October 19, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H10393 Hansen McCollum Talent decision-making to fund the Federal erful special interests. Democrats want Houghton McIntosh Thompson (MS) Jones (OH) Miller (FL) Turner Government. While I share the regret to stay in Washington and strengthen Lazio Oxley Wise of many of my colleagues that the ne- the American public school system. Lewis (CA) Rodriguez gotiations have stretched on this long, Democrats want to fund school mod- Lipinski Shays we are now very close to completing ernization and construction, and we b 1413 the appropriations process. We have also want to hire new teachers and re- Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin changed his successfully resolved many of the hur- duce class size. So, Mr. Speaker, I do vote from ‘‘no’’ to ‘‘aye.’’ dles in our path with hours of hard not think Congress should head back So the conference report was agreed work. As we enter the final stretch, we home when so much important work is to. remain dedicated to passing sensible left undone. If we have time to move The result of the vote was announced and fiscally responsible appropriations the appropriations deadline again, we as above recorded. bills. I am confident that this fair, really have time for America’s chil- A motion to reconsider was laid on clean and continuing resolution will dren. So I urge my colleagues to oppose the table. give us the time we need to fulfill our the previous question in order to get f obligations to the American people and the work done. complete the appropriations process in Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of FURTHER CONTINUING APPRO- an even-handed and conscientious man- my time. PRIATIONS, FISCAL YEAR 2001 ner. Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, by direc- This rule was unanimously approved the balance of my time. tion of the Committee on Rules, I call by the Committee on Rules on yester- Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield up House Resolution 637 and ask for its day. I urge my colleagues to support it 5 minutes to the gentleman from New immediate consideration. so we may proceed with the general de- Jersey (Mr. PALLONE). The Clerk read the resolution, as fol- bate and consideration of this bill. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, as my lows: Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of colleague, the gentleman from Massa- H. RES. 637 my time. chusetts (Mr. MOAKLEY), the ranking Resolved, That upon the adoption of this Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield member of the Committee on Rules, resolution it shall be in order without inter- myself such time as I may consume; said, here we go again. For the fourth vention of any point of order to consider in and I thank my colleague and my dear time this month, the Congress is con- the House the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 114) friend, the gentleman from Georgia sidering a resolution to temporarily making further continuing appropriations (Mr. LINDER), for yielding me the cus- fund the government. Now, Repub- for the fiscal year 2001, and for other pur- licans claim that they are working poses. The joint resolution shall be consid- tomary half-hour. ered as read for amendment. The previous Mr. Speaker, here we go again. This very hard to get these appropriations question shall be considered as ordered on is the fourth continuing resolution to bills passed, but the American people the joint resolution to final passage without come before the House this year. Ap- should know that today is our only full intervening motion except: (1) one hour of parently number three was not the day of work in the Congress this week. debate equally divided and controlled by the lucky charm. This is the fourth time The Republicans will send us home to- chairman and ranking minority member of that we have had to extend the appro- night, and we will not be back again the Committee on Appropriations; and (2) priations deadline and this time until next Tuesday night. And I think one motion to recommit. through October 25, because my Repub- the Republicans should be embar- b 1415 lican colleagues just have not finished rassed. They simply cannot govern. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. their work; and I do not think it is Keep in mind that between today and PEASE). The gentleman from Georgia going to be the last time. next Tuesday, the Republicans are de- (Mr. LINDER) is recognized for 1 hour. Despite the promises to finish all 13 ploying their members to go out and Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, for the appropriation bills on time, my Repub- campaign. They are not hunkered down purposes of debate only, I yield the cus- lican colleagues are still very far be- in some room trying to figure out the tomary 30 minutes to the gentleman hind. appropriations bills. No, they are going from Massachusetts (Mr. MOAKLEY), Mr. Speaker, from where I sit, the out to fund-raisers and political events pending which I yield myself such time end is not even in sight. Each time we rather than doing the work that they as I may consume. During consider- pass another continuing resolution, we were elected and paid to do. ation of this resolution, all time yield- grant another reprieve. Congress goes Bowing to the will of special inter- ed is for the purpose of debate only. back in a recess. We all go back to our ests, Republicans have stopped their Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 637 is districts and nothing gets done here in work on HMO reform, on prescription a closed rule providing for the consid- Washington. So I think enough is drugs, on gun safety, on education. eration of H.J. Res. 114, a resolution enough. I think we should do shorter They simply cannot get the job done. making further continuing appropria- continuing resolutions. We should get Mr. Speaker, I wanted to mention the tions for fiscal year 2001. H.J. Res. 637 the appropriation bills finished. These education issue in particular today, be- provides for 1 hour of debate equally di- week-long continuing resolutions are cause that is one of the ones that is vided and controlled by the chairman not working. Congress should stay here supposedly going to be addressed in an and ranking minority member of the and work. appropriations bill next week; but so Committee on Appropriations. Mr. Speaker, at this moment only 3 far the Republicans have been unwill- The rule waives all points of order of the 13 appropriation bills have been ing to bring up the Democratic initia- against consideration of the joint reso- signed into law. The rest are awaiting tive, which says two things. One, that lution. Finally, the rule provides for action either by the House or the Sen- we want to send more money back to one motion to recommit as is the right ate or by both. My Republican col- the local school districts around the of the minority. leagues could have finished the appro- country so that they can hire more Mr. Speaker, the current continuing priations bills by now. They could have teachers and reduce class size. We resolution expires at the end of the day approved education. They could have know that smaller class sizes are great and a further continuing resolution is done a lot more but they just did not. for discipline, great for a learning ex- necessary to keep the government op- Despite the pressing needs for more perience. But, no, the Republicans do erating while Congress completes con- classrooms, more teachers, repairs to not want to do that. They do not want sideration of the remaining appropria- our schools, my Republican colleagues to provide the money. tions bills. continue to put education on the back The second education initiative the H.J. Res. 114 is a clean continuing burner. Democrats have stressed is that they resolution that simply extends the pro- So I think it is time for my Repub- want to provide some funding back to visions included in H.J. Res. 109 lican colleagues to get down to work. I the local school districts to help defray through October 25. think it is time our Republican col- the costs of school modernization. We Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues know, leagues make education a priority and know that many schools are falling it takes a lot of hard work and tough put American children before the pow- apart. They need renovation. Some

