[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 135 (Thursday, October 7, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H9636-H9637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Lazio) for an explanation of next week's schedule.
  Mr. LAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that we have 
completed legislative business for the week. The House will meet for a 
pro forma session tomorrow. Of course, there will be no legislative 
business and no votes tomorrow.
  The House will meet again on Tuesday, October 12, at 12:30 p.m. for 
morning hour and at 2 p.m. for legislative business. We will consider a 
number of bills under suspensions of the rules, a list of which will be 
distributed to Members' offices tomorrow. On Tuesday, we do not expect 
recorded votes until 6 p.m.
  On Wednesday, October 13, and the balance of next week, the House 
will take up the following measures which will be subject to rules: 
H.R. 1993, the Export Enhancement Act, and the Department of Labor, 
Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Act. We also 
expect a number of appropriations conference reports to become 
available for consideration in the House early next week, but possibly 
throughout the entire week.

                              {time}  1645

  Mr. Speaker, on Friday, October 15, no votes are expected after 2 
p.m. I just want to wish all of my colleagues happy Columbus Day 
weekend, and pray that everybody has a safe travel back, and that they 
have an opportunity to celebrate the discovery of Columbus, that great 
Italian American.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and I would ask him 
if he would be able to answer a question or two about the schedule. We 
certainly all wish our colleagues a safe journey and a good Columbus 
day celebration.
  Mr. Speaker, does the gentleman expect any late nights next week, in 
view of the schedule as the gentleman has announced it? And in terms of 
our effort to make this place family-friendly, does the gentleman 
expect any late nights next week?
  Mr. LAZIO. If the gentleman will yield further, it looks as though we 
will have no late nights next week. We expect to have our business 
concluded relatively early.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. I thank the gentleman. That would be helpful to our 
families.
  We have heard about a November schedule from some of our colleagues 
on the other side who are wondering, and we are wondering, when that 
might be available to the minority so that Members can plan. If our 
expectation is to be here in November, we would like to know that 
schedule as well, if the gentleman would be so kind as to respond.
  Mr. LAZIO. If the gentleman would continue to yield, Mr. Speaker, 
right now it is the expectation of the Speaker of the House that the 
House will adjourn October 29, so the target adjournment still is in 
this month. Of course, anything is possible as we struggle through 
these last few weeks in the appropriations cycle.
  As soon as we have additional information, we would be happy to share 
it with the gentleman. Right now, the target adjournment date continues 
to be October 29.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. We certainly all hope that we can achieve an agreement 
on our budgetary needs by that time.

[[Page H9637]]

 But if not, and if there is to be a schedule for November that is 
already out there, we certainly would appreciate it as quickly as 
possible.
  If I may ask the gentleman one last question, Mr. Speaker, is there a 
chance that Friday may be given away, in view of the schedule at this 
point, with only two stated pieces of legislation for the week? Does 
the gentleman expect that Friday may be given away?
  Mr. LAZIO. I would say to the gentleman from New Jersey that Members 
should expect and plan on being in session on Friday. We have 
conference reports, appropriations conference reports, that need to be 
completed. That may include Friday. We expect it will include Friday. 
We have two votes scheduled. Members right now should plan to be in 
until 2 p.m. on Friday.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. I thank my friend, the gentleman from New York.

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