Dick Gephardt

Mr. GEPHARDT

Mr. GEPHARDT. Can the gentleman tell me how late we may meet on Friday?

Mr. GEPHARDT. Would that be true for the rest of the week as well, or does the gentleman know how long we intend to be in session on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday?

Mr. GEPHARDT. May I ask the gentleman how late you expect the session will run on Monday?

Mr. GEPHARDT. If the gentleman will yield, I would be happy----

Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to strike the last word to engage in a colloquy with the majority leader.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman for one additional short comment.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I reclaim my time simply to say to the distinguished majority leader that I think you could tell from the concern expressed by these ranking members, which is deep and sincere, that it would be helpful if there could be a hearing on this before it is brought to the floor. But if there cannot be, I would strongly recommend that you bring up the rule at 5 rather than at 2, so that all the Members can be here for this debate. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Armey], and then I intend to yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEPHARDT. This will be one of the last two.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. GEPHARDT. If the gentleman will yield back to me, I think what the ranking member is trying to get across is that perhaps the ranking member on the Committee on Rules did not ask for a hearing on this. I do not know what transpired. But I think you are seeing there is a tremendous amount of concern among our ranking members about this rules change and, indeed, when it comes to the floor on Monday I think you can expect that there will be a long and contentious debate and probably many amendments to be offered and the majority just needs to be aware of the amount of concern. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller].

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. GEPHARDT. Thank you.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from Missouri.

Mr. GEPHARDT. I just say to the gentleman, I am not trying to be argumentative, but we had a rules package, a compliance package and a balanced budget amendment that were not under open rules. I hope we will not get into a pattern where less important legislation, not that it is not important, such as the Arctic National Park, will be under an open rule when there really is not a need for more debate and more important matters will not be. Let me just ask one additional question. I have seen in the press that the so-called A-to-Z bill would be coming to the floor. Could I ask the gentleman if that is intended, and if so when that might happen so Members could be prepared for that important legislation?

Mr. GEPHARDT. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Chairman, I ask the gentleman from Texas, the majority leader, for the schedule for next week.

Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Chairman, I would be happy to yield to the gentleman after I have asked the questions of the gentleman from Texas.