[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 30 (Thursday, March 8, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H809-H810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Portman) for the purpose of apprising us of next week's schedule.
  Mr. PORTMAN. I thank my friend from Maryland for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the House has now 
completed its legislative business for this week.
  The House will next meet for legislative business on Tuesday, March 
13, at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. 
The House will consider a number of measures under suspension of the 
rules, a list of which will be distributed to the Members' offices 
tomorrow, Friday. On Tuesday, no recorded votes are expected before 6 
p.m.
  On Wednesday, March 14, and Thursday, March 15, the House will 
consider at least the following measures:
  H.R. 223, the Clear Creek County Land Disposal Act,
  H.R. 880, the Washington County Land Acquisition Act, and
  H.R. 725, the Made in America Information Act.
  Mr. Speaker, again I thank the gentleman for yielding. Of course many 
of us will be together at the bipartisan retreat this weekend. I hope I 
will see the gentleman there.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman. We are all looking forward to that 
opportunity, or at least some few of us are looking forward to that 
opportunity, hopefully more than the last.
  In any event, Mr. Speaker, if I can ask the gentleman from Ohio 
another question. Ergonomics came up this week. As he knows, we were 
somewhat concerned because that had not been on the calendar and we 
expressed that concern.
  Does the gentleman know of any possible items like that that might 
come up next week that are not noticed at this point in time that may 
or may not be up?
  Mr. PORTMAN. We would expect no such major or what some might 
consider controversial provisions. That, of course, was waiting for the 
Senate to act. Once the Senate acted, we acted. There may be, it is my 
understanding, some other legislative activity that committees are 
still working to see whether some other things might come to the floor 
next week, but we would expect nothing along those lines.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman. One additional question. As he 
knows, we have been talking for some period of time now about the 
creation of a select committee on election reform.
  Does the gentleman have any idea whether we might have a proposal on 
the floor for an equally balanced committee being appointed for the 
purposes of considering election reform?
  Mr. PORTMAN. I am not aware of any legislation that would be on the 
floor next week in that regard, although I suppose it is possible. I 
know that the Speaker and the minority leader are in discussions with 
regard to the select committee on election reform, but I do not know 
that there will be anything on the floor next week nor do I think 
anyone on our side knows at this point.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for his response. I would simply say 
that clearly this is a critical issue which I do not think is a 
partisan issue. I think there is not a Member on the House floor of 
either side of the aisle or our two Independents who do not believe 
that citizens ought to be encouraged to vote, facilitated in casting 
their vote and to having the technology available that will make sure 
that they count their votes. We focused on Florida, but as we have 
learned, this problem exists in many jurisdictions. It is not a 
partisan problem, it is in some respects a technological problem and in 
some respects election officials are not trained as well as they ought 
to be, not through any fault of their own but just we have not had the 
mechanisms to do that, to reach out and to make sure that citizens have 
access to the polling places.
  I know the Speaker is focused on it. I know the minority leader is 
focused on it. I hope that we could accomplish this in the short term 
so that we might effect reforms prior to the next election. That is our 
concern about timing.
  I would be glad to yield to the gentleman for any comments he might 
want to make.
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly agree with what the 
gentleman said with regard to the need to take a look at our election 
systems. I know that the leadership on this side concurs with that. The 
hope is that we can soon move forward with a select commission in that 
regard.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for his comments.

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