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 04:22 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00105 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19OC7.035 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 H10394 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 19, 2000 need to be upgraded for computers, for (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California but I have worked very hard on some of the Internet. Many times there is over- asked and was given permission to re- these education bills. We have talked crowding, and new schools need to be vise and extend his remarks.) about the help that we can give to built. Well, the Democrats have been Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. many districts that need additional fi- saying and the President and Vice Mr. Speaker, this continuing resolu- nancial assistance for special edu- President GORE have been saying let us tion really should not be approved, and cation, and yet we see that that is provide some money back to the towns, it should not be approved because it is bogged down. That cannot be that dif- back to the local school districts to ac- not going to allow us to get the work of ficult to resolve, these education issues complish that goal but, no, the Repub- this country done in this Congress be- and to resolve them on behalf of Amer- licans do not want to do that. cause it simply postpones the date at ica’s families, on behalf of America’s Basically, they are saying that these which we are going to be held respon- children and our local schools. are not important. We should not pro- sible for getting that work done. They need these resources to do the vide money to reduce class size, to hire I would hope the President does not job. They should be given these re- more teachers, to provide for school grant this continuing resolution be- sources to do the job, and we should do modernization. Democrats are saying, cause a continuing resolution should it now. let us stay here and get the job done. only be granted so we can get our work I would hope that later on when we We are not going to leave until the job done. This continuing resolution is are asked to vote on the continuing is done and those two education initia- being granted and then everybody is resolutions that people would reject tives are passed. going to go home. Everybody is going this, and we would get on with a con- Let me mention some of the other to leave here tonight and come back tinuing resolution that puts some pres- issues. Prescription drugs, Governor Wednesday, and the continuing resolu- sure on the Congress to get done with Bush, the Republican candidate for tion runs until Wednesday. the people’s business and to resolve President, said the other day that he Now we have heard weekend after these issues on health care. was very concerned and wanted to pro- weekend how the Republicans are I do not know if we have run out of vide some sort of benefit of prescrip- going to stay here and work, but noth- time, but I would also hope that we tion drugs, but I do not see it hap- ing happens. No meetings take place. could address the problems of prescrip- pening here. The Democrats have been Nobody works. No progress is made, tion drug benefits, that we could ad- saying they want a Medicare prescrip- and I think it is time to say enough is dress the problems of a Patients’ Bill of tion drug benefit. Put it up. Let us enough. The President ought to give us Rights, that we could address the prob- vote on it. Same thing with HMO re- a continuing resolution until Monday lems of the minimum wage for millions form. We passed a good HMO reform and we ought to stay here tomorrow of workers who need additional finan- bill here, the Norwood-Dingell bill, the and Saturday and Sunday and get the cial resources to hold their families to- Patients’ Bill of Rights. It went over to people’s business done. gether, to provide, hopefully, them- the Senate and it died there. It died in There is a great deal at stake here. selves with the wherewithal to buy conference. The conference has not There is a great deal of concern in this some kind of health care policy. even met. I am a member. I am one of country; and we have expressed it on b 1430 the conferees. The conference has not both sides of the aisle, about our edu- met in several months. These are the cation system, about the resources But these are people who are going to kinds of things that the American peo- that are necessary for our education work every day, they are working hard, ple want done. They want HMO reform. system. We strongly believe certainly and, at the end of the year, they end up They want the Patients’ Bill of Rights. on this side of the aisle that we ought poor. They end up without health care, They want a Medicare prescription to increase the expenditures for special they end up without decent housing, drug benefit. They want to do some- education. We ought to increase the ex- they end up without decent edu- thing about education. cational opportunities for their chil- What is more important to this coun- penditures for school construction, for modernization; and we ought to get on dren, and we ought to raise the min- try than good public schools? But we imum wage. But we ought to do it now, do not see any action on these things. with it. We ought to get it done be- cause this is what the people want for and we should not continue to provide We do not see any action. We say, go excuses another 4 days, another 5 days, home. Come here one day. We will pass their children. We ought to make sure that clearly another 6 days, when everybody just another continuing resolution, keep goes home, they hold fund-raising the government going for another 5 the funds are in place for teacher qual- ity, to lower class size, and supposedly events, they go campaign, they go to days or so. I have said before and I will golf tournaments, they do all the rest say again, I am not going to support both sides of the aisle are for that, ex- of it. They just forget to do the peo- these long-term continuing resolutions cept it just is not being done. The ple’s business. And that ought to stop, for 5 days or a week. We should not President has asked us now, point and we ought to stop that now by de- allow continuing resolutions for more blank, to get it done and yet we find feating this continuing resolution, and than one day at a time because we need out that the meetings are not taking maybe give us the continuing resolu- to force the Republican leadership to place; that the Republican leadership tion to finish this weekend and get the get the job done. That is what they in the Senate and in the House are not people’s work done and go home. came down here for. We should insist coming together to present that plan and all should insist on staying here and that proposal. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE through the weekend every day until So what do we see? We drag on day The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. these appropriation bills are passed. after day, week after week, and the PEASE). Members are reminded that There are 13 appropriation bills that continuing resolution now, instead of the use of personal electronic equip- make up the budget effectively, and forcing us to get things done, becomes ment in the Chamber of the House is only three have been signed. The rest an excuse for which we do not get prohibited under the rules of the are still languishing here. Some of things done, and meetings do not take House, and Members are to disable them are moving now but not enough, place. wireless telephones on the floor of the certainly not enough for us to go home So I think we would be much more House. for the weekend until next Tuesday. honest to the people we represent and Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I am Mr. Speaker, let me say the Repub- to the people who are concerned with pleased to yield such time as he may lican majority seems to be good at these issues in the country if we would consume to the gentleman from Geor- doing only one thing, and that is going shorten this continuing resolution; if gia (Mr. KINGSTON), a member of the home. Well, then the American people in fact we would require people to stay Committee on Appropriations. should send them home for good this here and work. Maybe we ought to go Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I November. back to open conference committees thank the gentleman for yielding me Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield where people are held accountable for time. 5 minutes to the gentleman from Cali- the work product of those committees. Mr. Speaker, I want to address why fornia (Mr. GEORGE MILLER). I know that this extends in other areas, this CR, this continuing resolution, is

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 06:39 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00106 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K19OC7.084 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 October 19, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H10395 necessary. What it does is it allows our own visions and ideas. So we are in this these are American-made and Amer- government to keep functioning. Now, very complicated process of resolving a ican-manufactured drugs, the same there are those who do not want one. $1.8 trillion budget for a country of 275 dosage as they are already taking, and That would mean the government million people, and it should not sur- at as much as a 40 to 50 percent sav- shuts down. I do not know if they have prise anybody that it takes a long ings. That not only helps millions of quite thought that through, but we do time. American seniors, but millions and not want the government to shut down. What is it that the House Repub- millions of young mothers raising kids. Now, why is the budget not signed? licans are trying to do? What is our vi- I have four children. I know how ex- There are a couple of reasons that we sion? Well, our vision is simple. We pensive it is to keep a family in good think this is necessary to do today. want to pay our obligations first for health, and prescription drugs is part Number one, we are at the point in the Social Security. It was the House Com- of our budget. This bill will bring down budget where the leadership on the mittee on Appropriations that said we the cost of it. Now, we did get an agree- Committee on Appropriations is work- are going to quit using the Social Secu- ment with the Senate on this, we do ing directly with the White House. rity trust fund for general operating have an agreement with the President Now, the President has been out of expenses. After all, no business in on this, and I think that has been town. The President has been in the America can mix its pension plan with worth fighting for. I think it has been Middle East. I think it is important for its operating expenses. Who would do worth the negotiating process. the President to be in the Middle East. that? Who, but the U.S. Congress? Four There are other issues out there, such I think it is important for America to years ago we stopped that process, and as trade opportunities for our farmers be doing what America has been doing that has been one of our highest prior- with Cuba. That is still out there. in the Middle East, to try to get Chair- ities. Then we are going to be debating man Arafat and Prime Minister Barak Our second priority, of course, has what to do about funding international together, because what is going on in been to protect and preserve the insur- abortion agencies. Mr. Speaker, that is the Middle East is not just about the ance policy for our seniors, the Medi- always a controversial issue, and it is a Middle East, it is about the whole care program, and we have done that. bipartisan issue. You have pro-lifers globe; and I respect the President for You will remember that 3 or 4 years and pro-choicers on both sides of the dedicating the time that he has to try ago the bipartisan Medicare trustees aisle. But this takes time. We have another amendment out to resolve that. But obviously the appointed by the President said it is there that deals with the situation in President cannot negotiate the budget going bankrupt if we do not act to pre- Yugoslavia. Should we withhold funds and the appropriations bills when he is serve and protect it. We did, and now from Serbia? Should we withhold funds out of town, so we are having to wait. Medicare is on more solid footing. from Montenegro because they are hav- Now, the President is in town today, This year our budget called for a pre- ing elections out there that have but then again tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, scription drug benefit for American turned out on a positive note right at he will be at the funeral of his friend, seniors; not one that would insure Ross this point? We want to support Mr. the Governor of Missouri. Many of our Perot and Bill Gates and other people Kostunica; but, on the same hand, what Members, Republican and Democrat, who do not need the benefit, but tar- do you do with Mr. Milosevic? That is including the distinguished Democrat geting those who are in the most eco- pending in front of the Committee on leader, will be there for that important nomic need of a prescription drug ben- International Relations right now. funeral of a very important, well-re- efit. We have done that. We had a pro- There is another piece of legislation spected national figure. So there are a gram that gave our seniors choices, not introduced by many Members from the lot of Members of Congress who are a universal required mandatory plan, Democrat side, with some bipartisan going to be in Missouri tomorrow. We and yet that was not passed by the support from the Republican side, that respect that. That is a bipartisan Senate. takes a similar approach in Palestine thing. Well, again, that is what bicameral and says do we want to give Palestin- But during that period of time, there legislation is about. We are going to ians foreign aid money in the face of will still be a crew here negotiating on continue working on that. what appears is going on in the peace the budget, a crew here talking. There I am happy to say that this House process, or should we use that money will be people working through the Committee on Appropriations in the as a tool to get both parties back at weekend, and that is what the leaders agriculture bill did do something very the table with maybe a more coopera- on the Committee on Appropriations significant to bring down the cost of tive attitude? and the leadership in the House have prescription drugs, and that is the These, Mr. Speaker, are important been doing and will continue to do. Drug Reimportation Act. The Drug Re- issues. These are bipartisan issues. So all of this finger pointing, that we importation Act allows our seniors to These are not things that, well, we are are in this situation because somebody buy lower-cost American manufactured going to haggle over and see who can has done something wrong, I guess that drugs in other countries, such as Can- claim victory on this or that, but is what George Bush was talking about ada and Mexico, and take advantage of things that sincere Members of Con- the other day when he said it is time to savings that they can get in those gress with serious legislative proposals get some people together who have a countries that they are not able to get have come to the floor and said, you can-do attitude in Washington, who right now, because, if they do, the Clin- know what, the appropriation bills are want to solve problems, who will reach ton-Gore FDA says no, you cannot go somewhat the last train leaving town, out to the other side, reaching out to to Canada and buy your Zocor. can you put these amendments on the the Senate and the White House. But I will tell you the case of a bills? We are narrowed down to the I do not think the American people woman in our office, Myrlene Free. Her home stretch, and that is what takes so want to hear all this partisan sniping sister is on Zocor. If she buys it in long. today. The Members on the other side Texas, it is $97; but if she goes to Mex- But this is America. This is a Repub- know that we passed the majority of ico, it is $29. Now, this Republican Con- lic, where everybody has opinions. the Committee on Appropriations bills, gress reached out to people like her That is why it has taken so long for us I think 12 out of 13, before we left town and said we want you to be able to do to adjourn. for the August work period, and we feel that, and we put some language in the Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to re- good that those were passed. agriculture appropriation bill to allow consider their positions and support But this is a bicameral process, there that. this continuing resolution, so that we are three branches of government; and But, better than that, we said this is can keep the government operating, just because the House passes the bill great news for people in boarder not have a shutdown, and finalize these does not mean it ends there. It goes to States, but what about the interior very, very important issues. the Senate, and the Senate has dif- States? We are going to let them do it Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield ferent visions and different ideas. Then through the Internet, and also let their 8 minutes to the gentleman from Wis- we know also in order to have the neighborhood pharmacist reimport consin (Mr. OBEY), the ranking member White House sign it, they have their drugs. Keep in mind, Mr. Speaker, on the Committee on Appropriations.

