[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 124 (Friday, September 21, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H5919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. BONIOR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I would inquire of the distinguished 
majority leader the schedule for the remainder of the evening and next 
week.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BONIOR. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the House has completed 
its legislative business for the week. Let me say that again, Mr. 
Speaker: I am so very pleased that the House has completed its 
legislative business for the week.
  The House will next meet for morning business on Monday, September 
24, at 12:30 p.m. and 2 o'clock p.m. for legislative business. The 
House will consider a number of measures under suspension of the rules, 
and a continuing resolution.
  On Monday, no recorded votes are expected before 6 o'clock p.m.
  Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the House will consider the 
District of Columbia Appropriations Act, and I am also hopeful that the 
House will be able to complete consideration of H.R. 2586, the National 
Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2002.
  On Wednesday, only if it is necessary for the House to be in session, 
we will complete the business for the week. No votes are expected past 
2 o'clock p.m. on Wednesday.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his information 
this evening. I would ask him two questions:
  Number one, I gather from his remarks with respect to Wednesday next 
that if we finish the business of the House Tuesday, that we will be 
finished, so Members who need to get back for religious holidays will 
be able to do so.
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman will continue to yield, Mr. Speaker, we 
are going to work as hard as we can, and in full cooperation, I am 
sure, with all the Members to try to complete our work on Tuesday 
night. Members need to be home by sundown, and sometimes that is 
California or someplace else on the West Coast. We want to give them 
every opportunity to get an early start in the morning so they can 
accomplish that.
  Mr. BONIOR. I thank my colleague.
  Finally, I would ask my friend, the gentleman from Texas, we had a 
lengthy debate today on the airline bill, and a good piece of that 
debate centered over the Speaker's commitment to the membership of this 
body on the benefits for workers that have lost their jobs from the 
airline disaster, and the airline industry's economic problems.
  I am just interested, if the gentleman from Texas could enlighten us, 
and I do not expect to have a complete answer here, given the fact that 
this was just done today, but when in fact we might expect action on 
legislation that was discussed on the floor in the colloquy between the 
Speaker and the leader.

                              {time}  2310

  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman will continue to yield, I thank the 
gentleman for the question, and just to be clear, the Speaker's exact 
words earlier this evening were, and I quote, the committees of 
jurisdiction have already been examining proposals to assist in this 
area. We will take a comprehensive look at the health care needs of 
these displaced workers and work together to bring an appropriate 
legislative response to the floor as soon as possible.
  It is my interpretation that by that the Speaker meant the committees 
of jurisdiction are working; and at whatever point they can report 
legislation, we would make the floor available for that legislation. I 
simply cannot speak for the committees' work.
  Mr. BONIOR. I thank my colleague for that. I just want to encourage 
the gentleman from Texas and the rest of the leadership on the 
Republican side of the aisle to help expedite the hearing process and 
the committee process on this legislation. As I think the gentleman 
from Texas is aware, regretfully the numbers of laid-off workers have 
increased dramatically, especially, of course, in the airline industry; 
and we are probably going to see a fallout in some ancillary industries 
and other industries. I think it would be prudent, wise, and just to 
expect that we will move with some alacrity on these issues of health 
care, unemployment compensation, and, of course, training, when 
necessary.
  It is not as if this is a difficult thing to do. It is pretty 
standard when we enter these economic downturns. And moving with some 
degree of speed on this would, I think, be appreciated, especially 
given the nature of the situation our country finds itself in today. So 
I will continue to raise this issue on a regular basis, with respect, 
but with urgency and with some passion. And I just want the gentleman 
to know that this is an issue that will be before us on many occasions 
as we go through these next weeks.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BONIOR. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I do have an inquiry of the majority leader. I do join the gentleman 
in the fervent hope we can complete our business for the week by 
Tuesday night. In the event that it was necessary for us to convene on 
Wednesday morning, could we convene at 9 a.m., in the hopes that maybe 
we could wrap up our business on Wednesday morning and not continue 
into Wednesday afternoon?
  Mr. ARMEY. If the gentleman from Michigan will yield further.
  Mr. BONIOR. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the inquiry. The 
gentleman makes a very good point, and I have to say, I think in full 
confidence, that as a matter of respect for our colleagues, should we 
have to propound such a unanimous consent request, I would guess that 
the gentleman would hear a resounding silence when asked if there were 
any objections. I appreciate the question.
  Mr. SHERMAN. I thank the majority leader for doing everything 
possible to accommodate us.

                          ____________________