Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to table the resolution.

I thank my colleague for yielding.

Next week, Mr. Speaker, the House will convene Tuesday at 12:30 for morning hour and 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, and any votes called on these measures will be rolled until 6:30 on Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday and the balance of the week, the House will consider the 527 reform bill, which was reported from the Committee on House Administration. The House will also consider the concurrent resolution on the budget. The Budget Committee completed its work last night.

We are scheduled to work through Friday next week. I can tell my colleague that if we were to get our work finished before that, the House would then adjourn for the district work period.

Only with 527s.

Next week the five committees that are involved in putting together the lobby and ethics reform bills, all of those committees will be marking up their relative portion of that bill. Once they have completed their work next week, there has been no decision made on how to proceed from there in terms of the consideration of those issues here on the floor.

I would expect that the first week or two back it is likely that we will see those issues on the floor in some manner.

If the gentleman will yield, really, there are no decisions yet on just what the timing of these bills are next week. There just hasn't been a decision on what bill will come when. But I would hope that the 527 bill would be up Wednesday. Maybe we could start the budget debate on Wednesday. I think it is too early to tell.

It is.

Both of those bills are, in fact, in conference. There have been informal conversations and, for that matter, formal conference meetings on both of those bills. The pension conference, on which I sit, has made some progress, but there is an awful lot of work to do, and I think the members of the conference are concerned about making sure that this bill is right and there are no unintended consequences. And it seems unlikely to me at this point that that conference could conclude by the end of next week.

Closely related would be the tax conference. I don't sit on the conference, and I don't have as good a feel as what the timing might be.

I thank my colleague for yielding. I have talked to Democrats here in the House. I have talked to Democrats in the Senate about the pension provisions in conference. And everyone should know that at this point there have been some conversations amongst the majority party in each Chamber in order to try to put some framework together. But no one should have any anticipation that we are rapidly moving without our Democrat colleagues in the room. Senator Enzi and I had a conversation about this particular issue, on the involvement of our friends across the aisle, just yesterday; and so I understand the gentleman's concerns.

I do believe that there are times when discussions have to occur amongst the principals before you bring the rest of the members into the conference, and I expect it will happen with these two bills as well.

I thank my colleague for yielding.

Now, as the gentleman is well aware, I believe that all of us were elected by our constituents, regardless of what side of the aisle we are on, and we all have a constitutional right and duty to participate in this legislative process; and the gentleman is well aware that there were a lot of conferences that I and members of my party never saw before they were completed. And as the gentleman is well aware, there are times when having the right people in the room is important. And every bill is different.

So on the pension bill particularly, as I said, I have talked to Members on your side of the aisle, I have talked to Democrats in the Senate as well, and I would hope that sometime soon you will see Members, more Members, brought into the room to try to help move this process along.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Monday next, and further, when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 for morning hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday next.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague for yielding and congratulate him on his selection as chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, a committee that I used to chair and worked closely with Mr. McKeon over the last 5 years on a variety of issues, including the issue that is being debated on the floor today, and that is the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.

Forty years ago, Congress established the Higher Education Act to ensure all students, regardless of their financial circumstances, would have the opportunity to pursue a postsecondary education.

Today, after 3 years of hard work on the part of the members of the Education and Workforce Committee and its staff, on both sides of the aisle, I believe we have produced a bill that finally lives up to that legacy.

The College Access and Opportunity Act does just what its name suggests. It expands access and provides new opportunities for millions of low- and middle-income students, and by opening the door to a college education, even more Americans will be able to take advantage of the strong economy that has had 30 consecutive months of robust job creation.

Let us take a look at some of the most important provisions in this bill. It provides extra Pell Grant aid for high-achieving first- and second-year students; provides year-round Pell aid for students attending school throughout the year and encourages students to make progress toward completing a degree; reduces redtape for students and graduates; removes barriers for nontraditional students; empowers consumers with more transparency in college costs and accreditation; repeals duplicative and unnecessary programs; establishes an Academic Bill of Rights; and safeguards the privacy of students; promotes merit- based pay for teachers; and demands accountability in Federal college access programs.

Mr. Chairman, a report released last week confirms that Republican pro-growth policies have led us to the best job market in 5 years, and this bill builds on that momentum and helps strengthen American competitiveness to ensure America's students are prepared for the strong challenges of the 21st century.

