[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 16, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H7637-H7640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT,
1997
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 475 and rule
XXIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union for the further consideration of the bill,
H.R. 3756.
{time} 1953
in the committee of the whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union for the further consideration of
the bill (H.R. 3756) making appropriations for the Treasury Department,
the U.S. Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President, and
certain independent agencies, for the fiscal year ending September 30,
1997, and for other purposes, with Mr. Dreier in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIRMAN. When the Committee of the Whole rose just a few moments
ago, pending was the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from
Connecticut [Mrs. Johnson].
The bill had been read through page 31, line 14. At the conclusion of
the Johnson amendment the Chair will announce the further procedures
pursuant to the order of the House.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Johnson]
for 5 minutes in support of her amendment.
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Chairman, this amendment strikes
language in title I of the bill.
parliamentary inquiry
Mr. HOYER. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will state it.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I want to know where we are now. I would not
have agreed to the unanimous-consent request if I did not think we were
going to terminate proceedings of the bill at this time. That was the
understanding that I had, and that was the understanding under which I
gave unanimous consent.
If that is not the case, I cannot withdraw my unanimous-consent
agreement, but that was my understanding, and the bill would proceed
much more slowly tonight if my understanding was incorrect.
The CHAIRMAN. The Johnson amendment was pending when the Committee
rose.
Mr. HOYER. I understand that, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. LIGHTFOOT. There was so much confusion.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for 1
minute out of order to determine what we are doing.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Johnson]
controls 5 minutes in support of her amendment. Does she wish to yield
for the purpose of a colloquy?
Ms. JOHNSON of Connecticut. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from
Iowa [Mr. Lightfoot].
The CHAIRMAN. To whom does the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs.
Johnson] yield?
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. I yield to the gentleman from Iowa [Mr.
Lightfoot] for a colloquy with the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer].
The CHAIRMAN. Would the gentlewoman yield to the gentleman from
Maryland?
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland
[Mr. Hoyer].
[[Page H7638]]
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, there has been a misunderstanding here. I
want to ask the chairman a question, because apparently I
misunderstood.
I was sitting over here, obviously trying to keep track of the debate
while there were discussions about what we were doing on the bill. I
was brought a paper with the amendments, and I know the gentleman added
a couple, and that was fine, and I did not object. But very frankly, I
did not object on the premise that we were going to suspend further
proceedings of the bill at this time. I was told that. That may have
been an error, but that is what I was told.
Mr. LIGHTFOOT. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.
Mr. LIGHTFOOT. Mr. Chairman, I think we can straighten this out. The
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Johnson] got on her feet to offer
her amendment before I asked for the unanimous consent request. So
therefore, when we came back, we came back to her amendment. I did
include her amendment on that sheet that the gentleman has in front of
him, so we can resolve this very quickly if the gentlewoman wants to go
ahead and hold over her amendment until tomorrow, as it was in the
unanimous consent request. I think that will solve the problem.
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. I could do that, but my amendment is
very, very brief. It would save me coming back tomorrow.
Mr. HOYER. If the gentlewoman will continue to yield, Mr. Chairman,
the problem is, I have a number of people on this side of the aisle who
tell me their amendments are very, very brief.
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. I am happy to ask unanimous consent to
withdraw my amendment, Mr. Chairman, without prejudice for tomorrow.
The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from
Connecticut?
There was no objection.
The CHAIRMAN. Who seeks recognition? Does the chairman of the
subcommittee seek recognition?
Mr. HOYER. Are we going to rise, Mr. Chairman?
The CHAIRMAN. For what purpose does the gentleman from Iowa rise?
Mr. LIGHTFOOT. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, is the question on the motion to rise?
The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Lightfoot] wish the
Chair to resume consideration of the two postponed votes on the
Gutknecht amendment and Metcalf amendment?
{time} 2000
(By unanimous consent, Mr. Armey was allowed to speak out to order.)
order of business
Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Chairman, might I suggest that we take at this time
the two votes that are ordered on amendments related to this bill and
then perhaps if we have agreement with everyone, we would take the
votes on the suspension calendar tomorrow morning.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the right to object.
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair has the authority to put the postponed
questions before the Committee.
Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Chairman, I was not making a unanimous-consent
request. I do not know what the gentleman is objecting to. I am making
a recommendation to the body. I think it would be helpful to take the
two votes now on the two amendments. I think it would also be helpful
to a lot of our Members if after we take those two amendment votes, we
deferred voting on the suspensions until tomorrow.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield on that suggestion?
Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, let me simply say, I do not have a dog in
this fight, and I do not care what we do on these amendments. All I
know is that there are a considerable number of Members on both sides
of the aisle who are very much pressing to have a time agreement
tonight because they have serious scheduling problems. They were
expecting, and indeed hoping, that all of the votes would be rolled
until tomorrow.
I have no problems. I can stay here and vote on all of these. But I
know a number of Members who are extremely exasperated about it and I
wonder if the majority leader has any specific reason as to why we
could not do that.
Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman would allow me to reclaim my time, why do
we not go ahead, take the two votes, and then we can maybe all of us
who have a concern discuss this during the course of the time of those
two votes?
Mr. OBEY. We are talking about the two votes in question that the
gentleman is suggesting be voted on right now.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, the only reservation that I
would have raised if I had an opportunity to raise a reservation was
that one of these amendments apparently has a very significant impact
upon the conference members who have not had an opportunity to discuss
this in conference, and there are a number who feel very strongly they
need an opportunity to discuss it with their leadership before they
have this vote on the floor. If we now have the vote, we will go, but
the leadership should hear from them before they have such a
discussion.
Mr. ARMEY. I appreciate the gentleman's point and I have no doubt
that the gentleman is absolutely correct. But, Mr. Chairman, again
might I suggest that we take the two votes on the two amendments that
are pending on this bill and then with the agreement of the Members I
think we would be able then to roll the earlier ordered suspension
votes until tomorrow. That is what I would recommend.
The CHAIRMAN. Unless there is a motion to rise, the Chair will put
the question on the two amendments.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Point of order, Mr. Chairman. The gentleman
from Iowa will have to withdraw his motion to rise, Mr. Chairman. There
was a motion to rise. Just to keep the process correct.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Iowa was seated and has not renewed
his motion to rise. The gentleman is seated and the Chair has never put
the question to the committee.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I thank the Chairman.
parliamentary inquiry
Mr. HOYER. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will state it.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, as a precedent, if one makes a motion to
adjourn and sits down, the motion to adjourn dies. Is that the ruling
of the Chair?
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair has not recognized the gentleman from Iowa
for the purpose of renewing his motion to rise after the intervening
debate.
Mr. HOYER. That reason I understand and I will not press the issue.
sequential votes postponed in committee of the whole
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 475, proceedings will now
resume on those amendments on which further proceedings were postponed
in the following order: The amendment offered by the gentleman from
Washington [Mr. Metcalf] and the amendment offered by the gentleman
from Minnesota [Mr. Gutknecht].
amendment offered by mr. metcalf
The CHAIRMAN. the pending business is the demand for a recorded vote
on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Washington [Mr. Metcalf]
on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes
prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
recorded vote
The CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the time for a
recorded vote after this vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 352,
noes 67, not voting 14, as follows:
[Roll No 317]
AYES--352
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allard
Andrews
Archer
Armey
[[Page H7639]]
Bachus
Baesler
Baker (CA)
Baker (LA)
Baldacci
Ballenger
Barcia
Barr
Barrett (NE)
Barrett (WI)
Bartlett
Barton
Bass
Bateman
Becerra
Bentsen
Bereuter
Bevill
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop
Bliley
Blumenauer
Blute
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonior
Bono
Borski
Boucher
Browder
Brown (CA)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Brownback
Bryant (TN)
Bryant (TX)
Bunn
Bunning
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Canady
Cardin
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Chapman
Chenoweth
Christensen
Chrysler
Clement
Coble
Coburn
Collins (GA)
Combest
Condit
Cooley
Costello
Cox
Coyne
Cramer
Crane
Crapo
Cremeans
Cubin
Cunningham
Danner
Davis
Deal
DeFazio
DeLauro
DeLay
Deutsch
Diaz-Balart
Dickey
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Dooley
Doolittle
Dornan
Doyle
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Durbin
Edwards
Ehlers
Ehrlich
English
Ensign
Eshoo
Evans
Everett
Ewing
Farr
Fawell
Fazio
Fields (LA)
Fields (TX)
Filner
Flanagan
Foley
Forbes
Fowler
Fox
Franks (CT)
Franks (NJ)
Frelinghuysen
Frisa
Frost
Funderburk
Furse
Gallegly
Ganske
Gejdenson
Gekas
Gephardt
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gilman
Gonzalez
Goodlatte
Goodling
Gordon
Goss
Graham
Green (TX)
Greene (UT)
Greenwood
Gunderson
Gutierrez
Gutknecht
Hall (TX)
Hamilton
Hancock
Hansen
Harman
Hastert
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Hefley
Hefner
Heineman
Herger
Hilleary
Hilliard
Hinchey
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hoke
Holden
Horn
Hostettler
Hunter
Hutchinson
Inglis
Istook
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jacobs
Johnson (SD)
Jones
Kaptur
Kasich
Kelly
Kennedy (MA)
Kennedy (RI)
Kennelly
Kildee
Kim
Kingston
Kleczka
Klink
Klug
Kolbe
LaFalce
LaHood
Lantos
Largent
Latham
LaTourette
Laughlin
Lazio
Leach
Levin
Lewis (KY)
Lightfoot
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren
Longley
Lowey
Lucas
Luther
Maloney
Manton
Manzullo
Markey
Martini
Mascara
Matsui
McCarthy
McCollum
McCrery
McHale
McHugh
McInnis
McIntosh
McKinney
McNulty
Meek
Menendez
Metcalf
Meyers
Mica
Millender-McDonald
Miller (FL)
Minge
Mink
Moakley
Mollohan
Montgomery
Morella
Myers
Myrick
Nadler
Neal
Nethercutt
Neumann
Ney
Norwood
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Orton
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Parker
Pastor
Payne (VA)
Peterson (FL)
Peterson (MN)
Petri
Pickett
Pombo
Pomeroy
Portman
Poshard
Pryce
Quinn
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Reed
Regula
Richardson
Riggs
Rivers
Roberts
Roemer
Rogers
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roth
Roukema
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Salmon
Sanders
Sanford
Sawyer
Saxton
Scarborough
Schaefer
Schiff
Schroeder
Schumer
Scott
Seastrand
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Shuster
Sisisky
Skaggs
Skeen
Skelton
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Solomon
Souder
Spence
Spratt
Stearns
Stenholm
Stockman
Stump
Stupak
Talent
Tanner
Tate
Tauzin
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Tejeda
Thornberry
Thornton
Thurman
Tiahrt
Torkildsen
Torres
Torricelli
Traficant
Upton
Velazquez
Vento
Visclosky
Volkmer
Walsh
Wamp
Ward
Watts (OK)
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
White
Whitfield
Wicker
Wise
Wolf
Woolsey
Yates
Young (AK)
Zeliff
Zimmer
NOES--67
Beilenson
Berman
Boehlert
Brewster
Campbell
Clay
Clayton
Clinger
Clyburn
Coleman
Collins (IL)
Collins (MI)
Conyers
Cummings
Dellums
Dixon
Engel
Fattah
Flake
Foglietta
Frank (MA)
Geren
Gibbons
Hastings (FL)
Houghton
Hoyer
Hyde
Jackson (IL)
Jefferson
Johnson (CT)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Johnston
Kanjorski
King
Knollenberg
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Livingston
Martinez
McDermott
McKeon
Moorhead
Moran
Murtha
Packard
Payne (NJ)
Pelosi
Porter
Quillen
Rangel
Rush
Serrano
Stark
Stokes
Studds
Thomas
Thompson
Towns
Vucanovich
Walker
Waters
Watt (NC)
Waxman
Williams
Wilson
Wynn
NOT VOTING--14
de la Garza
Ford
Hall (OH)
Hayes
Lincoln
McDade
Meehan
Miller (CA)
Molinari
Paxon
Rose
Sabo
Slaughter
Young (FL)
{time} 2023
Messrs. MOORHEAD, RANGEL, FRANK of Massachusetts, and STUDDS changed
their vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
Mr. BRYANT of Texas changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
amendment offered by mr. gutknecht
The CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a recorded vote
on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr.
