[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 103 (Thursday, July 25, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H5461]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         INTRODUCTION OF ``INSTANT REPLAY'' BUDGET LEGISLATION

  (Mr. GEKAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, the Congress once again is facing the fiscal 
train wreck that seems to come about every October 1, the end of the 
fiscal year, when the Congress has not finished its appropriations 
cycle and we are left with a device, a tricky device, called the 
continuing resolution to continue doing business until a budget can be 
put into place.
  Again, we are introducing here today a bill that could end this kind 
of crisis, this potential shutdown of government, once and for all. We 
have attempted it for 10, 12 years now. It passed once, but then 
President Clinton vetoed it. This bill calls for an instant replay that 
would occur on October 1 on those appropriations bills that have not 
been completed by the end of the fiscal year, September 30. The reason 
that it has not passed in my judgment and signed into law is because it 
makes good, common sense. In other words, after September 30, for the 
appropriations bills that are yet to be completed, instant replay comes 
into play. Last year's budget becomes automatic until the appropriators 
can come up with a new budget. I urge support.

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