[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 133 (Tuesday, September 24, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H10770-H10771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




FAMILY QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE--ASSESSMENT OF EFFORTS IN THE 
                             104TH CONGRESS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Wolf] is recognized during 
morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor this morning in my 
capacity as the chairman of the Family Quality of Life Advisory 
Committee to submit for the Record my assessment of the efforts during 
the 104th Congress to make the House more family friendly which I 
request be inserted in the Record.
  While some progress toward the goal of making the Congress more 
family

[[Page H10771]]

friendly for Members, for their families, and for the staff has been 
made, it is probably fair to say that this body may never truly become 
a family friendly place to work.
  Still, I believe that it is important to continue the efforts. Rolled 
votes, firmer and more reliable legislative schedules, earlier end 
times on getaway days and efforts to conduct most legislative business 
in the Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday window have helped some. Much more 
needs to be done.
  As I step down as chairman, I urge the leadership to continue this 
effort and appoint as the next chairman someone who comes from a 
different perspective, someone, perhaps, whose district is more remote 
from the Capitol who commutes home on weekends to be in the district 
and with his or her family, someone with younger children living at 
home, someone who will continue to strive for progress in this area but 
who sees things through different eyes.
  Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to share my thoughts 
on family friendly efforts in the House and my hopes for such efforts 
in the days ahead.
  At the conclusion of the 104th Congress, I will end my service as 
chairman of the Family Quality of Life Advisory Committee. It has been 
an honor and privilege to serve on this Committee, but it is 
appropriate that a new chairman be named to continue efforts in the 
105th Congress. To provide long-range balance, it is my hope that the 
next Family Quality of Life Advisory Committee chairman brings a 
perspective different from my own--preferably someone with young 
children who lives with his or her family in the congressional 
district, located beyond the Washington metropolitan area. The new 
chairman should serve as an ombudsman for the House, push for further 
family friendly initiatives, and be willing to challenge the House 
leadership on both sides of the aisle on family friendly matters.
  In assessing family friendly efforts in the 104th Congress, simply 
put, this Congress has been extremely difficult for many Members, staff 
and families. Both sessions have been marked by long days and nights, 
contentious debate, and ambitious legislative agendas. Our efforts to 
enact broad reforms and sweeping initiatives have exacted a significant 
toll on far too many of our colleagues, staff, and on the families. I 
know many who have struggled greatly under the enormous burdens imposed 
by the House schedule.
  The House leadership did try to respond to the needs of Members, 
staff and families by adopting some reforms and improvements in the 
House schedule gleaned from a survey the committee conducted of Members 
and staff. But the House is not family friendly. The House began 
adhering where possible to a published schedule, starting sessions 
earlier in the morning, rolling votes, ending sessions earlier on get-
away Fridays, and instituting a Tuesday-Thursday schedule for floor 
business when possible. There were good intentions at the outset and 
they helped. However, much more is needed.
  At times it seems to be an impossible task in trying to balance the 
needs of Members anxious to conclude legislative business at a 
reasonable time most days except Wednesday to allow them to be with 
family members in the metropolitan Washington area with the needs of 
Members eager to return to their more distant districts at the end of 
the legislative work week. But it is a challenge we must address. Some 
Members prefer the House to conclude legislative business earlier in 
the evening during the week to allow them the opportunity to have 
dinner with their family, attend PTA meetings, spend time with their 
sons or daughters, or simply relax. For these Members, the late 
sessions make it nearly impossible for them to go home to spend time 
with their families here and still attend to needs in their own 
districts when the House is not in session.

