-call to provide emergency 
     medical services on a 24-hour basis.
       ``(G) The facility meets such staffing requirements as 
     would apply under section 1861(e) to a hospital located in a 
     rural area, except that--
       ``(i) the facility need not meet hospital standards 
     relating to the number of hours during a day, or days during 
     a week, in which the facility must be open, except insofar as 
     the facility is required to provide emergency care on a 24-
     hour basis under subparagraphs (E) and (F); and
       ``(ii) the facility may provide any services otherwise 
     required to be provided by a full-time, on-site dietitian, 
     pharmacist, laboratory technician, medical technologist, or 
     radiological technologist on a part-time, off-site basis.
       ``(H) The facility meets the requirements applicable to 
     clinics and facilities under subparagraphs (C) through (J) of 
     paragraph (2) of section 1861(aa) and of clauses (ii) and 
     (iv) of the second sentence of such paragraph (or, in the 
     case of the requirements of subparagraph (E), (F), or (J) of 
     such paragraph, would meet the requirements if any reference 
     in such subparagraph to a `nurse practitioner' or to `nurse 
     practitioners' were deemed to be a reference to a `nurse 
     practitioner or nurse' or to `nurse practitioners or 
     nurses'); except that in determining whether a facility meets 
     the requirements of this subparagraph, subparagraphs (E) and 
     (F) of that paragraph shall be applied as if any reference to 
     a `physician' is a reference to a physician as defined in 
     section 1861(r)(1).
       ``(2) The term `rural emergency access care hospital 
     services' means the following services provided by a rural 
     emergency access care hospital and furnished to an individual 
     over a continuous period not to exceed 24 hours (except that 
     such services may be furnished over a longer period in the 
     case of an individual who is unable to leave the hospital 
     because of inclement weather):
       ``(A) An appropriate medical screening examination (as 
     described in section 1867(a)).
       ``(B) Necessary stabilizing examination and treatment 
     services for an emergency medical condition and labor (as 
     described in section 1867(b)).''.
       (b) Requiring Rural Emergency Access Care Hospitals To Meet 
     Hospital Anti-

[[Page H3041]]

     Dumping Requirements.--Section 1867(e)(5) of such Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1395dd(e)(5)) is amended by striking ``1861(mm)(1))'' 
     and inserting ``1861(mm)(1)) and a rural emergency access 
     care hospital (as defined in section 1861(oo)(1))''.
       (c) Coverage and Payment for Services.--
       (1) Coverage.--Section 1832(a)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395k(a)(2)) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (I);
       (B) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (J) 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(K) rural emergency access care hospital services (as 
     defined in section 1861(oo)(2)).''.
       (2) Payment based on payment for outpatient critical access 
     hospital services.--
       (A) In general.--Section 1833(a)(6) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395l(a)(6)), as amended by section 501(f)(2), is amended by 
     striking ``services,'' and inserting ``services and rural 
     emergency access care hospital services,''.
       (B) Payment methodology described.--Section 1834(g) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(g)), as amended by section 501(f)(2)(B), 
     is amended--
       (i) in the heading, by striking ``Services'' and inserting 
     ``Services and Rural Emergency Access Care Hospital 
     Services''; and
       (ii) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The 
     amount of payment for rural emergency access care hospital 
     services provided during a year shall be determined using the 
     applicable method provided under this subsection for 
     determining payment for outpatient rural primary care 
     hospital services during the year.''.
       (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 
     1996.

     SEC. 503. CLASSIFICATION OF RURAL REFERRAL CENTERS.

