[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 131 (Saturday, September 26, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H8973]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. FAZIO of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I would inquire of the majority 
leader regarding next week's schedule.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that we have completed legislative 
business for the week.
  On Monday the House will consider a number of bills under suspension 
of the rules, a list of which will be distributed to Members' offices 
today.
  After suspensions, the House will take up the conference reports for 
H.R. 4103, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act; H.R. 4060, the 
Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act; and H.R. 6, the Higher 
Education Amendments of 1998.

                              {time}  1215

  On Tuesday, September 29, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for Morning 
Hour, and 10 o'clock a.m. for legislative business. We hope to consider 
the conference reports for H.R. 4101, the Agriculture Appropriations 
Act.
  Mr. Speaker, we will conclude business and votes by noon on Tuesday, 
September 29, so Members can observe the Jewish holiday. We will not 
have any votes on Wednesday, September 30, and the House will return on 
Thursday October 1 at 2 o'clock p.m. We do not expect any recorded 
votes before 5 o'clock on Thursday, October 1.
  On Thursday, October, 1 and Friday, October 2, the House will 
consider H.R. 4570, the Omnibus National Parks and Public Lands Act. We 
hope to have the conference report on H.R. 4104, the Treasury 
Appropriations Act, available next week. Of course, we may consider any 
other conference reports that become available.
  We should conclude legislative business for the week next week by 6 
o'clock on Friday, October 2. And I want to thank the gentleman for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I would 
inquire of the gentleman, the workload looks kind of light for Thursday 
evening and Friday. Is it possible that we would not be required to be 
here until 6:00 on Friday, given the fact that we may have only one 
bill as currently scheduled, a conference report at that, for an hour?
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would continue to yield, I 
thank the gentleman for his interest. As the gentleman knows at this 
time, depending on what conference reports are available and what work 
is available and, for example, on a day such as Friday, depending on 
what agreements we can reach with respect to beginning early and so 
forth, we would obviously try to, as the week proceeds, get a read on 
that and report to the Members as quickly as possible and if at all, 
conclude earlier on Friday, if we have the latitude in our work 
schedule to do so.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, a number of Members have asked 
me if we still expect the House to complete this session and adjourn on 
October 9, or if there is possibility of going another 3 or 4 days 
perhaps? It looks like we are running into some problems getting all 
the appropriation bills passed.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding to me 
again. As we did a continuing resolution, signed yesterday by the 
President, we were aware of the fact that the Monday following October 
9, I believe, was Columbus Day. As has been the case for as long as I 
can remember, when we schedule the end of the session adjournment for a 
Friday, like October 9, it is implied I think ``some time that 
weekend.''
  But, yes, we do anticipate that we will be able to complete that work 
and be ready to go. And I may mention that in bicameral discussions 
with the other body, they too are very confident that we will complete 
by that weekend.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I had one 
other question. As we get closer to the time the session comes to an 
end, and the election is not too far beyond that, is it possible we 
will take another crack at fast track before the session is ended?
  Mr. ARMEY. Well, I want to thank the gentleman for that inquiry. I 
expect perhaps not. Unless the gentleman from California is making this 
a request. We could at least entertain it on his behalf.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I was merely wondering what the strategy was 
to improve our performance on this issue.

                          ____________________