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PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4577, DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2001 -- (House of Representatives - June 08, 2000)

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   Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, by the direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 518 and ask for its immediate consideration.

   The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

   H. Res. 518

    Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4577) making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, 

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Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001, and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. The amendments printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. Points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, for failure to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI are waived except as follows: beginning with ``: Provided'' on page 44, line 4, through ``as amended'' on line 14. Where points of order are waived against part of a paragraph, points of order against a provision in another part of such paragraph may be made only against such provision and not against the entire paragraph. The amendment printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules may be offered only by a Member designated in the report and only at the appropriate point in the reading of the bill, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against the amendment printed in part B of the report are waived. During consideration of the bill for further amendment, the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may accord priority in recognition on the basis of whether the Member offering an amendment has caused it to be printed in the portion of the Congressional Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII. Amendments so printed shall be considered as read. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may : (1) postpone until a time during further consideration in the Committee of the Whole a request for a recorded vote on any amendment; and (2) reduce to five minutes the minimum time for electronic voting on any postponed question that follows another electronic vote without intervening business, provided that the minimum time for electronic voting on the first in any series of questions shall be 15 minutes. During consideration of the bill, points of order against amendments for failure to comply with clause 2(e) of rule XXI are waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill, as amended, to the House with such further amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

    SEC. 2. House Resolution 515 is laid on the table.

   The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. PRYCE) is recognized for 1 hour.

   Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, for 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, House Resolution 518 is an open rule to provide for consideration of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2001. Traditionally, this bill has proven quite controversial, and this year is no exception. However, this rule should not be controversial as it provides for an open and fair debate of the many issues at hand.

   Under the rule, there will be an hour of general debate divided between the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations. The amendments printed in part A of the Committee on Rules report will be considered as adopted, along with the rule.

   I want to make a few facts clear about these amendments before the rhetoric starts flying. Under the first amendment, the maximum Pell Grant, which will reach the highest level in history under this bill, will not be reduced. The second amendment provides a mechanism to ensure that the House complies with the fiscal restraints dictated in the budget resolution.

   Now, specifically, the amendment provides an incentive for the House to remain within the advanced appropriations cap set in the budget resolution. While the amendment does use the child care and development block grant to create this incentive, it also ensures that the child care block grant will not be reduced beyond a certain level, a level that provides for an increase above last year's spending.

   After general debate, the bill will be open for amendment under the 5-minute rule, except that the amendment printed in part B of the Committee on Rules report, to be offered by the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. WILSON), will be debatable for 10 minutes. Members who have preprinted their amendments in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD will receive priority recognition. The rule also waives clause 2(e) of rule XXI to protect Members' ability to offer certain amendments.

   During consideration of the rule, the Chair will have the flexibility to postpone votes and reduce voting time as a way to expedite consideration of the bill and give due consideration to Members' schedules.

   Finally, the minority will have another opportunity to alter the bill through the customary motion to recommit with or without instructions.

   Mr. Speaker, before my good friends and colleagues on the other side of the aisle begin their expected protest of this legislation, I would like to point out some facts as well as the merits of this bill.

    

[Time: 11:00]

   We will hear my Democratic colleagues claim that there is not adequate funding in this measure, but the bill actually spends $4 billion more than last year.

   I think in most people's mind, $4 billion is nothing to sneeze at, and this funding will allow many worthwhile programs to see increased spending under this legislation. This bill balances fiscal responsibility and Government accountability with social responsibility.

   Making tough spending decisions and setting priorities is a part of responsible governing that respects the trust and hard-earned dollars of the taxpayer. This bill focuses on our priorities, including education.

   I am pleased that this legislation will provide almost $43 billion for education programs, which is an added investment of $2 billion over last year. This funding will assist students from preschool age through college. Head Start will receive a $400 million increase. Elementary and secondary education programs will receive $576 million more than last year. And the maximum Pell Grant for college students will be raised to $3,500, the highest level in history.

   In addition, the bill addresses the educational needs of the disabled. By injecting an extra $500 million in State special education grants, this bill keeps our commitment to children with disabilities.

   The Federal Government mandates that States provide a free public education to disabled children, but we have not kept up our end of the bargain in terms of sharing in the cost. This bill moves us one step closer to keeping our promise.

   By fulfilling this commitment, we will free up State and local resources, which can then be devoted to education priorities set by the State and local school districts who are closest to the children we are trying to help.

   This legislation further meets the needs of today's classrooms and students by preparing them for jobs in a high-tech economy through an increase in the Technology for Education program, bringing total funding to more than $900 million.

   Even more important than providing for an educated citizenry is ensuring their good health . That is why this legislation invests an additional $2.7 billion in discretionary health care spending. These added resources will be pumped into community health centers that have done such yeoman's work serving the poor and uninsured in our communities.

   The Ryan White AIDS Care Act programs will also see an increase over last year's level and above the President's request. Perhaps most importantly, this legislation gives hope to those who suffer from incurable or untreatable diseases by making a significant investment of almost $19 billion in biomedical research through the National Institutes of Health , with a commitment to do more in the future.

   I would like to commend the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman PORTER) for his dedication to the goal of doubling funding for the NIH over 5 years. The chairman understands the great promise that this research holds for saving lives and conquering diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's, and many others. 

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   I am also encouraged by the progress made in the last couple of years in the area of pediatric research through an appropriation for the graduate medical education provided in children's hospitals. While the $800 million this bill provides falls short of the full authorization, it does represent progress, since it doubles last year's funding.