       (a) Prohibiting Denial of Request for Reclassification on 
     Basis of Comparability of Wages.--
       (1) In general.--Section 1886(d)(10)(D) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(10)(D)) is amended--
       (A) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (iv); and
       (B) by inserting after clause (ii) the following new 
     clause:
       ``(iii) Under the guidelines published by the Secretary 
     under clause (i), in the case of a hospital which is 
     classified by the Secretary as a rural referral center under 
     paragraph (5)(C), the Board may not reject the application of 
     the hospital under this paragraph on the basis of any 
     comparison between the average hourly wage of the hospital 
     and the average hourly wage of hospitals in the area in which 
     it is located.''.
       (2) Effective date.--Notwithstanding section 
     1886(d)(10)(C)(ii) of the Social Security Act, a hospital may 
     submit an application to the Medicare Geographic 
     Classification Review Board during the 30-day period 
     beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act requesting 
     a change in its classification for purposes of determining 
     the area wage index applicable to the hospital under section 
     1886(d)(3)(D) of such Act for fiscal year 1997, if the 
     hospital would be eligible for such a change in its 
     classification under the standards described in section 
     1886(d)(10)(D) of such Act (as amended by paragraph (1)) but 
     for its failure to meet the deadline for applications under 
     section 1886(d)(10)(C)(ii) of such Act.
       (b) Continuing Treatment of Previously Designated 
     Centers.--Any hospital classified as a rural referral center 
     by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 
     1886(d)(5)(C) of the Social Security Act for fiscal year 1994 
     shall be classified as such a rural referral center for 
     fiscal year 1997 and each subsequent fiscal year.
          Subtitle B--Small Rural Hospital Antitrust Fairness

     SEC. 511. ANTITRUST EXEMPTION.

       The antitrust laws shall not apply with respect to--
       (1) the merger of, or the attempt to merge, 2 or more 
     hospitals,
       (2) a contract entered into solely by 2 or more hospitals 
     to allocate hospital services, or
       (3) the attempt by only 2 or more hospitals to enter into a 
     contract to allocate hospital services,

     if each of such hospitals satisfies all of the requirements 
     of section 512 at the time such hospitals engage in the 
     conduct described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3), as the case 
     may be.

     SEC. 512. REQUIREMENTS.

       The requirements referred to in section 511 are as follows:
       (1) The hospital is located outside of a city, or in a city 
     that has less than 150,000 inhabitants, as determined in 
     accordance with the most recent data available from the 
     Bureau of the Census.
       (2) In the most recently concluded calendar year, the 
     hospital received more than 40 percent of its gross revenue 
     from payments made under Federal programs.
       (3) There is in effect with respect to the hospital a 
     certificate issued by the Health Care Financing 
     Administration specifying that such Administration has 
     determined that Federal expenditures would be reduced, 
     consumer costs would not increase, and access to health care 
     services would not be reduced, if the hospital and the other 
     hospitals that requested such certificate merge, or allocate 
     the hospital services specified in such request, as the case 
     may be.

     SEC. 513. DEFINITION.

       For purposes of this title, the term ``antitrust laws'' has 
     the meaning given such term in subsection (a) of the first 
     section of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 12), except that such 
     term includes section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act 
     (15 U.S.C. 45) to the extent that such section 5 applies with 
     respect to unfair methods of competition.
                  Subtitle C--Miscellaneous Provisions

     SEC. 521. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS LOAN REPAYMENTS 
                   EXCLUDED FROM GROSS INCOME.

       (a) In General.--Part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to items 
     specifically excluded from gross income) is amended by 
     redesignating section 137 as section 138 and by inserting 
     after section 136 the following new section:

     ``SEC. 137. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS LOAN REPAYMENTS.

       ``(a) General Rule.--Gross income shall not include any 
     qualified loan repayment.
       ``(b) Qualified Loan Repayment.--For purposes of this 
     section, the term `qualified loan repayment' means any 
     payment made on behalf of the taxpayer by the National Health 
     Service Corps Loan Repayment Program under section 338B(g) of 
     the Public Health Service Act.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (3) of section 338B(g) 
     of the Public Health Service Act is amended by striking 
     ``Federal, State, or local'' and inserting ``State or 
     local''.
       (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for part III 
     of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 is amended by striking the item relating to section 137 
     and inserting the following:

``Sec. 137. National Health Service Corps loan repayments.
``Sec. 138. Cross references to other Acts.''.
       (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to payments made under section 338B(g) of the 
     Public Health Service Act after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.

