[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 130 (Thursday, September 25, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. ARMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise for the purpose of making an 
announcement to the House about the House's work schedule for the 
remainder of the legislative program.
  Mr. Speaker, does the gentleman from West Virginia wish to comment on 
the unanimous-consent request?
  Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from West Virginia.
  Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I would tell the gentleman, no. I thank 
the majority. We agree with it, and appreciate the opportunity to work 
it out. We are glad that we have worked it out, and look forward to 
further debate on the bill.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, of course I realize fully that the unanimous-
consent request was completely understood by all the Members here, and 
that there could possibly be no questions related to it.
  I know that it reminded me of that great Harry Bellafonte song, 
``It's clear as mud but it covers the ground,'' and everybody here is 
satisfied with where we are. I would like to take a moment, though, Mr. 
Speaker, to explain what this all means in our lives as Members as we 
plan the rest of our evening, the rest of the week and further 
consideration of this bill.
  Let me begin, Mr. Speaker, with the good news. The good news is that 
there will be no more recorded votes this evening. Now, it only gets 
better from here, Mr. Speaker. The committee, again, the Members of the 
committee and the floor managers have once again tonight demonstrated 
that they continue to be willing to stay here and work on the bill even 
though the rest of us are free from the constraint of further votes 
this evening, and they will remain and continue to consider titles 2, 
3, and 4 of the bill, and hopefully make good progress on those titles 
tonight. We will return tomorrow to consideration of the bill. The 
House will reconvene at 9 a.m. in the morning. It is our interest 
tomorrow to complete as much as is possible and hopefully altogether 
consideration of titles 5 and 6.
  Members should understand and be assured that what we have obtained 
in this unanimous-consent request is a minimal number of dilatory or 
otherwise extracurricular votes. There will be some, but they will be 
minimal.
  Furthermore, there are agreed-upon time limitations on some of the 
amendments. We ought to be able to proceed in consideration of this 
bill. But all Members should understand that we are no longer able, in 
order to achieve that much progress on the bill as is necessary to fit 
it into the work schedule for the remainder of the year and the 
impending end of the fiscal year, we may not be able tomorrow to be out 
by 2 o'clock, as is the expected time on Friday.
  We should, however, feel quite confident that we can assure Members 
by virtue of this agreement that we will not work on Saturday or 
Sunday, and we will resume next week as scheduled. It is altogether 
possible, if things go well tomorrow, that we could make 2 o'clock, but 
Members need to understand that that might not be the case.
  I want to thank everybody that has been a party to this agreement. If 
I may indulge myself for just a moment to put a rib on one of my 
colleagues from the other side of the aisle, I take a risk here, I 
know, but of course I always prey on his good sense of humor. The 
gentleman from California [Mr. Miller], who is affectionately known on 
our side as the deacon of dilatoriness, has agreed with this, as we all 
have.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I think in plain English Members need to 
understand that that means tonight all votes will be rolled. The debate 
on the census will occur on Tuesday.
  Mr. ARMEY. That is absolutely right. I appreciate that. Again, let me 
thank the Members. It has been my pleasure again this evening to speak 
to the House.

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