Bill Thomas

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I will offer those amendments, Mr. Speaker, when the reservation is withdrawn. However, I just want to say briefly that as we have noticed a number of celebrations surrounding World War II and the commemoration of particular battles, or the public attention focused on certain aspects of World War II, I can think of no more appropriate remembrance than the impact on the world of the exposure and awareness to the world, of these Nazi death camps.

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 20 was approved by the Committee on House Oversight in its regularly scheduled meeting on February 8, along with three technical amendments, which I will offer at the appropriate time. This concurrent resolution authorizes the use of the rotunda on April 27 for the annual congressional ceremony honoring victims of the Holocaust during the weeklong Days of Remembrance. Use of the rotunda will be authorized on April 27 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. I understand that the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council is in the midst of preparing the program for the rotunda ceremony. Many of our House and Senate colleagues have participated in this ceremony, that can only be described as moving, since it began in 1979. This year, I think, Mr. Speaker, the Days of Remembrance take on special meaning as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps. The amendments I have at the desk, which I will offer when the gentleman withdraws his reservation, were recommended by the Legislative Council, and are not substantive in nature.

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Oversight be discharged from further consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 20) permitting the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony to commemorate the Days of Remembrance of victims of the Holocaust, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment to the title.

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Oversight be discharged from further consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 86) electing members of the Joint Committee on Printing and the Joint Committee on the Library, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman of the committee for yielding this time to me. Mr. Chairman, I have to say to my colleagues over on this side of the aisle in the minority that this is not your only opportunity to solve the health care problem. I know some of you may be anxious. We waited the entire 103d Congress for a health care measure to reach the floor. We waited in vain. Here we have an opportunity to deal with health care in the first month or so, and you may be thinking this is the only train. To that I say no; you will get ample opportunity to make changes to solve our health care problems in subcommittee, in committee, and, yes on the floor. I think this underscores the fact that we are under new management. I want to make three points about being under new management. First, the Democrats, in 1986, gave the self-employed a token 25 percent deduction for health care. And kept them on a hot skillet dancing ever since. In 1994, the self-employed deduction expired. And now, as tax time comes, the self-employed are wondering whether or not they are going to be made whole since the provision expired in 1993. The answer is ``yes.'' In subcommittee we heard ample testimony that this is absolutely needed. Is it enough? Of course not. But all we are trying to do in this measure is extend current law and cover those people who, through no fault of their own, were left exposed last year. That is all we are doing. A modest measure. We are not trying to rethink the inequities of the tax code for all people, including those individuals who work for a corporation who are not provided their health insurance by that corporation. The self-employed are second-class citizens, the McDermott amendment wants to make those individuals who work for corporations who do not provide health care third-class citizens. They do not even get the self-employed level of deduction up front. So, clearly, you have concerns, Gee, I wish your concerns had been made more apparent in the last Congress; we could have moved legislation in this area. The second point I want to make is the rules under which we are examining this legislation. Not only was the minority afforded a substitute of their choice, but; my colleagues on the Democratic side have said we want this and this and this. You had an opportunity to put your package together. You did that. Not only that, the majority provided the motion to recommit. So you get this side of the aisle in the minority of the past would like to have had but often times were denied. We are not denying that to you. Clearly, there has been a change. In committee, you had in front of you the legislative language that is in front of you now, and you had it ahead of time. That rarely occurred under the old management. The complaint that you only had the legislative language a day or two ahead of time pales when we used to deal with conceptual approaches announced the day of the hearing. Third, what November was really all about. The election in November was about change, not just doing the positive things legislatively as we are doing now and will do more of, but it was also to examine laws on the books that do not make any sense and get rid of them. And that is exactly what we are doing here tonight. You have heard this provision, which is funding health care for the self-employed, characterized a number of different ways. I think you need to know that, one, we are talking about turning what is now a tax break for millionaires, not minorities, the people who have the companies get the tax break, not the people who are buying them; and we are turning those tax breaks into health care for ordinary citizens. When you look at all of those self-employed, you are talking about millions of Americans but, more importantly, you are talking about a provision that on average provided benefits for 14 millionaires every year and converting that to 350,000 African-Americans and Hispanic- American business owners getting provided some health insurance. That, it seems to me, is what November was all about, take a tax break for the rich and provide benefits for the many. That is what November was all about. That is what H.R. 831 is all about. Support H.R. 831.

