[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 145 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10731-H10734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION ACT OF 1998
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in
the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1274) to authorize
appropriations for the National Institute of Standards and Technology
for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
Senate Amendment:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Technology Administration
Act of 1998''.
SEC. 2. MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM CENTER
EXTENSION.
Section 25(c)(5) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(c)(5)) is amended by striking
``, which are designed'' and all that follows through
``operation of a Center.'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``.
After the sixth year, a Center may receive additional
financial support under this section if it has received a
positive evaluation through an independent review, under
procedures established by the Institute. Such an independent
review shall be required at least every two years after the
sixth year of operation. Funding received for a fiscal year
under this section after the sixth year of operation shall
not exceed one third of the capital and annual operating and
maintenance costs of the Center under the program.''.
SEC. 3. MALCOLM BALDRIGE QUALITY AWARD.
(a) Additional Awards.--Section 17(c)(3) of the Stevenson-
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3711a(c)(3)) is amended by inserting ``, unless the Secretary
determines that a third award is merited and can be given at
no additional cost to the Federal Government'' after ``in any
year''.
(b) Categories.--Section 17(c)(1) of the Stevenson-Wydler
Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3711a(c)(1)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(D) Health care providers.
``(E) Education providers.''.
SEC. 4. NOTICE.
(a) Redesignation.--Section 31 of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology Act is redesignated as section 32.
(b) Notice.--The National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended by
inserting after section 30 the following new section:
``notice
``Sec. 31. (a) Notice of Reprogramming.--If any funds
authorized for carrying out this Act are subject to a
reprogramming action that requires notice to be provided to
the Appropriations Committees of the House of Representatives
and the Senate, notice of such action shall concurrently be
provided to the Committee on Science of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate.
``(b) Notice of Reorganization.--
``(1) Requirement.--The Secretary shall provide notice to
the Committees on Science and Appropriations of the House of
Representatives, and the Committees on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate, not later
than 15 days before any major reorganization of any program,
project, or activity of the Institute.
``(2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the
term ``major reorganization'' means any reorganization of the
Institute that involves the reassignment of more than 25
percent of the employees of the Institute.''.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM.
With the year 2000 fast approaching, it is the sense of
Congress that the National Institute of Standards and
Technology should--
(1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit date-
related problems in its computer systems to ensure that those
systems continue to operate effectively in the year 2000 and
beyond; and
(2) develop contingency plans for those systems that the
Institute is unable to correct in time.
SEC. 6. ENHANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS PROGRAMS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) Educationally useful federal equipment.--The term
``educationally useful Federal equipment'' means computers
and related peripheral tools and research equipment that is
appropriate for use in schools.
(2) School.--The term ``school'' means a public or private
educational institution that serves any of the grades of
kindergarten through grade 12.
(b) Sense of Congress.--
(1) In general.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology should, to the greatest extent practicable and in
a manner consistent with applicable Federal law (including
Executive Order No. 12999), donate educationally useful
Federal equipment to schools in order to enhance the science
and mathematics programs of those schools.
(2) Reports.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall
prepare and submit to the President a report. The President
shall submit the report to Congress at the same time as the
President submits a budget request to Congress under section
1105(a) of title 31, United States Code.
(B) Contents of report.--The report prepared by the
Director under this paragraph shall describe any donations of
educationally useful Federal equipment to schools made during
the period covered by the report.
SEC. 7. TEACHER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT INSTITUTE
PROGRAM.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 19
the following:
``Sec. 19A. (a) The Director shall establish within the
Institute a teacher science and technology enhancement
program to provide for professional development of
mathematics and science teachers of elementary, middle, and
secondary schools (as those terms are defined by the
Director), including providing for the improvement of those
teachers with respect to the understanding of science and the
impacts of science on commerce.
``(b) In carrying out the program under this section, the
Director shall focus on the areas of--
``(1) scientific measurements;
``(2) tests and standards development;
``(3) industrial competitiveness and quality;
``(4) manufacturing;
``(5) technology transfer; and
``(6) any other area of expertise of the Institute that the
Director determines to be appropriate.
``(c) The Director shall develop and issue procedures and
selection criteria for participants in the program.
