[House Report 106-95]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





106th Congress                                                   Report
  1st Session           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                 106-95

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PROVIDING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1376, TAX RELIEF FOR PERSONNEL 
 IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (SERBIA/MONTENEGRO) AND CERTAIN 
                              OTHER AREAS

                                _______
                                

   April 14, 1999.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______


   Mrs. Myrick, from the Committee on Rules, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                       [To accompany H. Res. 140]

    The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration 
House Resolution 140, by a nonrecord 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. 1376, 
Tax Relief for Personnel in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 
(Serbia/Montenegro) and certain other areas, under a closed 
rule. The rule provides one hour of debate divided equally 
between the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Ways and Means.
    The rule further waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill and provides that the bill be 
considered as read. The rule also provides that the amendment 
recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means and printed in 
the bill be considered as adopted. Finally, the rule provides 
for one motion to recommit, with or without instructions.
    The waiver of all points of order includes the following 
points of order which would lie against consideration of the 
bill. First, the bill violates clause 4(a) of Rule XIII 
(requiring a three-day layover of the committee report). The 
report was filed on Tuesday, April 13, and the bill is 
scheduled for consideration on the floor as early as Thursday, 
April 15. Second, the bill violates Section 311(a) of the 
Congressional Budget Act (prohibiting consideration of 
legislation or an amendment that would cause the total level of 
new budget authority or outlays in the most recent budget 
resolution to be exceeded or would cause revenues to be less). 
According to the Congressional Budget Office and based on a 
cost estimate from the Joint Committee on Taxation, the bill, 
if enacted, would result in a revenue loss of $123 million over 
five years and $125 million over ten years. However, the 
President signed an executive order on Tuesday, April 13, 
implementing some aspects of the tax relief provided by the 
bill. This exempts the revenue lost as a result of that 
signature from the calculations under section 311(a). The 
remaining loss of revenue is under $500,000 and therefore 
constitutes a technical de minimus loss of revenue. 
Nevertheless, revenue levels would still be below those assumed 
in the budget process for FY 1999.

                                
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