[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 190 (Wednesday, December 12, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H15323-H15327]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1030
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1585, NATIONAL
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008
Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I
call up House Resolution 860 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 860
Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be
in order to consider the conference report to accompany the
bill (H.R. 1585) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense,
for military construction, and for defense activities of the
Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. All
points of order against the conference report and against its
consideration are waived.
Sec. 2. The House being in possession of the official
papers, the managers on the part of the House at the
conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on H.R.
3093 shall be, and they are hereby, discharged to the end
that H.R. 3093 and its accompanying papers, be, and they are
hereby, laid on the table.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. DeGette). The gentlewoman from Florida
is recognized for 1 hour.
Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield
the customary 30 minutes to my friend and colleague from Washington on
the Rules Committee, Mr. Hastings. All time yielded during
consideration of the rule is for debate only.
General Leave
I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days
within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous
materials into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. CASTOR. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, House Resolution 860 provides for consideration of the
conference report to accompany H.R. 1585, the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, under the standard conference
report rule.
Madam Speaker, today the Congress will promote a stronger and safer
America by approving the National Defense Authorization conference
report and this rule. As a member of the House Armed Services
Committee, which is chaired by the distinguished gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Skelton), I am pleased to report that the committee has
worked in a bipartisan manner to ensure that our brave men and women in
uniform have the tools they need to keep America safe and strong.
Our military personnel and their families have sacrificed so much in
past years and continue to do so. In recognition of their service, this
Congress is proud to make important improvements in military pay and
benefits. We have raised the pay of our brave men and women in uniform
beyond the levels set originally by the President. And when our brave
men and women in combat are injured in the line of duty, they deserve
top quality medical care. The Walter Reed scandal drew back the curtain
on some of the challenges that the military community faces when it
comes to serving our brave men and women when they return from the
battlefield. Unfortunately, the military health care system was not
providing consistent, excellent care for our wounded soldiers. So,
Madam Speaker, one of the highlights of this bill are our efforts to
improve assistance to wounded warriors. These provisions have been
worked on throughout the year in a bipartisan way to improve the health
care for our wounded servicemembers because they deserve nothing but
the best.
We move beyond the ``support our troops'' rhetoric and enact
substantive improvements that will restore confidence in the quality of
care that our brave men and women in uniform deserve when they return
from the battlefield. This includes assistance to their very supportive
families, because supporting our troops does not simply mean that you
salute and send them off to war and then ask them to serve and
sacrifice for our great country, but supporting our troops means that
we continue to support them when they return home.
This bill improves the screening for traumatic brain injury and post-
traumatic stress disorder. I am very proud to recognize the efforts of
my hometown VA Medical Center, the James A. Haley Medical Center, which
is home to one of the four polytrauma centers in the country where we
have so many dedicated doctors, nurses and psychologists and folks in
physical therapy. They are so dedicated to these brave men and women
that come home with the worst injuries. But we have got to do more. And
that is contained in this bill.
This bill also mandates that the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans
Affairs establish a standard for rating servicemembers' disabilities
that takes into consideration all of their medical conditions.
An important part of improving the health care and mental health care
for our wounded warriors is tackling the bureaucracy that has blocked
their access to health care. So we require expedited action, provide
medical advocates, improve support services for families, elevate the
care for traumatic brain injuries and aid the polytrauma centers in VA
hospitals across the country that are serving the most critically
wounded troops.
This bill also blocks an increase that was proposed by the White
House to health insurance premiums for military families and troops
under the TRICARE system. It is inexplicable how the White House could
propose health insurance premium increases at a time when we are asking
so much of our brave American men and women in uniform. So, proudly,
the Congress, in a bipartisan way, blocks these health insurance
premium increases.
Madam Speaker, we know that because of the multiyear, sometimes
seemingly unending war in Iraq, that the readiness, the military
readiness of our country has suffered over the years. Well, this bill
restores the readiness of our Armed Forces, including equipment repair,
so that our soldiers go to battle with the most up-to-date equipment
available. In terms of readiness, we have authorized moneys for a new
Strategic Readiness Fund and to address equipment deficiencies. We have
all heard stories of soldiers, especially the folks in our National
Guard and Reserves, who are having problems with equipment shortages
and even receiving the necessary training that they need before heading
off to war. In some cases, the National Guard has been unable to help
in the traditional disaster response roles in their local communities
due to this problem. Well, this bill tackles that so we can improve the
readiness of the National Guard and Reserves so they can do their jobs
safely, efficiently and effectively.
