[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H11636-H11644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS IN PREPARATION FOR 
                          ADJOURNMENT SINE DIE

  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 
call up House Resolution 546 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 546

       Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution it 
     shall be in order to consider in the House a joint resolution 
     waiving certain enrollment requirements with respect to any 
     bill or joint resolution of the One Hundred Fourth Congress 
     making general or continuing appropriations for fiscal year 
     1997. The joint resolution shall be debatable for one hour 
     equally divided and controlled by the majority leader and the 
     minority leader or their designees. The previous question 
     shall be considered as ordered on the joint resolution to 
     final passage without intervening motion except one motion to 
     commit.
       Sec. 2. Upon the adoption of this resolution it shall be in 
     order to consider in the House a joint resolution appointing 
     the day for the convening of the first session of the One 
     Hundred Fifth Congress and the day for counting in Congress 
     of the electoral votes for President and Vice President cast 
     in December 1996. The joint resolution shall be debatable for 
     one hour equally divided and controlled by the majority 
     leader and the minority leader or their designees. The 
     previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint 
     resolution to final passage without intervening motion except 
     one motion to commit.
       Sec. 3. A resolution providing that any organizational 
     caucus or conference in the House of Representatives for the 
     One Hundred Fifth Congress may begin on or after November 15, 
     1996, is hereby adopted.
       Sec. 4. A resolution providing for the printing of a 
     revised edition of the Rules and Manual of the House of 
     Representatives for the One Hundred Fifth Congress as a House 
     document, and for the printing and binding of three thousand 
     additional copies for the use of the House, of which nine 
     hundred copies shall be bound in leather with thumb index and 
     delivered as may be directed by the Parliamentarian of the 
     House, is hereby adopted.
       Sec. 5. Each committee of the House that is authorized to 
     conduct investigations may file reports to the House thereon 
     following the adjournment of the second session sine die.
       Sec. 6. Reports on the activities of committees of the 
     House in the One Hundred Fourth Congress pursuant to clause 
     1(d) of rule XI may be printed as reports of the One Hundred 
     Fourth Congress.
       Sec. 7. The Speaker and the minority leader may accept 
     resignations and make appointments to commissions, boards, 
     and committees following the adjournment of the second 
     session sine die as authorized by law or by the House.
       Sec. 8. The chairman and ranking minority member of each 
     standing committee and subcommittee may extend their remarks 
     in the Congressional Record and include a summary of the work 
     of their committee or subcommittee.
       Sec. 9. All Members may extend their remarks in the 
     Congressional Record on any matter occurring prior to the 
     adjournment of the second session sine die.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. Pryce] is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the 
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], 
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.

[[Page H11637]]

                             general leave

  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on this resolution and that I may be permitted to insert extraneous 
materials into the Record following debate on the rule.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 546 is a straight-forward 
resolution providing for the consideration of certain measures in 
preparation for the sine die adjournment of the second session of the 
104th Congress.
  Specifically, the rule makes in order resolutions waiving certain 
requirements with respect to the following actions:
  The enrollment of general or continuing appropriations bills for 
fiscal year 1997; the convening of the first session of the 105th 
Congress and the day for counting electoral votes for President and 
Vice President of the United States; the convening of any 
organizational caucus or conference in the House for the 105th 
Congress; the printing and distribution of a revised edition of the 
House Rules and Manual for the 105th Congress; authorizing committees 
to file investigative reports after the adjournment of the 104th 
Congress; authorizing the filing and printing of committee activity 
reports; authority to accept resignations and to make appointments to 
certain commissions, boards, and committees following adjournment, or 
as authorized by law or by the House; permitting chairmen and ranking 
minority members of each committee and subcommittee of the House to 
revise and extend their remarks in the Record on the work of their 
respective panels; and, finally, permitting all Members to revise and 
extend their remarks in the Record on any matter occurring before the 
second session of the 104th Congress is adjourned sine die.
  Mr. Speaker, ordinarily these noncontroversial housekeeping matters 
are addressed by the House under unanimous consent agreements. But, 
regrettably, not all of these items have been cleared in advance with 
our friends in the minority.
  So, as a precaution, the Rules Committee has taken the step of 
preparing a very simple, straight-forward rule in preparation for the 
sine die adjournment of the second session of this historic 104th 
Congress. I would assure my colleagues across the aisle that there is 
no hidden agenda in this rule, and I encourage all Members to give it 
their full support.
  Mr. Speaker, since this may very well be the final rule brought to 
the floor by the Rules Committee in the 104th Congress, I want to take 
a moment to publicly commend Chairman Solomon for his leadership on the 
committee and for his commitment to furthering the cause of fair and 
open debate in this body.
  Much has been said in recent weeks about what this Congress has 
accomplished during the past 2 years. Reform, especially internal 
reform of the House, has been one of our highest priorities, and the 
Rules Committee, under Mr. Solomon's able leadership, has proudly 
played an active role in keeping congressional and fiscal reform a 
front-burner issue.
  Of course, I would be remiss if I did not also recognize the many 
years of hard work by the distinguished chairman emeritus of the Rules 
Committee, Mr. Quillen, as well as the fine contributions of two other 
Members who will be leaving us at the end of this session--Ms. Greene 
of Utah, and Mr. Beilenson of California. I know their efforts will no 
doubt be missed by our committee and by this body in the future.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me emphasize that the resolution before 
us is not complicated and it is designed only to facilitate the House's 
consideration of simple administrative matters related to the 
operations of the House after this session has concluded its business.
  The rule was reported by the Rules Committee last night by a 
unanimous voice vote, and I urge its swift adoption by the full House 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, I just have to say, with utmost respect, that I hope 
that the 22-to-10 lead that the Ohio State Buckeyes have over the 
Fighting Irish does not bring the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. 
Moakley] to take it out on the Republicans this afternoon.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would remind the gentlewoman that 
the Chair is from Indiana.
  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, I include the following extraneous material 
for the Record:

