[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1802]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1273, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 
                       AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1997

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, 
I call up House Resolution 126 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 126

       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 1(b) of rule 
     XXIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the State of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 1273) to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
     years 1998 and 1999 for the National Science Foundation, and 
     for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be 
     dispensed with. General debate shall be confined to the bill 
     and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled 
     by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
     on Science. After general debate the bill shall be considered 
     for amendment under the five-minute rule. It shall be in 
     order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of 
     amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the 
     nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on 
     Science now printed in the bill. The committee amendment in 
     the nature of a substitute shall be considered by title 
     rather than by section. Each title shall be considered as 
     read. During consideration of the bill for amendment, the 
     Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may accord priority in 
     recognition on the basis of whether the Member offering an 
     amendment has caused it to be printed in the portion of the 
     Congressional Record designated for that purpose in clause 6 
     of rule XXIII. Amendments so printed shall be considered as 
     read. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for 
     amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the 
     House with such amendments as may have been adopted. Any 
     Member may demand a separate vote in the House on any 
     amendment adopted in the Committee of the Whole to the bill 
     or to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
     The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the 
     bill and amendments thereto to final passage without 
     intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or 
     without instructions.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida [Mr. Diaz-Balart] 
is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I 
yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. 
Slaughter] pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the 
purpose of debate only.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 126 is an open rule providing for the 
consideration of House Resolution 1273, the National Science Foundation 
Act of 1997. The purpose of this legislation is to authorize the 
activities of the National Science Foundation for the fiscal years 1998 
and 1999. House Resolution 126 provides for 1 hour of general debate, 
to be equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Science. After general debate, it 
shall be in order to consider as an original bill for purpose of 
amendment under the 5-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on Science now printed in the 
bill. Each title shall be considered as read.
  Further, the Chair will be authorized to grant priority in 
recognition to Members who have pre-printed their amendments in the 
Congressional Record, and the rule provides for one motion to recommit 
with or without instructions.
  As is well known, Mr. Speaker, the National Science Foundation funds 
research and education activities in all fields of science and 
engineering at colleges and universities throughout the United States, 
and, Mr. Speaker, similar to the previous rule, the rule that we just 
adopted, this rule, 126, is open, and I urge its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this open rule that will allow us to consider 
H.R. 1273, the National Science Foundation Authorization Act. The 
National Science Foundation contributes to the advancement of 
biological sciences, geosciences, mathematical and physical sciences, 
as well as scientific research and educational programs. In my own 
district of Rochester, NY, last year the NSF awarded $13 million in 
grants to support both basic and scientific research and high-tech 
development. Ninety-six NSF grants enabled scientists in my district to 
pursue critical work and optical science and engineering, advanced 
manufacturing technologies and virtual reality programs which can 
replace the real world in testing and debugging a system.

                              {time}  1045

  The NSF is the foundation for the countless scientific and 
technological advances that enable us to compete in the global economy.
  We should pass this bill, which provides continued funding for the 
NSF. I urge my colleagues to support this open rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, 
and I move the previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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