Madam Speaker, this bill also calls for greater accountability over
the waste and fraud in Iraq that has been all too prevalent under this
administration. This includes the troubles we have had with various
contractors. As we see from the fallout of the Blackwater contracting
debacles, there has been so much waste and fraud in contracting in Iraq
and under this White House that we are not going to put up with it any
longer. This bill substantially improves oversight of the multibillion-
dollar and sometimes sole-source contracts that have been approved
during this war in Iraq.
The Armed Services Committee, under Chairman Skelton's leadership,
also requires additional accountability measures for Afghanistan,
including a new Inspector General for Afghanistan reconstruction, as we
cannot sanction the waste and fraud that has accompanied the
administration's Iraq reconstruction.
Madam Speaker, many believe that because of the White House's
preoccupation in Iraq that that preoccupation has shortchanged the
focus in Afghanistan where the Taliban allowed al Qaeda to flourish
some years ago. And, after all, the ungoverned and dangerous tribal
areas of Pakistan are just south of the Afghan border. Indeed,
[[Page H15324]]
just yesterday, listening to the Defense Secretary and the Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Armed Services Committee, it became
apparent that we are not able to do as much as we would like to do in
Afghanistan because of the resources that have been overwhelmingly
devoted to Iraq. Well, in this bill, we direct more attention to
operations in Afghanistan in addition to an Inspector General that will
oversee reconstruction efforts. This bill contains a long-term plan to
improve stability in Afghanistan.
Madam Speaker, many of the unsung heroes of our Armed Forces whose
missions you never hear about are the brave men and women in America's
special forces. I am very proud that the headquarters of Special
Operations Command is located in my hometown of Tampa, Florida, at
MacDill Air Force Base. This defense bill under Democratic leadership
not only fully funds our special forces but goes beyond the Bush
administration's budget request for these brave men and women,
including a number of needs that were not proposed to be funded by the
White House at all. Our commitment to special forces recognizes that we
cannot rely overwhelmingly any longer on conventional forces in defense
of our country. We have got to be smarter. We have got to be more
strategic. And this bill authorizes the increases in special forces and
also a new emphasis on more strategic action.
Oftentimes, to win a struggle, it is more strategic and smarter not
to go in with guns blazing but instead to work with folks on the ground
to prevent any terrorist inclinations from ever developing. This bill
does that. We will invest additional resources to improve education and
analytical intelligence surveillance. We harness the science and
technology innovation in this great country by investing in information
technology and other technologies to make sure that our troops on the
ground have the best technology available across the globe.
Madam Speaker, this Defense authorization bill and this rule charts a
new direction for true readiness, accountability and more strategic
investments to protect our national security. It improves the health
care needs for our wounded warriors and does a better job of helping
our families work through the unending maze of benefits and paperwork
that come from caring for an injured soldier.
I urge full, bipartisan support.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor) for yielding me the customary 30
minutes, and I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
(Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to revise
and extend his remarks.)
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, this rule allows for the
consideration of the conference report to accompany the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. This conference report
is largely bipartisan, as it should be, and is an example of what
Democrats and Republicans can accomplish when working together.
This conference report contains important authorizations for
increases in force protection and retains provisions of the overdue
Wounded Warrior Assistance Act. By passing these provisions, we will
help provide the tools needed to protect our men and women currently
deployed in the global war on terror. We will be setting up the
improvements needed to ensure excellence in our military and veterans
care system.
There are also provisions in this conference report that are
important to those that I represent in central Washington.
This conference report authorizes $29 million for the Yakima Training
Center. This funding will be used to increase the size of the Army's
training space, allow for urban operation training, and support the
digital systems used by today's Stryker forces. This new range is
expected to be completed in August of 2009 and will provide critical
training for our active duty and Reserve Army soldiers.
