[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10343-H10344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   WAIVING A REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 6(A) OF RULE XIII WITH RESPECT TO 
  CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON 
 RULES, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES

  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call 
up House Resolution 1181 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 1181

       Resolved, That the requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII 
     for a two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee 
     on Rules on the same day it is presented to the House is 
     waived with respect to any resolution reported through the 
     legislative day of December 24, 2018.
       Sec. 2.  It shall be in order at any time through the 
     calendar day of December 23, 2018, for the Speaker to 
     entertain motions that the House suspend the rules as though 
     under clause 1 of rule XV. The Speaker or his designee shall 
     consult with the Minority Leader or her designee on the 
     designation of any matter for consideration pursuant to this 
     section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Oklahoma is recognized 
for 1 hour.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the 
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
McGovern), my good friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I 
may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded 
is for the purpose of debate only.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5

[[Page H10344]]

legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oklahoma?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us is a very simple one. 
It provides the House with the maximum flexibility to expeditiously 
move important legislation before the end of Congress.
  The resolution allows the House to suspend the rules to consider 
bipartisan pieces of legislation, including the Senate-passed criminal 
justice reform legislation, which we will consider later today. It also 
allows for the House to quickly consider measures to fund the 
government. As we are up against a deadline, it is important that we 
have the ability to quickly ensure that the government does not shut 
down.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the rule and the underlying 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), my good friend, for the customary 30 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Oklahoma made such a compelling 
argument for this rule--I can't believe I am saying this--I am going to 
vote for this martial law rule.
  It is a shame that we are at this point, rushing to meet deadlines 
that have been staring us in the face for weeks and hurrying to finish 
up important legislative business in the waning days of this Congress. 
But we are where we are, and we need to be responsible.
  When it comes to something like funding the government, it is 
appropriate to use all the tools in our toolbox to keep the lights on. 
So, while I think rules granting same-day authority should be avoided 
whenever possible, times like this are why they exist.
  There is also suspension authority in this rule that would allow this 
House an opportunity to take up criminal justice reform, a bipartisan 
first step that our Republican President has already promised to sign.
  With so much work in front of us today, I am not going to waste time 
on process. I won't belabor the President for his words and tweets, 
which made completing our business tougher than it needed to be. And I 
will even spare my friends in the majority further conversation about 
how I wish we weren't, once again, standing on the brink of another 
shutdown. Consider it my gift to them for this holiday.
  This House needs to move quickly and responsibly. Everyone 
understands that, so I will simply say that I will be voting for this 
rule. I urge my colleagues to do the same, so we can finish our 
business and prevent another government shutdown.
  Mr. Speaker, I have nothing else to say, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend. I am going to 
certainly accept the gracious gift that he has offered me. I learned a 
long time ago, when you win an argument, you shut up and sit down. So I 
want to applaud my colleagues for their work.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the 
previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. 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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