Mr. THOMAS. I see.

Mr. THOMAS. I would ask the gentleman from Missouri that if the amendment to fund self-employed at 100 percent is offered, what will be the revenue source to cover the cost?

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield briefly?

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Chairman, as we look at this McDermott substitute, I think it is really important to keep in mind recent history. For example, Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Washington [Mr. McDermott] offered legislation in the last Congress in the area of health care reform. He criticized the Republican offer because he demanded fundamental reform before the year 2000. By 1998, he said we had to have the system completely reformed. He stands before us tonight in the name of equity, and he said, Mr. Chairman, he said these folks who work for corporations who do not provide health insurance are going to be treated the same as self- employed. I just did a reality check. I thought what we were doing, Mr. Chairman, was reaching back to the last year and giving the self- employed 25 percent. That would be 1994. In 1995 we are going to give them 25 percent. In 1996 we are going to give them 25 percent, in 1997, and so on. What I found out in the McDermott amendment is that these folks do not get anything for 1994, nor for 1995. He starts them out at 15 percent for 1996. What do they do in 1997? Another 15 percent. In the year 1998, when he demanded fundamental reform for everybody or the program was not any good, he is going to give them 20 percent. Let us look at this for what it is. It is a gimmick. Mr. Chairman, I urge the Members, come to my subcommittee as we offer full health care reform. I want to hear all the ideas. I would say to the gentleman from Washington [Mr. McDermott], I did not hear this idea in subcommittee. I am looking forward to testimony so we can make sure that all Americans are treated fairly and equally, rather than trying some token gimmick to try to head off the first measure coming to the floor. I do hope people look at the specifics and understand why the McDermott amendment is being offered. Support H.R. 831. It is a fairness issue.

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate bill (S. 273) to amend section 61h-6 of title 2, United States Code, and asked for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. This bill is really a very technical bill. It makes technical changes in a provision of title 2 to the United States Code which applied only to the U.S. Senate, and it deals with the appointment procedures between the majority leader and the minority leader. This language creates some conformity that is not now there and changes the procedure with the Senate President pro tempore in reference to two appointments that the President pro tempore of the Senate makes. Basically, it is a matter of courtesy that we simply go ahead and approve this, and I would ask the House to accede to the Senate's wishes in changing a provision that affects only the Senate.

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that a consensus is finally emerging in favor of restoring the utility of Individual Retirement Accounts. President Clinton wants them back and so do many Members of this body. As the sponsor of the House super IRA proposal being introduced today and the cosponsor of prior bills, I have long felt we need to give ordinary Americans more reasons to save for their own retirement. The Individual Retirement Account is one of the best savings incentives we have ever developed. The need to expand savings is clear. Americans typically save less than people in other countries and the effect of their habit is clear. A Merrill Lynch survey shows half of American families have less than $1,000 in net financial assets. Even those within 10 years of retirement (ages 55 to 64) only have $6,880 in net financial assets such as checking, savings, IRAs or 401(k) savings. Another survey shows that the 76 million Americans in the Baby Boomer group are saving at rates far below what they need to maintain their standard of living after retirement. When we consider the prospect that Social Security may run out of funds early in the next century, the security of the Baby Boomers looks poor indeed. We need to develop savings incentives that will make them more secure. I strongly support the use of the Individual Retirement Account for that purpose. A 1991 Money Magazine reader survey shows how popular the super IRA truly is with the people we want to serve. 97 percent said they would contribute to IRAs if IRAs were restored; the remaining 3 percent were largely already retired. People made it clear they would contribute new savings to their IRA. IRA popularity cut across all income groups. The Super IRA gives Americans an opportunity to have deductible IRAs or an IRA Plus account in which earnings would be tax-free. The super IRA, with its elimination of the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty for withdrawals for education, medical costs, buying homes, long-term care and times of unemployment, provides a savings vehicle which gives working families the liquidity they want and may need. With both parties now endorsing the IRA as a means of helping middle income Americans, I hope my colleagues will join me in cosponsoring the Super IRA.