     SEC. 522. TELEMEDICINE SERVICES.

       The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish 
     a methodology for making payments under part B of the 
     medicare program for telemedicine services furnished on an 
     emergency basis to individuals residing in an area designated 
     as a health professional shortage area (under section 332(a) 
     of the Public Health Service Act).

  Mr. Speaker, every single rule the House has adopted this session has 
been a restrictive rule. You heard that correctly. The Republican House 
has so far adopted 100 percent restrictive rules in this session. If it 
is adopted, the rule before us will leave that 100 percent purely 
restrictive rules record intact.
  This is the 65th restrictive rule reported out of the Committee on 
Rules in this Congress. In addition, 71 percent of the legislation 
considered this session has not been reported from committee. Ten out 
of 14 measures brought up this session have been unreported. Mr. 
Speaker, I include the following material for the Record:

                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. 101.......................  To transfer a       H. Res. 51           Open..................            N/A.
                                  parcel of land to                                                             
                                  the Taos Pueblo                                                               
                                  Indians of New                                                                
                                  Mexico.                                                                       
H.R. 400.......................  To provide for the  H. Res. 52           Open..................            N/A.
                                  exchange of lands                                                             
                                  within Gates of                                                               
                                  the Arctic                                                                    
                                  National Park                                                                 
                                  Preserve.                                                                     
H.R. 440.......................  To provide for the  H. Res. 53           Open..................            N/A.
                                  conveyance of                                                                 
                                  lands to certain                                                              
                                  individuals in                                                                
                                  Butte County,                                                                 
                                  California.                                                                   
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.                          

[[Page H3042]]

                                                                                                                
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.                       
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.                           

[[Page H3043]]

                                                                                                                
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.                                  
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.                      

[[Page H3044]]

