[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 73 (Thursday, May 24, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H2686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1100
                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. ARMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, this is to advise the Members of the schedule 
for the rest of the day and the remainder of the week.
  Obviously, we are all very excited. We are very pleased about what we 
did in this Chamber last night with respect to the education of our 
children. We have an opportunity now, in the final moments of 
completing a conference report on a tax reduction that is anticipated 
by the whole Nation, for which we have a commitment by both bodies and 
the White House, to get that work done this weekend. The Members, of 
course, are anxious about their own plans with respect to their pending 
District Work Period time with their constituents and with their 
families. So let me tell you what I can tell you now.
  We will soon be reconvening the conference between our body and the 
other body. It is, of course, all of our hopes that that can go 
smoothly and expeditiously, but one can never know. So as it is now, I 
will be returning to that conference, we will be keeping the Members as 
posted as we can, as timely as we have any information that might be 
helpful to you in making your plans. We will get that out to you 
through our whip notices or otherwise.
  It would be my effort to come back to this floor at 5 o'clock with 
another update, so that at least if we do not have any definitive 
information before then, you can get some information at that time 
about what it is we hope to do. Members should be advised, I think as 
of now, definitely there will be no votes before 7 o'clock tonight. If 
things go well, it is possible we could return and complete the work on 
the tax bill this evening. If it is not done this evening, we will get 
that information to you as quickly as possible and then we would find 
ourselves looking for and hoping for a chance to complete the work 
tomorrow.
  I would hope, as you all do, that we could do that tomorrow, but we 
have been through these things before and it is a very big bill. There 
are many Members in both bodies that have heartfelt interests in the 
bill. The conference could, in fact, take some time to work all those 
things out.
  So what I would ask the Members to do is, one, be of good cheer. We 
are doing something important for the Nation. It is difficult, but we 
are called upon in this body at times to make difficult personal 
sacrifices.
  We will go to the conference, commence with the conference, move as 
quickly as we can and keep you as well informed as possible. But I can 
say now you will not expect a vote in this Chamber before 7 o'clock. We 
will get you updated information by 5 o'clock and you ought to be 
prepared to remain.
  Let me just make the point that it is very clearly the intention of 
this body and of the other body to not adjourn for the Memorial Day 
District Work Period until this work is done, the conference is 
completed in both bodies and sent to the President. So that could mean 
we would be here throughout the weekend. I do not believe it will come 
to that, but we obviously all need to be prepared for that possibility.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, will the distinguished majority leader 
yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. RANGEL. When the majority leader refers to the conference, is he 
talking about the conference that the Speaker selected, you, me, and my 
chairman, to attend?
  Mr. ARMEY. I believe, obviously, I am referring to the conference 
that was appointed in both bodies to consider the final disposition of 
the reduction in taxes.
  Mr. RANGEL. Will the majority leader yield further?
  Mr. ARMEY. I am happy to yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. RANGEL. So when you are talking about the conference, that 
includes me?
  Mr. ARMEY. I believe the gentleman from New York was appointed from 
the Chair just yesterday.
  Mr. RANGEL. Will the majority leader yield further?
  Mr. ARMEY. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. RANGEL. Then last night, the meeting that took place as relates 
to the Senate and House bill, we would not call that a conference, now, 
would we?
  Mr. ARMEY. We would call that a meeting where we hoped to get things 
done. And, obviously, when it becomes time to complete the work, there 
will be, I am sure, some formal meeting of the conferees, their 
signatures will be attached, it will be announced to the body, and we 
will be happy to come back here and make our votes in favor of it and 
move on to go home and celebrate our good deeds with our constituents 
back home.
  Mr. RANGEL. If the gentleman will yield further, I am just trying to 
clear up when we are having conferences with Republicans and when we 
are having conferences as designated by the Speaker, because since you 
do not intend to really tell us what is going on as a body until 5 
o'clock, if the legislative conference is going to take place at 5 
o'clock, then I would like to know while you have your conferences 
leading up to that.
  Mr. ARMEY. I thank the gentleman for his comments.
  Mr. RANGEL. Well, you did not answer, though.

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