[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26413]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRIES

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Thornberry). The gentleman will state 
his inquiry.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, under the rules of the House, is it not 
true that before conference reports can be filed, that conferees must 
meet in formal session, and I believe this requirement can be found in 
clause 12 of rule XXII of the House rules?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is correct.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I have a further parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the House voted unanimously on Tuesday to 
recommit the FAA conference report to the conference committee in order 
to address essential safety issues relating to the plan to privatize 
the air traffic control system.

                              {time}  1030

  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, is it not the case that the FAA conference 
report before the House was filed without any formal notice of a 
conference meeting to the minority and, thus, in violation of clause 
12, rule XXII?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. THORNBERRY). The Chair can only 
reiterate that under the rules and precedents of the House, a 
conference report must be the product of an actual meeting of the 
managers appointed by the two Houses.

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