Amendment Process for H.R. 1461, Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005
AMENDMENT PROCESS FOR H.R. 1461, FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE REFORM ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - October 20, 2005)
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, the Rules Committee may meet next week to grant a rule which could limit the amendment process for floor consideration of H.R. 1461, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005. The bill was introduced on April 5 and referred to the Committee on Financial Services which ordered the bill reported out by a vote of 65-5 on May 25 and filed in the House on July 14.
Any Member wishing to offer an amendment should submit 55 copies of the amendment and one copy of a brief explanation of the amendment to the Rules Committee in room H-312 of the Capitol by noon on Tuesday, October 25, 2005. Members should draft their amendments to the text of the bill as reported by the Committee on Financial Services on July 14. Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are drafted in the most appropriate format. Members are advised to check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the rules of the House.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SESSIONS. Reclaiming my time, I appreciate the gentleman not only asking these questions but bringing up and talking about some important issues.
First of all, I would be the first one to admit that we have for the last few weeks been dealing with issues related to Katrina and other important matters as it relates to housing.
To answer the gentleman most directly, I must say that the instructions that I have given are that we are going back to the bill of July 14. There have been no changes made at this time to that. That will be the text that will be considered by the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee, as we deliberate, we take into consideration amendments of how people would wish for the bill to be changed, new thoughts and ideas; and that will be just as current as the filing date that we have set. So it is my hope that you would have the opportunity to work with Members of your party, and that this announcement would be available for Members of my party to say that we are open to any amendment, any thought process that people would like to come to the Rules Committee.
It is not unusual for us to hold hearings and take testimony that may take hours and hours and we hear from people. That thought process will be considered next week. The chairman of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from California, has instructed me to advise Members that we will be ready to do business next week and be open to the amendment process as Members choose.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SESSIONS. I would say to the gentleman, reclaiming my time, that the Rules Committee has been visited by the gentleman from Massachusetts. He is no stranger to the Rules Committee. You also in your leadership capacities and otherwise as a Member of Congress representing your constituents from Maryland have been very vigorous in your support of the things which you believe, the ideas which you choose to press to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee is very open, and our esteemed chairman will make available that time.
We do not know the content of that manager's amendment that you are talking about at this time. We once again encourage all Members, including the process that will be followed for the manager's amendment, to be filed on that date, October 25.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
http://thomas.loc.gov