In addition, I am pleased that this conference report extends the
operation of the Ombudsman for the Energy Employees Occupation Illness
Compensation Program Act. The Ombudsman's office plays an important
role in assisting workers at Hanford and other sites seeking illness
compensation that they are due. I might add, Madam Speaker, this issue
goes way back to the Second World War when we were involved, obviously,
in atomic power. Hanford, which is in my district and a county adjacent
to my district, played an important part of that and those workers that
worked at those sites in many cases gave the ultimate sacrifice as our
men and women overseas did, but in a kind of different setting. This
compensation program, I think, is very important for those that worked
at the Hanford site and other sites during the Second World War.
Madam Speaker, again, I would like to stress that this conference
report was achieved in a bipartisan manner, and I hope to see more
bipartisan conference reports brought to the floor as Congress wraps up
its business in this first session of the 110th Congress.
As the first session of the 110th Congress comes to a close, I am
disappointed that Democrat leaders are still intent on micromanaging
the war on terror by blocking the funding requested for all our troops
on the battlefield. At a time when both Democrats and Republicans are
seeing recent progress in the war on terror, this approach, frankly,
Madam Speaker, strikes me as unnecessary, divisive and dangerous.
If a supplemental spending bill is not signed into law soon, some
Army civilian employees may get layoff notices before the Christmas
holidays, and if this funding continues to be delayed, Department of
Defense officials have reported that it could affect as many as 200,000
civilian employees and contractors.
Madam Speaker, I am also concerned that Democrat leaders continue to
use delaying tactics to block a vote on a final bipartisan bill to fund
veterans services.
{time} 1045
This inaction is causing our veterans to lose critical funding each
and every day. As I have done in the past, Madam Speaker, I will later
be asking my colleagues to defeat the previous question in order to
appoint conferees and quickly approve a veterans funding conference
report that, again, has strong bipartisan support and which is long
overdue.
With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve my time.
Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to
the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee, the
gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Skelton, and congratulate him on his
outstanding leadership in shepherding this bipartisan bill through the
Congress.
Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to
me.
Of course, I rise in support of the rule for this conference report,
the National Defense Authorization Act. I will speak more at length on
this issue later today after we have the privilege of passing the rule
on this floor. But, I must say, Madam Speaker, that in my years of
being here in the Congress, this is the most comprehensive, well
thought-out and studied authorization bill that we have had. It's
excellent for the troops, it's excellent for the families, and their
health care. It makes great strides in the area of readiness.
I just feel like bragging on all the members of the House Armed
Services Committee on both sides of the aisle. Of course, it couldn't
be done without the crackerjack staff that we have, and we are just
absolutely blessed with the dedicated staff that we have, Erin Conaton,
who's the staff director. We owe all of the members of the staff our
great appreciation.
This has been months of hard work. We have a proud tradition in the
Armed Services Committee as being bipartisan. It helps with the
problems of readiness, including equipment, training and people. It
gives an across-the-board 3.5 percent pay raise, protects them from
escalating fees for health care. It includes over 100 measures, large
and small, for quality of life. We combined the best elements of the
Wounded Warrior Act that was passed here in the House by 426-0, as well
as a companion bill that passed the Senate.
We have many parts of this bill that are new, which will help us in
the area of national security all the more. I
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will, at length, discuss them when we take the bill up at a later
moment today.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule on the conference report
for H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year
2008. I will speak at more length about this bill later today.
This legislation represents the outcome of months of hard work by the
House Armed Services Committee and our colleagues in the other body. It
is a good bill and it is a bipartisan bill in the proud tradition of
the Armed Services Committee. It is good for our troops and their
families. It will help improve the readiness of our Armed Forces, who
face dire problems with all elements of readiness including equipment,
training, and people. And it will bring significant new oversight to
the Department of Defense in areas where oversight is sorely needed.
Let me just mention a few high points.
H.R. 1585 includes a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for the
troops, protects them from escalating fees for health care, and
includes well over 100 other measures, both large and small, to improve
their quality of life. Just as important, it upholds the debt of honor
the nation owes to its injured and fallen veterans, by combining the
best elements of the Wounded Warrior Act which passed the House 426-0,
and a companion bill which passed the Senate.
To address the readiness crisis, it establishes a new, high level
board of military officers, the Defense Materiel Readiness Board, to
grapple with the growing, dramatic shortfalls confronting the Armed
Forces. The committee also made a special effort to authorize the most
money possible for readiness accounts.
