[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 1, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H8295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REQUEST THAT POSTPONED MOTIONS TO SUSPEND RULES AND PASS BILLS OR AGREE 
  TO RESOLUTIONS BE CONSIDERED PASSED IN FORM CONSIDERED BY HOUSE ON 
       MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1997, AND THE JOURNAL STAND APPROVED

  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take a moment to remind my 
colleagues that despite our very best efforts to complete this business 
as early as possible and to be done with business today, any of these 
suspension votes that are not handled today will, in fact, be regular 
order of business, necessarily handled tomorrow, and we would certainly 
want to avoid that if at all possible.
  So in light of that, Mr. Speaker, again I ask unanimous consent that 
the remaining postponed motions to suspend the rules and pass bills or 
agree to resolutions be considered as passed in the form considered by 
the House on Monday, September 29, 1997, and that the Journal stand 
approved today.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, as the only 
Jewish Member of the leadership of either party in this House, I feel 
obligated to make some observations at this point and to make a 
suggestion to my distinguished colleague from Texas, the majority 
leader.
  I believe that the parliamentary situation that we have found 
ourselves in for the last several hours does not bring credit to either 
party in this House, and I would suggest to the majority leader that 
there is a solution to this problem. I know the majority leader is 
reluctant to accept this solution. I would urge him to do so.
  The solution is to roll these votes until next Monday. The 
alternative of having votes tomorrow places the Jewish Members of this 
House, both Republicans and Democrats, in an intolerable situation. The 
Jewish Members cannot be present tomorrow. The Republican Jewish 
Members cannot be present, the Democratic Jewish Members cannot be 
present tomorrow, and the majority leader understands that.
  If I may continue, I think what we have done in the last several 
hours does not bring credit to this House and it does not bring credit 
to either party in this House.

                              {time}  1423

  I would urge the majority leader to amend his unanimous request and 
do the correct thing, even though I know he is reluctant to do that. 
But I would urge him, in a sense of comity, in a sense of what is good 
for this institution, to continue those votes to a time when Members 
can be present and vote.
  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I object.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Objection is heard.

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