                                                                                                                
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. ** NR.                      
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. ** NR.                     
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. ** NR.                      
H.R. 2924......................  Social Security     H. Res. 355          Closed; ** NR.........            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.                       NR.                                  
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. **                  
                                                                           NR.                                  
H.R. 2703......................  The Effective       H. Res. 380          Restrictive; makes in        6D; 7R; 4
                                  Death Penalty and                        order only the            Bipartisan.
                                  Public Safety Act                        amendments printed in                
                                  of 1996.                                 the report; waives                   
                                                                           all points of orer                   
                                                                           against the                          
                                                                           amendments; gives                    
                                                                           Judiciary Chairman en                
                                                                           bloc authority (20                   
                                                                           min.) on enblocs;                    
                                                                           provides a Senate                    
                                                                           hook-up with S. 735.                 
                                                                           ** NR.                               
H.R. 2202......................  The Immigration     H. Res. 384          Restrictive; waives        12D; 19R; 1
                                  and National                             all points of order       Bipartisan.
                                  Interest Act of                          against the bill and                 
                                  1995.                                    amendments in the                    
                                                                           report except for                    
                                                                           those arising under                  
                                                                           sec. 425(a) of the                   
                                                                           Budget Act (unfunded                 
                                                                           mandates); 2 hrs. of                 
                                                                           general debate on the                
                                                                           bill; makes in order                 
                                                                           the committee                        
                                                                           substitute as base                   
                                                                           text; makes in order                 
                                                                           only the amends in                   
                                                                           the report; gives the                
                                                                           Judiciary Chairman en                
                                                                           bloc authority (20                   
                                                                           min.) of debate on                   
                                                                           the en blocs; self-                  
                                                                           executes the Smith                   
                                                                           (TX) amendment re:                   
                                                                           employee verification                
                                                                           program..                            
H.J. Res. 165..................  Making further      H. Res. 386          Closed; provides for              N/A.
                                  continuing                               the consideration of                 
                                  appropriations                           the CR in the House                  
                                  for FY 1996.                             and gives one motion                 
                                                                           to recommit which may                
                                                                           contain instructions                 
                                                                           only if offered by                   
                                                                           the Minority Leader;                 
                                                                           the rule also waives                 
                                                                           cl 4(b) of rule XI                   
                                                                           against the                          
                                                                           following: an omnibus                
                                                                           appropriations bill,                 
                                                                           another CR, a bill                   
                                                                           extending the debt                   
                                                                           limit. ** NR.                        
H.R. 125.......................  The Gun Crime       H. Res. 388          Closed; self-executes              N/A
                                  Enforcement and                          an amendment;                        
                                  Second Amendment                         provides one motion                  
                                  Restoration Act                          to recommit which may                
                                  of 1996.                                 contain instructions                 
                                                                           only if offered by                   
                                                                           the Minority Leader                  
                                                                           or his designee. **                  
                                                                           NR.                                  
H.R. 3136......................  The Contract With   H. Res. 391          Closed; provides for               N/A
                                  America                                  the consideration of                 
                                  Advancement Act                          the bill in the                      
                                  of 1996.                                 House; self-executes                 
                                                                           an amendment in the                  
                                                                           Rules report; waives                 
                                                                           all points of order,                 
                                                                           except sec.                          
                                                                           425(a)(unfunded                      
                                                                           mandates) of the CBA,                
                                                                           against the bill's                   
                                                                           consideration; orders                
                                                                           the PQ except 1 hr.                  
                                                                           of general debate                    
                                                                           between the Chairman                 
                                                                           and Ranking Member of                
                                                                           Ways and Means; one                  
                                                                           Archer amendment (10                 
                                                                           min.); one motion to                 
                                                                           recommit which may                   
                                                                           contain instructions                 
                                                                           only if offered by                   
                                                                           the Minority Leader                  
                                                                           or his designee;                     
                                                                           Provides a Senate                    
                                                                           hookup if the Senate                 
                                                                           passes S. 4 by March                 
                                                                           30, 1996. **NR.                      
H.R. 3103......................  The Health          H. Res. 392          Restrictive: 2 hrs. of             N/A
                                  Coverage                                 general debate (45                   
                                  Availability and                         min. split by Ways                   
                                  Affordability Act                        and Means) (45 split                 
                                  of 1996.                                 by Commerce) (30                     
                                                                           split by Economic and                
                                                                           Educational                          
                                                                           Opportunities); self-                
                                                                           executes H.R. 3160 as                
                                                                           modified by the                      
                                                                           amendment in the                     
                                                                           Rules report as                      
                                                                           original text; waives                
                                                                           all points of order,                 
                                                                           except sec. 425(a)                   
                                                                           (unfunded mandates)                  
                                                                           of the CBA; makes in                 
                                                                           order a Democratic                   
                                                                           substitute (1 hr.)                   
                                                                           waives all points of                 
                                                                           order, except sec.                   
                                                                           425(a) (unfunded                     
                                                                           mandates) of the CBA,                
                                                                           against the                          
                                                                           amendment; one motion                
                                                                           to recommit which may                
                                                                           contain instructions                 
                                                                           only if offered by                   
                                                                           the Minority Leader                  
                                                                           or his designee;                     
                                                                           waives cl 5(c) of                    
                                                                           Rule XXI (requiring 3/               
                                                                           5 vote on any tax                    
                                                                           increase) on votes on                
                                                                           the bill, amendments                 
                                                                           or conference reports.               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Contract Bills, 67% restrictive; 33% open. ** All legislation 1st Session, 53% restrictive; 47% open. *** All 
  legislation 2d Session, 94% restrictive; 6% open. **** All legislation 104th Congress, 65% restrictive; 35%   
  open. ***** NR indicates that the legislation being considered by the House for amendment has circumvented    
  standard procedure and was never reported from any House committee. ****** 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. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida is recognized for 
1 minute.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to say that we have 
considered many amendments in this process and it is quite clear there 
are many good ideas.
  This does not pretend to be comprehensive health care reform. This is 
very special, and it is meant to be doable and accomplished now, to 
take a subject we think we can do to make improvement for access and 
affordability for a great many Americans, to take the bill the Senate 
has worked on and to make it better here and to send it to the American 
people. We think that is doable.
  We have given the other side two bites at this. We have given them 
their own substitute and the right to recommit, of course.
  Some have said, ``Oh, my gosh; what we need to do here is get back on 
the health care track.'' Let me remind you, the health care track of 
the last 40 years was derailed in a monumental train wreck under the 
Clinton administration. They cannot even find the engineer for that.
  We now have something that is doable today, and all we need to do is 
get this rule on the floor, have the debate, vote this health care 
reform, and we come out with more health care opportunities for more 
Americans than we have today. It is worth doing.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I move the previous question on the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous 
question.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
  The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
  Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5 of rule XV, the chair 
announces that he will reduce to a minimum of 5 minutes the period of 
time within which a vote by electronic device, if ordered, will be