Critically, this bill will bring much needed oversight to the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. It follows up on the bipartisan investigation of
Iraqi Security Forces by the committee's reinstated Oversight &
Investigations Subcommittee by increasing reporting relating to Iraqi
Security Forces and requiring real accountability for weapons
transferred to that nation. And it institutes, for the first time,
regular progress reports to Congress on the war in Afghanistan, where
our critical national interests remain deeply challenged by those who
attacked us on September 11. The bill also creates a new Special
Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
Finally, this bill takes significant strides to ensure that the
Department of Defense is able to posture itself to address new threats.
The bill includes $17.6 billion for mine resistant ambush protected
(MRAP) vehicles to protect our troops in Iraq and in future conflicts.
It increases funding for shipbuilding by almost a billion dollars. The
bill also adds 8 C-17s to help meet the demands for global power
projection in today's world.
In closing, I ask my colleagues to support this rule and to support
the conference report when we consider it later today.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 7
minutes to the gentleman from Georgia, Dr. Gingrey, who's a member of
the Armed Services Committee and former member of the Rules Committee.
Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule and
the conference report for Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense
Authorization Act, and I would certainly like to commend Chairman
Skelton, Ranking Member Hunter for standing strong throughout
conference negotiations and representing us so well during these
proceedings.
Madam Speaker, I think it proves, as my colleague from Washington
just stated, Mr. Hastings, that we can, when we put our heads together
and have that cooperative spirit, we can do things in a bipartisan
manner, and I commend Chairman Skelton and his excellent staff for
making that happen. Certainly, I want to thank Subcommittee Chairman
Neil Abercrombie, as well as Ranking Member Jim Saxton, as well as all
the conferees for the hard work in getting this legislation before the
floor. The staff of the Armed Services Committee, as I say, deserves
our thanks for their tireless efforts in support of our soldiers,
sailors, airmen and marines who are bravely defending us both at home
and abroad.
Madam Speaker, as we move toward adjournment, it's essential that we
pass this legislation, which covers an extensive range of issues that
are so vitally important to our Armed Services. From a 3.5 percent
across-the-board pay raise to an additional $17.6 billion for MRAP
vehicles, mine resistant ambush protected vehicles, this legislation
addresses the most pressing needs of our troops during a most trying
time for America. I am further pleased that the bill provides for an
increase of 13,000 Army and 9,000 Marine personnel, active duty
personnel, and at a time when our Guard and Reserve forces have been so
heavily utilized, it appropriately includes Guard empowerment
provisions.
Madam Speaker, although I do remain concerned about the overall
underfunding of missile defense and the lack of full funding for our
European missile defense site, I am thankful that the conferees
significantly restored funds for certain critical missile defense
programs. I am also proud, as my colleague from Washington State made
note, that the Wounded Warrior legislation is included in this
conference report, which will help our injured heroes as they face
challenges encountered on their long road to recovery.
Additionally, the legislation authorizes $189.4 billion in
supplemental funding to support current operations in the global war on
terror, and it fittingly recognizes the dangers posed by a precipitous
withdrawal from Iraq. By providing increased funding for force
protection and for the repair and replacement of battle-worn equipment,
this legislation authorizes the necessary supplemental funding to give
our deployed soldiers the resources they need to continue taking the
fight to the terrorists.
I am further very pleased with the work the committee has done this
year to authorize funding of 20 F-22 Raptors, in line with the current
multiyear contract. The F-22, Madam Speaker, is the world's most
capable fighter, and these funds will go a long way towards providing
stability for our forces and ensuring that America does maintain air
dominance for the foreseeable future.
Madam Speaker, section 1257 of the conference report affirms the
Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, acronym WHINSEC,
as an invaluable education and training facility which the Department
of Defense should continue to utilize in order to promote security
cooperation with Latin American countries. I proudly serve, along with
my colleague on the House Armed Services Committee, Ms. Sanchez from
California, we serve on the Board of Visitors for WHINSEC, and have for
a number of years, Madam Speaker, and know how important that is,
important for my colleagues to remember that WHINSEC may be the only
medium we have to engage future military and political leaders of these
Latin American countries. If we were not to engage with these nations
in this way, the void created would be filled by countries with
different values than our own regarding democracy and, yes, human
rights, countries such as Venezuela and China, whose influence in the
region is growing. Therefore, I am so proud that Congress stands behind
WHINSEC.