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 04:22 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00107 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K19OC7.090 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 H10396 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 19, 2000 (Mr. OBEY asked and was given per- If you get down to the week of Octo- day and probably the following Satur- mission to revise and extend his re- ber 2, that is the only week since Labor day, and that will get us so close to the marks and include extraneous mate- Day that we have put in a 5-day week election that, in the end, what you will rial.) here. have been able to do is to avoid voting Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Do you see what happened last week? on the issues on education that divide gentleman for yielding me time. We came in late on Tuesday; the week us. That is what I believe the game Mr. Speaker, we are now 6 weeks be- was foreshortened by the unfortunate plan is. That may suit your partisan yond the deadline for completing our death of our colleague, Mr. Vento. purposes, but it does not suit the needs work on the budget. The main reason This week we were in session for a of the country or this institution. we are that far behind is not because of couple of hours yesterday, starting Mr. Speaker, I am going to vote what is happening now; it is because very late in the afternoon, around 5 against this continuing resolution be- for 8 months this Congress proceeded o’clock, and we will be out of session cause we ought to have one that makes under false pretenses, and the majority by sometime between 6 and 7 o’clock us be back here Sunday or Monday for party pretended that there was enough tonight. everybody to get the work done. room in the budget to pass their gigan- b 1445 Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield tic tax package, most of which favored It is a little over a day today, and such time as he may consume to the the most well-off and the most privi- then people will be at another funeral gentleman from Florida (Mr. YOUNG) leged among us. Friday. I think what this schedule does chairman of the Committee on Appro- Now, one by one, the appropriation is to make it easier and easier for the priations. subcommittees are finally being al- majority party to avoid ever having to Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, lowed to produce bills that reflect in face up and actually vote on the issues I really had not intended to speak on real terms what both parties recognize that divide us on the issue of edu- the rule, but my friend from Wisconsin needs to be provided for science, for cation. (Mr. OBEY) has excited my imagination transportation, for housing. We fin- Mr. Speaker, that is what I think is here. When I saw his chart, I decided to ished a bill just a few minutes ago that going on, and so now what is going to bring out a larger chart that, more or finally recognized reality. happen is when this CR is passed to less, reinforces what the gentleman But for 8 months, because of the po- keep the government open another from Wisconsin (Mr. OBEY) has said, litical pretense that the surpluses were week, what will happen is we will have but I am going to take a little different going to be large enough that you a brief meeting around 4:00 or 5:00 spin on it. could make all of these wild tax prom- today in the Subcommittee on Labor, My spin is the Committee on Appro- ises to everybody, we have proceeded Health and Human Services and Edu- priations has done its job in the House. on the assumption that this Congress is cation. There may be another meeting The House appropriators have done going to spend about $40 billion to $50 after that; but I will tell you some- their job. I hope that we can focus on billion less than it will wind up spend- thing, I have been stuck here, I feel this fiscal year calendar, which is a lit- ing. Now, in fact, ironically, some of like a fugitive on a chain gang, because tle easier to understand than the one the appropriation bills are coming as the ranking Democrat on the Com- that the gentleman had. If you look at back in excess of the President’s re- mittee on Appropriations, I have been all of the red colored days in October, quest; and some of that is justified, in here 3 weekends out of the last 4 week- November, December, January, Feb- my view, and some of that is not. ends through the weekend, so has Mr. ruary, March and part of April, that is But now we have a real problem, be- Lew from the White House. how much time all of the fiscal year cause we are down to the last few The President has always been a that is gone before the Committee on issues. And, yes, there is an issue re- phone call away, and yet while we have Appropriations ever gets a budget reso- maining on family planning; and, yes, been waiting for something to happen, lution, which is when we can begin our there are a couple of other issues re- nothing has happened. Why? Because work appropriating, which is what the maining in other bills, but essentially the leadership of both Houses refused Constitution tells us to do. there are very few differences remain- to delegate the decision-making power The blue colored days are the days ing between the majority party and us. fully to the committee with the re- that the House has not been in session. The main issue that remains is edu- sponsibility to get the work done, that And in order to get 13 bills through 13 cation, and, to a secondary extent, is the Committee on Appropriations. sets of hearings, meaning 200 to 300 what we are going to spend on health That is the problem. Well, I will tell hearings and 13 subcommittee markups programs and on worker protection and you something, I have got some things and 13 full committee markups and 13 worker training programs. I want to do in my district, too. bills on the Floor, we have only the Mr. Speaker, we have seen a lot of I see the leadership going all over the green colored days available to do that. talk in the press about the legislative country campaigning for marginal That is part of the problem. chaos that has produced the require- Members. In my view, if I have to stay The budget resolution does not get ment for a series of continuing resolu- here, they ought to stay here. So if you adopted until after these red days are tions. I do not believe that that is the want me to stay in town this weekend, all gone leaving only the green days, case. I am coming increasingly to be- I want to know that the Speaker, the that is a problem with the budget proc- lieve that these delays are purposeful, floor leader, the deputy floor leader ess. and I would like to explain why. and all of the people making the real Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gen- This calendar shows in red seven decisions are going to stay here, too, tleman yield? days a week, a normal weekly sched- but they are not going to. They will be Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I yield to the ule. This calendar shows in red the out of town while the appropriators gentleman from Wisconsin. times that we have been in session will be stuck here pretending that Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I would sim- since Labor Day. I want to walk you something real is going on. ply say to the gentleman the only dif- through it. Now, to me, if you want to get a deci- ference between his chart and mine is The week after Labor Day we were in sion made, delegate it to the people that his chart in the green gives credit for less than 24 hours. We came in after who know how to work it out. If you do for the entire day even if we have only 6 o’clock on Wednesday and left before not trust their judgment, then stay in been allowed to be in session for a cou- 6 o’clock on Thursday. town yourselves and sit down with ple of hours. So the charts are essen- The next week we were in about 48 your opposite Members and our leader- tially in agreement. hours. We came in at 6 o’clock on Tues- ship and get the job done, but do not Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Reclaiming day and were gone by that time on ask the appropriators to stay in town my time, Mr. Speaker, I do admit that Thursday. to give the rest of the leadership cover the gentleman’s chart did go down to The next week we were here, as you while they go off to campaign around the hour. I was tempted to make mine can see, parts of 4 days, but, actually, the country. go down to the minute to compete with in terms of real time spent, about 3 If we pass resolutions like this, we his, but I thought just days would be days of work. are going to be here until next Satur- good enough.

