Legislative Program

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM -- (House of Representatives - January 26, 2005)

(Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished majority leader for the purpose of inquiring of him the schedule for the coming week.

Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the House will convene on Tuesday at 2 p.m. for legislative business. We will consider several measures under suspension of the rules. A final list of those bills will be sent to Members' offices by the end of the week. Any votes called on these measures will be rolled until 6:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, the House will convene at 10 a.m. This is a slow time of year, as most committees are not organizing until next week. We anticipate consideration of a resolution that will stress the House's views on the recent court decision regarding the Solomon amendment, but we do not expect to consider any significant legislation under a rule.

In addition, I would like to remind all Members that the President's State of the Union is scheduled for Wednesday night of next week.

Finally, to accommodate scheduling demands next week similar to those that we have this week, the House will not have votes next Thursday or Friday.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and will be happy to answer any questions he may have.

Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman. I appreciate the information.

I understand he anticipates a substantive resolution on the Solomon amendment and the court ruling thereon. But can I ask you, is it your understanding that a resolution regarding the recent Palestinian elections will come to the floor next week as well? Is that possible?

Mr. DeLAY. I know that you and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) are working on this bill and will continue to work on it. It has every possibility if it is done, maybe we could do it next week.

Mr. HOYER. I thank the leader. I know that the majority whip and myself are working on this, and running it by your office as well as we are the leader's office on our side. Hopefully we can move that. I know that all of us believe that we have an opportunity to at least resolve the violence and hopefully reach towards a peaceful resolution of that dispute, and hopefully we can move forward on this resolution. I thank the leader for his response.

Secondly, Mr. Leader, the supplemental appropriation, we hear about the supplemental appropriation, clearly for the tsunami victims as well as further assistance to our troops and efforts in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Can you tell us whether or not there is any possibility of that coming next week, or do you anticipate that would be the week following or sometime thereafter?

Mr. DeLAY. I am not sure that the White House has even made a decision on when they will send the request for the supplemental to us, or if they will send us one or two requests. I think those decisions are still being made by the White House. Obviously those decisions will help shape how and when we will consider the bill here in the House. At this time I do not expect us to consider the supplemental prior to the President's Day recess, but I would not rule that out, either. We will take the President's request, obviously our Appropriations Committee will do its work, and we will expedite the process and get it to the floor as soon as possible.

Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for his information.

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