[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 138 (Tuesday, October 6, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H9625-H9626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON H.R. 4276, DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, 
JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS 
                               ACT, 1999

  Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 4276) making appropriations for the 
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other 
purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the Senate 
amendment, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blunt). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.


               motion to instruct offered by mr. mollohan

  Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to instruct.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Mollohan moves that the managers on the part of the 
     House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two 
     Houses on the bill, H.R. 4276 making appropriations for the 
     Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and 
     related agencies, be instructed to not concur in any Senate 
     legislative provisions or any extraneous legislative 
     provisions, which are outside the scope of Conference, which 
     could have the effect of causing a Government shutdown.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. 
Mollohan) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) each will 
control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan).
  Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I have made the motion to instruct conferees on the 
Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill. In order to make clear 
that on one this

[[Page H9626]]

side of the aisle is interested in shutting down the government and to 
point out that there are several major legislative provisions being 
discussed in the context of the conference on this bill, they could, if 
not resolved to the satisfaction of the President, cause a government 
shutdown.
  I am confident that the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the 
most capable manager of this bill, does not intend in any way to cause 
such a shutdown. In fact, I have heard the gentleman from Louisiana 
(Mr. Livingston) and members of the Republican leadership in both 
Houses make similar statements.
  The purpose of taking the time of the House today is to simply point 
out some of the hurdles that exist in getting this bill into signable 
form.
  The Senate bill contained major new legislation addressing numerous 
legislative issues. There are other potential extraneous issues we have 
heard about which are currently not contained in either the House or 
the Senate bills.
  It may be that necessary solutions can be found on all of these 
issues so that the President can sign this bill. However, in several 
instances, the administration has indicated its strong opposition to 
these provisions and at the moment I am not aware of any direct 
negotiations with them which could lead to a solution of these 
difficulties.
  I do not make this motion myself to speak for or against any of these 
provisions. However, I am aware of strong opposition on the Democratic 
side to several of these matters. I have done it to make clear that 
this bill already has several difficult issues, such as census funding 
and funding for the Legal Services Corporation, that will be difficult 
to resolve.
  The bill also funds critical law enforcement and international 
security related matters that should continue without the interruption 
inherent in a government shutdown. So let us agree on this motion and 
get to conference and work out our differences so that a government 
shutdown can be avoided.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as I read the motion, it indicates that the conferees 
should not take certain actions outside the scope of the conference 
which could have the effect of causing a government shutdown.
  As far as I know, no one, Mr. Speaker, has the intention to take any 
action to cause a government shutdown; certainly not on this side. We 
are determined to do our dead level best to keep this government 
operating.
  The Congress is not going to abdicate its responsibilities to 
legislate on behalf of the American people, but we will send bills to 
the President. If he chooses to shut the government down, that is his 
business. We are not going to precipitate that, so no one on this side 
is in favor of a government shutdown, and if additional time is needed 
to work out remaining issues, continuing resolutions will be proposed 
to assure that there is no government shutdown.
  Mr. Speaker, with that understanding, I have no objections to the 
motion. In fact, I would join in the making of the motion and ask for 
an immediate vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the motion to instruct.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to instruct 
offered by the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan).
  The motion was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the Chair appoints the 
following conferees: Messrs. Rogers, Kolbe, Taylor of North Carolina, 
Regula, Latham, Livingston, Young of Florida, Mollohan, Skaggs, Dixon 
and Obey.
  There was no objection.

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