Porter Goss

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 420 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to my friend, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), 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. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 420 is a modified open rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 3694, the Fiscal Year 1999 Intelligence Authorization Act. What makes this rule modified open instead of fully open is a preprinting requirement for amendments, whose purpose is to ensure that the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has an opportunity to work with Members seeking to offer germane amendments to ensure that important issues are addressed without threatening disclosure of sensitive, classified information. This preprinting requirement has become standard procedure for consideration of the annual intelligence authorization and has not been controversial. Because the leadership sought to have this bill on the floor today, the rule also includes a waiver of points of order against the consideration of the bill for failure to comply with the clause 2(1)(6) of rule XI, which requires a three-day layover of a committee report. The committee's report was properly filed on Tuesday of this week, and Members have had notice of availability of classified portions of the authorization measure since late last week when public announcements were, indeed, made from the floor. It is my understanding that there is no objection to this slight speeding up of the schedule to accommodate changes stemming from the unrelated scheduling matters and to accommodate Members' travel plans. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate on the bill, time equally divided between the chairman and ranking member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In addition, the rule makes in order as an original bill for the purpose of an amendment the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute now printed in the bill, modified by striking section 401 of the bill. That modification, a self-executing change accomplished through the rule, is designed to addressed a Budget Act technicality relating to a provision of the bill extending the early-out retirement program for the CIA. We were advised that, due to the fact that we still await this year's budget resolution, the early-out provision found in title IV of the bill causes a Budget Act problem, and so the provision is being removed from the bill with the understanding that the substance of the issue will be addressed at a later stage of legislative process of H.R. 3694. The rule further provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered by title and that each title shall be considered as read. The rule also waives points of order against the committee amendment for failure to comply with clause 7 of rule XVI prohibiting nongermane amendments or clause 5(b) of rule XXI, prohibiting tax or tariff provisions in a bill not reported by a committee with jurisdiction over revenue measures. Both of these waivers apply to a section of H.R. 3694 regarding the application of sanctions laws to intelligence activities in title III of the bill. That provision is nongermane to the introduced version of H.R. 3694, and it deals with subject matter falling within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. Based on an exchange of letters between the two committees, there is no controversy on this matter. However, these waivers are necessary under the rules of the House. And during general debate, I will introduce into the Record that correspondence between the two committees. I would also point out for the record the Committee on National Security has, by letter, discharged itself from consideration of the matters in this bill that fall within its purview. Mr. Speaker, the rule permits the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone the vote on any amendment and reduce voting time to 5 minutes on any series of questions provided that the first vote shall not be less than 15 minutes. Finally, the rule provides for the traditional motion to recommit with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, that was a long explanation of a rule that is, in fact, straightforward, simple, and traditional for this piece of legislation. I know of no controversy about this rule. I urge Members to support this rule. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSS. If the gentlewoman would further yield, that is certainly the intent of the committee.

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security.

Mr. GOSS. That is also the case.

Mr. GOSS. Yes, it does.

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

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, I echo what the ranking member has said. I think the gentlewoman from California is right on in an area of critical importance; there is no doubt about that. We are in the middle of the investigation, as the gentlewoman knows. We are going to have recommendations. Certainly this is an area of concern. I do not know what those recommendations will be, but I assure the gentlewoman that her thoughts and her input on this are being accepted, listened to, and we will be considering them as we go forward with the other information we get in our investigation.

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order against this amendment.

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman from California yield?

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) for yielding to me. Let me assure the gentleman that I take very seriously the necessity of intelligence support for fighting and winning the war on drugs. There is no question that global narcotics trafficking does require intelligence and it requires a close and good working handoff to law enforcement. I am aware of that. Progress has been made. I think that the gentleman's contribution to this, requiring this report, is very beneficial and I am prepared to accept his amendment.

Mr. GOSS. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, does the distinguished gentleman from Washington have any other speakers?

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, I just want to gather an understanding of where we are on the time left on the floor on either side.

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and a valued member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as well.

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on Tuesday, May 12, 1998, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13, 1998 for the purpose of receiving in this Chamber former Members of Congress.

Mr. GOSS

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

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it may be in order on Wednesday, May 13, 1988 for the Speaker to declare a recess, subject to the call of the Chair, for the purpose of receiving in this Chamber former members of this Congress.

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I take this time for the purpose of making an additional announcement. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Rules is planning to meet early in the week of May 18 to grant a rule which may restrict amendments for consideration of H.R. 3616, the Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal Year 1999. Any Member contemplating an amendment should submit 55 copies of the amendment and a brief explanation to the Committee on Rules in H-312 of the Capitol no later than 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 14. Amendments should be drafted to the text of the reported version of the bill, a copy of which will become available during the day tomorrow at the Committee on National Security. The report will be filed early next week. Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that the amendments are properly drafted and should check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain that amendments comply with the Rules of the House.

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3694, the bill just considered and passed.

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Monday next.

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on Monday, May 11, 1998, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, 1998 for morning hour debates.

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of the bill, H.R. 3694, the Clerk be authorized to make such technical and conforming changes as may be necessary to correct such things as spelling, punctuation, cross-referencing, and section numbering.

Mr. GOSS

Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I take this time for the purpose of making an announcement. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Rules is planning to meet during the week of May 11 to grant a rule which may restrict amendments for consideration of H.R. 2431, the Freedom from Religious Persecution Act. Any Member contemplating an amendment should submit 55 copies of the amendment and a brief explanation to the Committee on Rules at H-312 of the Capitol no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 12. Amendments should be drafted to the text of the H.R. 3806, a new bill introduced today, which consists of H.R. 2431 as reported by the Committee on International Relations, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Ways and Means, a copy of which is now available for review at the Committee on International relations. Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are properly drafted and should check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the Rules of the House.