``(d) The program under this section shall be conducted on
an annual basis during the summer months, during the period
of time when a majority of elementary, middle, and secondary
schools have not commenced a school year.
``(e) The program shall provide for teachers' participation
in activities at the laboratory facilities of the Institute,
or shall utilize other means of accomplishing the goals of
the program as determined by the Director, which may include
the Internet, video conferencing and recording, and workshops
and conferences.''.
SEC. 8. OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION.
(a) Establishment.--There is established within the
Department of Commerce an Office of Space Commercialization
(referred to in this section as the ``Office'').
(b) Director.--The Office shall be headed by a Director,
who shall be a senior executive and shall be compensated at a
level in the Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of
title 5, United States Code, as determined by the Secretary
of Commerce.
(c) Functions of the Office; Duties of the Director.--The
Office shall be the principal unit for the coordination of
space-related issues, programs, and initiatives within the
Department of Commerce. The primary responsibilities of the
Director, in carrying out the functions of the Office, shall
include--
(1) promoting commercial provider investment in space
activities by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating
information on space markets, and conducting workshops and
seminars to increase awareness of commercial space
opportunities;
(2) assisting United States commercial providers in the
efforts of those providers to conduct business with the
United States Government;
(3) acting as an industry advocate within the executive
branch of the Federal Government to ensure that the Federal
Government meets the space-related requirements of the
Federal Government, to the fullest extent feasible, using
commercially available space goods and services;
(4) ensuring that the United States Government does not
compete with United States commercial providers in the
provision of space hardware and services otherwise available
from United States commercial providers;
(5) promoting the export of space-related goods and
services;
(6) representing the Department of Commerce in the
development of United States policies and in negotiations
with foreign countries to ensure free and fair trade
internationally in the area of space commerce; and
(7) seeking the removal of legal, policy, and institutional
impediments to space commerce.
SEC. 9. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE
TECHNOLOGY.
Section 5 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act
of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3704) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(f) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive
Technology.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Under
Secretary, shall establish for fiscal year 1999 a program to
be known as the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive
Technology (referred to in this subsection as the `program').
The purpose of the program shall be to strengthen the
technological competitiveness of those States that have
historically received less Federal research and development
funds than those received by a majority of the States.
``(2) Arrangements.--In carrying out the program, the
Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall--
``(A) enter into such arrangements as may be necessary to
provide for the coordination of the program through the State
committees established under the Experimental Program to
Stimulate Competitive Research of the National Science
Foundation; and
[[Page H10732]]
``(B) cooperate with--
``(i) any State science and technology council established
under the program under subparagraph (A); and
``(ii) representatives of small business firms and other
appropriate technology-based businesses.
``(3) Grants and cooperative agreements.--In carrying out
the program, the Secretary, acting through the Under
Secretary, may make grants or enter into cooperative
agreements to provide for--
``(A) technology research and development;
``(B) technology transfer from university research;
``(C) technology deployment and diffusion; and
``(D) the strengthening of technological capabilities
through consortia comprised of--
``(i) technology-based small business firms;
``(ii) industries and emerging companies;
``(iii) universities; and
``(iv) State and local development agencies and entities.
``(4) Requirements for making awards.--
``(A) In general.--In making awards under this subsection,
the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall
ensure that the awards are awarded on a competitive basis
that includes a review of the merits of the activities that
are the subject of the award.
``(B) Matching requirement.--The non-Federal share of the
activities (other than planning activities) carried out under
an award under this subsection shall be not less than 25
percent of the cost of those activities.
``(5) Criteria for states.--The Secretary, acting through
the Under Secretary, shall establish criteria for achievement
by each State that participates in the program. Upon the
achievement of all such criteria, a State shall cease to be
eligible to participate in the program.
``(6) Coordination.--To the extent practicable, in carrying
out this subsection, the Secretary, acting through the Under
Secretary, shall coordinate the program with other programs
of the Department of Commerce.
``(7) Report.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of the Technology Administration Act of 1998, the
Under Secretary shall prepare and submit a report that meets
the requirements of this paragraph to the Secretary. Upon
receipt of the report, the Secretary shall transmit a copy of
the report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science of
the House of Representatives.
