[House Report 106-228]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






106th Congress                                                   Report
  1st Session           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                106-228

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    PROVIDING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2466, DEPARTMENT OF THE 
         INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000

                                _______
                                

   July 12, 1999.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______


Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Rules, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                       [To accompany H. Res. 243]

    The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration 
House Resolution 243, by a record vote, report the same to the 
House with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted.

                  summary of provisions of resolution

    The resolution provides for the consideration of H.R. 2466, 
the ``Department of the Interior and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2000,'' under an open rule. The rule 
provides one hour of general debate divided equally between the 
chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Appropriations.
    The rule waives section 306 (prohibiting consideration of 
legislation within the Budget Committee's jurisdiction, unless 
reported by the Budget Committee) and section 401 of the 
Congressional Budget Act (prohibiting consideration of 
legislation containing new contract, borrowing, or entitlement 
authority not subject to appropriation) against consideration 
of the bill. The rule also waives clause 2 of rule XXI 
(prohibiting unauthorized or legislative provisions in an 
appropriations bill) against provisions in the bill, except as 
otherwise specified in the rule.
    The rule makes in order the amendment printed in this 
report, which may be offered only by a Member designated, shall 
be considered as read, shall not be subject to amendment, and 
shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question 
in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of 
order are waived against the amendment printed in this report.
    The rule further waives clause 2(e) of rule XXI 
(prohibiting nonemergency designated amendments to be offered 
to an appropriations bill containing an emergency designation) 
against amendments offered during consideration of the bill.
    Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Record 
prior to their consideration will be given priority in 
recognition to offer their amendments if otherwise consistent 
with House rules. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole 
may postpone votes during consideration of the bill, and reduce 
voting time to five minutes on a postponed question if the vote 
follows a fifteen minute vote. Finally, the rule provides for 
one motion to recommit, with or without instructions.
    The waiver of section 306 of the Congressional Budget Act 
is necessary because sections 101 and 102 of the bill contain 
provisions that provide an emergency designation for 
firefighter benefits. The emergency designations are within the 
Budget Committee's jurisdiction, but were not reported by that 
committee. Similar provisions have been included in Interior 
appropriations bills for previous fiscal years.
    The waiver of section 401 of the Congressional Budget Act 
is necessary because section 109 of the bill, which concerns 
the annual leave provision for Helium Operations Employees, and 
the Salaries and Expenses provision of the National Capital 
Planning Commission both create new entitlement authority. 
Similar provisions have been in Interior appropriations bills 
for previous fiscal years.
    The waiver of clause 2 of rule XXI is necessary because 
there are several unauthorized or legislative changes in the 
bill. Title III of the Appropriations Committee report (106-
222) lists legislative changes, transfers of funds, and 
unauthorized provisions contained in the bill. Some of the 
unauthorized programs include Resource Management in the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Fossil Energy Research and 
Development, and the National Foundation on the Arts and 
Humanities.
    The waiver of clause 2(e) of rule XXI is necessary because 
the bill contains emergency designations for provisions in 
sections 101 and 102. Offering an amendment containing an 
emergency designation would in turn violate section 306 of the 
Budget Act. Consequently, in order for any amendments to be 
offered to this bill, this prohibition needs to be waived.
    Finally, the waiver of all points of order against the 
amendment printed in this report is necessary because the 
amends sections of the bill not yet read for amendment and the 
proviso clause, which makes the percent cut apply evenly, 
contains legislative language.
    Text of the amendment made in order under the rule:

       Amendment Offered by Mr. Young of Florida or his Designee

    On page 6, line 13, strike ``$20,000,000'' and insert in 
lieu thereof ``$15,000,000''.
    On page 68, line 20, strike ``$190,000,000'' and insert in 
lieu thereof ``$256,000,000''.
    And at the end of the bill insert the following:
    ``Sec.   . Each amount of budget authority for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2000, provided in this Act for 
payments not required by law, is hereby reduced by 0.48 
percent: Provided, That such reductions shall be applied 
ratably to each account, program, activity, and project 
provided for in this Act.''

                                

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