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 04:22 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00108 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K19OC7.091 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 October 19, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H10397 But the point is that despite this to send bills out of here that he will We do not need to have political rhet- problem of time, the House did its job. sign, so that we do not have to be here oric. We do not need that. The political We got our bills out of here, and the week after week waiting for those ve- points ought to be made back home on 13th bill, which was for the District of toes. the campaign trail. In here, we should Columbia, was on this floor in July be- Mr. Speaker, the gentleman men- do the people’s business. In here, people fore we went to the August recess. tioned the education bill. We have been should come before politics. Back home Now, that bill was not completed at meeting with the White House on the is where we do our politics. Here we do that time. It was pulled off the floor, education bill now for weeks, and we the people’s business. and we did not get back to it until Au- still have not come to a conclusion We should expedite this business the gust. with the President on what is going to best we can, and we should be thor- The gentleman is correct that there be in that bill. What will he sign? Ear- ough, and we should be responsible. is a problem of time here, but other lier there was a strategy to send him a Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman things needed to be done. Mr. Speaker, bill and let him veto it and send it for yielding me as much time as he did. the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. KING- back. Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield STON), I thought, made a good point. We rejected that strategy. We 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wis- Once we did our job, that was only part thought we should work with the Presi- consin (Mr. OBEY), the ranking member of the process, and the gentleman from dent, work with the minority party, of the Committee on Appropriations. Wisconsin (Mr. OBEY) has told us so and that is what we have been trying Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the many times there is no use getting to to do. The minority staff has been in- gentleman for yielding me the time. first base if you cannot get home. volved in every meeting with the ma- The gentleman from Florida (Mr. The truth of the matter is you can- jority staff, but those things take time. YOUNG) says that the majority gave us not get home if you do not get to first And I am as frustrated as my col- a lot of time to talk about issues that base. And so getting through our com- league from Wisconsin (Mr. OBEY), the concerned us. They gave us a lot of mittee work was first base; going ranking member on the Committee on time, but they did not allow us to get through the House floor that was sec- Appropriations. I wish this work would any votes on the issues that dem- ond base; then you have to go through have been done in July when the House onstrated where we wanted to take this the other body. We have a bicameral finished passing the bills but we only country on education, on health care legislature. The other body, the United control one-third of the process. And and a whole range of other issues. States Senate, has to do the same that is one reason that it is taking The gentleman used the Committee thing that we do, they have to pass all more time. on Rules and you used the budget reso- I want to say to my friend, the gen- the bills too. lution to prevent us from ever having tleman from Wisconsin (Mr. OBEY), in Well, this year they did not pass all votes on our alternatives while you as friendly a way as I can say it that their bills. This year they still have were free to put yours on the floor. If we have spent many days on appropria- not passed all of their bills, and so we you want me to change time for votes tions bills in this House that were un- have to come up with creative ways to any time, I would be happy to do that. necessary. The majority party allowed pass a bill through the system that has We would have had much the better the minority party hour upon hour of not passed in the other body. And so deal. debate on amendments that we all far we have done that. Secondly, I would point out, that is knew were not in order; that were not We did a bill today that, more or less, consistent with what you have done protected by the rule; that were sub- went through that creative process. across the board. You did not give us ject to a point of order, but yet we al- The VA, HUD bill went through that an opportunity to have a vote on our lowed the minority party all of that process. But now then where does that version of a prescription drug bill extra time because they wanted to leave us? Even after the other body under Medicare, so we wound up with make their arguments. passes the bills, their priorities may be We believe in freedom of speech. This your bill of goods rather than our bill different than ours, and most of the is a debating society in this House. So being on the floor. time they are. So we have to sit down we allowed many, many days of debate On the tax bill, we were not allowed together and reason together to figure on appropriations bills that really were to have a vote on our alternative, so we out what is a responsible way to not necessary, except for the political had to reshape our alternative to fit it present this package to both the House debate that was going on. Had we not into your rules. and the Senate, so that we can get it done that, had we just decided to jam b 1500 passed in both the House and Senate. the minority party, we would not have That takes a little bit of time. The fact remains, in the last 6 years allowed those amendments to even be they have tried to cut education $13 We have been spending a lot of time, discussed. We would have raised a point as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. billion below the President’s budgets, of order against them immediately, but and they have tried to cut education OBEY) said. Appropriators have been we allowed them to go on for hour upon here day after day after day, whether below previous year’s spending levels hour upon hour before finally raising by $5.7 billion over that time period, they were colored red, blue or green on the point of order or before they were my calendar. Appropriators have been and it has been only because of the withdrawn by the sponsor. fights that we and the White House here dealing with these differences. But Mr. Speaker, when we get right down have waged that we were able to add then there is another factor before you to it, time is a problem. But I would $15 billion over that period of time to get to home base, that is the President suggest that the majority party is not the various appropriation bills for edu- of the United States. When a bill gets any more guilty of absorbing and using to his desk, he has a power that is the the time than the minority party or cation. Mr. Speaker, I include for the same as two-thirds of the House and the President of the United States. You RECORD an insert on Republican at- the Senate, because if that one person, see it seems in this process everybody the President of the United States, has to have it their way or no way, but tacks relating to education and a num- does not approve of the bill and he ve- when we are dealing with a bicameral ber of charts illustrating education toes it, it takes a two-thirds vote in legislature and a President of the numbers: both the House and Senate to override United States, we have to come to- The material referred to is as follows: the veto. gether. EFFORTS TO ATTACK EDUCATION—1994 Well, we have a small majority in It is amazing. On the bill that we just THROUGH 2000 this Congress. We do not have a two- passed, we passed it with a large vote. Across the nation Republican Congres- thirds vote; although, we did override It was a good bill, because we finally sional Candidates are giving speeches and the President’s veto on the Energy and running ads pretending to be friends of edu- came together, and we made it happen. cation. Those speeches and ads fly in the face Water bill in the House just a few days We had the Agriculture appropriations of the historical record of the past six years. ago, but, nevertheless, because we have bills a few days ago. We came together. That record demonstrates that education has a small majority, we have to work with We worked together. And we produced been one of the central targets of House Re- the President and with his staff to try a good product. publican efforts to cut federal investments

