Waiving Requirement of Clause 6(a) of Rule XIII With Respect to Consideration of Certain Resolutions Reported from Committee on Rules
WAIVING REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 6(a) OF RULE XIII WITH RESPECT TO CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (House of Representatives - November 20, 2004)
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 846 and ask for its immediate consideration.
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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
The resolution we are considering today would provide for the same-day consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules. It waives clause 6(a) of rule XIII, requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on the same day it is reported from the Committee on Rules, against certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules.
The rule applies to the waiver to any resolution reported on or before the legislative day of November 20, 2004, providing for consideration or disposition of any of the following measures:
First, a bill or joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2005, an amendment thereto or a conference report thereon; or, second, a bill or joint resolution making general appropriations for fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and an amendment thereto or a conference report thereon.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear what we are trying to do. We are trying to make sure that as a result of the action that we took on or about October 8 as it related to the funding of the government that we would make sure we would responsibly work on behalf of the American people to make sure that all spending bills would be necessarily approved and done properly by this House. But we wanted to make sure that the government was funded from that day forward.
Today, as we end what we believe will be the last day for the House of Representatives for the 108th Congress, it allows us a chance to make sure that we are prepared to do just that. As we speak, up in the Committee on Rules right now here in the Capitol, the Committee on Rules is meeting to approve the omnibus appropriations bill. This bill will make sure that we can bring this very important bill to the floor and then we can get on with our work today and hopefully adjourn tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I appreciate the gentleman's speaking about the way in which the House is operating today. I am proud of what we are doing. And in just a few hours we are going to hear the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, come and say that this package before us represents a freeze or a 0 percent growth in nondefense discretionary spending. That is hard work. That is hard work, Mr. Speaker, but in the very beginning of this year the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. NUSSLE), chairman of the Budget Committee, as a result of enlisting the Members of Congress, decided that we were going to have a budget that did the right thing for 2005. And that is exactly what this Republican-led Congress has done.
The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) worked very diligently to make sure that the budget that this conference put forth and this House put forth is something that will be passed. We intend to make sure that we are not going to have any wild spending sprees like we have done in the past. It is going to be responsible. I am proud of what we have done. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. HASTERT), our great Speaker, and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the majority leader, have made sure that the things that are in this bill deal with the essence of what is good for America. I am very proud of what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The gentleman from Maryland I believe articulated a hope and a dream that both of these parties want to stand for, and that is that we can continue to work together. He expressed great confidence not only in the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and Jim Dyer, who is the staff director of the Committee on Appropriations; he appropriately talked about the service to this body of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. STENHOLM), a Congressman from Texas 17. But he also talked about our hope and dream for the ability that we have to control ourselves, to bring forth spending that is worthy of the American public will.
The only thing that I would add is that we also need to have an economy that works, that is competitive with the world. We know we passed this last year, a medicare prescription drug bill that, for the first time, will allow senior citizens not to have to make a choice between food, clothing, housing, and getting the prescription drugs that were ordered by their doctor. These too are accomplishments that we have done, and it does come at a cost and a price, but it is the right thing to do.
I continue to believe in the American dream. I think that is what we are all about here today on a Saturday, working hard. And yes, the gentleman referred to us working until 2, 3, and 4 in the morning. I think that is good too. I think this body is faithful to the American public, and I believe in what we are doing.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) has 12 ½ minutes remaining.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
It is a great way to start a Saturday morning, the opportunity to get up and debate before the American public the important parts about not only America and our process and the ability that we have by majority vote, but it is also an opportunity for us to look the American public right in the eye and to say that we have done what we said we would do, that this is a lean package. It follows exactly what we said we would do in the budget earlier this spring.
The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) has brought forth a package as a result of what we heard was bipartisan work, informing people what was in the bill, the opportunity to make sure that not only as the gentleman from Maryland said to keep him updated but others in his party to make sure that they were aware of what was happening on an omnibus spending package that is important to this great Nation and an obligation of this Congress.
Yes, I am proud that we have the ability to say today we will bring this to the floor of the House of Representatives. The Committee on Rules has acted, and subsequent to us leaving today, we will have a measured and wonderful debate. I am proud of what we have done. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this rule and the underlying legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.
The previous question was ordered.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.