[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13288]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  MAKING IN ORDER AT ANY TIME CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 685, 
 REVISING THE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005 
             AS IT APPLIES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it be 
in order at any time to consider in the House House Resolution 685; 
that the resolution be considered as read for amendment; and that the 
previous question be considered as ordered on the resolution to final 
adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the 
question except 90 minutes of debate on the resolution equally divided 
and controlled by the majority leader and minority leader, or their 
designees.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I will not 
object, but I simply wanted to make this reservation in order to 
express my agreement with the motion that is being offered by the 
gentleman, to say that what this means is that for the first time in 4 
years, the minority would have an opportunity to state its first 
preferences with respect to budget priorities, and having been given 
that consideration, that should facilitate the handling of the 
remaining appropriation bills.
  We are in the minority. We recognize that. We expect that the 
majority is going to win these votes. But we feel that we at least have 
a right to have our first preferences voted upon in a nonprocedural 
way. And when that happens, it is much easier to facilitate an orderly 
consideration of the appropriation bills, even though we may differ on 
the substance.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. OBEY. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding. I would like to say, Mr. Speaker, that this procedure is 
fair. We will have differences when we come to a vote on the procedure 
and on the resolution, but it is a fair procedure; and I believe that 
it will, in a constructive way, expedite the business of the House, 
especially as it relates to budgetary and appropriations issues.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, continuing under my reservation, it is my 
understanding that in accordance with this unanimous consent agreement, 
that this resolution is expected to be on the floor Thursday, and I 
think that will greatly facilitate the consideration of other matters.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.

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