Finally, Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to
again recognize our fallen soldiers. A brave young man from my district
who heroically gave his life for our country, Sergeant Paul Saylor from
Bremen, Georgia, his remains were not able to be viewed for a final
time upon being returned to his family 2 years ago.
Last year's authorization bill, H.R. 5122, included a provision which
requires that all medical personnel be trained in remains preservation
to ensure that these fallen heroes get the dignity and respect they
deserve. This is the least that we can do for the families as they are
grieving so much. I would like to thank my colleagues for following up
on this measure by honoring my request for a report on this program in
this year's bill, and I want to certainly take an opportunity to thank
Paul's parents, Jamie and Patti Saylor, for their help in this regard.
Madam Speaker, there is much to be proud of in this bill. I again
commend Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member Hunter for their efforts to
keep this bill focused on the needs of the warfighter. In this spirit,
I urge all my colleagues in these days ahead, let's abandon any
defeatist rhetoric and any partisan bickering which only serves to
demoralize our troops and, yes, to embolden the enemy. We must stand
united in providing our troops every needed resource and send a strong
message to these terrorists and our allies that the resolve of our
great Nation is stronger than it has ever been.
Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to vote in favor of the rule and
the conference report.
[[Page H15326]]
Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to an outspoken advocate
for our brave men and women in uniform, Mr. Altmire from Pennsylvania.
Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida, and
I thank the chairman for his leadership, as well as Ranking Member
Hunter.
I wanted to talk specifically for a couple of minutes about two
provisions that this bill includes that I introduced. One of them
involves a bill, H.R. 1944, dealing with traumatic brain injury, which
is the signature injury of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.
What this legislation that we are voting on today says is that the
Department of Veterans Affairs will treat traumatic brain injury and do
screenings and treatments in a way that is much more put together than
has been done in the past. It is going to create a national registry,
it is going to create a long-term system for traumatic brain injury
screening and treatment, and it is going to create a coordinated
network throughout the Nation that is going to help our brave men and
women that are affected by TBI.
Secondly, I also introduced an amendment during consideration of this
bill dealing with family and medical leave. What this legislation does
is allow family members of our brave men and women serving in the Guard
and Reserve to use Family and Medical Leave Act time to see off, to see
the deployment, or to see the members return when they come back, and
to use that, importantly, to deal with economic issues and get the
household economics in order.
This bill is going to dramatically impact people's lives, and I am
proud to have played a very small part in it. But I do want to thank
the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership.
Madam Speaker, I also thank the gentlewoman from Florida for allowing
me the time to speak today.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, understanding that the
gentlewoman is prepared to close, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Madam Speaker, I must ask once again my colleagues to vote ``no'' on
the previous question so that I can amend the rule to allow the House
to immediately act to go to conference with the Senate on H.R. 2642,
the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill, and to
appoint conferees.
Madam Speaker, I am disappointed that a final veterans funding bill
is sitting waiting to be acted on and that the Democrat leaders have
bent over backwards to prevent this Congress in this session from
passing the final bill. Democrat leaders in the House have refused to
name conferees, and instead have chosen to put partisanship and
politics ahead of ensuring our veterans' needs are met. They have been
stalling since September and have ignored the fact that the new
spending bill began October 1 of this year, nearly over 2 months ago.
Since the beginning of the new spending year, our Nation's 8 million
veterans have been waiting for their $37 billion in promised veterans
benefits. Sadly, each day Democrat leaders choose not to act and move
final funding forward, our Nation's veterans lose $18.5 million. Since
the fiscal year began 73 days ago, our Nation's veterans are out $1.35
billion.
What is even more disappointing is that this bill has almost
unanimous support, unanimous support, from Republicans and Democrats;
yet we are not being allowed to pass it into law, and we are getting to
the waning days of this session. Meanwhile, our Nation's veterans, who
have sacrificed so much on behalf of our country, are left paying the
price.
{time} 1100
It is time, Madam Speaker, like in the underlying bill that this rule
makes in order, to put partisanship and politics aside and work
together to do what is in the best interest of our Nation's veterans. I
see no better time than right now. By defeating the previous question,
the House will send a strong message to our veterans that they have our
commitment to provide them with the funding increase they need,
deserve, and were promised.
Once Democrat leaders appoint conferees, the House can move forward
and pass a stand-alone veterans funding bill, and it will pass with
strong bipartisan support.