  Other Members whose families live in their districts want the House 
to compress its legislative sessions, maintaining a Tuesday-Thursday 
work schedule and working late into the evening if necessary. These 
Members prefer longer legislative sessions so they may spend additional 
time when they go back to their districts with their families and 
constituents. I recognize the difficulties in attempting to meet these 
conflicting needs, but we must make every effort to be fair and 
balanced and accommodate the needs of all Members as much as possible.
  My own personal view is that perhaps a truly family friendly Congress 
may not be possible. Maybe we can never balance the legislative 
business of the Nation against the individual, personal needs of 
Members, staff, and families. Still, I do know that we must continue 
working toward that goal. We will either get better or get worse. 
Things never stay the same.
  We must remain committed to making Congress a more family friendly 
place, one which enables Members to be successful Representatives as 
well as successful spouses, fathers and mothers. We owe this effort to 
ourselves, our staffs, our families, and those who would aspire to 
follow us to Capitol Hill. If we give up on efforts to establish a more 
family friendly Congress, we essentially concede that on Capitol Hill, 
one can only be successful in either his or her professional or 
personal life but not both. What kind of legislators, spouses, fathers 
or mothers would we then become? Truly, when our course has been run, 
the only place each of us will really be missed is in our family. Let's 
not throw in the towel on efforts to successfully meet both 
professional and personal needs.
  Success in establishing a more family friendly working environment 
requires a strong commitment from House leadership on both sides of the 
aisle. Members--especially newer Members--need to see their leaders are 
committed to having the House family friendly.
  While leadership on both sides of the aisle must lead the way in our 
family friendly efforts, all Members have a responsibility to further 
these efforts. Where possible, all Members should work to focus floor 
debate and not waste time, and drag out matters beyond a reasonable 
point to no useful end. The House, Members, and staff should not be 
held hostage to the whims of Members who would force everyone to stay 
in session late to debate issues whose outcome is a foregone 
conclusion. Family friendly is a responsibility not just of the 
leadership but of all Members.
  Of course, Members understand that as legislators, we are in an 
unpredictable business. There will be times when Congress must remain 
in session to debate critical issues. Crisis government should not, 
however, be the standard for doing business on Capitol Hill.
  At both political conventions this summer, both parties offered 
strong profamily platforms and policies. I believe it is vital that the 
espoused profamily views represent the true positions of the parties. 
It is important that the parties not only talk the profamily talk but 
that they also walk the profamily walk by living a relatively normal 
life. If we are so busy meeting the needs of the job that we neglect 
the needs of our families, our views become skewed. Let's not lose our 
focus and true commitment to family.
  Further reforms in House procedures and practices can help. For 
example, I am not convinced that the House is particularly productive 
or effective when it works day after day, night after night. Are we as 
effective as we can be when we debate critical issues late into the 
night, night after night. These hours are draining for all of us and 
tiredness increases the level of frustration, hostility and perhaps 
stubborness.
  Let me make a comment here about the staff. Just like the Members 
around here, the staff have families, too. They have husbands and wives 
and sons and daughters and moms and dads. Members need to be sensitive 
to the fact that the staff arrives before the House goes into session 
in the morning, and they continue to work after we adjourn for the day, 
no matter how late. If legislative business and the last vote concludes 
in the early evening, most Members leave. But if there are special 
orders into the night, the staff stays. That can make for 14-plus hour 
days and 2 or 3 of these days in a row takes a tremendous toll on the 
staff. The floor staff probably does not use the term family friendly 
to describe their work environment.
  Many Members have suggested additional changes in House practices 
that merit further consideration and/or adoption. Some of these changes 
include: Start legislative sessions earlier in the day; end legislative 
sessions at a reasonable hour every day while setting one day each week 
for a late session; conclude voting on the designated late night by 8 
or 9 p.m. and only allow debate on amendments to take place past this 
hour.
  Also, roll or cluster roll call votes; approve modified closed rules 
to expedite debate; set time limits on debate on amendments; establish 
and adhere to a set schedule; adjourn before 7 p.m. at least one night 
a week or more frequently if the House starts work earlier.
  Finally, provide more time for district work; eliminate 1 minute 
speeches at the start of the day in which the House is expected to be 
in session beyond 9 p.m.; and eliminate special orders when the House 
session extends beyond 9 p.m.
  And, of course, some of these reforms may need to be set aside at the 
end of a session or when legislative demands dictate. But these reforms 
should be the rule--not the exception. And when we violate them, we 
should do so only for very good reasons.
  I hope we continue to make family friendly reforms. It will help us 
be better legislators, help us be better husbands or wives and better 
parents. While change is difficult, let's not abandon this critical 
effort.

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