[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 173 (Thursday, December 13, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H10114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. Menendez asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I take this time to inquire about next 
week's schedule.
  I am pleased to yield to the distinguished majority leader.
  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.
  The House will next meet for legislative business on Tuesday, 
December 18, at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour debate, and 2 o'clock 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 tomorrow. On Tuesday, no recorded votes are expected 
before 6:30 p.m.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to report that we are continuing to 
work very hard on the economic security package. It is my hope that I 
will be able to schedule it for consideration in the House on next 
Tuesday night.
  On Wednesday and the balance of the week, the House will consider the 
following measures to complete our business for the year: The Labor, 
Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Conference 
Report; the Department of Defense Appropriations Conference Report; and 
the Foreign Operations Appropriations Conference Report.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, am I to understand 
from the gentleman's statement that Members should expect the stimulus 
bill on the floor Tuesday after the votes at 6:30?
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for that inquiry. I can 
see that quiet look of confident optimism on the face of the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Rangel) behind the gentleman, so it encourages me, 
knock on wood.
  Mr. Speaker, I would say this is a very important piece of 
legislation. It is important to the Nation.

                              {time}  1500

  We are working hard in this conference, and I believe we are working 
in good faith with one another. We are preparing ourselves for the 
completion of the year's work which we would anticipate would involve 
our being able to do the stimulus package Tuesday night and the 
remaining appropriations bills. That will mean that there will be a lot 
of very hard work done in all of these conferences between now and 
then. But I believe the time is drawing near that we must redouble our 
efforts and come to these opportunities for closure.
  So I would tell our Members that we would expect that we would be 
able to go to work on the floor and have the debate on a rule regarding 
the stimulus package between 5:30 and 6:30 on Tuesday evening next; we 
would expect to have the suspension votes and that rule vote; and then, 
after that period of time, sometime Tuesday night, 7:00, 7:30, we would 
be expecting to be taking up debate on the stimulus package.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
  I have two further questions. The broadband Tauzin-Dingell bill is 
not on the schedule. Does that mean it is not going to happen in this 
year?
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, let 
me again thank the gentleman for the question. Mr. Speaker, I believe 
the broadband bill should be expected sometime in March of next year.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. March of next year.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I see that the gentleman is saying that we hope 
to end on Thursday. Can Members expect to be done for the year on 
Thursday?
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the inquiry, and 
let me just say to the gentleman, with all my heart I hope so, and to 
the very best of my ability to understand it, I expect so.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, would the gentleman yield?
  Mr. MENENDEZ. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I would appreciate it if the majority leader 
could respond to one question. As he knows, one of the contentious 
items still remaining is the final disposition of the supplemental, and 
the issue within that that is causing the most heartburn is whether 
there will be any significant increase in funding for homeland 
security.
  In light of the fact that I note today that a coalition of Mayors and 
Governors have appealed to the Congress and the White House to provide 
funds in addition to those being requested by the administration for 
things such as aid to local communities for homeland security costs and 
aid to local communities to upgrade their public health services; and 
in light of the fact that Governor Engler has been one of the lead 
spokesmen on that, I would simply ask the gentleman, again, within the 
leadership circles on that side of the aisle, to urge that we listen to 
those expressions of concern and find a way to provide at least the 
amount that was provided in the Senate action early last week on 
homeland security.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman for those 
observations, and if the gentleman from New Jersey would continue to 
yield, let me just say that we have great confidence in the conferees 
on this bill. We obviously understand, and the President has said 
repeatedly, that additional requests in order to repair the damage that 
has been inflicted to compensate for the hardships endured and prepare 
America for a reaffirmation of its own soundness is something that he 
expects to send to us early next year, and it may be that many of these 
eleventh-hour requests will be considered in the White House at that 
time. I thank the gentleman for his interest.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for 
yielding. I hope that we can respond to the Governors' and the Mayors' 
request this year rather than next.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his answers, and 
I simply hope that on the stimulus package we can certainly respond to 
the growing unemployment needs of working men and women who have 
suffered as a result of September 11. As we seek to finalize that work, 
hopefully we can also give them hope as we approach the holiday season.

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