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 04:22 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00109 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K19OC7.096 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 H10398 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 19, 2000 in programs essential for building America’s school enrollment in the United States was Democrats in Congress forced them to accept future in order to provide large tax cuts they increasing by about three quarters of a mil- an education package that was more $3.6 bil- have been promising their constituents. lion students a year. The programs affected lion above House passed levels. Six years ago in their drive to take control by these cuts included Title I for disadvan- 1997 brought a one-year respite from Re- of the House of Representatives, the Repub- taged children (reduced by $1.1 billion below publican efforts to squeeze education. For lican Leaders led by Newt Gingrich produced the prior year), teacher training (reduced by one year, a welcome bipartisan approach was a so-called ‘‘Contract with America’’ which $251 million), vocational education (reduced followed and the appropriation that passed they claimed would balance the budget while by $273 million), Safe and Drug Free Schools the House and the final conference agree- at the same time making room for huge tax (reduced by $241 million), and Goals 2000 to ment were extremely close to the amounts cuts. They indicated that one of the ways raise student performance (reduced by $361 requested by the President and the Depart- they would do so was by abolishing four de- million). Republicans voted in favor of the ment of Education. partments of the federal government. Elimi- bill, 213 to 18. (See Roll Call #626 for the 104th Conflict between the two parties over edu- nating the U.S. Department of Education Congress, 1st session—CONGRESSIONAL cation funding erupted again in 1998 when was their number one goal. They also wanted RECORD, August 4, 1995, page H8420) The bill the President requested $31.2 billion for the they said to eliminate the Departments of was opposed by virtually every national or- Department for fiscal 1999. In July, the Energy, Commerce and HUD. ganization representing parents, teachers, House Appropriations Committee reported Immediately upon taking over the Con- school administrators, and local school on a party line vote a Labor-HHS-Education gress in 1995 they proposed cuts below exist- boards. bill that cut the President’s education budg- ing appropriations in a rescission bill, HR The Republican Leadership of the House et by more than $660 million. But the bill re- 1158. That bill passed the House on March 16, was so determined to force the President to mained in legislative limbo until after the 1995 reducing federal expenditures by nearly sign that legislation and other similar appro- beginning of the next fiscal year. Then on $12 billion. Education programs accounted priations that they were willing to see the October 2, 1998 Republicans voted with only for $1.7 billion of the total. While the budget government shut down twice to, in the words six dissenting votes to bring the bill to the of the Department of Education totaled only of one Republican Leader, ‘‘force the Presi- floor. (See Roll Call #476, CONGRESSIONAL 1.6% of federal expenditures in fiscal 1995, it dent to his knees.’’ Speaker Gingrich said, RECORD, October 2, 1998, page H9314). The contributed 14% to the spending reductions ‘‘On October 1, if we don’t appropriate, there leadership then reversed itself on its desire in the House Republican package. The pack- is no money * * * You can veto whatever you to call up the bill and refused to bring it to age was adopted with all but six House Re- want to. But as of October 1, there is no gov- the floor. The House Republican Leadership publicans voting in favor. (See Roll Call #251 ernment * * * We’re going to go over the lib- finally grudgingly agreed to negotiate higher for the 104th Congress, 1st session—CONGRES- eral Democratic part of the government and levels for education so they could return SIONAL RECORD, March 16, 1995, page H3302) then say to them: ‘We could last 60 days, 90 Next, legislation (HR 1883) was introduced days, 120 days, five years, a century.’ There’s home and campaign. The White House and which called for ‘‘eliminating the Depart- a lot of stuff we don’t care if it’s ever funded. Democrats in Congress were able to force ment of Education and redefining the federal (Rocky Mountain News, June 3, 1995) It is them to accept a funding level for education role in education.’’ The legislation was co- clear that the Labor-HHS-Education bill, that was $2.6 billion above the House bill. sponsored by more than half of all House Re- and education funding in particular, was at Last year, in 1999, House Republican Lead- publicans including as original cosponsors, the heart of the controversy that resulted in ers again directed their Appropriators to re- current Speaker Dennis Hastert, Majority those government shutdowns. Cutting edu- port a Labor-HHS-Education Appropriation Leader Dick Armey, and Majority Whip Tom cation was an issue that Republicans felt so bill that cut education spending below the Delay. strongly about that they literally were will- President’s request and below the level of The desire to eliminate the Department of ing to see the government shut down in an the prior year. The FY2000 bill reported by Education was stated explicitly in both the attempt to achieve this goal. Speaker Ging- the Appropriations Committee on a straight Report that accompanied the Republican rich said, ‘‘I don’t care what the price is. I party line vote funded education programs at Budget Resolution passed by the House and don’t care if we have no executive offices, nearly $200 million below the FY1999 level. in the Conference Report on the Budget that and no bonds for 60 days—not this time.’’ The bill was almost $1.4 billion below the accompanied the final product agreed to by (Washington Post, September 22, 1995) House President’s request. Included in the cuts both House and Senate Republicans. The Republican Whip Tom DeLay said, ‘‘We are below requested levels were reductions in Conference Report for H. Con. Res. 76 (the going to fund only those programs we want Title I grants to local school districts for FY 1996 Budget Resolution) states flatly, ‘‘In to fund * * * We’re in charge. We don’t have education of disadvantaged students ($264 the area of education, the House assumes the to negotiate with the Senate; we don’t have million), after school programs ($300 mil- termination of the Department of Edu- to negotiate with the Democrats.’’ (Balti- lion), education reform and accountability cation.’’ more Sun, January 8, 1996) efforts ($491 million), and improvement of That FY96 Budget Resolution not only pro- When the government shut down, the pub- educational technology resources ($301 mil- posed the adoption of legislation to termi- lic reacted strongly against Republican lion). Because inadequate funding threatened nate the Department organizationally, but House Leadership hard-headedness and that their ability to pass the bill, House Repub- put in place a spending plan to eliminate led to the eventual signing of the Conference lican Leaders never brought it to the House funding for a major portion of the Depart- Agreement on Labor HHS-Education funding floor. After weeks of pressure from House ment’s activities and programs in hopes of as part of an omnibus appropriations pack- Democrats they ordered a separate bill that partially achieving the goal of elimination age on April 26, 1996, more than halfway had been agreed to with Senate Republican even if the President refused to sign a formal through the fiscal year. That action came Leaders to be brought to the House floor. termination for the Department. The Con- after 9 continuing resolutions and those two The bill contained significantly more edu- ference Agreement adopted on June 29, 1995 government shutdowns. That agreement re- cation funding than the original House bill proposed cuts in funding for Function 500, stored about half of the cuts below prior year but still cut the President’s request for class the area of the budget containing all federal funding that had been pushed through by the size reduction by $200 million, after-school education programs, or $17.6 billion or 34 per- Republican Majority, raising the original programs by $300 million, Title I by almost cent below the amount needed to keep even House Republican figure of $20.8 billion for $200 million and teacher quality programs by with inflation over the six-year period start- education to $22.8 billion. $353 million. The bill was opposed by the ing in Fiscal 1996. The House passed Resolu- Later in 1996 the Republican House Caucus Committee for Education Funding which tion had proposed even larger cuts. Every organized another attempt to cut education represents 97 national organizations inter- House Republican except one voted for both funding below prior year levels in the fiscal ested in education including parent and the House Resolution and the Conference Re- 1997 Labor-HHS-Education bill. Only July 12, teacher groups, school boards, and school ad- port. 1996 the House adopted the bill with Repub- ministrators. It was adopted by a vote of 218 That Budget Resolution established a licans voting 209 to 22 in favor of passage to 211 with House Republicans voting 214 to framework for passage of the 13 appropria- (See Roll Call #313, CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, 7 in favor. (See Roll Call #549, CONGRES- tion bills. The Labor-HHS-Education appro- July 11, 1996, page H7373.) The bill cut Edu- SIONAL RECORD, October 28, 1999, page H11120) priations bill, which contains the vast ma- cation by $54 million below the levels agreed It was also promptly vetoed by the Presi- jority of funds that go to local school dis- to for fiscal 1996 and $2.8 billion below the dent. After further negotiations, they agreed tricts, was the hardest hit by that resolu- President’s request. During the debate on on November 18th to add nearly $700 million tion. The Fiscal 1996 appropriations bill for that bill Republicans also voted (227–2) to more, which we were requesting to education labor, health, and education was adopted by kill an amendment specifically aimed at re- programs. the House on August 4th 1995. It slashed storing $1.2 billion in education funding. (See This year the President proposed a $4.5 bil- funding from the $25 billion level that had Roll Call #303, CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, July lion increase for education programs in the been originally approved for the Department 11, 1996, page H7330). FY2001 budget. The bill reported by House in fiscal 1995 to $20.8 billion for the coming As the fall and election of 1996 began to ap- Republicans cut the President’s request by year. This $4.2 billion or 17 percent cut below proach, the Republican commitment to cut $2.9 billion. Cuts below the request included prior year levels was even larger when infla- education began to be overshadowed by their $400 million from Title I, $400 million from tion was considered and was passed in the desire to adjourn Congress and go home to after school programs, $1 billion for improv- face of information indicating that total campaign. As a result, the President and ing teacher quality and $1.3 billion for repair

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 06:39 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00110 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19OC7.055 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 October 19, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H10399 of dilapidated school buildings. It was adopt- The education budget cuts have not been agenda. All of these prospects should be very ed by a vote of 217–214 with House Repub- directed at Washington bureaucrats as some troubling to those who feel that local school licans voting 213 to 7 in favor. (See Roll Call Republicans have tried to argue but mainly districts cannot do the job that the country #273, CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, June 14, 2000, at programs that send money directly to needs without great assistance from the fed- page H4436). local school districts to hire teachers and eral government. When the FY2001 Labor-HHS-Education improve curriculum. Programs such as Title This is not an issue of local versus federal bill was sent to conference a motion to in- I, After School, Safe and Drug Free Schools, control. Almost 93% of the money spent for struct Conferees to go to the higher Senate Class Size Reduction, and Educational Tech- elementary and secondary education at the levels for education and other programs was nology Assistance all send well over 95% of local level is spent in accordance with the offered. It also instructed conferees to per- their funds directly to local school districts. wishes of state and local governments. But mit language insuring that funds provided While zealots in the Republican Conference there are national implications to failing for reducing class size and repairing school drove much of this agenda it is clear that schools in any part of the country. The fed- buildings was used for those purposes. It was they could not have succeeded without the eral government has an obligation to try to defeated 207 to 212 with Republicans voting repeated assistance from dozens of Repub- help disseminate information about what lican moderates who attempt to portray 208 to 4 in opposition. (See Roll Call #415, does and does not work in educating chil- themselves as friends of education. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, July 19, 2000, page dren, and it has an obligation to respond to The one redeeming aspect of the Repub- H6563). lican record on education over the last six critical needs by defining and focusing on na- In summary, the record clearly shows that years is that in most years they failed to tional priorities. And that is what the other over the past six years House Republicans achieve the cuts that they spent most of 7% of educational funding in this country set the elimination of the Department of each year fighting to impose. When a coali- does. Education is indeed primarily a local Education as a primary goal. Failing that, tion between the Democrats in Congress and responsibility, but it must be a top priority they attempted to reduce education funding the President made it clear that the bills at all levels—federal, state, and local—or we to the maximum extent possible. In every containing these cuts would be vetoed and will not get the job done. year since they have had control of the that the Republicans by themselves could The House Republican candidates now House of Representatives they have at- not override the vetoes, legislation that was shout loudly that they can be trusted to sup- tempted to cut the President’s request for far more favorable to education was finally port education, but their record over the last education funding. Appropriations bills adopted. For Republican members to at- six years speaks louder than their words. passed by House Republicans would have cut tempt to take credit for that fact is in effect Their record shows that in three of the last a total of $14.6 billion from presidential re- bragging on their own political ineptitude. six years, House Republicans tried to cut quests for education funding. In three of the The question concerned Americans must ask education $5.5 billion below previous levels six years that they have controlled the is: What will happen if the Republicans find and $14.6 billion below presidential requests. House, they have actually attempted to cut a future opportunity to deliver on their six- It shows that the more than $15.6 billion that education funding below prior year levels de- year agenda? They may eventually become has been restored came only after Democrats spite steady increases in school enrollment more skillful in their efforts. They may at in Congress and in the White House de- and the annual increase in costs to local some point have a larger majority in one or manded restoration. That is the record that school districts of providing quality class- both Houses or they may serve under a Presi- must be understood by those concerned room instruction. dent that will be more amenable to their about education’s future. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION—GOP EDUCATION APPROPRIATION CUTS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEAR [Millions of dollars]

