[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 96 (Friday, July 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H5821-H5822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND 
             INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999

  The Committee resumed its sitting.
  (By unanimous consent, Mr. Bonior was allowed to speak out of order.)


                          Legislative Program

  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Chairman, I have asked to speak out of turn for the 
purposes of engaging the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), the 
distinguished majority leader, in a colloquy for the

[[Page H5822]]

purposes of learning the schedule for today, the rest of the week and 
the following week.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BONIOR. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Chairman, I would like to get through this as quickly 
as possible. I know that the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) and 
others have some time that they want to spend with respect to our 
friend and colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), and we 
certainly want to make sure that they have a good opportunity for that 
time.
  So, Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to announce that we have concluded 
legislative business for the week.
  The House will next meet on Monday, July 20, at 12:30 p.m. for 
morning hour and at 2 o'clock p.m. for legislative business. We do not 
expect any recorded votes before 5 o'clock p.m. on Monday, July 20.
  On Monday, July 20, we will consider a number of bills under 
suspension of the rules, a list of which will be distributed to 
Members' offices this afternoon.
  After suspensions, the House will continue consideration of H.R. 
2108, the Bipartisan Campaign Integrity Act of 1997.
  On Tuesday, July 21, the House will meet at 9 o'clock a.m. for 
morning hour and at 10 a.m. to consider the following legislation:
  H.R. 4193, the Department of Interior and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, and H.R. 4194, the Department of Veterans Affairs 
and Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies 
Appropriations Act.
  On Wednesday, July 22, and the balance of the week, the House will 
consider H.J.Res. 121, a resolution disapproving of the extension of 
nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of the People's Republic of 
China, the Departments of Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary 
Appropriations Act, and H.R. 4250, Patient Protection Act.
  Mr. Chairman, we also expect to deal with the President's veto of 
H.R. 1122, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1997, and, Mr. 
Chairman, we hope to conclude legislative business for the week by 2 
o'clock p.m. on Friday, July 24.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague, and I would just make 
the following comment, that we obviously have a very full and 
interesting and to some extent controversial schedule next week.
  I would note that from the schedule that my friend from Texas read 
that the discussion on bipartisan campaign finance reform seems to be 
relegated to 1 day.

                              {time}  1345

  The concern that I have, and I think is shared by some on your side 
of the aisle as well as those of us on this side of the aisle, is we 
are not going to finish this bill by the next recess. As I understood 
it, there was a pledge to do that. We have had these pledges in the 
past. We are concerned, by only devoting one day next week to this 
bill, that we are not going to finish.
  I would like to have some assurances from my colleague from Texas 
that indeed that is the intention, that we will devote the time that is 
necessary to finish this bill and move it forward, so we could get a 
bill that will reform our system by the end of this Congress.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield further, I thank 
the gentleman for his expression of concern and interest. I share the 
gentleman's commitment to completing this work before we leave for the 
August recess. That is a commitment that will, in fact, be met.
  In that regard, let me say we do hope for and will be looking for 
opportunities in addition to those announced to bring that work back on 
the floor.
  I might further and finally express with respect to this important 
legislation my appreciation for the floor managers and the other 
interested parties in this body for the congenial way in which they are 
managing to work out agreements by which we can better manage these 
works. It is through their congeniality and inventiveness that I remain 
confident that we will in fact have a satisfactory completion of this 
work, where everyone will know and appreciate they are being treated 
fairly by their own common agreements.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague.
  If I might just anticipate the remarks of my friend from California 
(Mr. Lewis) that will be made shortly, let me say in advance I join him 
in more fuller remarks that he will be making Tuesday. However, I will 
withhold my remarks so I can more fully express my appreciation for 
someone that we have a joint warm feeling for in this institution.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do 
now rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Pease) having assumed the chair, Mr. LaHood, Chairman of the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that that 
Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4194) making 
appropriations for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and 
Urban Development, and for sundry independent agencies, boards, 
commissions, corporations, and offices for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 1999, and for other purposes, had come to no resolution 
thereon.

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