``(B) Requirements for report.--The report prepared under
this paragraph shall contain with respect to the program--
``(i) a description of the structure and procedures of the
program;
``(ii) a management plan for the program;
``(iii) a description of the merit-based review process to
be used in the program;
``(iv) milestones for the evaluation of activities to be
assisted under the program in fiscal year 1999;
``(v) an assessment of the eligibility of each State that
participates in the Experimental Program to Stimulate
Competitive Research of the National Science Foundation to
participate in the program under this subsection; and
``(vi) the evaluation criteria with respect to which the
overall management and effectiveness of the program will be
evaluated.''.
SEC. 10. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY MEDAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
TECHNOLOGY.
In the administration of section 16 of the Stevenson-Wydler
Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3711),
Environmental Technology shall be established as a separate
nomination category with appropriate unique criteria for that
category.
SEC. 11. INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC RESEARCH CENTER.
The Congress finds that the International Arctic Research
Center is an internationally-supported effort to conduct
important weather and climate studies, and other research
projects of benefit to the United States. It is, therefore,
the sense of the Congress that, as with similar research
conducted in the Antarctic, the United States should provide
similar support for this important effort.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Barcia)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
General Leave
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on H.R. 1274.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1274, the Technology
Administration Act of 1998. This is legislation that I introduced on
April 10 of 1997. The bill is a bipartisan effort to address a number
of important legislative issues facing the Technology Administration
and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
NIST is the Nation's oldest Federal laboratory. It was established by
Congress in 1901 as the National Bureau of Standards, and subsequently
renamed NIST. As part of the Department of Commerce, NIST's mission is
to promote economic growth by working with industry to develop and
apply technology measurements and standards, this bill is applicable.
As the Nation's arbiter of standards, NIST enables our Nation's
businesses to engage each other in commerce and participate in the
global marketplace.
{time} 1345
The precise measurements required for establishing standards
associated with today's increasingly complex technologies required NIST
laboratories to maintain the most sophisticated equipment and the most
talented scientists in the world. To date NIST has succeeded and the
science conducted by the institute is a vital component of the Nation's
civilian research and technology development base.
H.R. 1274 takes a number of important steps to address critical
issues associated with two NIST programs, the Malcolm Baldrige Quality
Awards program and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program.
First, the bill authorizes the expansion of the Malcolm Baldrige
Quality Awards program into the field of health care and education. I
believe this expansion will allow the benefits of the total quality
management approach, inherent in the administration of the Baldrige
Award winning companies, to spill over into these two vital segments of
our Nation's economy.
Second, H.R. 1274 lifts the six-year sunset requirement for the MEP
centers. The required sunset, which disallows Federal funding of
centers after the sixth year of their existence, has annually been
lifted through the appropriations process. The annual nature of the
reprieve, however, has added a degree of uncertainty to the operation
of the centers, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership program.
The bill also contains a new program to enable NIST to assist
elementary through secondary school math and science teachers to better
understand science by giving them access to NIST laboratories and
scientists during the summer months. And through this new initiative,
teachers will get an opportunity to learn from some of the leading
scientists in the world by observing and participating in NIST's
cutting edge laboratory research. What a good idea.
The bill also officially establishes the Office of Space
Commercialization at Technology Administration. While the office
already exists, it has been without a charter for over a decade.
Finally, the office will be getting the legislative authorization that
it requires.
In addition, the bill establishes for one year the Experimental
Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology, EPSCOT is the acronym.
Since it is clear that EPSCOT will receive funding in fiscal year 1999,
I believe it is appropriate to create guidelines for the program. That
being said, the establishment should not be viewed as an endorsement of
the program beyond fiscal year 1999.
Section 9 of the bill specifies that EPSCOT be established only for
fiscal year 1999. In the absence of future legislation, EPSCOT cannot
be viewed as an authorized program beyond October 1, 1999. Finally, Mr.
Speaker, the bill contains a number of good government provisions,
including a requirement that the Department of Commerce consult with
Congress before reprogramming funds for conducting a major
reorganization of NIST or TA programs, and it includes a sense of
Congress on the year 2000 computer problem.