  House Rules Committee Spearheads Major Reforms in the 104th Congress

       ``The Rules Committee not only hit the ground running on 
     the opening day of the 104th Congress,'' recalls Chairman 
     Gerald B.H. Solomon (R-NY), ``we had parachuted behind the 
     lines weeks before that to lay the groundwork for the most 
     monumental reform of the House in nearly a century.''
       Solomon continued, ``And we didn't rest on our reform 
     laurels following that historic and marathon 14-hour opening 
     day on January 4th of 1995. Our Committee has been 
     spreaheading further reforms ever since because we recognize 
     that House restoration and rejuvenation must be an ongoing 
     and dynamic process if we are to keep the People's House 
     close to the people and enable it to confront the problems of 
     the next century.'' Below is a summary released by Chairman 
     Solomon today of the House reforms adopted to date.
       Opening Day House Rules Reforms (H. Res. 6, adopting House 
     Rules for the 104th Congress, Jan. 4, 1995).--The resolution 
     adopting House Rules for the 104th Congress included ten 
     items from the ``Contract With America'' plus 23 other 
     changes in House Rules. These include reforms that:
       Abolished 3 House standing committees (Post Office & Civil 
     Service, Merchant Marine & Fisheries, and District of 
     Columbia);
       Limited committees to no more than 5 subcommittees 
     (resulting in the elimination of some 25 subcommittees);
       Reduced committee staffs and funding by one-third from the 
     previous Congress;
       Placed 6-year term limits on committee and subcommittee 
     chairmen, and an 8-year term limit on the Speaker;
       Abolished the use of proxies (``ghost voting'') in 
     committees and subcommittees;
       Required publication of committee rollcall votes in 
     reports;
       Guaranteed broadcast media the right to cover public 
     committee meetings and hearings;
       Required three-fifths vote to pass income tax rate 
     increases and prohibited retroactive income tax increases;
       Abolished legislative service organizations (taxpayer 
     subsidized special interest caucuses);
       Required committee transcripts and Congressional Record to 
     be verbatim accounts;
       Prohibited introduction or consideration of commemorative 
     legislation (establishing special days, week, months, etc.);
       Required committees to adopt and implement oversight 
     agendas;
       Required a comprehensive outside audit of House books;
       Abolished joint bill referrals to multiple committees, 
     while requiring designation of a primary committee and time 
     limits on sequential referrals to secondary committees;
       Abolished ``rolling quorums'' that permitted ``drop-by 
     voting'' to report bills.
       Congressional Accountability Act (H.R. 1, passed House Jan. 
     4, 1995; companion bill, S. 2, enacted into law Jan 23, 1995, 
     Public Law 104-1).--Brought Congress under the same 
     employment laws that apply to the private sector.
       Committee Hearing Schedules (H. Res. 43, adopted Jan. 31, 
     1995).--Required committee hearings to be noticed at least a 
     week in advance unless chairman and ranking minority member 
     agree or committee majority vote on shorter notice.
       Unfunded Mandate Reform (H.R. 5, passed House Feb. 1, 1995; 
     Senate companion bill, S. 1, enacted into law March 22, 1995, 
     Public Law 104-4).--Required special procedures and points of 
     order in the House and Senate to identify and vote on 
     unfunded mandates on private sector and state and local 
     governments contained in bills reported by committees and in 
     amendments offered from the floor.
       House Corrections Calendar (H. Res. 168, adopted June 20, 
     1995).--Established a new House Corrections Calendar to 
     consider bills reported by committees to correct ``dumb'' 
     regulations and clarify intent of Congress by reversing 
     certain court decisions.
       House Gift Ban (H. Res. 250, adopted by House Nov. 16, 
     1995).--Prohibited House Members and staff from accepting 
     gifts from persons other than relatives and close personal 
     friends.
       Book Contracts (H. Res. 299, adopted Nov. 30, 1996).--
     Prohibited House Members and senior staff from accepting 
     advances on books and required pre-approval of contracts by 
     ethics committee.
       Deficit Reduction Lock Box (H.R. 1162, passed House Sept. 
     13, 1995).--Established process for crediting amounts saved 
     on amendments to appropriations bill to apply to deficit 
     reduction.
       Legislation Line-Item Veto (H.R. 2, passed House Feb. 6, 
     1995; Senate companion bill, S. 4, enacted into law April 9, 
     1996, Public Law 104-130).--Authorized President to cancel 
     certain spending items, special interest tax breaks and 
     entitlement provisions from laws, subject to Congressional 
     override votes).

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no venom. BC won big yesterday, so I 
am very happy.

[[Page H11638]]

  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. Pryce] for 
yielding me the customary half hour and I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I agree with the gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. Pryce] about the 
colleagues that are leaving the Rules Committee. They have all 
contributed greatly to the process, all three of them, two Republicans 
and one Democrat, and the Rules Committee will be a lesser place 
because of their departure.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Ohio, Ms. Pryce. The rule we 
are considering this afternoon sounds very complicated.
  In fact the business contained in this bill is normally enacted by 
unanimous consent but, this session is different.
  This session we have a very serious ethics investigation going on.
  For that reason I urge my colleagues to oppose the previous question.
  This rule in and of itself is not particularly problematic but I'm 
going to ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question.
  Late this week the House Ethics Committee voted unanimously to expand 
the independent counsel's investigation of Speaker Gingrich. The 
contents of that new investigation could have some very, very important 
ramifications for the leadership of the Congress and we must make sure 
that we have a way to address them. Unless we reconvene we will not be 
able to, Mr. Speaker; if the previous question is defeated, the House 
shall reconvene on the first Monday after the independent counsel 
reports back on its new investigation of Speaker Gingrich. At the 
moment we have no idea what will be in the report and we don't know how 
we may need to respond to its contents if we oppose the previous 
question we give ourselves a way to respond.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
Michigan [Mr. Bonior], the minority whip of the Democratic Party.
  Mr. BONIOR. I thank my friend for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to read the editorial that was in the New 
York Times this morning, at least one or two paragraphs. It is entitled 
``Mr. Gingrich's Troubles Deepen.''

       A House Ethics Committee that had appeared paralyzed by 
     partisan bickering has taken a startling step in its long-
     stalled investigation of Speaker Newt Gingrich. The committee 
     of five Republicans and five Democrats voted unanimously to 
     broaden its inquiry, adding four new charges against Mr. 
     Gingrich.


                            points of order

  Mr. WALKER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. The gentleman 
will state his point of order.
  Mr. WALKER. The gentleman in the well is engaging in debate which is 
beyond the rules of the House in that he is discussing matters that are 
presently active before the Ethics Committee.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Michigan wish to be 
heard on the point or order?
  Mr. BONIOR. I do.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman may proceed.
  Mr. BONIOR. This resolution, Mr. Speaker, is about what happens to 
the House after the House of Representatives adjourns. Clearly, the 
issue which I am addressing is important in resolving that question. 
The Speaker of the House has traditionally, under the resolutions of 
recent years, been able to call us back into session if indeed there 
was a national or international emergency to do so. However, the 
agreement was reached in terms of giving the Speaker that power. It 
seems to me with the cloud hanging over the head of this institution 
because of the alleged violations by the Speaker on tax fraud and 
misleading the committee and other issues, that in fact the committee 
has just today broadened in terms of its interest in GOPAC----
  Mr. WALKER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. The gentleman 
will state his point of order.
  Mr. WALKER. The gentleman in his discussion on the point of order is 
engaged in debate beyond the rules of the House.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The point of order is sustained. The 
gentleman in the well must properly focus on the point of order at 
hand.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I am trying to make the point that this 
resolution is about the Speaker's authority to bring us back.

