Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentlewoman from New York.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word in order to enter into a colloquy with my colleague, the gentlewoman from New York.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I suggest to the House that we have had a number of amendments on the floor today that relate to the veterans. Right now as I understand it, the discussion between my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, we have kind of all concluded that veterans' amendments have kind of the same fate in this place, so I am going to propose that we accept the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I do.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will continue to yield, I very much appreciate the gentleman bringing forward this colloquy, and I want to assure the gentleman that I will not oppose funding for the program if the other body provides it. We are working very closely with the committee in the other body on this matter and matters that are similar.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, the answer is yes, it is my intent that the administration continue with this program.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to join with my colleague from Georgia in this colloquy, and I want to say to the gentleman that I am very sensitive about the problems in Gainesville as well as the problems of veterans who live in rural America. The gentleman may know that my own district is very much a rural district. In fact, in the desert portion of my territory we can comfortably fit four Eastern States, so I am acutely aware of the distances veterans must travel for care. Please be assured that the committee continues to want to help veterans in rural areas and will continue to encourage the VA to establish an outpatient clinic in Gainesville, GA.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will further yield, I would answer your question by saying it simply indicates how serious the gentleman is about pursuing this matter. Clearly, the other body is entitled to raise whatever issues it chooses in our upcoming conference, and I expect the Clean Water Act mandate funding to be addressed. When the issue be raised, I can assure my colleague I will work with the gentleman to find a solution to the problems of water and sewer mandates on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Furthermore, I will recommend to the conference committee that should additional funds become available priority be given to water and sewer projects, including SESD and the others the gentleman has made reference to on the North Shore of Massachusetts. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for bringing this issue to the committee's attention and in particular the personal time he has spent write me.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Massachusetts has been diligent in making the subcommittee aware of the severity of the water and sewer rates on the North Shore of Massachusetts. To say the least, the gentleman does not exactly twist my arm, but I am very aware of these problems. Complying with the Clean Water Act is a costly endeavor. I would assure the gentleman this committee is committed to alleviating the financial burdens associated with the Clean Water Act which are passed down from the Federal Government to families and businesses throughout the country, but particularly in his area the severity of this challenge is great. Accordingly, we have placed $1.35 billion in the State revolving fund. Due to budget constraints, the subcommittee was challenged to provide minimum funding this year, let alone funding for new starts.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I must say to the gentleman that he certainly made me aware of this project and its problems and I commend him for his hard work on this issue. The committee is very much concerned and aware of the situation that the gentleman from New Hampshire [Mr. Bass] has described and we are willing to pursue whatever avenue is available to address it.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I would say to the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Markey], even though I have been told by others that we were going to absolutely have to rise on this bill that we spent 2 days on if we did not finish by 10:30 p.m., I am nonetheless highly inclined to accede to the gentleman's request if we can keep this to 10 minutes, 5 minutes on each side. amendment offered by mr. markey

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey] and I have had the discussion and the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes] and I have an understanding. I would suggest, short of that, that probably at this hour it would be deleterious to go too much longer.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman from Indiana will yield, we have agreed upon a time limitation of 10 minutes for each of these items. I just want to make sure that is all right with the gentleman from Indiana.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that debate on the Weller amendment and all amendments thereto be limited to 10 minutes, the time to be equally divided and controlled.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Ten minutes to each side.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent, if the gentleman would agree, that we have a time limit agreement on the gentleman's amendment and all amendments thereto of 20 minutes.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes] and I ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment, and I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Oxley] from the committee of original jurisdiction.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I very much appreciate the gentleman yielding. He has done so in order for me to have a colloquy with the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Kolbe]. Mr. Chairman, I very much appreciate the cooperation of the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey] in that regard.