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from New York, and I will take only 1 minute. Also for the new Members here: I hope you understand that the Committee of the Whole, which we are now in; we are not in the House, but we are in the Committee of the Whole. It is a committee, and we carry on the amending process in the Committee of the Whole. I have sat through a number of weeks in which, for example, legislation from the Committee on Armed Services had hundreds of amendments that were presented here on the floor, and the question was: ``Why in the world didn't they deal with them in the committee?'' The fact of the matter is, I was told by their side, ``We are dealing with them in committee, the Committee of the Whole,'' and that is exactly what we are doing here. I would tell my friend and colleague from Maryland that, if they are going to look for particular rollcall votes to begin to draw a line between the majority and minority so the American people will know where they are, we have had a lot of practice----

Mr. THOMAS. Because the last rollcall vote was 416 to 1, and I fail to understand where the gentleman differentiates on a 416-to-1 rollcall vote.

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

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to and in accordance with clause 2(a) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, I submit for publication in the Congressional Record a copy of the rules of the Committee on House Oversight for the 104th Congress as approved by the committee on January 11, 1994. Rules of Procedure of the Committee on House Oversight, One Hundred Fourth Congress rule no. 1--general provisions (a) The Rules of the House are the rules of the committee so far as applicable, except that a motion to recess from day to day is a motion of high privilege in committees. (b) The committee is authorized at any time to conduct such investigations and studies as it may consider necessary or appropriate in the exercise of its responsibilities under House Rule X and (subject to the adoption of expense resolutions as required by House Rule XI, clause 5) to incur expenses (including travel expenses) in connection therewith. (c) The committee is authorized to have printed and bound testimony and other data presented at hearings held by the committee, and to distribute such information by electronic means; information distributed by electronic means shall also be printed. All costs of stenographic services and transcripts in connection with any meeting or hearing of the committee shall be paid from the appropriate House account. (d) The committee shall submit to the House, not later than January 2 of each odd-numbered a year, a report on the activities of the committee under House Rules X and XI during the Congress ending at noon on January 3 of such year. (e) The committee's rules shall be published in the Congressional Record not later than 30 days after the Congress convenes in each odd-numbered year. rule no. 2--regular and special meetings (a) The regular meeting date of the Committee on House Oversight shall be the second Wednesday of every month when the House is in session in accordance with Clause 2(b) of House Rule XI. Additional meetings may be called by the chairman as he may deem necessary or at the request of a majority of the members of the committee in accordance with Clause 2(c) of House Rule XI. The determination of the business to be considered at each meeting shall be made by the chairman subject to Clause 2(c) of House Rule XI. A regularly scheduled meeting need not be held if there is no business to be considered. (b) If the chairman of the committee is not present at any meeting of the committee, or at the discretion of the chairman, the vice chairman of the committee shall preside at the meeting. If the chairman and vice chairman of the committee are not present at any meeting of the committee, the ranking member of the majority party who is present shall preside at the meeting. rule no. 3--open meeting As required by Clause 2(g), of House Rule XI, each meeting for the transaction of business, including the markup of legislation, of the committee, shall be open to the public except when the committee, in open session and with a quorum present, determines by rollcall vote that all or part of the remainder of the meeting on that day shall be closed to the public because disclosure of matters to be considered would endanger national security, would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, or would tend to defame, degrade or incriminate any person, or otherwise would violate any law or rule of the House: Provided, however, That no person other than members of the committee, and such congressional staff and such departmental representatives as they may authorize, shall be present in any business or markup session which has been closed to the public. rule no. 4--records and rollcalls (a) The result of each rollcall vote in any meeting of the committee shall be transmitted for publication in the Congressional Record as soon as possible, but in no case later than two legislative days following such rollcall vote, and shall be made available for inspection by the public at reasonable times at the committee offices, including