[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 155 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H10318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS, FISCAL YEAR 1998

  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of 
today, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 101) making further 
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1998, and for other 
purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
  The text of the joint resolution is as follows:

                             H.J. Res. 101

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 
     106(3) of Public Law 105-46 is further amended by striking 
     ``November 7, 1997'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``November 
     9, 1997'', and each provision amended by sections 122 and 123 
     of such public law shall be applied as if ``November 9, 
     1997'' was substituted for ``October 23, 1997''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of today, 
the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston] and the gentleman from 
Wisconsin [Mr. Obey] each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston].


                             General Leave

  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on House Joint Resolution 101 and that I may include tabular 
and extraneous material.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Louisiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. LIVINGSTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, the second fiscal year 1998 continuing 
resolution expires tonight. Currently, 7 of the 13 appropriations bills 
have been enacted into law and two others are pending at the White 
House. We have just adopted the conference report on the Labor-HHS 
bill, leaving three appropriations bills left to finish in the House. 
Because these remaining bills will not be enacted into law by tonight, 
it is necessary now to proceed with an extension of the current short-
term continuing resolution so that the Government can continue to 
operate.
  The joint resolution now before the House merely extends the 
provisions of the initial continuing resolution until November 9, or 
for 2 more days, while we wrap up our work. The basic funding rate 
would continue to be the current rate. We retain the provisions that 
lower or restrict those current rates that might be at too high a level 
and would therefore impinge on final funding levels. Also, the 
traditional restrictions such as no new starts and 1997 terms and 
conditions are retained. The expiration date of November 9 should give 
us time to complete our work.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the joint resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I frankly have misgivings and mixed feelings about this 
continuing resolution. People who know me know that I have a black 
Irish soul and that I often worry about the downside of life, but even 
I, until 2 days ago, was very optimistic that we would be able to get 
out of here with all of our work done on the appropriation bills 
without the need for a continuing resolution. Indeed, up until 2 days 
ago, I think we were on that track.

                              {time}  1900

  But then something happened, because all of a sudden the flexibility 
which we thought we saw on the part of that side of the aisle and this 
side of the aisle all of a sudden seemed to disappear, and now we have 
heard disturbing rumors about the linkage of fast track legislation 
with the remaining appropriation bills. And I must say that I find it 
disconcerting to go into a conference on the State-Justice-Commerce 
appropriation bill today and to discover that the conferees are being 
told that they must begin the conference without knowing what the 
language is that we will be asked to vote on issues such as the census, 
for instance.
  Now, I happen to be in a peculiar position. I have supported the 
Republican Party position on the issue of sampling on the census, but 
it is apparent to me that there is a deal or near deal between the 
Republican leadership and the White House on that language, and yet 
rank-and-file Members on neither side of the aisle have so far been 
given access to whatever that language is.
  Now, regardless of one's position on the issue, Members have a right 
to know what it is, and it seems to me that we would not have this CR 
before us if games were not being played. We were, in fact, told that 
one Member of the leadership today indicated that the language on the 
census could not be made public until the vote on fast track because it 
would, quote, cost votes on fast track.
  Now, I do not know which side of the aisle is likely to be sold out 
on that issue, whether it is our side of the aisle or their side of the 
aisle, but somebody apparently is, and it seems to me that what is 
happening is very simple. These other appropriation bills are being 
stalled out in terms of our getting any full information until fast 
track votes have been achieved.
  Now, that greatly complicates the appropriations process, it greatly 
adds to the mistrust in this place, and it is, in my view, the only 
reason why we even have this CR before us tonight. The issues on 
appropriation bills were easily resolvable before they became linked to 
the fast track train, and it just seems to me that rank-and-file 
Members need to know that we are in the position of needing yet another 
CR not because of any failure of the Committee on Appropriations to do 
its work, or certainly not because of any failure of the chairman of 
the Committee on Appropriations, or to see to it that these 
appropriations bills are done, but simply because people at higher 
levels are linking things that ought not be linked, and, as a result, 
this committee once again is prevented from doing its business in a 
timely fashion.
  I find that very much regrettable and very much not in the public 
interest, and I am tempted to call a roll call on this because of that, 
but in the interests of accommodating the Members who would finally 
like to get out of here, and get a decent meal, and get some sleep, I 
will withhold. But I do not think Members ought to be fooled. There is 
very clearly linkage that certain parties are trying to establish on 
these issues, and I think that is unfortunate because it gets in the 
way of our ability to deal with these bills straight up and on the 
square.
  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, is the gentleman from Wisconsin prepared 
to yield back the balance of his time?
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, in the interests of staff throughout the 
House and my own desire to end this long week and engage in further 
discussions on additional bills tomorrow, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). Pursuant to the order of 
the House today, the joint resolution is considered read for amendment.
  Pursuant to the order of the House today, the previous question is 
ordered.
  The question is on engrossment and third reading of the joint 
resolution.
  The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third 
time, and was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to 
reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________