Prior year House level House cut

FY 95 Rescission ...... 25,074 23,440 ¥1,635 FY 96 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 25,074 20,797 ¥4,277 FY 97 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 22,810 22,756 ¥54 FY 00 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 33,520 33,321 ¥199

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION—GOP EDUCATION CUTS BELOW PRESIDENT’S REQUEST (Millions of Dollars)

House Percent Request level House cut cut

FY 96 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 25,804 20,797 ¥5,007 ¥19 FY 97 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 25,561 22,756 ¥2,805 ¥11 FY 98 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 29,522 29,331 ¥191 ¥1 FY 99 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 31,185 30,523 ¥662 ¥2 FY 00 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 34,712 33,321 ¥1,391 ¥4 FY 01 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 40,095 37,142 ¥2,953 ¥7 Total FY96 to FY01 ...... 186,879 173,870 ¥13,009 ¥7

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION—EDUCATION FUNDING RESTORED BY DEMOCRATS (Millions of Dollars)

Conf. House agree- Restora- Percent level ment tion increase

FY 95 Rescission ...... 23,440 24,497 1,057 5 FY 96 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 20,797 22,810 2,013 10 FY 97 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 22,756 26,324 3,568 16 FY 98 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 29,331 29,741 410 1 FY 99 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 30,523 33,149 2,626 9 FY 00 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 33,321 35,703 2,382 7 FY 01 Labor-HHS-Education ...... 37,142 40,751 3,609 10 Total FY95 to FY01 ...... 197,310 212,975 15,665 8

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of priations. I only wish the rest of the myself such time as I may consume. my time. House worked as well. Mr. Speaker, I would point out to the Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield The gentleman from Georgia stated gentleman from Wisconsin what the 31⁄2 minutes to the gentleman from that the government functions. The Committee on Rules did on the appro- California (Mr. STARK). government functions just fine. The priation bills was to use the standing Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I thank Republican leadership is what is dys- rules of the House. Those who were of- the ranking member for yielding me functional in this town. the time. fering amendments germane to the For example, there is no one in this subject matter were allowed votes, I have enjoyed this collegial debate room, there is no one in this country, those who did not were not allowed between the Chair and the ranking particularly the seniors, who do not votes. member of the Committee on Appro-

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 06:39 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00111 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19OC7.056 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 H10400 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 19, 2000 know that it is time to have a prescrip- the appropriation of funds to meet the Mr. Speaker, we are having an argu- tion drug benefit for the seniors. We needs of the American people. ment that is worth having. The argu- who legislate in other committees and I believe that our national budget ment is predicated on this, as the gen- have the responsibility for a prescrip- should be a statement of our national tlewoman from California (Ms. PELOSI) tion drug benefit have not been allowed values. What we think is important is just said. to participate in any of that discus- what we should put our resources to. In the springtime, the majority sion. So we are coming down to the last few passed a budget that was predicated on For example, the gentleman from or several appropriations bills. One of the proposition that we should pass Florida (Mr. SHAW) who serves on the them is Labor, Health, and Human sweeping tax cuts in this year’s budget. Committee on Ways and Means with Services, which is the lion’s share of We disagree with that. That is an argu- me has voted two or three times, along our domestic budget. In that budget we ment worth having. We believe that with every other Republican on the fund the Department of Education and the principal fiscal focus of this coun- Committee on Ways and Means, to the Federal role in education. In that try should be on reducing the national deny the seniors in this country a dis- bill we also fund the National Insti- debt. count on their prescription drugs. Just tutes of Health. Beyond that, we are having another think, being from Florida, as the gen- All of the studies that we receive argument that is worth having about tleman from Florida (Mr. SHAW) is with from the National Institutes of Health whether we should invest in education lots of seniors, how could the gen- and other research organizations that more or less, yes or no. We believe, and tleman vote two or three times to deny are funded by the Federal government I think a majority of this House be- even bringing to the floor for discus- tell us that children learn better in lieves, Mr. Speaker, that investment in sion a discount for seniors for their smaller classes. Indeed, we are even education should happen. prescription drugs? Those are the kinds learning that some children do better The reason we are having this argu- of things that are being held up. in smaller schools. ment, the reason we have overshot our This House passed a Patients’ Bill of We pay for this research. We have the deadline by 2 weeks, is that we will Rights, a bipartisan Patients’ Bill of best scientists in the world applying stand on principle. Rights to bring under control the man- their intellects to it. They give us their We believe that assistance for school aged care plans, the HMOs that provide conclusions. Then this body chooses to districts around this country in mod- ignore those conclusions about smaller service to our citizens. That bill is tied ernizing their schools and building new classes and smaller schools. up. It is dead in the water because the ones is worth fighting for. President Clinton has an initiative We believe that putting a qualified Republicans refuse to move it along. on the table which has been rejected by What have they done instead? In a teacher in every classroom in America, the Republican majority. The Presi- balanced budget give-back bill, as it is dent’s proposal would provide interest- so that particularly in the primary called, a bill that helped our health free loans for localities to have bond grades children get more one-on-one care providers and to some extent our measures for school modernization, for attention, is worth staying and fight- beneficiaries, they are rewarding the smaller classes, and rewiring schools. ing for. managed care plans with somewhere If we are going to have smaller class- And we believe that programs like between $6 and $30 billion. es, we need more classrooms and we after-school programs, drug and alco- Why do I not know why? Because no need more teachers. If we are going to hol education, are worth funding to one will tell the Democrats what is in have our children prepared for the fu- their highest and most practical level. the bill. The bill is in the Speaker’s of- ture, we need to have these schools It is an argument worth having. fice. Lobbyists are parading in and out modernized, wired for the future. I commend the Committee on Appro- of the Speaker’s office working on the It is really very, very difficult to un- priations for their diligence in moving Republican bill, and not telling the derstand how the Republican majority the process forward, but we will stick rest of the Members. can reject such a reasonable proposal, a to our principles and invest in debt re- At any rate, as near as we can deter- proposal based on science and for the duction and education improvement for mine, there is somewhere between $6 well-being of America’s children. That the benefit of the people of this coun- and $30 billion going as a reward to the by and large is the main argument that try. managed care plans, regardless of is keeping us here. Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield whether they provide a prescription At the same time, the Republican myself such time as I may consume. drug benefit or maintain the effort of majority has chosen to take four- or Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman wishes keeping their plans open in rural areas; five-day weekends, instead of attending to stick to his principles with respect no strings attached, take the money to a prescription drug benefit for our to debt reduction, he can support these and run. They give a reward of that seniors, a real prescription drug benefit bills, because each of these appropria- magnitude to the very people that we for our seniors; instead of a subsidized tion bills has a special line item for voted to regulate. premium for insurance companies, debt reduction. What would we do if we did not give which they may or may not even de- Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield that money to the managed care plans? cide to offer; and to attend to a real myself such time as I may consume. We would give 2 extra years of update Patients’ Bill of Rights. Mr. Speaker, I urge a no vote on the to the hospitals, we would help home But it is about the children that we previous question. If the previous ques- health care, and we would provide more are here. The Republican majority is tion is defeated, I will offer an amend- benefits for our beneficiaries. That is asking us to vote for a continuing reso- ment to move the end of the con- what is going on under all of this as the lution, not so that we can continue our tinuing resolution up 2 days from Republicans stall the work of this Con- work until we are finished, but so that Wednesday, October 25, to Monday, Oc- gress. we can go home for 4 or 5 days, come tober 23. If we do not move the dead- Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve back with work unfinished, and ask for line, there will be no pressure to work, the balance of my time. another continuing resolution. I urge and American families will continue to Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield my colleagues to vote no on the CR. get short shrift from this Republican 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve Congress. California (Ms. PELOSI). the balance of my time. We need to rebuild our schools. We Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield need to hire new teachers. We need to the gentleman for yielding time to me, 2 minutes to the gentleman from New stay in session until we get the work the distinguished ranking member. Jersey (Mr. ANDREWS). done. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the con- (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given The text of the amendment, if of- tinuing resolution because I think it is permission to revise and extend his re- fered, is as follows: time we got about the people’s busi- marks.) On page 2, line 4, strike ‘‘and (2)’’ and add ness. The decisions that we will be Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I thank after the semicolon, ‘‘(2) the amendment making in the next few days and next my friend, the gentleman from Massa- printed in section 2 of this resolution which week are about our national budget, chusetts, for yielding time to me. shall be considered as adopted; and (3) ‘‘

