[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 87 (Wednesday, June 26, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H3951-H3952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
(Mr. ARMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, in a few minutes we are going to ask that the
House recess until approximately 2 p.m. When we return from that
recess, we should return to consider, one, the rule to go to conference
on the Omnibus Trade Act; two, motion to instruct conferees on trade,
if it is offered; and then, three, the suspension votes that have been
rolled from last Tuesday. After the completion of that work, then we
would have completed our work for the day.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentlewoman from California.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. I
would like to have an inquiry about schedule and about the substance of
the rule that will be coming to the floor.
Mr. Leader, is this the identical rule, or is the gentleman planning
to amend it on the floor?
Mr. ARMEY. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman
for her inquiry. Indeed, it is the identical rule we had reported last
week.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, and
with all due respect to the majority leader and his capacity, I hope
that he will convey to the Republican leadership the displeasure of the
Members in the minority, and really I think we speak on behalf of the
American people when we say that the work that we do on this floor is
very important. The public needs notice as to what we are doing.
A schedule was put forth that we would have votes this morning so
that we could notify Members who are doing their work in their
committees. That was turned upside down. Now we come to the floor and
the majority is asking for a recess to take up the very important issue
of trade promotion within an hour.
We are coming back in an hour. Is that what the gentleman said, at 2
p.m., in 55 minutes? In a matter of minutes we are now notifying
Members that the majority wants to bring the rule on the trade
promotion to the floor, turning upside down the schedule for the rest
of the day. It is not just the minority that is disserved by this
unprofessional approach to our schedule. It is the general public and
those who follow with interest and have public opinion about the work
of Congress in the people's House.
So if the gentleman would convey the displeasure of the minority in
the manner in which this important issue is being treated and how this
schedule has turned into such a haphazard arrangement at will, with no
consultation, about these very important issues.
Now we are going to have a vote on fast track. Could the gentleman
shed some light as to when the majority may bring up the prescription
drug benefit bill?
Mr. ARMEY. Well, I thank the gentlewoman for that inquiry, and let me
say to the gentlewoman that I do appreciate the concerns she has
raised. I spent 10 years in the minority, and there were many times
during those 10 years that I too, without better understanding, was
concerned about whether or not the schedule was done in a professional
and considerate manner. I learned to accept that the majority was doing
the best they could, many times under difficult circumstances, and that
I should be patient and understanding.
Upon accepting these responsibilities, I have always concerned myself
that the minority should have these feelings. And it is for that reason
that I made it a point at the close of business last week, in my
colloquy, to advise the body, the minority in particular, that we would
be trying to bring this bill to the floor, and stipulated at that time
we would do so whenever we were able to do so.
We are now able to do so, and I am happy to see us move on. I will
try my very, very best to not disappoint the gentlewoman from
California in the future.
Ms. PELOSI. If the gentleman will continue to yield, I had a question
about the prescription drug bill.
Mr. ARMEY. I will be happy to continue to yield.
Ms. PELOSI. When does the gentleman think the prescription drug
legislation will be coming to the floor?
Mr. ARMEY. I appreciate the gentlewoman's inquiry. I see no sign that
we will be able to do that yet today; but as soon as we are capable of
bringing that bill to the floor, we will let the minority know.
Ms. PELOSI. The debt limit?
Mr. ARMEY. On the debt limit, I again renew my invitation to Members
of the minority to join with us in passing this very important increase
in the debt limit so that we can indeed deal with even the important
supplemental bill.
The Senate has passed Senator Daschle's bill. It would strike me that
this body ought to be able to pick up Senator Daschle's bill, passed in
the Senate, and pass it in the House, with a generous number of Members
of the minority willing to vote for the Senate majority leader's own
bill. But so far I have seen no indication that the minority Members of
this body are willing to vote in agreement with the Democrat majority
leader from the other body. Therefore, I cannot make an announcement
about our ability to bring his bill forward.
Ms. PELOSI. Is one to infer from what the gentleman has said that the
majority would be willing to bring up a freestanding bill with some
discussion about what the amount would be for the debt limit, including
the $150 billion that the minority has been suggesting?
Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman's question, and
let me just say to the gentlewoman that one should infer from what I
said that any serious suggestion or recommendation will be considered.
At this point, I believe that the Senate majority leader's passed bill
is a serious proposition. We would be happy to consider that if Members
of the minority would indicate their willingness to vote with Senator
Daschle on this matter.
Ms. PELOSI. Well, our distinguished minority leader has made an offer
to the Republican majority.
On the supplemental, do we know when that will be coming up?
Mr. ARMEY. Again, I am pleased to announce that the conferees on the
supplemental have found a way back to the table to discuss that. I have
been advised by the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations that he
has a renewed optimism on this matter.
It is my hope that that optimism gets worked out even during this
next hour, when they can sit down together. Nothing would please me
more than to be able to announce later, even perhaps to the
inconvenience and surprise of some Members, that we are prepared to
bring that very important conference report to the floor.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman continue to yield?
Mr. ARMEY. I will be happy to continue to yield to the gentlewoman.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the information that the
gentleman has been willing to provide.
I think it is important for both sides of the aisle to remember that
the legislation and the issues that we are dealing with are not our
private personal property. The American people expect and should demand
more transparency than what is happening in this House.
What is happening in this House is we are moving to a much less
democratic way of discussing the issues. I am not speaking to what the
gentleman experienced 8 years ago, because the gentleman knows that
when the Republican majority came in, part of the Contract on America
was to close down debate on this floor; to
[[Page H3952]]
eliminate many options available for debate for the minority. So this
is yet again another example.
Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentlewoman
for her comments and remind the body that indeed the Contract With
America was to bring to this floor for debate and to vote on this floor
10 items that were disallowed by the prior majority.
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