July 28, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE 18261 In accordance with long practice, Mr. handle such an inconceivably horrible The previous question was ordered. Speaker, each body determined its own possibility and does not leave our duty The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. fiscal requirements. As such, the con- to legislate and oversee in limbo. SIMPSON). The question is on the reso- ference report includes $1.1 billion the Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill, es- lution. House of Representatives originally ap- sential to our continued ability to leg- The question was taken; and the propriated for its operations earlier islate, to our power of oversight and Speaker pro tempore announced that this year. It also includes the $759 mil- the continuity of government. the ayes appeared to have it. lion the Senate appropriated for its op- I would like to thank the gentleman Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, on that I erations. The appropriations for both from California (Chairman LEWIS) and demand the yeas and nays. the House of Representatives and the the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. The yeas and nays were ordered. Senate includes funds for Members’ OBEY), ranking member, for their lead- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- representational allowances, leadership ership on this. And I thank the distin- ant to clause 8 of rule XX, further pro- and committee offices. These funds will guished gentlewoman from California ceedings on this question will be post- help Members fulfill their duties to leg- for her hard work and friendship. poned. I urge my colleagues to support both islate and to oversee. f These funds also help Congress com- the rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 6, plete the vitally important task, as I my time. ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005 have just mentioned, which is the over- Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank sight of the executive branch. The Con- Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Florida for yield- pursuant to House Resolution 394, I stitution grants Congress broad powers ing me the customary time, and I yield that include the extraordinarily impor- call up the conference report on the myself such time as I may consume. bill (H.R. 6) to ensure jobs for our fu- tant power of oversight. This includes Mr. Speaker, we are here to debate ture with secure, affordable, and reli- obviously getting to know what the ex- the rule for the Fiscal Year 2006 Legis- able energy. ecutive is doing, how programs are lative Branch Appropriations con- The Clerk read the title of the bill. being administered, by whom and at ference report, and although I support The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- what cost, and whether officials are this report, I would just like to express ant to House Resolution 394, the con- complying with the law, with the in- my general concerns over the exorbi- ference report is considered as having tent of the law. tant cost overruns of the Capitol Visi- been read. For the Capitol Police, who each and tors Center. Funding contained in this (For conference report and state- every day protect us, our staffs, and report is based on the GAO’s assess- our constituents visiting the Capitol, ment of needs, and I truly hope that ment, see proceedings of the House of the bill appropriates over $249 million. this will be the last installment needed July 27, 2005 at page 17793.) This level of funding will support the to get the center completed. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- current staffing level of 1,592 officers, Through this measure, we will also tleman from Texas (Mr. BARTON) and an additional 43 officers for the Library fund the operations for our institution the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. BOU- of Congress and 45 new officers for the and the many supporting bodies that CHER) each will control 30 minutes. Capitol Visitors Center. Also included we rely upon daily, like the Library of The Chair recognizes the gentleman is an inspector general for the Capitol Congress, the Government Account- from Texas (Mr. BARTON). Police to help the Capitol Police with ability Office, the Congressional Budg- Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, administrative operations such as fi- et Office, and the Capitol Police. I yield myself such time as I may con- nancial management and budgeting. I would just like to take this oppor- sume. The bill also includes an important tunity to draw attention to those who I want to say at the beginning we piece of legislation, the Continuity in help keep Congress running. There is a currently do not have on the House Representation Act of 2005. As we all tremendous operation that helps my floor the gentleman from Massachu- know, Mr. Speaker, on September 11, colleagues and me do the business of setts (Mr. MARKEY), one of the oppo- 2001, flight 93 was headed toward us the American people, from the per- nents of the bill, but when he arrives, I here. If it were not for the heroic acts sonnel at the Congressional Research want to assure those who are in opposi- of the passengers on flight 93, we could Service that aids our offices in keeping tion to the bill that we will yield time very well have faced a situation where up with the latest issues, to the Clerk’s so that they have an opportunity to Congress may not have been able to staff that records every word we speak, participate in the debate. function. We cannot allow this to hap- tracks each bill introduced, and, no With that I want to say that this is pen. We certainly have to do every- matter the hour, is here to support us a great day. The House is poised to thing we can to not allow it to happen. as we debate the priorities of the Na- pass the most comprehensive energy policy that we have ever had before b 1115 tion. It is also the curators who impart the history of this great Capitol Build- this body, at least in the time that I H.R. 841 would accelerate elections in ing to visitors every single day, and have been in the House of Representa- case a terrorist attack leaves the painters and archivists that maintain tives, which encompasses the last 21 House of Representatives with over 100 the historical integrity of the build- years. vacancies. It provides for the expedited ings. It is not without the maintenance In the last Congress, the House was special election of new Members to fill crews, food service workers, and so able to adopt a conference report, but seats left vacant in ‘‘extraordinary cir- many that I cannot even begin to name the other body was never able to in- cumstances.’’ that keep the trains running smoothly voke cloture and bring that bill to the The House passed this bill earlier on the Capitol complex. I thank them floor. this year by an overwhelming bipar- all for their service. This bill builds on last year’s bill. It tisan margin of 329 to 68. In the 108th Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing is full of superb legislation. It is a very Congress, the House passed a similar one of the first appropriations con- balanced bill both for conservation and bill by a vote of 306 to 97. Each time ference reports move forward today. for production. There is a very strong the Senate has failed to consider this Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I have no title on energy efficiency. There is a vital piece of legislation; so the Speak- further requests for time, and I yield strong title on renewable energy and er wisely asked that this very impor- back the balance of my time. clean energy. On a bipartisan basis, we tant legislation be included in this Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of have even adjusted daylight savings process. Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further time to help save energy. We must not ignore the threat to our requests for time, I yield back the bal- The bill before us today is going to constitutional duty. It is time that we ance of my time, and I move the pre- promote a new generation of clean coal have legislation such as this that can vious question on the resolution. technology. It is going to promote the VerDate Sep 11 2014 09:41 Feb 22, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 0687 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\2005BOUNDRECORD\BOOK14\NO-SSN\BR28JY05.DAT BR28JY05 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE 18262 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE July 28, 2005 use of our Nation’s greatest domestic partisan, bicameral basis. It is one of technologies that will encourage a resource, which is coal. It is going to the titles that I am most proud of. It is greater use of coal for the electricity do it in a clean, environmentally safe going to usher in for our electricity in- generation with superior environ- fashion. We are going to introduce a dustry innovations across the board, mental performance. new generation for nuclear power in from the generation of electricity, to Coal is our most abundant domestic this country. There are many innova- the transmission of electricity, to the energy reserve. Within our borders we tions that should make it possible the distribution of electricity, to the con- have 250 years of proven coal reserves. next 3 to 4 years to begin to construct sumption of electricity. It is truly a Our bill encourages electric utilities to a new nuclear power plant.