[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 25 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H529-H530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I will yield to my friend, Mr. Boehner, for 
the purposes of informing us of the schedule.
  Mr. BOEHNER. I thank my colleague for yielding.
  Next week, Mr. Speaker, the House will convene on Tuesday at 12:30 
for morning hour, and at 2 o'clock for legislative business. We will 
take up several measures under suspension of the rules. A final list of 
those bills will be sent to Members' offices by the end of the week. 
Any votes that are called on those measures will be rolled until 6:30.
  On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will finish consideration of 
H.R. 4167, the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005.
  Finally, we will consider H.R. 2829, the Office of National Drug 
Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2005. The committees are 
continuing their excellent and hard work to develop this bill to 
reauthorize laws to combat drug trafficking. The Government Reform 
Committee has completed its action, and we expect the Judiciary 
Committee will complete its work today.
  Mr. HOYER. Reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for that 
information.
  Mr. Leader, as you know, we have been considering the rule for the 
food labeling bill. It is my understanding we are going to be limited 
to general debate.
  It is also my understanding that the reason we are not completing the 
bill is the Rules Committee has had some issues with reference to 
exactly the way in which we are going to consider the bill and the 
amendments.
  Mr. Leader, as you know, this bill has had no hearings. None. As you 
further know, there are States who are very concerned. As a matter of 
fact, I think I have gotten a letter indicating there are 36 attorneys 
general around the country, Republican and Democrat, who have concerns 
with this bill.
  Mr. Leader, I would hope that the leadership on your side would 
convey to the Rules Committee the necessity to have, A, open debate, 
and hopefully, as well, significant possibility of amendment.
  I do not know whether it would be an open rule or certainly, I 
hesitate to use this word, but a liberal rule which will allow 
significant amendments to be considered by this House, again, in light 
of the fact that it has had no hearings whatsoever as it comes to this 
floor.
  I yield to my friend.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman is probably aware, this 
bill has been around for many, many years. There has been lots of 
discussion and debate about this bill. It did come out of the Energy 
and Commerce Committee.
  The reason for the split rule is because there are a significant 
number of Members going to the gulf coast this afternoon to review the 
recovery, and we knew we would only get through the general debate 
today.
  The Rules Committee is expected to meet and to finalize the rule. 
Those discussions about what the rule will look like and the number of 
amendments and the type of amendments is continuing.
  But I clearly understand the interest of my colleague from Maryland 
for a more open rather than a more closed process.
  Mr. HOYER. That word will do if it becomes realty. We appreciate your 
comments, Mr. Leader.
  The PATRIOT Act, that was supposed to be on the calendar, we thought, 
this week. It is not on the calendar. I see you have not mentioned it 
in the work for next week.
  Can you tell me whether we expect it to come before us next week as a 
suspension bill or under a rule?
  Mr. BOEHNER. We thought that we would have the bill up yesterday 
because the Senate was contemplating action yesterday morning. The 
expiration date of the temporary extension of the PATRIOT Act is soon 
to expire.
  We expect that the Senate will take this bill up tomorrow. If, in 
fact, that is the case, it will be brought up on Tuesday under the 
suspension calendar.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for that comment. Let me move on, if 
I can, to the budget resolution.
  Can you give us a sense at this point in time of the timing of the 
budget resolution? We know that there have been some concerns raised in 
the other body; obviously, some concerns raised here. We understand 
that it was the intention to bring that up prior to the St. Patrick's 
Day recess.
  Can you tell me whether that is still the intent and when we might 
expect to see that bill on the floor?

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. BOEHNER. That was a rumor that was floating around. We expect 
that the budget resolution will move sometime soon. Whether it happens 
next week or the week after is still up for discussion. When we get 
closer to having a firm plan for moving it, you will be the first to 
know.
  Mr. HOYER. Well, that will be a first, if I am the first to know.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Once I know.
  Mr. HOYER. This is a new era in which we are moving, and I cannot 
tell you how excited I am about that.

[[Page H530]]

  Mr. BOEHNER. I can tell.
  Mr. HOYER. And how I stand here in anticipation of that fact. If the 
leader does not mind, I will hold him to that.
  Mr. BOEHNER. I will do my best.
  Mr. HOYER. Thank you, sir.
  On the supplemental appropriation, we know that the President has 
made a request. Can you tell us when the supplemental appropriation 
might be considered?
  Mr. BOEHNER. In discussions with Chairman Lewis of the Appropriations 
Committee, there is a lot of work being done, hearings scheduled. 
Again, I do not think we have a firm timetable for moving the 
supplemental, but over the next week or so I think we will have a much 
better idea. And I will be glad to inform you as soon as I know.
  Mr. HOYER. I see there is not a representation, however, that I will 
be the first to know on this one.
  Mr. BOEHNER. I am protecting myself.
  Mr. HOYER. I appreciate that.
  Last, these are all important and while we are being humorous to some 
degree about when we know about these, clearly we have a lot of 
important business to do, and we are now going into the third month of 
the year. Can you tell us what your expectations are on the tax 
reconciliation conference report? Obviously, that was a very 
contentious bill as it passed out of the House as you know, Mr. Leader; 
and we would like to be prepared for that bill when it comes back, when 
the conference committee comes back to the House.
  Mr. BOEHNER. The tax reconciliation bill is in conference. I know 
there have been some discussions. From my standpoint, I would rather 
have that conference report sooner rather than later. But I have not 
had any indication from Chairman Thomas that it is imminent; and 
secondly, it is important for the House to go to conference with the 
Senate on the pension bill. We are approaching a very critical deadline 
on the interest rate used to calculate the obligations of a defined 
benefit pension plan that expired at the end of the year. That interest 
rate needs to be reset in the large pension overhaul bill. I have got 
to tell you that we are waiting on Senate action. Because there are tax 
provisions in it, they have to take up the House bill. I suspect they 
will reject the House bill and go to conference. But it is important 
for us to get into conference on the pension bill and action is going 
to be required rather quickly. I do expect the tax reconciliation bill, 
over the next couple of weeks, I would hope that they will be finished.
  Mr. HOYER. I appreciate the leader's information.
  Again, in closing, I would ask the leader if he would use his good 
offices on the food bill because there is substantial controversy 
around the country, as well as on the House floor, on that bill to 
provide for as full a consideration and amendatory process as possible. 
I appreciate the leader's attention to that.

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