                              {time}  1715

  We are attempting to amend that particular resolution in order, 
because the Speaker is at question here on a very important point.
  In order to trigger the House back into session, if indeed the 
special counsel issues its report to the Committee on Standards of 
Official Conduct, it is entirely within the scope of the discussion 
that we are having on this particular rule.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burton of Indiana). The Chair is 
prepared to rule.
  Matters pending before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct 
regarding the official conduct of sitting Members may not be debated on 
the House floor if there is not pending a question of the privileges of 
the House. This has been the consistent ruling of the Chair in this and 
prior Congresses.
  The fact that the committee may have issued an interim status report 
does not justify such references in debate. This also includes 
references to proposed House action on and scheduling of matters 
relating to the conduct of Members.
  The gentleman may proceed in order.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, according to the resolution presently 
pending before the House that, in the event that the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct would make a full report to the House 
subsequent to adjournment sine die, and in that report would either 
call for the resignation, reprimand, or expulsion of the Speaker, that 
this House, under this resolution, would not be able to come back in 
and take up that report.
  Now, the debate is, correct me if I am wrong, I think the debate is 
whether or not this resolution should be amended as to whether or not 
the House should be able to come back in to take up such a report and 
take action on that report.
  Now, what my point of order is, is the Chair now saying we cannot 
discuss the aspect of this resolution that is pending before the House?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will respond to the gentleman's 
point of order.
  The question is not necessarily merely one of relevance. The question 
is one of personalities and decorum in debate. Members must avoid 
personalities within the meaning of rule XIV and the precedents 
thereunder.
  Mr. VOLKMER. You are not saying we cannot debate the issue then. What 
you are saying is, we should not get into personalities. Is that 
correct? Is that the Chair's ruling?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. That is the Chair's ruling.


                             point of order

  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, in order to try to have an uncensored 
debate, but without bringing the Speaker into the issue, if Members 
were to try to have a dialog or debate regarding a potential Speaker 
indictment or other actions, how would Members be able to inquire as to 
a debate on this issue without violating the rules of the House?
  For instance, if we were not to name this particular Speaker, but 
simply spoke----
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
  The Chair cannot anticipate that and will rule on that when and if 
the occasion arises.
  The gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior] may proceed in order.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, the point that I wish to make this evening 
is that we should not leave it up to the present Speaker to decide 
whether the House reconvenes to consider his own case. It is a very 
simple and obvious----


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.

[[Page H11639]]

  Mr. LINDER. The gentleman is referring to matters appropriately 
before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and he is 
explicitly out of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair sustains the point of order, and 
personal references to the Speaker are out of order.
  The gentleman may proceed in order.
  Mr. BONIOR. I will not reference the Speaker then, Mr. Speaker. What 
I will do is talk with respect to the procedures.
  We are offering, as my distinguished colleague from Massachusetts has 
just done, an amendment to this resolution which allows the House to 
reconvene as soon as the outside counsel submits a report. It is as 
simple as that.
  And since the resolution deals with the question of whether or not 
the Speaker of the House should bring the House back into session 
during the period in which we are adjourned sine die, it seems to me 
this is a proper subject for discussion, especially given the 
particular situation that the House finds itself in with respect to its 
reputation and with respect to its leader.
  So I would ask my colleagues to support the amendment offered by my 
friend from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley] and to support the editorial 
that was written today in the New York Times which supports the 
position that we have taken this evening.
  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss].
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I happened to catch some of this in my office, and I was 
concerned about what the resolution might say. I have an inquiry to 
make to the maker of the resolution, which apparently is at the core of 
this debate.
  Mr. Speaker, if I am reading it right, it says the House of 
Representatives shall convene on the first Monday after the submission 
of the special counsel's report on Speaker Newt Gingrich to the 
Investigative Subcommittee to the Committee on Standards of Official 
Conduct. I cannot comment, of course, on anything going on in that 
subcommittee, but I cannot in any way assure that there is such a thing 
now or ever as a special counsel's report.
  The second thing that I need to point out to the maker of this 
resolution is that the potential time in this, even if there were to be 
such a thing as a report at some point, might well be into the future. 
I presume that the Nation's business should go forward without regard 
to a resolution that is as ephemeral as this one is. I would like to 
know whether the maker of the resolution has any time in mind?
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GOSS. I will not yield to the gentleman. I will only make that 
inquiry to those arguing the other point and trying to use dilatory 
tactics on this rule.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro].
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is deeply disturbing that this Congress 
would choose to leave town with a dark ethical cloud handing over the 
U.S. House of Representatives. That cloud, the ethical charges against 
the Speaker, grows bigger and darker almost every day.
  The New York Times today says on its editorial page that we should 
not adjourn--that the House should not adjourn and simply pass this 
mess along to a new Congress and a new Ethics Committee. As the New 
York Times says, ``Had the Republicans been less eager to protect the 
Speaker, the whole case might have been resolved by now.''
  Clearly this investigation has dragged on for far too long. Let us 
not contribute to the delay any longer.


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman is referring to matters 
before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and she is 
specifically ignoring the rules of the House.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair sustains the point of order. The 
gentlewoman must proceed in order.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, let us not contribute to the delay any 
longer. The House should not adjourn without a mechanism in place that 
resolves the charges once the outside counsel finishes his work. This 
Congress should reconvene as soon as the outside counsel's report is 
filed.


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, further point of order. The gentlewoman is 
now referring to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official 
Conduct with respect to the outside council and she is explicitly 
ignoring the rules of the House.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair again sustains the point of order 
and requests the gentlewoman in the well to proceed in order.
  Ms. DeLAURO. This Congress should reconvene once there is the 
continued deliberations of the committee as it so stated in its interim 
report, so we can bring this inexcusably long process to a just and 
proper end.


                             point of order

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, this is not an adjournment resolution. The 
gentlewoman is out of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. For reasons previously stated, the Chair 
sustains the gentleman's point of order.
  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon] the chairman of the Committee on 
Rules.
  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Columbia, OH, for 
yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, it is just regrettable that it is necessary to waste the 
time of the House with a routine business resolution of this House such 
as this, all the items of which in the past have been handled by 
unanimous consent request, which we agreed to when we were in the 
minority. What is going on around here? The American people are 
absolutely fed up and sick of this.
  Just think about this: The Democrats have asked for this unnecessary 
extra hour of debate on a resolution that simply provides for such 
routine matters as setting dates for our organizing caucuses, so we can 
come back here and organize for convening the Congress next year, and 
the printing of House rules and manuals. That is what we are here 
talking about, the ability of committees to file reports after we 
adjourn. That benefits both sides of the aisle. Also the ability of 
Members to revise and extend their remarks in the Record.
  Mr. Speaker, there is nothing unusual. This is the Democrat 
resolution that we simply are offering ourselves, that they have 
offered over the last 14 Congresses.
  Mr. Speaker, what have we come to here? There is such a breakdown of 
comity over such routine matters. I am told some of the Democrat 
leadership is insisting on debating this rule rather than agreeing to 
the usual unanimous consent request, not because they object to 
anything in this resolution, it is a pure and simple resolution, but 
because they want to vent and rave about various things completely 
unrelated to the resolution. There is going to be a time when an 
adjournment resolution comes up to perhaps do those things.
  I had hoped we had reached an agreement with the President and the 
Democrat leadership in this Congress over a final spending bill and 
that we would be able to gracefully and graciously wrap-up this 
Congress in a proud spirit of bipartisanship. That is what it was when 
we worked night and day for the last 72 hours with so sleep at all to 
put this together, agreeing to what the President asked for.
  But I guess that was hoping for too much. I even read in today's 
rollcall that my good friend, the ranking member on the Committee on 
Rules, who is managing this rule on the other side, has said that he 
would not even go out to dinner with a Republican member without 
bringing a taste tester. That hurts.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, that is only 
because of the new lobbying ethics.
  Mr. SOLOMON. Especially only 2 days after the attended a reception I 
helped organize upstairs for our departing Committee on Rules members 
on both sides of the aisle, and I thought the food was pretty good, and 
I thought