a description of the amendment, motion, order or other proposition; the name of each member voting for and against; and the members present but not voting. (b) All committee hearings, records, data, charts, and files shall be kept separate and distinct from the congressional office records of the member serving as chairman of the committee; and such records shall be the property of the House and all members of the House shall have access thereto. (c) House records of the committee which are at the National Archives shall be made available pursuant to House Rule XXXVI. The chairman of the committee shall notify the ranking minority party member of any decision to withhold a record pursuant to the rule, and shall present the matter to the committee upon written request of any committee member. rule no. 5--proxies No vote by any member in the committee may be cast by proxy. rule no. 6--power to sit and act; subpoena power (a) For the purpose of carrying out any of its functions and duties under House Rules X and XI, the committee, is authorized (subject to subparagraph (b)(1) of this paragraph)-- (1) to sit and act at such times and places within the United States, whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned, and to hold such hearings; and (2) to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memorandums, papers, and documents; as it deems necessary. The chairman of the committee, or any member designated by the chairman, may administer oaths of any witness. (b)(1) A subpoena may be authorized and issued by the committee in the conduct of any investigation or series of investigations or activities, only when authorized by a majority of the members voting, a majority being present. The power to authorize and issue subpoenas under subparagraph (a)(2) may be delegated to the chairman of the committee pursuant to such rules and under such limitations as the committee may prescribe. Authorized subpoenas shall be signed by the chairman of the committee or by any member designated by the committee. (2) Compliance with any subpoena issued by the committee may be enforced only as authorized or directed by the House. rule no. 7--quorums No measure or recommendation shall be reported to the House unless a majority of the committee is actually present. For the purposes of taking any action other than reporting any measure, issuance of a subpoena, closing meetings, promulgating committee orders, or changing the rules of the committee, the quorum shall be one-third of the members of the committee. For purposes of taking testimony and receiving evidence, two members shall constitute a quorum. rule no. 8--amendments Any amendment offered to any pending legislation before the committee must be made available in written form when requested by any member of the committee. If such amendment is not available in written form when requested, the chair will allow an appropriate period of time for the provision thereof. rule no. 9--hearing procedures (a) The chairman, in the case of hearings to be conducted by the committee, shall make public announcement of the date, place, and subject matter of any hearing to be conducted on any measure or matter at least 1 week before the commencement of that hearing unless the committee determines that there is good cause to begin such hearing at an earlier date. In the latter event the chairman shall make such public announcement at the earliest possible date. The clerk of the committee shall promptly notify the Daily Digest Clerk of the Congressional Record as soon as possible after such public announcement is made. (b) Unless excused by the chairman, each witness who is to appear before the committee shall file with the clerk of the committee, at least 48 hours in advance of his or her appearance, a written statement of his or her proposed testimony and shall limit his or her oral presentation to a summary of his or her statement. (c) When any hearing is conducted by the committee upon any measure or matter, the minority party members on the committee shall be entitled, upon request to the chairman by a majority of those minority members before the completion of such hearing, to call witnesses selected by the minority to testify with respect to that measure or matter during at least one day of hearings thereon. (d) Committee members may question witnesses only when they have been recognized by the chairman for that purpose, and only have had an opportunity to question a witness. The 5-minute period for questioning a witness by any one member can be extended only with the unanimous consent of all members present. The questioning of a witness in committee hearings shall be initiated by the chairman, followed by the ranking minority party member and all other members alternating between the majority and minority. In recognizing members to question witnesses in this fashion, the chairman shall take into consideration the ratio of the majority to minority members present and shall establish the order of recognition for questioning in such a manner as not to disadvantage the members of the majority. The chairman may accomplish this by recognizing two majority members for each minority member recognized. (f) The following additional rules shall apply to hearings: (1) The chairman at a hearing shall announce in an opening statement the subject of the investigation. (2) A copy of the committee rules and this clause shall be made available to each witness. (3) Witnesses at hearings may be accompanied by their own counsel for the purpose of advising them concerning their constitutional rights. (4) The chairman may punish breaches of order and decorum, and of professional ethics on the part of counsel, by censure and exclusion from the hearings; and the committee may cite the offender to the House for contempt. (5) If the committee determines that evidence or testimony at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, it shall-- (A) afford such person an opportunity voluntarily to appear as a witness; (B) receive such evidence or testimony in executive session; and (C) receive and dispose of requests from such person to subpoena additional witnesses. (6) Except as provided in subparagraph (f)(5), the chairman shall receive and the committee shall dispose of requests to subpoena additional witnesses. (7) No evidence or testimony taken in executive session may be released or used in public sessions without the consent of the committee. (8) In the discretion of the committee, witnesses may submit brief and pertinent sworn statements in writing for inclusion in the record. The committee is the sole judge of the pertinency of testimony and evidence adduced at its hearing. (9) A witness may obtain a transcript copy of his testimony given at a public session or, if given at an executive session, when authorized by the committee. rule no. 10--procedures for reporting bills and resolutions (a)(1) It shall be the duty of the chairman of the committee to report or cause to be reported promptly to the House any measure approved by the committee and to take or cause to be taken necessary steps to bring the matter to a vote. (2) In any event, the report of the committee on a measure which has been approved by the committee shall be filed within 7 calendar days (exclusive of days on which the House is not in session) after the day on which there has been filed with the clerk of the committee a written request, signed by a majority of the members of the committee, for the reporting of that measure. Upon the filing of any such request, the clerk of the committee shall transmit immediately to the chairman of the committee notice of the filing of that request. (b)(1) No measure or recommendation shall be reported from the committee unless a majority of the committee was actually present. (2) With respect to each rollcall vote on a motion to report any measure or matter of a public character, and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter, the total number of votes cast for and against, and the names of those members voting for and against, shall be included in the committee report on the measure or matter. (c) The report of the committee on a measure which has been approved by the committee shall include-- (1) the oversight findings and recommendations required pursuant to House Rule X, of clause 2(b)(1) separately set out and clearly identified; (2) the statement required by section 308(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, separately set out and clearly identified, if the measure provides new budget authority or new or increased tax expenditures; (3) the estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 403 of such Act, separately set out and clearly identified, whenever the Director (if timely submitted prior to the filing of the report) has submitted such estimate and comparison to the committee; and (4) a summary of the oversight findings and recommendations made by the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight under House Rule XI, clause 2(1)(3)(D) separately set out and clearly identified whenever such findings and recommendations have been submitted to the committee in a timely fashion to allow an opportunity to consider such findings and recommendations during the committee's deliberations on the measure. (d) Each report of the committee on each bill or joint resolution of a public character reported by the committee shall contain a detailed analytical statement as to whether the enactment of such bill or joint resolution into law may have an inflationary impact on prices and costs in the operation of the national economy. (e) If, at the time of approval of any measure or matter by the committee, any member of the committee gives notice of intention of file supplemental, minority, or additional views, that member shall be entitled to not less than 3 calendar days, commencing on the day on which the measure or matter(s) was approved, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, in which to file such views, in writing and signed by that member, with the clerk of the committee. All such views so filed by one or more members of the committee shall be included within, and shall be a part of, the report filed by the committee with respect to that measure or matter. The report of the committee upon that measure or matter shall be printed in a single volume which-- (1) shall include all supplemental, minority, or additional views which have been submitted by the time of the filing of the report, and (2) shall bear