[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 51 (Thursday, April 30, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H2671-H2672]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




WAIVING REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 4(b) OF RULE XI WITH RESPECT TO SAME DAY 
                  CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 
call up the resolution (H. Res. 414) and ask for its immediate 
consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 414

       Resolved, That the requirement of clause 4(b) of rule XI 
     for a two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee 
     on Rules on the same day it is presented to the House is 
     waived with respect to any resolution reported from that 
     committee before May 1, 1998, providing for consideration or 
     disposition of the bill (H.R. 3579) making emergency 
     supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1998, and for other purposes, an amendment 
     thereto, a conference report thereon, or an amendment 
     reported in disagreement from a conference thereon.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Colorado (Mr. McInnis) is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I yield 
the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), pending 
which I yield myself several such time as I may consume. During the 
consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose 
of debate only.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 414 is a simple resolution. The 
proposed rule merely waives the requirement of clause 4(b) of rule XI 
for a two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee on Rules 
on the same day it is presented to the House for resolutions reported 
from the Committee before May 1, 1998, under certain circumstances.
  This narrow, short-term waiver only applies to special rules 
providing for the consideration or disposition of H.R. 3579, making 
emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 1998, amendments thereto, a conference report thereon, or 
items in disagreement from a conference for H.R. 3579.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 414 is straightforward, and it was reported by 
the Committee on Rules with a voice vote. The Committee recognizes the 
need for expedited procedures to bring these emergency supplemental 
appropriations forward as soon as possible.
  Mr. Speaker, the timeliness of some of these emergency appropriations 
cannot be understated. There are many areas within the country that 
have been hit by significant natural disasters which need relief as 
well as critical funding for military operations. Therefore, we must 
move promptly.
  I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 414.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I thank my colleague the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. McInnis) for 
yielding me the time. As he has described, this rule will permit the 
House to consider the conference report on the emergency supplemental 
appropriation bill the same day the Committee on Rules reports a rule 
for the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, under this procedure, Members will have little or no 
opportunity to examine the conference report before they vote on it. 
Generally, important and complex bills should not be taken up in this 
manner. Moreover, I am opposed to provisions in the bill itself, 
including cuts in the program which funds housing for poor people and 
the failure to include funding for the International Monetary Fund.
  Though I understand the need for moving quickly to pass the emergency 
spending bill, because of the reasons I have already mentioned, I 
oppose this rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
to inquire of my good friend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall) if he 
has any further testimony or any further discussion on his side?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Ohio have any 
further speakers?
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, it appears that I have nobody here 
really to speak on this particular rule. Therefore, I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the resolution.

[[Page H2672]]

  The previous question was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I, further 
proceedings on this question are postponed until later today.

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