[[Page H11640]]

the gentleman did too. He was partaking, and we did not have any taste 
testers up there.
  I guess I am still an optimist, when you get down to it. I know we 
are capable of better, and I still think we can live up to those same 
capabilities in the future.
  I was so encouraged, for instance, by the various bipartisan task 
forces that appeared before our Committee on Rules, reform hearings we 
were holding over the last 2 months, to discuss their efforts to 
restore comity and decorum and civility to this Chamber. David Skaggs 
over there, and Ray LaHood over here, working on a bipartisan retreat 
next session, that was so encouraging. Bill Archer and Tony Beilenson 
from either side of the aisle, who urged us to delay 1 minute until 
after the end of the day, and, boy, do I think that is a good idea. 
That would give us some comity back here.

  Chris Shays on our side of the aisle, David Minge on your side, Tom 
Barrett on your side, Scott Klug on yours, and their bipartisan House 
reform proposals. And I could go on and on and on.
  Mr. Speaker, that is the thing we should be doing. We can do the 
people's business, and we can do it with a smile on our face. We can 
still stick up for our party, but you do not get involved in issues 
like this. What are we hearing upstairs in the Committee on Rules room 
and what we hear downstairs in this Chamber seem to be totally 
different. I just wish all Members could have heard those voices of 
reason, those good sense and sensibility reasons before our committee, 
and maybe today we could all be singing in some kind of harmony here.
  Mr. Speaker, let us just try today to elevate the debate in this 
Chamber to put aside our personal partisan differences, and maybe, just 
maybe, we can leave this 104th Congress with a better feeling for each 
other. We owe that to ourselves and we owe it to the American people 
because, in the final analysis, we have become a Congress, at least 
legislatively, a true coming together to work for the good of the 
people. That is what we have accomplished with this omnibus 
appropriations bill. It was not easy to do. But even the President and 
OMB and all of the administration people working with that other body 
over there, which is not always easy sometimes, we have put the this 
thing together.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to say we have three members from our 
Committee on Rules that are retiring, the chairman emeritus, Jimmy 
Guillen, who could not be with us today, and then we have Tony 
Beilenson on that side of the aisle, and what a voice of common sense 
and calm and reason he has been on our committee, and Enid Greene.

                              {time}  1730

  We are going to miss these people so terribly up in the Committee on 
Rules. I just wonder what we are going to get in replacement, because 
in that partisan committee we have had so much comity and we need that 
kind of comity here on the floor.
  So let us stop this bickering, let us get on with this very simply 
resolution and pass it.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
to say that the piece that the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon] 
referred to when I said that the comity that used to exist in this 
party when the O'Neils, and the Michels, and the Fords were here is 
lacking now, and we need a taste tester when we go out to eat with 
people on the other side was, of course, done with tongue in cheek.
  There is not a member of the Committee on Rules that I would not go 
out and eat with tomorrow, especially if Mr. Solomon, is picking up the 
tab.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. 
Bonior] the distinguished minority whip.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this 
time, and let me, for my friend from New York, put this into some 
different context as to why we are offering this amendment to the 
previous question.
  We come down to this well, Members on both sides of the aisle, and we 
give impassioned speeches about human rights, about democracy. We talk 
about how our fathers and our forefathers fought, wore the uniform of 
this country, as the gentleman from New York did and as I did and as 
many of our colleagues did. We talk about the right to vote, the right 
to vote in an informed way.
  And here we are, 39 days or so before the next election, and we have 
before us an issue in this body that looks like it will go unresolved, 
despite the fact that my friend from Florida, Mr. Goss, in the report 
that the subcommittee put out just on Thursday, indicated that they 
will be concluded, according to the rules of the committee.


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. LINDER. The gentleman is referring to matters before the 
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. He is ignoring the House 
rules one more time. At what point, Mr. Speaker, do we go back to 
regular order, to obeying the House rules so we can conduct our 
business?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair sustains the point of order and 
asks the gentleman in the well to----
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak to that point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will hear the gentleman.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I did not interrupt the gentleman from 
Florida [Mr. Goss] when he made point of order reference to the work 
that he was doing in the subcommittee, because I thought it was 
important for this body to hear.
  I merely cite point of order citation of the report that they made 
Thursday to make this point: And that is that the people of the sixth 
district of Georgia have a right to know what this body and what the 
outside counsel will determine on a candidate who is running for office 
in that district. And it is wrong for this body and this institution to 
adjourn and to give the authority to adjourn to the person whose case 
is before this body.


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair sustains the gentleman's point of 
order against the gentleman from Michigan's remarks. The time of the 
gentleman has expired.
  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia [Mr. Lewis].
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on all of my 
colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to defeat the previous question 
and to uphold the recommendation of the bipartisan Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct.
  Earlier this week the investigative subcommittee charged with 
investigating the serious allegations against Speaker Gingrich issued 
an interim report.


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is referring to matters before 
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, which is explicitly 
forbidden by House rules.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will sustain the gentleman's point 
of order. The gentleman in the well will proceed in order.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, may I be heard on the point of 
order?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized to speak on the 
point of order.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this is unbelievable. This is 
unreal. This is out of the ordinary. Why can a Member, all of the 
Members, not read from a report of a standing committee of this body?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman wish to be heard further 
on the point of order?
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to continue, because 
I believe we have a mandate, a mission, and a moral obligation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has sustained the point of order, 
and the gentleman may proceed in order on his own time.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. The report was adopted unanimously and it was 
released----


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

[[Page H11641]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. The gentleman 
will state his point of order again.
  Mr. LINDER. The gentleman is continuing to refer to matters in spite 
of recent admonitions by the Chair that he is not complying with the 
House rules. He continues to abuse the House rules referring to matters 
before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair sustains the point of order.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. I want to be heard, Mr. Speaker, on the point 
of order.
  I said to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Linder, before, and I say 
again, Mr. Linder, I know the rules of the House, but I think there 
comes a time when an injustice is so great that one has to challenge 
even the rules.
  Mr. McINNIS. Regular order, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
  The Chair sustains the point of order and the gentleman will proceed 
in order.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak on the point 
of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has ruled. The gentleman may 
proceed in order.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, let me quote from the interim 
report. The subcommittee is in the process of notifying Representative 
Gingrich of these new areas of inquiry.