Gutknecht], on which further proceedings were postponed and on which
the noes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
recorded vote
The CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 267,
noes 150, not voting 16, as follows:
[Roll No. 318]
AYES--267
Allard
Andrews
Archer
Armey
Bachus
Baesler
Baker (CA)
Baker (LA)
Ballenger
Barcia
Barr
Barrett (NE)
Barrett (WI)
Bartlett
Barton
Bass
Bateman
Bentsen
Bereuter
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop
Blute
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bono
Brewster
Browder
Brown (OH)
Brownback
Bryant (TN)
Bunn
Bunning
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Canady
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Chapman
Chenoweth
Christensen
Chrysler
Clement
Clinger
Coble
Coburn
Collins (GA)
Combest
Condit
Cooley
Cramer
Crane
Crapo
Cremeans
Cubin
Cunningham
Danner
Davis
Deal
DeLay
Deutsch
Diaz-Balart
Dickey
Doggett
Doolittle
Dornan
Doyle
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Ehrlich
English
Ensign
Eshoo
Everett
Ewing
Fawell
Fields (TX)
Flanagan
Foley
Forbes
Fowler
Fox
Franks (CT)
Franks (NJ)
Frelinghuysen
Frisa
Funderburk
Furse
Gallegly
Ganske
Gekas
Gephardt
Geren
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gilman
Goodlatte
Goodling
Gordon
Goss
Graham
Green (TX)
Greene (UT)
Greenwood
Gunderson
Gutknecht
Hall (TX)
Hamilton
Hancock
Hansen
Harman
Hastert
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Hefley
Heineman
Herger
Hilleary
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hoke
Holden
Horn
Hostettler
Hunter
Hutchinson
Hyde
Inglis
Istook
Jacobs
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (SD)
Jones
Kaptur
Kasich
Kelly
Kildee
Kim
Kingston
Kleczka
Klug
Knollenberg
LaHood
Largent
Latham
LaTourette
Laughlin
Lazio
Leach
Lewis (KY)
Lightfoot
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren
Longley
Lucas
Luther
Manzullo
Martini
Mascara
McCollum
McCrery
McHale
McHugh
McInnis
McKeon
Meek
Menendez
Metcalf
Meyers
Mica
Millender-McDonald
Miller (FL)
Minge
Montgomery
Moorhead
Myers
Myrick
Nethercutt
Neumann
Ney
Norwood
Nussle
Orton
Packard
Pallone
Parker
Peterson (MN)
Petri
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Portman
Poshard
Pryce
Quillen
Quinn
Radanovich
Ramstad
Reed
Regula
Riggs
Rivers
Roberts
Rogers
Ros-Lehtinen
Roth
Roukema
Royce
Salmon
Sanford
Saxton
Scarborough
Schaefer
Seastrand
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Shuster
Skeen
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Solomon
Souder
Spence
Stearns
Stenholm
Stockman
Stump
Talent
Tanner
Tate
Tauzin
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Thomas
Thurman
Tiahrt
Torkildsen
Torricelli
Traficant
Upton
Vucanovich
Walsh
Wamp
Ward
Watts (OK)
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
White
Whitfield
Wicker
Wise
Young (AK)
Zeliff
Zimmer
NOES--150
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Baldacci
Becerra
Beilenson
Berman
Bevill
Bliley
Blumenauer
Bonior
Borski
Boucher
Brown (CA)
Brown (FL)
Bryant (TX)
Campbell
Cardin
Clay
Clayton
Clyburn
Coleman
Collins (IL)
Collins (MI)
Conyers
Costello
Cox
Coyne
Cummings
DeFazio
DeLauro
Dellums
Dingell
Dixon
Dooley
Durbin
Edwards
[[Page H7640]]
Ehlers
Engel
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Fazio
Fields (LA)
Filner
Flake
Foglietta
Frank (MA)
Frost
Gejdenson
Gibbons
Gonzalez
Gutierrez
Hastings (FL)
Hefner
Hilliard
Hinchey
Houghton
Hoyer
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Johnston
Kanjorski
Kennedy (MA)
Kennedy (RI)
Kennelly
King
Klink
Kolbe
LaFalce
Lantos
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Livingston
Lowey
Maloney
Manton
Markey
Martinez
Matsui
McCarthy
McDermott
McIntosh
McKinney
McNulty
Mink
Moakley
Mollohan
Moran
Morella
Murtha
Nadler
Neal
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Owens
Oxley
Pastor
Payne (NJ)
Payne (VA)
Pelosi
Peterson (FL)
Pickett
Rahall
Rangel
Richardson
Roemer
Rohrabacher
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sanders
Sawyer
Schiff
Schroeder
Schumer
Scott
Serrano
Sisisky
Skaggs
Skelton
Smith (MI)
Spratt
Stark
Stokes
Studds
Stupak
Tejeda
Thompson
Thornberry
Thornton
Torres
Towns
Velazquez
Vento
Visclosky
Volkmer
Waters
Watt (NC)
Waxman
Williams
Wilson
Wolf
Woolsey
Wynn
Yates
NOT VOTING--16
de la Garza
Dicks
Ford
Hall (OH)
Hayes
Lincoln
McDade
Meehan
Miller (CA)
Molinari
Paxon
Rose
Sabo
Slaughter
Walker
Young (FL)
{time} 2033
Mr. ROHRABACHER changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
Mr. PORTER changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Mr. LIGHTFOOT. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr.
Longley) having assumed the chair, Mr. Dreir, Chairman of the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that that
Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3756) making
appropriations for the Treasury Department, the U.S. Postal Service,
the Executive Office of the President, and certain independent
agencies, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for other
purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.
____________________