[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 148 (Tuesday, December 5, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H11958-H11960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS, FISCAL YEAR 2001

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the previous order of 
the House, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 126) making 
further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2001, and for other 
purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the joint resolution, as follows:

                             H.J. Res. 126

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That Public 
     Law 106-275, is further amended by striking the date 
     specified in section 106(c) and inserting ``December 7, 
     2000''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of 
Monday, December 4, 2000, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and 
the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young).


                             General Leave

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and that I may include tabular and extraneous material on 
H.J. Res. 126.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  (Mr. YOUNG of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the continuing resolution that we bring to the floor 
this morning is a 2-day extension to the current continuing resolution 
that will keep the remaining elements of the Government operating that 
have not yet had their regular appropriations bills enacted.
  As our colleagues know, we really have only one appropriations bill 
that has not been concluded and most of the issues relative to not 
concluding that bill have been non-appropriations issues. They have 
been policy issues, legislative issues. Nevertheless, that bill is not 
completed.
  There was a meeting at the White House yesterday between the 
bicameral leadership of the House and Senate, Republican and Democrat. 
We hope that that will produce some beneficial results. I believe that 
I speak for at least most of the Members of the House when I say that 
it is time to conclude the business of the 106th Congress, and it is 
time to begin preparation for the 107th Congress, which will convene in 
January. And the way to accomplish that is to conclude the business on 
this final appropriations bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me simply say hello to you and to my good friend, 
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young).
  Mr. Speaker, there is nothing very complicated about this resolution, 
but I think there is something very troubling that lies underneath it.
  Up until yesterday, I had been fairly confident that the House, if it 
wished, could come to a conclusion on this year's appropriation bills 
and finish our work this week, our left-over work from the previous 
session.
  I now am feeling much more pessimistic than I was, largely based upon 
conversations which took place at the White House last night and based 
upon newspaper accounts of people's comments after that meeting last 
night.
  I was originally optimistic because I thought that, when we left, we 
had had very few differences that actually remained. They were largely 
focused on two appropriations bills, the Labor-Health bill and the 
State-Justice-Commerce bill.
  On State-Justice there was the immigration controversy. And on the 
Labor-Health, the focus of objection to that bill, which was negotiated 
on a bipartisan basis and a bicameral basis, the principal objection 
that we heard when we came back was the language with respect to 
ergonomics. And that issue has now become moot because those 
regulations have been published.
  So at this point, what I think we really face is the question of 
whether or not there is, as a price for getting our work done, we are 
going to be asked to in a major way pare back the level of 
appropriations for items such as education that are now contained in 
the Labor-Health education conference.
  Mr. Speaker, we have the votes in both Houses for that Labor-Health 
and Education conference if the leadership will ever allow it to come 
to the floor. But so far, it is being prevented from coming to the 
floor by the leadership.
  I would simply say that some may remember around here what happened 
over the past year. For the first 9 months of the year, it was apparent 
that the majority was intending to provide education numbers which were 
significantly below where those of us on this side of the aisle felt 
they ought to be. Then, with the putting together of the conference 
report of Labor-Health and Education in the closing days of the session 
before the election, everyone walked out of here and most people on 
both sides of the aisle campaigned for the funding levels that were 
provided in that bill.
  Now, apparently after the election, we are seeing a reversion to form 
and once again we are being asked to make major reductions in education 
as a price for having a convenient end to the session.
  I think that is a price that many of us are not going to want to pay. 
And that is why I am much more pessimistic that we will, in fact, get 
the work done that we should be able to get done this week.

[[Page H11959]]

  I find it interesting that the majority party and Mr. Bush 
campaigned, at least rhetorically campaigned, as those folks who could 
best bring us together in a bipartisan fashion; and yet the very first 
thing that we are being asked to do since we have returned, the very 
first thing we are being asked to do by the House leadership is to in 
fact walk away from and scuttle a bill upon which agreement had been 
reached on a bipartisan basis.
  I do not think that is a healthy way in which to conclude this 
session. I do not think that is a healthy way in which to begin our 
relationships for the coming session. But apparently that is the 
direction that the leadership is most comfortable with.
  I regret that. And so I will happily support this 2-day continuing 
resolution in the waning hope that we will be able to reach agreement 
and get out of here at the end of those 2 days, but I do so with no 
illusions and no real expectations that the conditions are present for 
that kind of a bipartisan, early resolution of this session.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1015