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend in the well. The 
gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is referring to matters before 
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct one more time. This is 
the third or fourth admonition by the Chair. Apparently, he does not 
understand the rules. Would you please explain them one more time?
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will recognize the gentlewoman 
from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] briefly on the point of order.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, what I am having difficulty in 
understanding from the gentleman from Georgia, the document that the 
gentleman from Georgia in the well is speaking about is a public 
document, and I am trying to understand, Mr. Speaker, why there would 
be any ruling that would disagree with any Member being allowed to be 
in the well of the House speaking to a public document and requesting a 
procedural amendment while we are in the midst of discussing an 
adjournment resolution.
  I believe that the gentleman is appropriate in his remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair is prepared to rule. The Char will 
repeat the prior ruling. Matters pending before the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct regarding the official conduct of sitting 
Members may not be debated on the floor where there is not pending a 
question of the privileges of the House.
  This has been the consistent ruling of the Chair in this and prior 
Congresses. The fact that the committee may have issued an interim 
status report does not justify such references in debate. This also 
includes references to proposed House action on scheduling of matters 
relating to the conduct of Members.
  The gentleman may proceed in order.


                         parliamentary inquiry

  Mr. HEFNER. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. HEFNER. My parliamentary inquiry is this: Would it be appropriate 
at this time to challenge the ruling of the Chair on this procedure?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is the prerogative of any Member to 
appeal the ruling of the Chair.
  Mr. HEFNER. I challenge the ruling of the Chair and call for a 
recorded vote.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has ruled. The question is: Shall 
the decision of the Chair stand as the judgment of the House?


                 motion to table offered by mr. walker

  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to table the appeal from the ruling 
of the Chair.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to table the 
appeal.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, is that motion at the desk? The motion is 
not at the desk and not timely.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, the previous motion was not there.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman did not raise it. He is too 
late. That is dilatory.
  Mr. McINNIS. Regular order.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry.
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. The Clerk will 
report the motion to table.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Walker moves to table the motion.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to table.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground a quorum 
is not present and make the point of order a quorum is not present.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Volkmer] 
withdraws his point of order.
  The motion to table is agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Lewis] will 
proceed in order.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is most unfortunate that the 
American public will not be able to see the outside counsel report 
before they cast their votes this November.
  I have said it repeatedly over the past few weeks that the American 
people have the right to see that report and to judge for themselves 
the evidence gathered against the Speaker, Newt Gingrich.


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. The gentleman 
will state his point of order.
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reassert my same point of order. The 
gentleman is referring to matters before the Committee on Standards of 
Official Conduct.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. 
Johnson] wish to speak on the point of order?
  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak on the 
point of order.
  I would like to remind the Members of this House on both sides of the 
aisle that rules adopted under the Democrats when they were in the 
majority, supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, govern the work 
of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and require that its 
work be made public.
  And if the House will have the courage and the civility to let us 
complete our work, we will complete our work, the matter will be made 
public, and the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct will hold 
every Member of this House to those standards.
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentlewoman from Colorado [Mrs. 
Schroeder] wish to speak on the point of order?
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Yes, Mr. Speaker, I would like to be heard on the 
point of order.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Georgia is making a point that this 
Speaker has violated those bipartisan rules, or has been accused of 
that, and that we have been waiting for 2 years, 2 years for this 
committee to act.
  Mr. SOLOMON. Regular order.
  Mr. McINNIS. Regular order.
  Mr. LINDER. Regular order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman will suspend. The Chair is 
prepared to rule on the point of order.
  The point of order of the gentleman from Georgia is sustained. The 
gentleman in the well from Georgia must proceed in order.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the bipartisan ethics committee 
has said it anticipates completing its work by the end of this 
Congress. We owe it to the American people to dispense with this issue 
and remove the dark

[[Page H11642]]

cloud hanging over this institution before the next Congress.
  I urge all of my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, just as the 
bipartisan Committee on Standards of Official Conduct did, to do the 
right thing. Let us return to the 105th Congress untainted by the 
charges of perjury, tax fraud, money laundering, lying to the Committee 
on Standards of Official Conduct.


                             point of order

  Mr. LINDER. Point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman in the well will suspend.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. The American people deserve the right to know 
what is in this report.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman in the well will suspend.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. There is a point of order before the House. 
The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. LINDER. The gentleman in the well is making characterizations of 
allegations that are nowhere in any reports that anyone knows of. He is 
characterizing the Speaker and he is out of order.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair sustains the point of order.


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, do not the rules of the House require 
Members to have decorum and not to interrupt the speakers, as is being 
interrupted at this time; and is it not the prerogative of the Chair to 
make Members be quiet while a Member is speaking on the floor, that has 
the floor?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will inform the gentleman from 
Missouri [Mr. Volkmer] that points of order may be made at any time, 
may interrupt Members in debate.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, that is not a point of order, to boo. 
Booing is not a point of order. That is what was going on, and the 
Chair did not take any action.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. The Chair was 
hearing a point of order at the same time there was a little chaotic 
action in the House, but there was a point of order before the House.
  The gentleman in the well from Georgia must proceed in order.

                              {time}  1745

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, let me close by saying, it is not 
easy to stand here, but there comes a time when we must stand up for 
what is right, for what is fair, for what is just. I love this 
institution, like all of my colleagues. This institution that we are 
elected to, we have an obligation, a mandate and a mission to remove 
this dark cloud hanging over this institution, and let us do the right 
thing and help remove it by releasing this report.
  Ms. PRYCE. 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 urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question. If the 
previous question is defeated, I will offer an amendment to the rule. 
This provision would require that the 104th Congress be reconvened on 
the first Monday after the Special Counsel submits his report on the 
Speaker to the Investigative Subcommittee on the Committee on Standards 
of Official Conduct. This would ensure that Members of the 104th 
Congress have an opportunity to act upon the findings of this special 
investigation. I believe it is imperative that the House take this 
action now to guarantee we can consider the Special Counsel's report. 
Let me make it clear to my colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, 
that defeating the previous question and adopting this amendment is the 
only way to guarantee that the 104th Congress will be able to act on 
this matter.
  I include the text of this amendment for the Record at this point in 
the debate.
  Vote ``no'' on the previous question.

       At the end of the resolution add the following new section:
       ``Sec. 10. The House of Representatives shall reconvene on 
     the first Monday after the submission of the Special 
     Counsel's report on Speaker Newt Gingrich to the 
     Investigative Subcommittee of the Committee on Standards of 
     Official Conduct.''

