[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 78 (Thursday, June 13, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H3540-H3541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Ms. PELOSI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from 
Texas for the purpose of inquiring about the schedule for next week.
  Mr. ARMEY. 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 Monday, June 17, 
at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. I 
will schedule a number of measures under suspension of the rules, a 
list of which will be distributed to Members' offices tomorrow. 
Recorded votes on Monday will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.
  On Tuesday and the balance of the week, I have scheduled the 
following measures for consideration in the House:
  H.R. 327, the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act;
  H.R. 2114, the National Monument Fairness Act of 2002;
  H.R. 3389, the National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments of 
2002;
  H.R. 1979, the Airport Safety, Security and Air Service Improvement 
Act; and
  The Retirement Savings Security Act of 2002.
  Mr. Speaker, the Speaker also advises me that he expects to be ready 
to

[[Page H3541]]

name conferees for an omnibus trade bill, which I would expect to 
schedule next week as well; and the Speaker further advises me that, in 
consultation with the minority leader, he expects to bring a resolution 
to the floor related to the establishment of a select committee on 
homeland security.
  I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the distinguished majority leader. I have some 
further questions.
  On what days will the following be scheduled: the appointment of the 
fast track conferees? trade promotion authority conferees?
  Mr. ARMEY. I expect that would probably happen on Tuesday.
  Ms. PELOSI. And then the Monument Fairness Act, Mr. Leader?
  Mr. ARMEY. Wednesday.
  Ms. PELOSI. And airport towers legislation?
  Mr. ARMEY. That would be Wednesday as well.
  Ms. PELOSI. And pension reform?
  Mr. ARMEY. That would be Thursday.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Leader, are there definitely going to be votes next 
Friday?
  Mr. ARMEY. I appreciate the gentlewoman's inquiry. As the week is 
shaping up, the kind of work we see coming available to us, I think we 
should have to expect to be here for votes on Friday of next week.
  Ms. PELOSI. I appreciate that. I do have one other question. I 
unfortunately do not see on the schedule a date for the prescription 
drug legislation to be scheduled. I have been hearing over and over 
that it is coming up soon, it is coming up soon. As you know, Mr. 
Leader, the need is great. We have been hearing that the majority is 
going to schedule this legislation for months. We need a real Medicare 
benefit that protects our seniors from the huge cost of prescription 
drugs. Every day is important to them. I would like to ask the majority 
leader what the plan is for bringing a prescription drug benefit under 
Medicare to the floor.
  Mr. ARMEY. Again I want to thank the gentlewoman for her inquiry.
  The gentlewoman from California, Mr. Speaker, is exactly right. This 
is indeed very important to so many citizens in America, and we have 
two committees that are working on it and working with one another, the 
Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I 
am told that the Committee on Energy and Commerce has already scheduled 
a markup for next week and have every reason to expect the bill to be 
on the floor before we retire to our districts for the July 4th work 
period.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's information.

                          ____________________