Alan Mollohan

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, may I ask how much time remains?

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California [Mr. Fazio]. [Mr. FAZIO of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.]

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Millender-McDonald]. (Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Conyers]. (Mr. CONYERS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/4\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior], the distinguished minority whip.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield the remainder of my time to the distinguished minority leader, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt). (Mr. GEPHARDT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word, and I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee]. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\3/4\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Meek]. (Mrs. MEEK of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 45 seconds to respond to the gentleman, if he would stay at the podium. I would just like to assure the gentleman, that is precisely the reason. That is the one argument against the census that cannot be refuted by fact, because it is based upon suspicion. That is why we created this oversight board, which is composed of former Presidents, people who have absolute credibility, to give the census credibility, because this kind of a debate that the gentleman just engaged in, in and of itself, is the greatest underminer of public confidence. Also, with regard to the efficacy of sampling, our own Speaker Gingrich must have believed in the efficacy of sampling because on April 30, 1991, he wrote, in part, to the Secretary of Commerce, I quote, I respectfully request that the census numbers for the State of Georgia be readjusted to reflect the accurate population of the State so as to include the over 100,000 which were not previously included. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas [Mr. Stenholm]. (Mr. STENHOLM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Watt].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Frank].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the distinguished gentlewoman from California [Ms. Roybal-Allard]. (Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN

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

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Just very briefly, I appreciate the gentleman's affirming that the administration has no intention to undertake such studies or to institute such a policy. To my knowledge, I agree with the gentleman, there is nothing in this bill that relates to the gentleman's amendment, and in that sense the gentleman's amendment really has no effect on our bill. And in that sense it is kind of a progravity amendment and if the gentleman from Kentucky wants to accept it, I certainly do not have opposition to it.

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

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

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I would just like to associate myself with the gentleman's sentiments. This is an extraordinary situation, and I commend the gentlewoman and her colleague from New York for bringing this issue to the Congress. We do understand how hard the gentlewoman has worked to bring it to the attention of the administration, and we are a bit chagrined to see that there has not been the kind of responsiveness that would be merited in the circumstances. I think the proposal that the gentlewoman has worked out with the Chairman is one that will get attention, and at the same time not create the kind of unsatisfactory precedent that the chairman is concerned with. I join the chairman in assuring the gentlewoman that we will do everything necessary and everything in our power to make sure that the gentlewoman does get responsiveness from the appropriate authorities.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order against the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox] because it proposes to change existing law and constitutes legislation in an appropriation bill and, therefore, violates clause 2 of rule XXI. The rule states in pertinent part ``no amendment to a general appropriation bill shall be in order if changing existing'' law. This amendment gives affirmative direction in effect, imposes additional duties, and modifies existing powers and duties. Mr. Chairman, I ask for a ruling from the Chair.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. I insist on my point of order.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, a couple of things for my good friend from Pennsylvania, who I was very pleased to work with on the Legal Services amendment this year and last year, and I did not do this lightly, and I would love to be able to accommodate the gentleman. First of all, when we are talking about free speech, the underlying issue here really is associated with free speech in USIA funding, the ability of groups in the Middle East to market their views and opinions. The gentleman's amendment would cut that off. We can argue about the content of that speech, but I think the gentleman's amendment cuts it off regardless of the content.

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

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I reluctantly object.