   Mr. Speaker, I include the following for the Record:
  


          FLOOR PROCEDURE IN THE 104TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION; 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................           None.
                                  Package.                                                                      
H.R. 5*........................  Unfunded Mandates.  H. Res. 38           Restrictive...........            N/A.
H.J. Res. 2*...................  Balanced Budget...  H. Res. 44           Restrictive...........         2R; 4D.
H. Res. 43.....................  Committee Hearings  H. Res. 43 (OJ)      Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Scheduling.                                                                   
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..................            N/A.
H.R. 665*......................  Victim Restitution  H. Res. 61           Open..................            N/A.
                                  Act of 1995.                                                                  
H.R. 666*......................  Exclusionary Rule   H. Res. 60           Open..................            N/A.
                                  Reform Act of                                                                 
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.R. 667*......................  Violent Criminal    H. Res. 63           Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Incarceration Act                                                             
                                  of 1995.                                                                      
H.R. 668*......................  The Criminal Alien  H. Res. 69           Open..................            N/A.
                                  Deportation                                                                   
                                  Improvement Act.                                                              
H.R. 728*......................  Local Government    H. Res. 79           Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Law Enforcement                                                               
                                  Block Grants.                                                                 
H.R. 7*........................  National Security   H. Res. 83           Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Revitalization                                                                
                                  Act.                                                                          
H.R. 729*......................  Death Penalty/      N/A                  Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Habeas.                                                                       
S. 2...........................  Senate Compliance.  N/A                  Closed................           None.
H.R. 831.......................  To Permanently      H. Res. 88           Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Extend the Health                                                             
                                  Insurance                                                                     
                                  Deduction for the                                                             
                                  Self-Employed.                                                                
H.R. 830*......................  The Paperwork       H. Res. 91           Open..................            N/A.
                                  Reduction Act.                                                                
H.R. 889.......................  Emergency           H. Res. 92           Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Supplemental/                                                                 
                                  Rescinding                                                                    
                                  Certain Budget                                                                
                                  Authority.                                                                    
H.R. 450*......................  Regulatory          H. Res. 93           Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Moratorium.                                                                   
H.R. 1022*.....................  Risk Assessment...  H. Res. 96           Restrictive...........            N/A.
H.R. 926*......................  Regulatory          H. Res. 100          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Flexibility.                                                                  
H.R. 925*......................  Private Property    H. Res. 101          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Protection Act.                                                               
H.R. 1058*.....................  Securities          H. Res. 105          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Litigation Reform                                                             
                                  Act.                                                                          
H.R. 988*......................  The Attorney        H. Res. 104          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Accountability                                                                
                                  Act of 1995.                                                                  
H.R. 956*......................  Product Liability   H. Res. 109          Restrictive...........         8D; 7R.
                                  and Legal Reform                                                              
                                  Act.                                                                          
H.R. 1158......................  Making Emergency    H. Res. 115          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Supplemental                                                                  
                                  Appropriations                                                                
                                  and Rescissions.                                                              
H.J. Res. 73*..................  Term Limits.......  H. Res. 116          Restrictive...........          1D; 3R
H.R. 4*........................  Welfare Reform....  H. Res. 119          Restrictive...........        5D; 26R.
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...........             1D.
                                  America Tax                                                                   
                                  Relief Act of                                                                 
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.R. 483.......................  Medicare Select     H. Res. 130          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Extension.                                                                    
H.R. 655.......................  Hydrogen Future     H. Res. 136          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Act.                                                                          
H.R. 1361......................  Coast Guard         H. Res. 139          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Authorization.                                                                
H.R. 961.......................  Clean Water Act...  H. Res. 140          Open..................            N/A.
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...........         3D; 1R.
H.R. 1561......................  American Overseas   H. Res. 155          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Interests Act of                                                              
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.R. 1530......................  National Defense    H. Res. 164          Restrictive...........     36R; 18D; 2
                                  Authorization                                                      Bipartisan.
                                  Act; FY 1996.                                                                 

[[Page H11643]]