I ask unanimous consent to have the text of the amendment and
extraneous material inserted into the Record prior to the vote on the
previous question.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. With that, Madam Speaker, I urge my
colleagues to oppose the previous question, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I urge approval of the National Defense
Authorization Act, H.R. 1585, and this rule. This bipartisan bill
improves military readiness and demonstrates our commitment to our
brave men and women in uniform, including a 3.5 percent pay raise for
these brave folks, a commitment to the National Guard and our Reserves,
and an expansion and great improvement in the health care provided to
wounded warriors who return from the battlefield. The bill also
increases oversight and restores accountability over the waste and
fraud that has occurred in the war in Iraq.
Madam Speaker, this bill will make America safer and stronger. I urge
a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.
The material previously referred to by Mr. Hastings of Washington is
as follows:
Amendment to H. Res. 860 Offered by Mr. Hastings of Washington
At the end of the resolution, add the following:
Sec. 3. The House disagrees to the Senate amendment to the
bill. H.R. 2642, making appropriations for military
construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and
for other purposes, and agrees to the conference requested by
the Senate thereon. The Speaker shall appoint conferees
immediately, but may declare a recess under clause 12(a) of
rule I for the purpose of consulting the Minority Leader
prior to such appointment. The motion to instruct conferees
otherwise in order pending the appointment of conferees
instead shall be in order only at a time designated by the
Speaker in the legislative schedule within two additional
legislative days after adoption of this resolution.
____
(The information contained herein was provided by
Democratic Minority on multiple occasions throughout the 109h
Congress.)
The Vote on the Previous Question: What It Really Means
This vote, the vote on whether to order the previous
question on a special rule, is not merely a procedural vote.
A vote against ordering the previous question is a vote
against the Democratic majority agenda and a vote to allow
the opposition, at least for the moment, to offer an
alternative plan. It is a vote about what the House should be
debating.
Mr. Clarence Cannon's Precedents of the House of
Representatives, (VI, 308-311) describes the vote on the
previous question on the rule as ``a motion to direct or
control the consideration of the subject before the House
being made by the Member in charge.'' To defeat the previous
question is to give the opposition a chance to decide the
subject before the House. Cannon cites the Speaker's ruling
of January 13, 1920, to the effect that ``the refusal of the
House to sustain the demand for the previous question passes
the control of the resolution to the opposition'' in order to
offer an amendment. On March 15, 1909, a member of the
majority party offered a rule resolution. The House defeated
the previous question and a member of the opposition rose to
a parliamentary inquiry, asking who was entitled to
recognition. Speaker Joseph G. Cannon (R-Illinois) said:
``The previous question having been refused, the gentleman
from New York, Mr. Fitzgerald, who had asked the gentleman to
yield to him for an amendment, is entitled to the first
recognition.''
Because the vote today may look bad for the Democratic
majority they will say ``the vote on the previous question is
simply a vote on whether to proceed to an immediate vote on
adopting the resolution . . . [and] has no substantive
legislative or policy implications whatsoever.'' But that is
not what they have always said. Listen to the definition of
the previous question used in the Floor Procedures Manual
published by the Rules Committee in the 109th Congress, (page
56). Here's how the Rules Committee described the rule using
information from Congressional Quarterly's ``American
Congressional Dictionary'': ``If the previous question is
defeated, control of debate shifts to the leading opposition
member (usually the minority Floor Manager) who then manages
an hour of debate and may offer a germane amendment to the
pending business.''
Deschler's Procedure in the U.S. House of Representatives,
the subchapter titled ``Amending Special Rules'' states: ``a
refusal to order the previous question on such a rule
[[Page H15327]]
[a special rule reported from the Committee on Rules] opens
the resolution to amendment and further debate.'' (Chapter
21, section 21.2) Section 21.3 continues: Upon rejection of
the motion for the previous question on a resolution reported
from the Committee on Rules, control shifts to the Member
leading the opposition to the previous question, who may
offer a proper amendment or motion and who controls the time
for debate thereon.''
Clearly, the vote on the previous question on a rule does
have substantive policy implications. It is one of the only
available tools for those who oppose the Democratic
majority's agenda and allows those with alternative views the
opportunity to offer an alternative plan.
Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I
move the previous question on the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous
question.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas
and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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