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time. I do so to point out that the other bills that were passed, sent 
to the White House and were vetoed have basically been repaired and 
fixed. They are ready to move at a moment's notice and can be moved 
either separately or can be moved as part of an agreement on the Labor, 
Health and Human Services and Education Bill. I wanted to just make a 
brief point about that bill. That is the bill where we provide funding 
for medical research. We have made a commitment to double the 
investment in medical research over a 5-year period, and a substantial 
part of the increase in that bill goes to fulfill that commitment. 
Another very large part of the increase in that bill is money that we 
have approved for education, and the education amounts are actually 
greater than those requested by the budget that we received at the 
beginning of the year. So this is an important bill.
  Our former colleague, Bill Natcher, use to come on the floor and make 
the comment that this is the people's bill, because the programs 
included in this bill deal with people. It is important that we do this 
job responsibly and not just pick a number out of the air and decide, 
well, that is a good number. That number should be based on what the 
real needs of the United States of America are today and will be in 
this coming fiscal year. It is essential that we approach that final 
deliberation with tremendous responsibility, but it is also essential 
that we get it done. To carry this over into the next year, into the 
next administration, into the next Congress, I think would be 
inexcusable. I would ask those Members who are interested to help us 
keep the momentum going, to get this bill completed and let us conclude 
the business of the 106th Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to say a word of welcome back to all of 
those Members who are here for this lame duck session and my friend the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey). I look forward to our working 
together again during the next fiscal year.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). All time for debate has 
expired.
  The joint resolution is considered as having been read for amendment.
  Pursuant to the order of the House of Monday, December 4, 2000, the 
previous question is ordered.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the joint 
resolution.
  The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third 
time, and was read the third time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the joint 
resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
  The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 378, 
nays 6, not voting 48, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 600]

                               YEAS--378

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Andrews
     Archer
     Baca
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldacci
     Baldwin
     Ballenger
     Barcia
     Barr
     Barrett (WI)
     Bartlett
     Bass
     Becerra
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Bliley
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonior
     Bono
     Borski
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Burr
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canady
     Cannon
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardin
     Carson
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Collins
     Combest
     Condit
     Conyers
     Cook
     Cooksey
     Cox
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Danner
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (VA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DeMint
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dicks
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     Engel
     English
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Everett
     Ewing
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Fletcher
     Foley
     Forbes
     Ford
     Fossella
     Fowler
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (NJ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gephardt
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Gonzalez
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Gordon
     Goss
     Graham
     Granger
     Green (TX)
     Green (WI)
     Greenwood
     Gutierrez
     Hall (OH)
     Hall (TX)
     Hansen
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Herger
     Hill (IN)
     Hilleary
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hoeffel
     Holden
     Holt
     Hooley
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hoyer
     Hunter
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Inslee
     Isakson
     Istook
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jenkins
     John
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (OH)
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kasich
     Kelly
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kleczka
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     Kuykendall
     LaFalce
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Largent
     Larson
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lazio
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lucas (KY)
     Lucas (OK)
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Martinez
     Mascara
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McGovern
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Menendez
     Metcalf
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Minge
     Mink
     Mollohan
     Moore
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Morella
     Murtha
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nethercutt
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Ose
     Owens
     Oxley
     Packard
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pease
     Pelosi
     Peterson (MN)
     Petri
     Phelps
     Pickering
     Pickett
     Pitts
     Pombo
     Porter
     Portman
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Riley
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Roemer
     Rogan
     Rogers
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roukema
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Ryun (KS)
     Sabo
     Salmon
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Scarborough
     Schaffer
     Schakowsky
     Scott
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shows
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sisisky
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Souder
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Stump
     Sununu
     Sweeney
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Terry
     Thomas
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Thune
     Thurman
     Tiahrt
     Tierney
     Toomey
     Traficant
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Walden
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Watkins
     Watt (NC)
     Watts (OK)
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Weller
     Weygand
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson
     Wise
     Wolf
     Wu
     Wynn
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                                NAYS--6

     Barton
     Costello
     Dingell
     Paul
     Stupak
     Visclosky

                             NOT VOTING--48

     Allen
     Armey
     Barrett (NE)
     Bryant
     Burton
     Chenoweth-Hage
     Coburn
     Deal
     DeFazio
     Delahunt
     DeLay
     Dickey
     Dixon
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Edwards
     Gejdenson
     Gekas
     Goode
     Gutknecht
     Hill (MT)
     Hoekstra
     Hulshof
     Jefferson

[[Page H11960]]


     Johnson (CT)
     Jones (NC)
     Klink
     Lantos
     Lipinski
     Lowey
     McDermott
     Miller (FL)
     Moakley
     Peterson (PA)
     Pomeroy
     Rothman
     Ryan (WI)
     Sessions
     Spence
     Stark
     Talent
     Towns
     Vitter
     Waters
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Wexler
     Woolsey

                              {time}  1042

  So the joint resolution was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated for:
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I was absent and unable to vote. I would 
have voted in favor of H.J. Res. 126 (rollcall No. 600).

                          ____________________