                                                                                                                
H.R. 1817......................  Military            H. Res. 167          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Construction                                                                  
                                  Appropriations;                                                               
                                  FY 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 1854......................  Legislative Branch  H. Res. 169          Restrictive...........       5R; 4D; 2
                                  Appropriations.                                                    Bipartisan.
H.R. 1868......................  Foreign Operations  H. Res. 170          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 1905......................  Energy & Water      H. Res. 171          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.J. Res. 79...................  Constitutional      H. Res. 173          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Amendment to                                                                  
                                  Permit Congress                                                               
                                  and States to                                                                 
                                  Prohibit the                                                                  
                                  Physical                                                                      
                                  Desecration of                                                                
                                  the American Flag.                                                            
H.R. 1944......................  Recissions Bill...  H. Res. 175          Restrictive...........            N/A.
H.R. 1868 (2nd rule)...........  Foreign Operations  H. Res. 177          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 1977 *Rule Defeated*......  Interior            H. Res. 185          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 1977......................  Interior            H. Res. 187          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 1976......................  Agriculture         H. Res. 188          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 1977 (3rd rule)...........  Interior            H. Res. 189          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 2020......................  Treasury Postal     H. Res. 190          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.J. Res. 96...................  Disapproving MFN    H. Res. 193          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  for China.                                                                    
H.R. 2002......................  Transportation      H. Res. 194          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 70........................  Exports of Alaskan  H. Res. 197          Open..................            N/A.
                                  North Slope Oil.                                                              
H.R. 2076......................  Commerce, Justice   H. Res. 198          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 2099......................  VA/HUD              H. Res. 201          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
S. 21..........................  Termination of      H. Res. 204          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  U.S. Arms Embargo                                                             
                                  on Bosnia.                                                                    
H.R. 2126......................  Defense             H. Res. 205          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 1555......................  Communications Act  H. Res. 207          Restrictive...........     2R/3D/3 Bi-
                                  of 1995.                                                             partisan.
H.R. 2127......................  Labor/HHS           H. Res. 208          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations                                                                
                                  Act.                                                                          
H.R. 1594......................  Economically        H. Res. 215          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Targeted                                                                      
                                  Investments.                                                                  
H.R. 1655......................  Intelligence        H. Res. 216          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Authorization.                                                                
H.R. 1162......................  Deficit Reduction   H. Res. 218          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Lock Box.                                                                     
H.R. 1670......................  Federal             H. Res. 219          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Acquisition                                                                   
                                  Reform Act of                                                                 
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.R. 1617......................  To Consolidate and  H. Res. 222          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Reform Workforce                                                              
                                  Development and                                                               
                                  Literacy Programs                                                             
                                  Act (CAREERS).                                                                
H.R. 2274......................  National Highway    H. Res. 224          Open..................            N/A.
                                  System                                                                        
                                  Designation Act                                                               
                                  of 1995.                                                                      
H.R. 927.......................  Cuban Liberty and   H. Res. 225          Restrictive...........          2R/2D.
                                  Democratic                                                                    
                                  Solidarity Act of                                                             
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.R. 743.......................  The Teamwork for    H. Res. 226          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Employees and                                                                 
                                  Managers Act of                                                               
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.R. 1170......................  3-Judge Court for   H. Res. 227          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Certain                                                                       
                                  Injunctions.                                                                  
H.R. 1601......................  International       H. Res. 228          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Space Station                                                                 
                                  Authorization Act                                                             
                                  of 1995.                                                                      
H.J. Res. 108..................  Making Continuing   H. Res. 230          Closed................  ..............
                                  Appropriations                                                                
                                  for FY 1996.                                                                  
H.R. 2405......................  Omnibus Civilian    H. Res. 234          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Science                                                                       
                                  Authorization Act                                                             
                                  of 1995.                                                                      
H.R. 2259......................  To Disapprove       H. Res. 237          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Certain                                                                       
                                  Sentencing                                                                    
                                  Guideline                                                                     
                                  Amendments.                                                                   
H.R. 2425......................  Medicare            H. Res. 238          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Preservation Act.                                                             
H.R. 2492......................  Legislative Branch  H. Res. 239          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Appropriations                                                                
                                  Bill.                                                                         
H.R. 2491......................  7 Year Balanced     H. Res. 245          Restrictive...........             1D.
H. Con. Res. 109...............   Budget                                                                        
                                  Reconciliation                                                                
                                  Social Security                                                               
                                  Earnings Test                                                                 
                                  Reform.                                                                       
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...........            N/A.
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1996.                                                                         
H.J. Res. 115..................  Further Continuing  H. Res. 257          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations                                                                
                                  for FY 1996.                                                                  
H.R. 2586......................  Temporary Increase  H. Res. 258          Restrictive...........             5R.
                                  in the Statutory                                                              
                                  Debt Limit.                                                                   
H.R. 2539......................  ICC Termination...  H. Res. 259          Open..................  ..............
H.J. Res. 115..................  Further Continuing  H. Res. 261          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations                                                                
                                  for FY 1996.                                                                  
H.R. 2586......................  Temporary Increase  H. Res. 262          Closed................            N/A.
                                  in the Statutory                                                              
                                  Limit on the                                                                  
                                  Public Debt.                                                                  
H. Res. 250....................  House Gift Rule     H. Res. 268          Closed................             2R.
                                  Reform.                                                                       
H.R. 2564......................  Lobbying            H. Res. 269          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Disclosure Act of                                                             
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.R. 2606......................  Prohibition on      H. Res. 273          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Funds for Bosnia                                                              
                                  Deployment.                                                                   
H.R. 1788......................  Amtrak Reform and   H. Res. 289          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Privatization Act                                                             
                                  of 1995.                                                                      
H.R. 1350......................  Maritime Security   H. Res. 287          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Act of 1995.                                                                  
H.R. 2621......................  To Protect Federal  H. Res. 293          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Trust Funds.                                                                  
H.R. 1745......................  Utah Public Lands   H. Res. 303          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Management Act of                                                             
                                  1995.                                                                         
H. Res. 304....................  Providing for       N/A                  Closed................         1D; 2R.
                                  Debate and                                                                    
                                  Consideration of                                                              
                                  Three Measures                                                                
                                  Relating to U.S.                                                              
                                  Troop Deployments                                                             
                                  in Bosnia.                                                                    
H. Res. 309....................  Revised Budget      H. Res. 309          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Resolution.                                                                   
H.R. 558.......................  Texas Low-Level     H. Res. 313          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Radioactive Waste                                                             
                                  Disposal Compact                                                              
                                  Consent Act.                                                                  
H.R. 2677......................  The National Parks  H. Res. 323          Closed................            N/A.
                                  and National                                                                  
                                  Wildlife Refuge                                                               
                                  Systems Freedom                                                               
                                  Act of 1995.                                                                  
                                   PROCEDURE IN THE 104TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION                                   
                                                                                                                
H.R. 1643......................  To authorize the    H. Res. 334          Closed................            N/A.
                                  extension of                                                                  
                                  nondiscriminatory                                                             
                                  treatment (MFN)                                                               
                                  to the products                                                               
                                  of Bulgaria.                                                                  
H.J. Res. 134..................  Making continuing   H. Res. 336          Closed................            N/A.
H. Con. Res. 131...............   appropriations/                                                               
                                  establishing                                                                  
                                  procedures making                                                             
                                  the transmission                                                              
                                  of the continuing                                                             
                                  resolution H.J.                                                               
                                  Res. 134.                                                                     
H.R. 1358......................  Conveyance of       H. Res. 338          Closed................            N/A.
                                  National Marine                                                               
                                  Fisheries Service                                                             
                                  Laboratory at                                                                 
                                  Gloucester,                                                                   
                                  Massachusetts.                                                                
H.R. 2924......................  Social Security     H. Res. 355          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Guarantee Act.                                                                
H.R. 2854......................  The Agricultural    H. Res. 366          Restrictive...........       5D; 9R; 2
                                  Market Transition                                                  Bipartisan.
                                  Program.                                                                      
H.R. 994.......................  Regulatory Sunset   H. Res. 368          Open rule; Rule tabled            N/A.
                                  & Review Act of                                                               
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.R. 3021......................  To Guarantee the    H. Res. 371          Closed rule...........            N/A.
                                  Continuing Full                                                               
                                  Investment of                                                                 
                                  Social Security                                                               
                                  and Other Federal                                                             
                                  Funds in                                                                      
                                  Obligations of                                                                
                                  the United States.                                                            
H.R. 3019......................  A Further           H. Res. 372          Restrictive...........          2D/2R.
                                  Downpayment                                                                   
                                  Toward a Balanced                                                             
                                  Budget.                                                                       
H.R. 2703......................  The Effective       H. Res. 380          Restrictive...........       6D; 7R; 4
                                  Death Penalty and                                                  Bipartisan.
                                  Public Safety Act                                                             
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 2202......................  The Immigration     H. Res. 384          Restrictive...........     12D; 19R; 1
                                  and National                                                       Bipartisan.
                                  Interest Act of                                                               
                                  1995.                                                                         
H.J. Res. 165..................  Making further      H. Res. 386          Closed................            N/A.
                                  continuing                                                                    
                                  appropriations                                                                
                                  for FY 1996.                                                                  
H.R. 125.......................  The Gun Crime       H. Res. 388          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Enforcement and                                                               
                                  Second Amendment                                                              
                                  Restoration Act                                                               
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 3136......................  The Contract With   H. Res. 391          Closed................            N/A.
                                  America                                                                       
                                  Advancement Act                                                               
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 3103......................  The Health          H. Res. 392          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Coverage                                                                      
                                  Availability and                                                              
                                  Affordability Act                                                             
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.J. Res. 159..................  Tax Limitation      H. Res. 395          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Constitutional                                                                
                                  Amendment.                                                                    
H.R. 842.......................  Truth in Budgeting  H. Res. 396          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Act.                                                                          
H.R. 2715......................  Paperwork           H. Res. 409          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Elimination Act                                                               
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 1675......................  National Wildlife   H. Res. 410          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Refuge                                                                        
                                  Improvement Act                                                               
                                  of 1995.                                                                      
H.J. Res. 175..................  Further Continuing  H. Res. 411          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations                                                                
                                  for FY 1996.                                                                  
H.R. 2641......................  United States       H. Res. 418          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Marshals Service                                                              
                                  Improvement Act                                                               
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 2149......................  The Ocean Shipping  H. Res. 419          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Reform Act.                                                                   
H.R. 2974......................  To amend the        H. Res. 421          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Violent Crime                                                                 
                                  Control and Law                                                               
                                  Enforcement Act                                                               
                                  of 1994 to                                                                    
                                  provide enhanced                                                              
                                  penalties for                                                                 
                                  crimes against                                                                
                                  elderly and child                                                             
                                  victims.                                                                      
H.R. 3120......................  To amend Title 18,  H. Res. 422          Open..................            N/A.
                                  United States                                                                 
                                  Code, with                                                                    
                                  respect to                                                                    
                                  witness                                                                       
                                  retaliation,                                                                  
                                  witness tampering                                                             
                                  and jury                                                                      
                                  tampering.                                                                    
H.R. 2406......................  The United States   H. Res. 426          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Housing Act of                                                                
                                  1996.                                                                         
H.R. 3322......................  Omnibus Civilian    H. Res. 427          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Science                                                                       
                                  Authorization Act                                                             
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 3286......................  The Adoption        H. Res. 428          Restrictive...........         1D; 1R.
                                  Promotion and                                                                 
                                  Stability Act of                                                              
                                  1996.                                                                         
H.R. 3230......................  Defense             H. Res. 430          Restrictive...........      41 amends;
                                  Authorization                                                      20D; 17R; 4
                                  Bill FY 1997.                                                      bipartisan.
H.R. 3415......................  Repeal of the 4.3-  H. Res. 436          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Cent Increase in                                                              
                                  Transporation                                                                 
                                  Fuel Taxes.                                                                   
H.R. 3259......................  Intelligence        H. Res. 437          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Authorization Act                                                             
                                  for FY 1997.                                                                  
H.R. 3144......................  The Defend America  H. Res. 438          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Act.                                                                          
H.R. 3448/H.R. 1227............  The Small Business  H. Res. 440          Restrictive...........             2R.
                                  Job Protection                                                                
                                  Act of 1996, and                                                              
                                  The Employee                                                                  
                                  Commuting                                                                     
                                  Flexibility Act                                                               
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 3517......................  Military            H. Res. 442          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Construction                                                                  
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1997.                                                                         
H.R. 3540......................  Foreign Operations  H. Res. 445          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1997.                                                                         