upon its cover a recital that any such supplemental, minority, or additional views (and any material submitted under subparagraphs (c)(3) and (c)(4) are included as part of the report. This subparagraph does not preclude-- (A) the immediate filing or printing of a committee report unless timely request for the opportunity to file supplemental, minority, or additional views has been made as provided by paragraph (c); or (B) the filing of any supplemental report upon any measure or matter which may be required for the correction of any technical error in a previous report made by the committee upon that measure or matter. (f) If hearings have been held on any such measure or matter so reported, the committee shall make every reasonable effort to have such hearings printed and available for distribution to the members of the House prior to the consideration of such measure or matter in the House. (g) The chairman of the committee may designate any member of the committee to act as ``floor manager'' of a bill or resolution during its consideration in the House. rule no. 11--committee oversight The committee shall conduct oversight of matters within the jurisdiction of the committee in accordance with House Rule X, clause 2 and clause 4(d)(2). Not later than February 15 of the first session of a Congress, the Committee shall, in a meeting that is open to the public and with a quorum present, adopt its oversight plans for that Congress in accordance with House Rule X, clause 2(d). rule no. 12--review of continuing programs; budget act provisions (a) The committee shall, in its consideration of all bills and joint resolutions of a public character within its jurisdiction, insure that appropriation for continuing programs and activities of the Federal Government and the District of Columbia government will be made annually to the maximum extent feasible and consistent with the nature, requirement, and objectives of the programs and activities involved. For the purposes of this paragraph a Government agency includes the organizational units of government listed in clause 7(c) of Rule XIII of House Rules. (b) The committee shall review, from time to time, each continuing program within its jurisdictions for which appropriations are not made annually in order to ascertain whether such program could be modified so that appropriations therefor would be made annually. (c) The committee shall, on or before February 25 of each year, submit to the Committee on the Budget (1) its views and estimates with respect to all matters to be set forth in the concurrent resolution on the budget for the ensuing fiscal year which are within its jurisdiction or functions, and (2) an estimate of the total amounts of new budget authority, and budget outlays resulting therefrom, to be provided or authorized in all bills and resolutions within its jurisdiction which it intends to be effective during that fiscal year. (d) As soon as practicable after a concurrent resolution on the budget for any fiscal year is agreed to, the committee (after consulting with the appropriate committee or committees of the Senate) shall subdivide any allocation made to it, the joint explanatory statement accompany the conference report on such resolution, and promptly report such subdivisions to the House, in the manner provided by section 302 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. (e) Whenever the committee is directed in a concurrent resolution on the budget to determine and recommend changes in laws, bills, or resolutions under the reconciliation process it shall promptly make such determination and recommendations, and report a reconciliation bill or resolution (or both) to the House or submit such recommendations to the Committee on the Budget, in accordance with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, those words have been stricken from the Record. The gentleman from Missouri cannot repeat them.

Mr. THOMAS. If the Chair does not exercise that right and no Member of the House exercises that right, words indeed may have been spoken that could have been taken down but were not because the proper request was never made; is that correct under our rules?

Mr. THOMAS. Under the rules, if a Member, in fact, speaks words that under the rules could be taken down and no one asks that they be taken down, then, in fact, words could have been spoken that would have been taken down but no one asked that they be taken down; is that correct under our rules? Or does the Chair have the prerogative to ask the words be taken down?

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, those words have been stricken from the Record by a vote of this House. The gentleman under the rules is not allowed to repeat them, and he continues to do so.

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. THOMAS

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, is it my understanding that the reason these words were taken down was because this was not a reference to the Speaker in terms of the Speaker's position or the policies of the Speaker as an officer, or of this institution, but that in fact it was a reference which clearly was outside the rules; is that correct?

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, a point of order.