[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 21]
[House]
[Pages 30721-30722]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



WAIVING POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1180, TICKET 
          TO WORK AND WORK INCENTIVES IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1999

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the 
Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 387 and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 387

       Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be 
     in order to consider the conference report to accompany the 
     bill (H.R. 1180) to amend the Social Security Act to expand 
     the availability of health care coverage for working 
     individuals with disabilities, to establish a Ticket to Work 
     and Self-Sufficiency Program in the Social Security 
     Administration to provide such individuals with meaningful 
     opportunities to work, and for other purposes. All points of 
     order against the conference report and against its 
     consideration are waived. The conference report shall be 
     considered as read.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) 
is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate 
only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman 
from New York (Ms. Slaughter), 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.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 387 would grant a rule waiving all points of 
order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 1180, the Ticket 
to Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, and against its 
consideration. The rule further provides that the conference report 
shall be considered as read.
  Mr. Speaker, the conference report to accompany H.R. 1180 establishes 
a ticket to work program for recipients of Social Security disability 
benefits to seek vocational rehabilitation and employment services as 
well as enabling those individuals to work while keeping their health 
insurance. This legislation also creates new options for States to 
allow disabled individuals to purchase Medicaid insurance.
  The conference agreement also provides approximately $15.8 billion in 
tax relief over 5 years, $18.4 billion over 10 years, by extending 
certain tax credits. This tax extenders package includes renewal of 
several expiring tax credit provisions, including the R&D tax credit, 
the Work Opportunity Tax Credit,

[[Page 30722]]

and the Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit as well as providing tax relief for 
individuals and families by protecting at least 1 million families from 
higher taxes over the next 3 years due to the AMT tax. Finally, the 
measure includes approximately $2.6 billion in revenue offsets over the 
next 5 years and $2.9 billion over the next 10 years.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Archer) and 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), ranking member, for their 
leadership in resolving the many complex issues contained in this 
legislation and urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the 
conference report itself.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume, and I want to thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Hastings) for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I have heard it said that human beings exhibit their 
most creative potential when they are kindergarten age. Well, whoever 
said that probably needs to spend a little time around here at the end 
of a session. There is some very creative work being done.
  Vexing problems which have been around for months and may be even 
years are suddenly solved when the sand starts running out of the 
Congressional hour glass, or they are suddenly turned into bargaining 
chips. Witness what is happening with reproductive rights and the 
payment of our UN debts.
  Major issues which have languished unattended are addressed and then 
tossed abroad whenever the legislative vehicle is leaving the station. 
Meanwhile, many others, such as the bill of rights protecting people 
from their HMOs or efforts to fight gun violence never get their 
tickets punched.
  But rest assured, Mr. Speaker, the American people want a Patients' 
Bill of Rights, they want us to do better on gun violence, and they 
will be watching when we return in the year 2000.
  As for the rule which is currently before us, H. Res. 387, it 
provides for the consideration of several disparate issues which have 
been corralled under a single bill title.
  Part A of the bill is the Work Incentives Improvement Act, a bill to 
modernize our woefully outdated national disability policies.
  When policies on Medicaid and other programs for the disabled were 
first developed decades ago, having a disability often meant that an 
individual is confined to home or an institution. Today, however, with 
advances in technology, training, and rehabilitation, many individuals 
with disabilities are allowed to hold good jobs and live very full 
lives in the mainstream of society.
  The Work Incentives Improvement Act will allow persons with 
disabilities to continue receiving certain benefits, particularly 
health coverage, while returning to work. The proposal also provides 
for more State flexibility and serving individuals with disabilities 
through health programs, associated services like transportation 
assistance, and training.
  This legislation does not benefit only persons with disabilities, it 
also has major benefits for the Federal Government and the taxpayer. If 
an additional one-half of 1 percent of the current Social Security 
Disability and Supplemental Security Income recipients were to cease 
receiving benefits as a result of employment, the savings and cash 
assistance would total $3.5 billion over the worklife of the 
individuals.
  This worthy legislation was passed by the House overwhelmingly 
earlier this year, and I expect it will enjoy similar support today.
  Part B of the underlying bill is a collection of tax extenders. I am 
pleased that this agreement includes a 5-year extension for research 
and development tax credit. Science and technology are critical for our 
future development, our knowledge about the world around us, and our 
understanding of ourselves.
  I have long been a strong supporter of incentives to encourage 
businesses to invest in the development of new technologies and 
products. Through its existence, the R&D tax credit has served as a 
fundamental component of our Nation's competitiveness strategy by 
increasing the amount of research undertaken by the private sector.
  One key provision which I would have strongly supported had it been 
allowed to remain in the bill would have entitled workers to better 
pension benefits through what is known as section 415 of the tax code. 
But, regrettably, this provision was left at the station.
  In addition, the bill includes a delay in the implementation of rules 
proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services to restructure 
organ allocation in our Nation. While this delay is not likely to 
please people on either side of this emotional issue, it should at 
least allow the Congress to debate this matter more fully when we 
return in January.
  Mr. Speaker, my main regret on the legislation is that we are dealing 
with what should have been several bills and are, instead, forced to 
consider them as a single package. This approach limits debate and 
prohibits many Members from exercising their right to discuss the 
legislation. It is unfair and it is unnecessary. There is no reason why 
these bills should not have been brought up earlier under open rules 
with full debate. This is to say nothing of the many, many worthwhile 
bills that are being pushed aside altogether in the majority's rush to 
adjourn.
  But we are coming back with renewed energy and commitment to passing 
the Patients' Bill of Rights, increasing the minimum wage for working 
families, and halting the violence and gunfire which threatens our 
homes and our communities.
  Mr. Speaker, by all accounts, this will be the final rule to be 
considered this century. This is also the final rule of this 
millennium. Those of us who serve on this important committee are 
keenly aware of its historical and institutional role in this Congress 
on behalf of the American people. Grounded by that tradition and 
honored by the opportunity, we are thankful to the Members who have 
gone before us, and we look forward to the new millennium and meeting 
the challenges facing the American people in the 21st Century. I am 
grateful for my colleagues on the Committee on Rules.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) 
for noting that this is the last rule of this millennium. From my 
perspective, I had forgotten about that, and I thank the gentlewoman 
for bringing it up.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. 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 resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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