Mr. Chairman, if I could, there is a member of the committee staff who last month celebrated her 25th anniversary as a member of the committee staff; and Sally Lovejoy has worked on this bill, worked on No Child Left Behind and a variety of education programs throughout her 25 years as a member of our staff. I want to say thank you on behalf of myself, as the former chairman of the committee, and all the Members on both sides of the

aisle who have had the chance to work with you.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. Chairman, I want the Members to know that after this series of votes, it is my intention to ask unanimous consent that for the next series of votes that we have the first vote at 15 minutes, followed by succeeding 2-minute votes to help speed the process today. I did not want anybody to be surprised. I do not know whether the unanimous consent will go through, but I hope that it does. Members are all on notice.

Announcement by the Acting Chairman

Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during further consideration of H.R. 4939, pursuant to House Resolution 725, the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may reduce to 2 minutes the minimum time for electronic voting on any postponed question that follows another electronic vote without intervening business, provided that the minimum time for electronic voting on the first in any series shall be 15 minutes.

I thank my colleague for yielding.

Next week, Mr. Speaker, the House will convene on Tuesday at 12:30 for morning hour and 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 and Thursday, the House will take up consideration of the emergency supplemental appropriations bill.

Finally, we will consider H.R. 1606, the Online Freedom of Speech Act. The Committee on House Administration completed consideration of this bill this morning, and we expect that the Rules Committee will take this up next week to bring it to the floor.

It will be considered, we believe, on Wednesday, possibly Thursday, but probably on Wednesday.

Wednesday, and possibly Thursday.

That is a possibility.

It appears that my guess last week was correct.

I thank my colleague for yielding.

I would hope that the House would complete its consideration of the budget in those 2 weeks that we are back after the March recess, sometime in that 2 weeks.

And before April 8.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Monday next, and further, when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, 2006, for morning hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it may be in order at any time on Wednesday, March 15, 2006, for the Speaker to declare a recess, subject to the call of the Chair, for the purpose of receiving in joint meeting Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday next.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 715) and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

I thank my colleague for yielding.

Next week, Mr. Speaker, the House will convene on Tuesday at 12:30 for morning hour, and at 2 o'clock for legislative business. We will take up 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 that are called on those measures will be rolled until 6:30.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will finish consideration of H.R. 4167, the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005.

Finally, we will consider H.R. 2829, the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2005. The committees are continuing their excellent and hard work to develop this bill to reauthorize laws to combat drug trafficking. The Government Reform Committee has completed its action, and we expect the Judiciary Committee will complete its work today.

Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman is probably aware, this bill has been around for many, many years. There has been lots of discussion and debate about this bill. It did come out of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

The reason for the split rule is because there are a significant number of Members going to the gulf coast this afternoon to review the recovery, and we knew we would only get through the general debate today.

The Rules Committee is expected to meet and to finalize the rule. Those discussions about what the rule will look like and the number of amendments and the type of amendments is continuing.

But I clearly understand the interest of my colleague from Maryland for a more open rather than a more closed process.

We thought that we would have the bill up yesterday because the Senate was contemplating action yesterday morning. The expiration date of the temporary extension of the PATRIOT Act is soon to expire.

We expect that the Senate will take this bill up tomorrow. If, in fact, that is the case, it will be brought up on Tuesday under the suspension calendar.

That was a rumor that was floating around. We expect that the budget resolution will move sometime soon. Whether it happens next week or the week after is still up for discussion. When we get closer to having a firm plan for moving it, you will be the first to know.

Once I know.

I can tell.

I will do my best.

In discussions with Chairman Lewis of the Appropriations Committee, there is a lot of work being done, hearings scheduled. Again, I do not think we have a firm timetable for moving the supplemental, but over the next week or so I think we will have a much better idea. And I will be glad to inform you as soon as I know.

I am protecting myself.

The tax reconciliation bill is in conference. I know there have been some discussions. From my standpoint, I would rather have that conference report sooner rather than later. But I have not had any indication from Chairman Thomas that it is imminent; and secondly, it is important for the House to go to conference with the Senate on the pension bill. We are approaching a very critical deadline on the interest rate used to calculate the obligations of a defined benefit pension plan that expired at the end of the year. That interest rate needs to be reset in the large pension overhaul bill. I have got to tell you that we are waiting on Senate action. Because there are tax provisions in it, they have to take up the House bill. I suspect they will reject the House bill and go to conference. But it is important for us to get into conference on the pension bill and action is going to be required rather quickly. I do expect the tax reconciliation bill, over the next couple of weeks, I would hope that they will be finished.

Mr. Speaker, I move to table the resolution.