As a strong proponent of addressing this impending year 2000 crisis,
I am pleased that this provision has not only been included in the
Technology Administration bill, but all authorizations of the Committee
on Science. I am hopeful that with continued pressure from the
Committee on Science and Congress, the administration will fix the
problem before it is too late. And I want to point out that we just
earlier today had a bill, the Year 2000 Preparedness Act, which we have
had under suspension, which was bipartisan in nature and a very
important measure with regard to the Year 2000.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 1274 and to
vote to send it to the President for his signature.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
[[Page H10733]]
Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1274, the Technology
Administration Act of 1998. This bill is the result of compromise
between the House and Senate and addresses some of the more pressing
problems at the Technology Administration and the National Institute of
Standards and Technology.
I would like to briefly mention two key provisions in the bill. As
most Members are aware, the Manufacturing Extension Partnerships
program is a Federal/State/private partnership to assist small and
medium-sized businesses. The MEP is one of the most successful
government industry partnerships of its kind. However, the original
language establishing the program called for terminating the Federal
funding share after an MEP center had been in operation for 6 years.
Numerous witnesses appearing before the Subcommittee on Technology have
stated that terminating funding after 6 years would not allow MEP
centers to meet the objectives of the program. House Resolution 1274
finally resolves this issue by amending the original language to lift
the six-year cap on Federal funding and to limit Federal funds to no
more than one-third of the center's cost.
This is a major step forward in the program and will ensure the long-
term financial stability of the overall program.
In addition, H.R. 1274 expands the highly successful Malcolm Baldrige
Quality Program to include two new categories in health care and
education. The Baldrige Quality Award has become a benchmark for
quality programs throughout the Nation and is strongly supported by the
private sector through direct financial contributions and manpower. The
Baldrige Quality Program has already completed pilot programs in these
two new areas, and the expansion of the award program was strongly
endorsed both by the Baldrige Foundation board and education and health
care professionals.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill. And on a final note, I
want to say what a pleasure and privilege it has been to have the
opportunity of working with the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs.
Morella) this past year. If we look at the track record of our
subcommittee, I think it is clear to anyone who would review that that
we have had a very active and certainly achieved a very extensive
legislative record in the subcommittee. And that is due in no small
part to the tremendous bipartisan leadership we have seen by the
gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella). Her leadership style, her
energy and the ambitious agenda that have tackled this past year are
certainly a compliment to her style of leadership on that subcommittee
and the other members who serve on that subcommittee.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Again, I think this is an example of a bipartisan effort where the
American people benefit. For me also it has been a great pleasure to
work with the distinguished ranking member the gentleman from Michigan
(Mr. Barcia). We have looked at each issue. We have looked it from all
points of view and have worked together in concert working with other
members of the subcommittee and the full committee to achieve what we
felt was important. Again, I thank him.
Nothing happens without a lot of people working on it. I would
certainly like to thank the chairman of the full committee, the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), who came to the rescue
when there was a possibility that this bill could fall through the
cracks. I appreciate very much what he did on our behalf and on behalf
of the Nation, also our ranking member on the full committee, the
gentleman from California (Mr. Brown). I mentioned the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Barcia), and also the staffs.
We are lucky. We have some terrific staff people who follow through
inch by inch on each one of these projects that we are involved in. On
my side of the aisle Richard Russell, Barry Beringer, Mike Bell; on Mr.
Barcia's side, I know Mike Quear and Jim Turner have been very helpful.
They have worked in a bipartisan basis.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1274 and
vote to send it to the President for his signature.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1274,
the Technology Administration Act of 1997. The bill includes a variety
of provisions that will allow the Technology Administration (TA) and
the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to move
forward with their missions.
The bill establishes in law the requirement that the Department of
Commerce must consult with Congress before reprogramming funding for,
or from, any NIST or TA programs. The bill further requires that
Commerce must consult with Congress before conducting a major
reorganization. I view these two new changes to permanent law as vital
to the Science Committee's ability to continue its oversight on the
programs of TA and NIST.
The bill also includes a Sense of Congress on the Year 2000 computer
problem. This Sense of Congress is intended to continue the pressure on
the Department of Commerce to fix its Year 2000 problem before it is
too late. The Science Committee has included similar provisions in all
its House-passed authorizations, and I think they send a powerful
signal to the Administration that Congress is taking this issue very
seriously.
