[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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