[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 137 (Friday, October 12, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H6776-H6777]
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 take this time for the purpose of 
inquiring the schedule for the remainder of the week and next week.
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I thank the 
gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the House has completed 
its legislative business for the week. The House will next meet for 
legislative business next Tuesday, October 16, at 12:30 p.m. for 
morning hour, and at 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 Members' offices later 
today. Of special importance to Members, on Tuesday, no recorded votes 
are expected until 6 p.m.
  On Wednesday and the balance of the week, the House will consider the 
following measures, subject to rules:
  First, on Wednesday, the conference report to accompany H.R. 2217, 
the Interior appropriations bill for fiscal year 2002. Also on 
Wednesday, H.R. 3004, the Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001, which 
is money laundering legislation reported out of committee yesterday.

                              {time}  1630

  Finally, on Thursday the House is expected to take up H.R. 3090, the 
Economic Security and Recovery Act of 2001, which is expected to be 
reported out of the Committee on Ways and Means yet this afternoon or 
this evening.
  Mr. Speaker, appropriators are also working hard on additional bills 
now in conference. It is our hope that additional appropriations 
conference reports will be available for consideration in the House at 
some point next week.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I would inquire of the gentleman from Ohio 
if the aviation security bill is coming to the floor next week.
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, we 
are hopeful it will come to the floor next week. We are still working 
on this legislation. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and others are working on it. 
We want to take this bill up with some urgency, but we cannot give the 
gentleman a firm time at this point.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, let me just say this. We have been very 
patient here. I have been raising this issue each week at the end of 
the week with a colloquy with the distinguished majority leader about 
the aviation security bill, and about the compensation bill for those 
who were laid off. Every week we have been told, well, we are working 
on that. We are working on it.
  While we are working on it, the American people want some security in 
their flights. They want to know that their baggage is going to be 
checked. They want to know that there is a federally-secured inspection 
system in place. They want to know all of these things.
  I must say, with all due respect, we are running out of patience, and 
I think the American people are running out of patience. That bill 
ought to have been brought to the floor today. It passed the Senate 100 
to 0. There is no reason why we keep delaying and delaying and 
delaying.
  So I want to encourage my friend, the gentleman from Ohio, and my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle, have that bill on the floor 
as soon as we get back here next week. The American people are ready 
for it; we are ready for it on our side. I know Members on the 
gentleman's side are ready for it. There is no reason to continue to 
delay this important legislation.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BONIOR. I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota.

[[Page H6777]]

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I would just say to the distinguished acting majority leader that in 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure we have worked very 
diligently on a bipartisan basis sharing ideas, coming to agreement on 
virtually all items in an aviation security bill but one.
  I would hope that we would have that legislation, either the majority 
version or our version. Certainly, I understand bringing up the 
majority version of this bill on the House floor next week, but with an 
opportunity for us to offer our package as a substitute, or an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  I know, without going into the detail of it here, there is division 
over one issue. We ought to have an opportunity to elucidate that issue 
of who ought to conduct the screening of persons and carry-on baggage 
and checked baggage at airports. We ought to have a rational discussion 
on this subject. I hope that the majority will allow that to occur on 
the House floor next week.
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, I 
know we have an important briefing, and Members are waiting to hear the 
briefing and to catch airplanes and get home with their families, which 
is also very important.
  We totally agree that it is very urgent to bring this measure to the 
floor. As we know, the Senate completed action only late last night. 
There are some differences between the President's proposal and the 
Senate bill. There are some complex issues still to be resolved. But we 
are very hopeful we can get that to the floor next week and get these 
issues resolved, and provide the American people an additional sense of 
security, in addition to the National Guard and other important 
measures that have been taken in the interim.
  I would tell the gentleman that the points are well taken, and we 
will move with urgency.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I would just say to my friend, the gentleman 
from Ohio, and he is my friend, that the Senate worked last night on 
the bill we just passed here a few moments ago. The gentleman on his 
side saw fit to bring it to the floor and get it done today.
  There is no reason why we cannot move on this important piece of 
legislation. It passed the Senate 100 to 0. The American people want 
security in aviation, in flying in this country. We need it, and we 
need it yesterday. So I want to encourage all my colleagues on the 
other side to pressure their leadership to get it to the floor.
  We know what the issue is. The issue is whether we are going to have 
a professional Federal work force inspecting. Everyone understands 
that. Why do we not have a debate on that? This is what this is about.
  It should not be about one or two people on that side of the aisle 
who are holding this up because they do not want it. It should be a 
debate where everybody decides on this floor. If we win, fine. If they 
win, fine. Let us get on with the business of taking care of the flying 
public.

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