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 07:37 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00112 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K19OC7.101 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 October 19, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H10401 At the end of the resolution, add ‘‘Section Norwood Ryan (WI) Tauzin Lipinski Oxley Talent 2. The amendment to H. J. Res 114 Strike Nussle Ryun (KS) Taylor (NC) McCollum Rodriguez Thompson (MS) ‘‘October 25, 2000’’ and insert ‘‘October 23, Ose Salmon Terry McIntosh Rush Turner Packard Sanford Thomas Miller (FL) Shays Weygand 2000’’ Paul Saxton Thornberry Oberstar Spratt Wise Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield Pease Scarborough Thune b myself such time as I may consume. Peterson (PA) Schaffer Tiahrt 1529 Petri Sensenbrenner Toomey Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to Pickering Sessions Traficant Messrs. ROTHMAN, UDALL of New support the previous question so we Pitts Shadegg Upton Mexico, EVANS and Mrs. MEEK of can move on with the vote on the rule Pombo Shaw Vitter Florida changed their vote from ‘‘yea’’ Porter Sherwood Walden and get the continuing resolution on Portman Shimkus Walsh to ‘‘nay.’’ the floor to keep the government open, Pryce (OH) Shuster Wamp So the previous question was ordered. running, and responsible until we fin- Quinn Simpson Watkins The result of the vote was announced ish our work, our very difficult work Radanovich Skeen Watts (OK) as above recorded. Ramstad Smith (MI) Weldon (FL) this year. Regula Smith (NJ) Weldon (PA) The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance Reynolds Smith (TX) Weller PEASE). The question is on the resolu- of my time, and I move the previous Riley Souder Whitfield tion. Rogan Spence Wicker question on the resolution. Rogers Stearns Wilson The question was taken; and the The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Rohrabacher Stump Wolf Speaker pro tempore announced that question is on ordering the previous Ros-Lehtinen Sununu Young (AK) the noes appeared to have it. Roukema Sweeney Young (FL) question. Royce Tancredo RECORDED VOTE The question was taken; and the Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I demand Speaker pro tempore announced that NAYS—193 a recorded vote. the ayes appeared to have it. Abercrombie Gejdenson Moran (VA) A recorded vote was ordered. Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I object Ackerman Gonzalez Murtha The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a Allen Gordon Nadler to the vote on the ground that a Andrews Green (TX) Napolitano 5-minute vote. quorum is not present and make the Baca Gutierrez Neal The vote was taken by electronic de- point of order that a quorum is not Baird Hall (OH) Obey vice, and there were—ayes 209, noes 187, present. Baldacci Hall (TX) Olver Baldwin Hastings (FL) Ortiz not voting 36, as follows: The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evi- Barcia Hill (IN) Owens [Roll No. 538] dently a quorum is not present. Barrett (WI) Hilliard Pallone AYES—209 The Sergeant at Arms will notify ab- Becerra Hinchey Pascrell Bentsen Hinojosa Pastor Abercrombie Fletcher McHugh sent Members. Berkley Hoeffel Payne Aderholt Foley McInnis Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Berman Holden Pelosi Archer Fossella McKeon Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the min- Berry Holt Peterson (MN) Armey Fowler Metcalf Bishop Hooley Phelps Bachus Frelinghuysen Mica imum time for electronic voting, if or- Blagojevich Hoyer Pickett Baker Gallegly Miller, Gary dered, on the question of agreeing to Blumenauer Inslee Pomeroy Ballenger Ganske Mollohan the resolution. Bonior Jackson (IL) Price (NC) Barr Gibbons Moore The vote was taken by electronic de- Borski Jackson-Lee Rahall Barrett (NE) Gilchrest Moran (KS) Boswell (TX) Rangel Bartlett Gillmor Morella vice, and there were—yeas 212, nays Boucher Jefferson Reyes Barton Goode Murtha 193, not voting 27, as follows: Boyd John Rivers Bass Goodlatte Myrick Bereuter Goodling Nethercutt [Roll No. 537] Brady (PA) Johnson, E. B. Roemer Brown (FL) Kanjorski Rothman Biggert Goss Ney YEAS—212 Brown (OH) Kaptur Roybal-Allard Bilbray Graham Northup Bilirakis Granger Aderholt DeLay Hostettler Capps Kennedy Sabo Norwood Blagojevich Green (WI) Archer DeMint Houghton Capuano Kildee Sanchez Nussle Bliley Greenwood Armey Diaz-Balart Hulshof Cardin Kilpatrick Sanders Ose Blunt Gutknecht Bachus Dickey Hunter Carson Kleczka Sandlin Packard Boehlert Hastings (WA) Baker Doolittle Hutchinson Clayton Kucinich Sawyer Paul Boehner Hayes Ballenger Dreier Hyde Clement LaFalce Schakowsky Pease Bonilla Hayworth Barr Duncan Isakson Clyburn Lampson Scott Peterson (PA) Bono Hefley Barrett (NE) Dunn Istook Condit Lantos Serrano Petri Brady (TX) Herger Bartlett Ehlers Jenkins Costello Larson Sherman Pitts Bryant Hill (MT) Barton Ehrlich Johnson (CT) Coyne Lee Shows Pombo Burr Hilleary Bass Emerson Johnson, Sam Cramer Levin Sisisky Porter Burton Hobson Bereuter English Jones (NC) Crowley Lewis (GA) Skelton Portman Buyer Hoekstra Biggert Everett Kasich Cummings Lofgren Slaughter Pryce (OH) Callahan Horn Bilbray Ewing Kelly Danner Lowey Smith (WA) Quinn Calvert Hostettler Bilirakis Fletcher Kind (WI) Davis (FL) Lucas (KY) Snyder Ramstad Camp Houghton Bliley Foley King (NY) Davis (IL) Luther Stabenow Reynolds Canady Hulshof Blunt Fossella Kingston DeFazio Maloney (CT) Stark Riley Cannon Hunter Boehlert Fowler Knollenberg DeGette Maloney (NY) Stenholm Roemer Castle Hutchinson Boehner Frelinghuysen Kolbe Delahunt Markey Strickland Rogan Chabot Hyde Bonilla Gallegly Kuykendall DeLauro Mascara Stupak Rogers Chambliss Isakson Bono Ganske LaHood Deutsch Matsui Tanner Rohrabacher Coble Istook Brady (TX) Gekas Largent Dicks McCarthy (MO) Tauscher Ros-Lehtinen Coburn Jenkins Bryant Gibbons Latham Dingell McCarthy (NY) Taylor (MS) Roukema Collins Johnson (CT) Burr Gilchrest LaTourette Dixon McDermott Thompson (CA) Royce Combest Johnson, Sam Burton Gillmor Leach Doggett McGovern Thurman Ryan (WI) Cook Jones (NC) Buyer Gilman Lewis (KY) Dooley McIntyre Tierney Ryun (KS) Cooksey Kasich Callahan Goode Linder Doyle McKinney Towns Salmon Cox Kelly Calvert Goodlatte LoBiondo Edwards McNulty Udall (CO) Sanford Crane King (NY) Camp Goodling Lucas (OK) Engel Meehan Udall (NM) Saxton Cubin Kingston Canady Goss Manzullo Eshoo Meek (FL) Velazquez Scarborough Cunningham Knollenberg Cannon Graham Martinez Etheridge Meeks (NY) Visclosky Schaffer Deal Kolbe Castle Granger McCrery Evans Menendez Waters Sensenbrenner DeLay Kuykendall Chabot Green (WI) McHugh Farr Millender- Watt (NC) Sessions DeMint LaHood Chambliss Greenwood McInnis Fattah McDonald Waxman Shadegg Diaz-Balart Largent Coble Gutknecht McKeon Filner Miller, George Weiner Shaw Dickey Latham Coburn Hastings (WA) Metcalf Forbes Minge Wexler Sherwood Doolittle LaTourette Collins Hayes Mica Ford Mink Woolsey Shimkus Dreier Leach Combest Hayworth Miller, Gary Frank (MA) Moakley Wu Shuster Duncan Lewis (KY) Cook Hefley Moore Frost Mollohan Wynn Simpson Ehlers Linder Cox Herger Moran (KS) Skeen Ehrlich LoBiondo Crane Hill (MT) Morella NOT VOTING—27 Smith (MI) Emerson Lucas (OK) Cubin Hilleary Myrick Campbell Cooksey Jones (OH) Smith (NJ) English Manzullo Cunningham Hobson Nethercutt Chenoweth-Hage Franks (NJ) Klink Smith (TX) Everett Martinez Davis (VA) Hoekstra Ney Clay Gephardt Lazio Souder Ewing McCrery Deal Horn Northup Conyers Hansen Lewis (CA) Spence