[[Page H3045]]

taken on the question of agreeing to the resolution.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 229, 
nays 186, not voting 16, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 103]

                               YEAS--229

     Allard
     Archer
     Armey
     Bachus
     Baker (CA)
     Baker (LA)
     Ballenger
     Barr
     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
     Cooley
     Cox
     Crane
     Crapo
     Cremeans
     Cubin
     Cunningham
     Davis
     Deal
     DeLay
     Diaz-Balart
     Dickey
     Doolittle
     Dornan
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     English
     Ensign
     Everett
     Ewing
     Fawell
     Fields (TX)
     Flanagan
     Foley
     Forbes
     Fox
     Franks (CT)
     Franks (NJ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frisa
     Funderburk
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gekas
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Goss
     Graham
     Greenwood
     Gutknecht
     Hall (TX)
     Hancock
     Hansen
     Hastert
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Heineman
     Herger
     Hilleary
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hoke
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hunter
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Inglis
     Istook
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones
     Kasich
     Kelly
     Kim
     King
     Kingston
     Klug
     Knollenberg
     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
     Myers
     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
     Royce
     Salmon
     Sanford
     Saxton
     Scarborough
     Schaefer
     Schiff
     Seastrand
     Sensenbrenner
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Shuster
     Skeen
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     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--186

     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
     Chapman
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Coleman
     Collins (MI)
     Condit
     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
     Filner
     Flake
     Foglietta
     Ford
     Frank (MA)
     Frost
     Furse
     Gejdenson
     Gephardt
     Geren
     Gibbons
     Gonzalez
     Gordon
     Green
     Gunderson
     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
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lincoln
     Lipinski
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Luther
     Maloney
     Manton
     Markey
     Martinez
     Mascara
     Matsui
     McCarthy
     McDermott
     McHale
     McKinney
     Meehan
     Meek
     Menendez
     Miller (CA)
     Minge
     Mink
     Moakley
     Mollohan
     Montgomery
     Moran
     Murtha
     Nadler
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Orton
     Owens
     Pallone
     Pastor
     Payne (NJ)
     Payne (VA)
     Pelosi
     Peterson (FL)
     Peterson (MN)
     Pickett
     Pomeroy
     Poshard
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reed
     Richardson
     Rivers
     Roemer
     Rose
     Roukema
     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
     Towns
     Traficant
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Visclosky
     Volkmer
     Ward
     Waters
     Watt (NC)
     Waxman
     Williams
     Wise
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Yates

                             NOT VOTING--16

     Becerra
     Bryant (TX)
     Collins (IL)
     Conyers
     Fields (LA)
     Fowler
     Lantos
     McNulty
     Neal
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Stokes
     Torricelli
     Weldon (PA)
     Wilson

                              {time}  1809

  Ms. FURSE and Mr. BALDACCI changed their vote from ``yea'' to 
``nay.''
  Mr. COBURN and Mr. THOMAS of California changed their vote from 
``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the previous question was ordered.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Combest). The question is on the 
resolution.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________