[[Page H11644]]

                                                                                                                
H.R. 3562......................  The Wisconsin       H. Res. 446          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Works Waiver                                                                  
                                  Approval Act.                                                                 
H.R. 2754......................  Shipbuilding Trade  H. Res. 448          Restrictive...........             1R.
                                  Agreement Act.                                                                
H.R. 3603......................  Agriculture         H. Res. 451          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1997.                                                                         
H.R. 3610......................  Defense             H. Res. 453          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1997.                                                                         
H.R. 3662......................  Interior            H. Res. 455          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1997.                                                                         
H.R. 3666......................  VA/HUD              H. Res. 456          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations.                                                               
H.R. 3675......................  Transportation      H. Res. 460          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1997.                                                                         
H.J. Res. 182/H.Res 461........  Disapproving MFN    H. Res. 463          Closed................            N/A.
                                  Status for the                                                                
                                  Peoples Republic                                                              
                                  of China.                                                                     
H. Con. Res. 192...............  Making in order a   H. Res 465           Closed................            N/A.
                                  Concurrent                                                                    
                                  Resolution                                                                    
                                  Providing for the                                                             
                                  Adjournment of                                                                
                                  the House over                                                                
                                  the 4th of July                                                               
                                  district work                                                                 
                                  period.                                                                       
H.R. 3755......................  Labor/HHS           H. Res. 472          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1997.                                                                         
H.R. 3754......................  Legislative Branch  H. Res. 473          Restrictive...........         3D; 5R.
                                  Appropriations FY                                                             
                                  1997.                                                                         
H.R. 3396......................  Defense of          H. Res. 474          Restrictive...........             2D.
                                  Marriage Act.                                                                 
H.R. 3756......................  Treasury, Postal    H. Res. 475          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations,                                                               
                                  FY 1997.                                                                      
H.R. 3814......................  Commerce, Justice,  H. Res. 479          Open..................            N/A.
                                  State                                                                         
                                  Appropriations,                                                               
                                  FY 1997.                                                                      
H.R. 3820......................  Campaign Finance    H. Res. 481          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Reform Act of                                                                 
                                  1996.                                                                         
H.R. 3734......................  The Personal        H. Res. 482          Restrictive...........         1D; 1R.
                                  Responsibility                                                                
                                  Act of 1996.                                                                  
H.R. 3816......................  Energy and Water    H. Res. 483          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Appropriations,                                                               
                                  FY 1997.                                                                      
H.R. 2391......................  Working Families    H. Res. 488          Restrictive...........            N/A.
                                  Flexibility Act                                                               
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 2823......................  The International   H. Res. 489          Restrictive...........             1D.
                                  Dolphin                                                                       
                                  Conservation                                                                  
                                  Program Act.                                                                  
H.R. 123.......................  English as the      H. Res. 499          Restrictive...........         4D; 1R.
                                  Official Language.                                                            
H.R. 3719......................  The Small Business  H. Res. 516          Open..................            N/A.
                                  Programs                                                                      
                                  Improvement Act                                                               
                                  of 1996.                                                                      
H.R. 3308......................  United States       H. Res. 517          Restrictive...........       1D; 1R; 1
                                  Armed Forces                                                       Bipartisan.
                                  Protection Act.                                                               
H.R. 4134......................  Authorizing to      H. Res. 530          Closed................            N/A.
                                  deny public                                                                   
                                  education                                                                     
                                  benefits to                                                                   
                                  certain aliens                                                                
                                  not lawfully                                                                  
                                  present in the                                                                
                                  United States.                                                                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Contract Bills, 67% restrictive; 33% open. All legislation 1st Session, 53% restrictive; 47% open. *** All    
  legislation 2d Session, 61% restrictive; 39% open. All legislation 104th Congress, 57% restrictive; 43% 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. PQ Indicates that previous question was ordered on 
  the resolution. 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. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. PRYCE. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 546 is noncontroversial in 
its form, for a number of minor housekeeping items, and I urge its 
adoption. Let us pass this final rule and bring us one step closer to 
finishing our work her in this Congress.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. (Mr. Burton of Indiana). The question is on 
ordering the previous question.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
_______________________________________________________________________
                              N O T I C E

   Incomplete record of House proceedings. Except for the following 
                                matter,
 today's House proceedings will be continued in the next issue of the 
                                Record.


                          ____________________