[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 114 (Wednesday, September 3, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H6724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON H.R. 2016, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1998

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 2016) making appropriations for military 
construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure for the 
Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, 
and for other purposes, with Senate amendments thereto, disagree to the 
Senate amendments, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.


                Motion to Instruct Offered by Mr. Hefner

  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Hefner moves that the managers on the part of the House 
     at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses 
     on the bill, H.R. 2016, be instructed to insist on the House 
     position with respect to funding for Family Housing, 
     Dormitories and Barracks for military personnel serving 
     worldwide.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. 
Hefner] will be recognized for 30 minutes, and the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Packard] will be recognized for 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Hefner].
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, when the House passed the military construction bill, it 
included funding for many important projects for family housing, 
barracks, and dormitories. By a vote of 395 to 134, we agreed to place 
a high priority on the quality of life of our men and women in the 
military and their families as they serve us around the world.
  The other body, however, does not seem to feel as we do; $145 million 
was cut for family housing and $65 million was cut from barracks. We 
give them the best training in the world, but with the lack of decent 
housing, we cannot get them to reenlist in the services.
  These young men and women are sent to the far corners of the world, 
but we cannot provide proper care and a proper place for them to live. 
Whether it is a base near your district or in Korea or Germany, these 
people deserve adequate housing.
  My motion, Mr. Speaker, provides specific direction to the conferees 
to make certain that in resolving the differences between the House and 
the other body, a high priority is given to the quality of life of the 
men and women serving us in the military.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.


                             general leave

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H.R. 2016, and that I may include tabular and extraneous 
materials.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on the motion to instruct, I wholeheartedly agree with 
the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Hefner]. We have made a very, 
very significant step forward in the House bill to emphasize quality-
of-life issues, housing, barracks, day care centers, hospitals, dental 
centers, and a variety of other areas to make life more pleasant and 
agreeable for our men and women in the services. So we have built our 
bill, the House bill, around these basic concepts of emphasizing 
quality of life.
  This motion to instruct simply restates what we agreed to do in our 
committee as we wrote and marked up our bill to this point. I deeply 
appreciate the efforts of the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. 
Hefner] to continue to emphasize these quality-of-life principles as we 
go to conference. I hope the Senate will agree with our concepts of 
what is important.
  Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly agree with the motion to instruct and 
recommend that it pass.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the motion to instruct.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to instruct 
offered by the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Hefner].
  The motion to instruct was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the Chair appoints the 
following conferees:
  Messrs: Packard, Porter, Hobson, Wicker, Kingston, Parker, Tiahrt, 
Wamp, Livingston, Hefner, Olver, Edwards, Dicks, Hoyer, and Obey.
  There was no objection.

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