Legislative Program

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding, the Republican whip from the grand State of Louisiana.

As the gentleman is aware as a result of his service in previous Congresses, when we get to the last days of the Congress, it is very difficult to predict the schedule because the reason we have not already passed something is because it is controversial, and we are trying to work out an agreement.

In that context, Mr. Speaker, I am advising Members that they will not be expected to be back here to vote on any piece of legislation prior to Tuesday next at 6:30 p.m.

The reason for that is because an agreement has not been reached on either COVID-19 legislation or the omnibus for the funding of the government for the balance of the year between now and September 30.

As a result, even if an agreement were reached tomorrow, the time for the staff to put it in bill language and to file it would take us at least until Tuesday. So, there is no point in having Members here with nothing to do.

However, as I know the minority whip agrees with me, we need to get those two bills done in one form or another. I am hopeful that over the next 72, 96 hours, that there will be a lot of work being done.

I want to let the public know that in the Senate and in the House, both on the Democratic side and on the Republican side, Members are working hard to resolve the differences that still exist because I think both sides understand the critical nature of passing COVID-19 legislation where we have millions of people, millions of small businesses, millions of healthcare workers waiting for us to resolve these issues so that they can confront the challenges that COVID-19 has created both on the health side and on the economic side.

I would say that if we can get that done, that we may vote, as I said, as early as Tuesday at 6:30. But I will say that we will not leave--when I say ``leave,'' we will not adjourn the 116th Congress until we get those two bills done because they have to be done.

I thank the gentleman for the question, and that is the answer.

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his observations.

In fact, I am for an agreement that is being worked on right now that has $300 billion, a third of the $908 billion, that is set aside for small businesses for exactly the reasons that the whip points out, that we want to make sure that we can keep as many small businesses in business as possible, which is why we ought to pass legislation.

But we are not holding small businesses hostage any more than we are holding those on unemployment hostage, any more than we are holding States and localities hostage, any more than we are holding schools hostage, any more than we are holding childcare and CDBG hostage or emergency assistance or farm aid or nutrition aid.

None of those are being held hostage. What is happening is, they all need to get resources to meet the challenges they face. That is what we believe needs to happen.

All of those need to be addressed. All of those need to be included in a bill that, hopefully, we will pass in the early part of next week.

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I don't have the facts, but, obviously, our position is if there are facts being raised that ought to be looked at, they ought to be looked at.

But I don't have the facts, and I don't want to comment on the issue itself because I don't know enough about it to do so. But I think all due diligence will be pursued.

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Mr. HOYER. Will the gentleman yield?

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Mr. HOYER. I didn't mention one bill that is still percolating. We passed it 335-78. The Senate passed it, I think, 86-14, or something. The National Defense Authorization Act is going to be going to the President soon. I am hopeful the President will sign it.

If he does not sign it, that will be another issue that may be considered.

On the other hand, I have indications that perhaps there will be a substantial number of Republicans who voted for the bill who may not vote to pass it over the President's veto. So, we will have that to consider as well.

I hadn't mentioned that, and I wanted to mention that that is still on the docket.

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Mr. HOYER. Will the gentleman yield?

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I hope he will sign it. I know he has concerns about a section that Senator Inhofe said ought not to be in the bill. But whether it should or should not, it is not in the bill, and the conferees determined that it should not be in the bill.

As the gentleman knows, this has great consequences for our national security and for our troops. I would hope the gentleman would, and I would, urge the President to sign the bill.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

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