[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 85 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H5599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  MAKING IN ORDER ON OR BEFORE FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2000 CONSIDERATION OF 
 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4425, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS 
                               ACT, 2001

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it be 
in order at any time on or before the legislative day of Friday, June 
30, 2000, to consider the conference report to accompany H.R. 4425; 
that all points of order against the conference report and against its 
consideration be waived; that the conference report be considered as 
read when called up; and that H. Res. 540 be laid on the table.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) so that he may briefly explain to 
the Members what this is all about.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
to me. The purpose of the unanimous consent is to expedite the business 
of this House. We passed in this body the supplemental on the 30th day 
of March, and it has been hanging out there now until today. It has 
been a work in progress. We have been working diligently to cover every 
possible issue that we could with a limitation on the amount of money 
available.
  Now, here is the problem, and here is why we need to expedite this. 
We are recessing for the 4th of July recess. The Army, as well as the 
other services, has the biggest problem because its money for the 
fourth quarter has been spent in Kosovo and other deployments.
  It is essential that this money be replaced before the Army has to 
stop driving its trucks or the Navy has to tie up its ships or the Air 
Force and the Marine Corps have to stop flying their airplanes.
  It is essential that we move this conference report through the House 
tonight in order for the Senate to take it up tomorrow before we all 
get home for our 4th of July activities. That is the reason that we are 
trying to expedite this through a unanimous consent request.
  Now, there probably will be some parts of this bill that someone does 
not like, but that is always the case. We need to move this conference 
agreement. I hope that no one will object to us taking it up so we can 
debate it and move it on to the Senate.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, let me 
simply say that there are large portions of this bill to which I am 
strongly opposed, as the gentleman from Florida knows, including the 
Colombia aid package. I have expressed my view through my votes as this 
has gone through the process.
  I feel it is my institutional obligation, even though I continue to 
be opposed to large sections of this, to at least facilitate the 
House's ability to work its will. There will be, I am sure, a rollcall 
vote on final passage so Members will express themselves.
  So in the interest of moving the House forward more quickly, I do not 
intend to object.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  Mr. COBURN. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I think we 
need to ask ourselves, there is no question there are significant needs 
in this bill. But we are getting ready to vote on a bill that is $2.7 
billion larger than the bill we voted on before. Nobody in this body 
outside of those in the appropriations process is going to be privy to 
what is in this.
  The question will be, do we know what we are voting on? The answer to 
that is no. If my colleagues feel very comfortable in spending $11.2 
billion and not knowing where the money is going, then we should take 
that up.
  I will not object, but I think we are doing a disservice to the 
people of this country. I also might note that in this appropriation 
bill is $105 million in both the Senate and the House to sprinkle 
around for us, just $105 million each; $105 million for pork projects 
or otherwise. My colleagues are not going to know where it is, but they 
are going to vote for it whether they agree with it or not.
  So I will withdraw my reservation, but I think the process, even 
though well-intended, will create major problems for us here forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.

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