[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 22747]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. BOEHNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask all of my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to proceed with caution. We all know that it 
has been a tough week. We all know that we are right up against the 
August recess. And we all know there is a lot of passion in the room.
  I don't know what the order of the House will be today. I heard some 
discussion about going to the Defense appropriation bill. But I would 
ask my colleagues that we do our work in a businesslike fashion, that 
we treat each other with respect, and that we proceed in a way that the 
American people would be proud of.
  Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to yield to the gentleman for an update 
on the schedule.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for that comment, and I 
share his view.
  Mr. Speaker, we have not yet had a meeting of the Rules Committee. I 
expect the Rules Committee will be meeting as soon as we leave here. I 
am not sure the exact time that it is scheduled. But we will be 
providing for rules. We intend to do a number of pieces of legislation. 
The gentleman has mentioned the Department of Defense bill.
  Rules is not yet scheduled, but I presume it will be scheduled 
shortly.
  The Department of Defense appropriation bill is a critical bill. We 
intend to consider that today. We also intend to consider Foreign 
Intelligence Surveillance Act legislation to enhance the ability of the 
Director of National Intelligence and those with whom he works to 
pursue those who might harm our country.
  We also intend, Mr. Leader, to have on the floor a bill which is an 
emergency bill to respond to the bridge falling in Minneapolis, 
Minnesota. We also intend to consider an energy bill.
  As I said on Tuesday, if we can complete that legislation today, we 
will do so. If not, we will complete it tomorrow. If we cannot complete 
it tomorrow, we will complete it on Monday. That is the order of 
business that we have contemplated.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, is the gentleman 
planning on having legislation on the floor tomorrow?
  Mr. HOYER. As I said on Tuesday night, the legislation that I just 
mentioned, and there may be some other suspension bills, we intend to 
finish that business. I would hope it would not take us until Monday. 
We are going to have a discussion, and perhaps we can pursue that.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, if I could suggest to 
the majority leader that in the interest of the House and in the 
interest of trying to find a way to proceed today, that we might recess 
the House for a few minutes so that we can have this discussion that we 
have been referring to.
  Mr. HOYER. If the gentleman would yield, we will have this discussion 
as soon as we leave the floor. But there are a number of Members who 
wanted to do 1-minutes. I suggest we proceed with those at this time, 
if that is agreeable.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Fine.

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