VerDate 02-OCT-2000 07:37 Oct 20, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00113 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19OC7.043 pfrm01 PsN: H19PT1 H10402 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 19, 2000 Stearns Tiahrt Weldon (FL) REMOVAL OF NAME OF MEMBER of the process requiring the other body Stump Toomey Weldon (PA) Sununu Traficant Weller AS COSPONSOR OF HOUSE RESO- and the administration has not been Sweeney Upton Whitfield LUTION 398 completed yet, although we are getting Tancredo Vitter Wicker Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask very close. We moved out two more Taylor (NC) Walden Wilson bills today, as my colleagues will re- Terry Walsh Wolf unanimous consent that my name be Thomas Wamp Young (AK) withdrawn as a cosponsor of H. Res. member. Thornberry Watkins Young (FL) 398. This CR does two things: One, it ex- Thune Watts (OK) The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there tends the date from midnight tomor- NOES—187 objection to the request of the gen- row night until midnight Wednesday Ackerman Gonzalez Moakley tleman from New Jersey? night of next week. In addition, be- Allen Gordon Moran (VA) There was no objection. cause we are reaching the end of the Andrews Green (TX) Nadler month, it is necessary that we make Baca Gutierrez Napolitano f Baird Hall (OH) Neal provision for funding authority for Baldacci Hall (TX) Olver GENERAL LEAVE checks that go out automatically every Baldwin Hastings (FL) Ortiz Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, month to those who are in entitlement Barcia Hill (IN) Owens programs. The agencies involved need Barrett (WI) Hilliard Pallone I ask unanimous consent that all Mem- Becerra Hinchey Pascrell bers may have 5 legislative days within to have the authority to go ahead and Bentsen Hinojosa Pastor which to revise and extend their re- print the checks, mail the checks, and Berkley Hoeffel Payne have them in the mail so that they ar- Berman Holden Pelosi marks on the joint resolution (H.J. Berry Holt Peterson (MN) Res. 114) making further continuing ap- rive by the first of the month. Those Bishop Hooley Phelps propriations for fiscal year 2001, and for are the two things this continuing res- Blumenauer Hoyer Pickett other purposes, and that I may include olution does. Bonior Inslee Pomeroy Hopefully, this is the last one we will Borski Jackson (IL) Price (NC) tabular and extraneous material. Boswell Jackson-Lee Rahall The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there have to do. One of the outstanding bills Boucher (TX) Rangel objection to the request of the gen- is the bill from Labor, Health and Boyd Jefferson Reyes Human Services, and Education. We Brady (PA) John Rivers tleman from Florida? Brown (FL) Johnson, E. B. Rothman There was no objection. are having another meeting this after- Brown (OH) Kanjorski Roybal-Allard f noon on this bill with the White House Capps Kaptur Sabo and with the Republican and Demo- Capuano Kennedy Sanchez FURTHER CONTINUING APPRO- cratic Members representing the House Cardin Kildee Sanders Carson Kilpatrick Sandlin PRIATIONS, FISCAL YEAR 2001 and the Senate, and we hope to finalize Clayton Kind (WI) Sawyer Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, those agreements today. Clyburn Kleczka Schakowsky The District of Columbia bill, as Condit Kucinich Scott pursuant to House Resolution 637, I call Costello LaFalce Serrano up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 114) most Members know, is ready to file, Coyne Lampson Sherman making further continuing appropria- however, it is being held because it Cramer Lantos Shows tions for fiscal year 2001, and for other may be needed as a vehicle for another Crowley Larson Sisisky appropriations bill that our colleagues Cummings Lee Skelton purposes, and ask for its immediate Danner Levin Slaughter consideration in the House. in the other body have not passed yet. Davis (FL) Lewis (GA) Smith (WA) The Clerk read the title of the joint So there is somewhat of a delay there. Davis (IL) Lofgren Snyder It is not a delay of the making of the DeFazio Lowey Stabenow resolution. DeGette Lucas (KY) Stark The text of House Joint Resolution House of Representatives or the House Delahunt Luther Stenholm 114 is as follows: appropriators. DeLauro Maloney (CT) Strickland H.J. RES. 114 And I want to repeat, Mr. Speaker, as Deutsch Maloney (NY) Stupak I have said so many times, that the Dicks Markey Tanner Resolved by the Senate and House of Rep- Dingell Mascara Tauscher resentatives of the United States of America in House Committee on Appropriations Dixon Matsui Taylor (MS) Congress assembled. That Public Law 106–275, completed its work very early in the Doggett McCarthy (MO) Thompson (CA) if further amended by striking ‘‘October 20, year. We had all 13 of our appropriation Dooley McCarthy (NY) Thurman 2000’’ in section 106(c) and inserting in lieu Doyle McDermott Tierney bills through the House, with the last Edwards McGovern Towns thereof ‘‘October 25, 2000’’. Notwithstanding one on the floor in July before the Au- Engel McIntyre Udall (CO) section 106 of Public Law 106–275, funds shall gust recess. That bill was then with- Eshoo McKinney Udall (NM) be available and obligations for mandatory drawn from consideration and put off, Etheridge McNulty Velazquez payments due on or about November 1, 2000, but the appropriators were ready to Evans Meehan Visclosky may continue to be made. Farr Meek (FL) Waters move. Fattah Meeks (NY) Watt (NC) The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Anyway, we are near the end. It was Filner Menendez Waxman ant to House Resolution 637, the gen- theoretically possible that we could Forbes Millender- Weiner tleman from Florida (Mr. YOUNG) and Ford McDonald Wexler have done what the gentleman from Frank (MA) Miller, George Woolsey the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Massachusetts (Mr. MOAKLEY) wanted Frost Minge Wu HOYER) each will control 30 minutes. and made this CR go to midnight on Gejdenson Mink Wynn The Chair recognizes the gentleman Monday night. Because it runs until NOT VOTING—36 from Florida (Mr. YOUNG). Wednesday, he opposed the previous Campbell Jones (OH) Radanovich Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, question so that he could offer an Chenoweth-Hage Klink Regula I yield myself such time as I may con- amendment to take us to midnight Clay Lazio Rodriguez sume. Clement Lewis (CA) Rush Monday. But, Mr. Speaker, tomorrow Conyers Lipinski Shays (Mr. YOUNG of Florida asked and the House will not be in session out of Davis (VA) McCollum Spratt was given permission to revise and ex- respect for the Governor of Missouri Dunn McIntosh Talent tend his remarks.) who was, along with his son, unfortu- Franks (NJ) Miller (FL) Tauzin Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Gekas Oberstar Thompson (MS) nately killed in a tragic airplane crash. Gephardt Obey Turner the CR before us now should not re- We respect that and the fact that many Gilman Oxley Weygand quire much debate, since we did have a of our Members will be traveling to Hansen Pickering Wise very lively debate on the rule on the Missouri for that funeral tomorrow. b 1538 very same subject, but I am sure the b 1545 Mr. DIXON and Mr. CONDIT changed same subjects will be discussed again. their vote from ‘‘aye’’ to ‘‘no.’’ But this does extend the funding for So there will be no business here to- So the resolution was agreed to. the fiscal year until next Wednesday. morrow. Saturday and Sunday the The result of the vote was announced It is essential to pass this CR be- House will not meet for recorded votes. as above recorded. cause, although the House has com- Monday the House will not be in for re- A motion to reconsider was laid on pleted its part of the appropriations corded votes. And so, if we go to the the table. process quite a long time ago, the part policy of having CR’s one day at a

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