The bill also authorizes two new awards for the Malcolm Baldridge
Quality Awards Program. These new awards in healthcare and education
were included in H.R. 1274, as passed by the House last year.
Additionally, the bill lifts the six-year sunset requirement on
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program centers. Again,
similar language passed the House last year.
The bill contains language establishing the Office of Space
Commercialization. The office has existed for a decade, but has been
without a legislative charter. The language will not expand the
office's responsibilities, but will give it a clear statutorily defined
mission. This language passed the House last April as part of H.R.
1275, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization
Bill.
The bill also contains a new program to bring science and math
teachers into NIST's laboratories during the summer months. The program
is intended to improve teacher understanding of science through direct
experience working along side or observing some of the world's best
scientists at one of our leading national laboratories. The program
will require no new facilities and the bill includes no new
authorizations of funds for the program, it will be carried out within
NIST's existing laboratory budget.
The bill also creates for one year the Experimental Program to
Stimulate Competitive Technology (EPSCOT). EPSCOT was funded last year
and has been included in both the House and Senate Commerce, Justice,
States Appropriations bills. It will receive funding in Fiscal Year
(FY) 1999. The language in H.R. 1274 creates guidelines for the
program. It also specifies that the program is only established for FY
1999.
Finally, I would like to remark on what is not in the bill. The bill
contains no authorization's of appropriations. While H.R. 1274 passed
the House last year in advance of the FY 1998 appropriations process,
and included authorization for TA and NIST for FY 1998 and 1999
totaling over a billion dollars, the bill, however, returned from the
Senate after the FY 1999 appropriations process had all but concluded,
and therefore the authorizations have been removed from the bill.
Additionally, this bill does not in any way authorize the Advanced
Technology Program (ATP). ATP was reformed and authorized in H.R. 1274
when it passed the House in 1997. In negotiations with the Senate, no
agreement could be reached on a reasonable funding and reform package,
and, therefore, all provisions dealing with ATP were stripped from the
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend Technology Subcommittee
Chairwoman Morella for her hard work on this measure, and I urge all my
colleagues to support H.R. 1274 and vote to send it to the President
for his signature.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as a co-sponsor to this bill,
I rise to speak on behalf of H.R. 1274, which authorizes the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the fiscal years of
1998 and 1999.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is a subdivision
of the Department of Commerce charged with assisting private industry
in advancing their manufacturing processes, ensuring the reliability
and stability of new products and services, and facilitating the
commercialization of breakthrough technology developed with the support
of government labs and programs.
One of the most important programs run by NIST is the Advanced
Technology Program (ATP), which I have strongly supported in the past.
That program attempts to assist private industries perform the research
and development (R&D) necessary for success in the
[[Page H10734]]
long-term. It does so by creating a partnership between a private
company and NIST, in which each shares part of the cost of this
incredibly important, and expensive, R&D.
However, I would like to make it very clear that ATP is not corporate
welfare. ATP requires that the technology being developed have a broad
application, so that its impact will bring benefits to all of society.
Furthermore, no ATP funds can be used for product development--all
grant monies are used to support technologies that are essential for
the development of new products and processes and have diverse
applications. That way, all manufacturers, and therefore, all
consumers, benefit from this research. Furthermore, to receive an ATP
award, a company must pass a series of rigorous competitions which are
designed to select proposals that have the highest potential for
further innovation, and the broadest applicability to United States
industry as a whole.
ATP is not the only important program at NIST. As their name implies,
NIST assists private industry develop standards that can be used across
an entire market segment. For instance, NIST is instrumental in
ensuring that industries that are developing new communications
devices, like wireless phones, do so on common ground. The benefit is
that all of our wireless phones can speak with each other, and we are
not forced to work with proprietary systems that incompatible and,
therefore, unprofitable.
Furthermore, NIST, on its own, engages in important research that
will change our lives. For instance, NIST has recently begun to develop
new technologies that can be used to improve our satellite's remote
sensing capabilities so that we can better gauge our environmental
phenomena. That same technology can also be used by doctors to improve
the treatment of their patients, because they can view the human body
in new and wondrous ways.
I urge all of you to vote for this bill, and continue to support our
government's scientific partnership with private industry.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) that the House
suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R.
1274.
The question was taken.
Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________