   I hope to work with the chairman through the end of the process to find a way to fully fund children's GME at a level of $285 million and put freestanding children's hospitals on par with other teaching institutions.

   It is critical that we recognize the differences between adult and child medicine and provide this support to those whom we trust with caring for our most precious resources.

   Mr. Speaker, I think the dedication this bill demonstrates towards these priorities within the constraints dictated by fiscal responsibility is to be congratulated.

   The subcommittee did not face a simple task in crafting this bill, but I believe it is a responsible approach; and I am proud of their willingness to make tough decisions to keep our fiscal house in order while making wise investments in the areas of greatest need.

   Still, I am sure if each of my colleagues legislated alone, they would look at the many worthwhile programs in this bill and prioritize spending in 435 different ways. In recognition of the different views among us, this legislation is being considered under an open process which will allow every Member an opportunity to rework this legislation to their will. So there is really no reason that every single one of my colleagues should not support this rule.

   Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote yes on the rule, as well as the subcommittee's balanced approach to this legislation.

   Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

   Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

   (Ms. SLAUGHTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

   Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Ohio (Ms. PRYCE) for yielding me the customary half hour.

   Mr. Speaker, this annual appropriations dance is growing staler than the Macarena. Year after year, this leadership attempts to gut programs critical to working families, and year after year they are publicly shamed into finally passing adequate spending levels. Fiscal year 2001 is gearing up to be no different.

   The rule for this underlying bill is a sham and deserves to be defeated. In the dead of night, the Committee on Rules has rewritten the underlying bill in the hopes it might survive a floor vote. No one in this body has had an opportunity to adequately review this new version, but I can share with my colleagues at least one little gem.

   According to the new rule, any programs that are forward-funded in the bill will trigger an automatic rescission. And did the majority pick on someone their own size in choosing the program to target for this rescission? Not in the least. The automatic rescission will cut funds from the Child Care Development Block Grant, which funds child care for the poorest children in our Nation.

   Passing annual appropriations bills remains the most basic and critical function that we perform in this body. This particular spending bill funds some of our most essential programs, those that keep Americans healthy, educate our children, and protect our workers. But once again, the current leadership has skirted this responsibility and is pushing a bill that it knows will be vetoed in its current form.

   The original bill was narrowly adopted in the Committee on Appropriations on a party-line vote 29-22, with every Democrat opposed. Moreover, the committee version of the bill would delay any new worker safety provisions, particularly those designed to protect workers from repetitive motion injuries.

   My colleagues and I have often marveled at the short-sighted vision the current leadership holds for the Nation, and this year's Labor HHS appears to be no exception.

   The bill cuts education funding at a time when school enrollment is exploding and education is at the top of our Nation's list of priorities. Education is cut $3.5 billion below the President's request, including the repeal of last year's bipartisan commitment to hire 100,000 new teachers, to reduce class size and turning that initiative into a block grant; denial of $1.3 billion to renovate 5,000 schools for urgently needed safety repairs; $1 billion cut from teacher quality initiatives for recruitment and training; $400 million cut from after-school care serving 1.6 million children; $416 million cut from title I assistance, affecting up to 650,000 low-income children; $600 million cut from Head Start, denying early education to 53,000 children, elimination of funding for elementary school counselors.

   The leadership's bill cuts funding to train and protect America's workforce and contains a controversial rider which once again blocks OSHA's regulation on ergonomics for the sixth consecutive year.

   The bill cuts millions from worker protection initiatives, including efforts to make the workplace safer, to promote equal pay, to protect pensions, and to crack down on sweatshops.

   The ergonomics rider prohibits the issuance of a new OSHA rule that would prevent 300,000 debilitating ergonomics injuries per year. In addition, the bill cuts over $1 billion for the training of adult and dislocated workers and summer jobs for 72,000 at-risk youth.

   Moreover, the underlying bill cuts funding to protect elderly Americans. The bill eliminates family care support for 250,000 Americans with long-term care needs; cuts funds to enforce quality nursing and family care for 1.6 million elderly and disabled people; cuts mental health for seniors; cuts funds to eliminate Medicare waste, fraud, and abuse.

   In addition, the bill cuts funding for the battered women's shelters, for family planning, and for health coverage for uninsured workers.

   Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the Committee on Rules had an opportunity to correct these cuts by allowing full consideration of amendments offered by my colleagues. We offered amendments to increase funding for education and research. We offered amendments to protect senior citizens and attack weak labor standards. All of these efforts were defeated on a party-line vote.

   Thusly, Mr. Speaker, I urge the defeat of this ill-conceived rule.

   Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

   Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. PORTER), the chairman of the subcommittee, who crafted this very difficult legislation in a very fine manner.

   Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. PRYCE) for yielding me the time.

   Mr. Speaker, I would say to my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. SLAUGHTER), that the cuts she has described, are not cuts. They are cuts from the President's budget. And the President's budget, this President, has been particularly adept at drawing a political document. All Presidents draw a political document, but this President has taken it to an art form; and it is, basically, a document that is not responsible.

   Let us start the debate today by being very, very clear. When the other side talks about cuts, they are talking about cuts from an irresponsible President's budget. If we look at the Department of Education, there are no cuts in programs. There is a $2.4 billion increase in spending in this bill over last year in discretionary programs.

   If we look at the Department of Health and Human Services, there is a $2.2 billion increase over last year.

   There are cuts in some programs in the Department of Labor. But this is an economy that is growing so fast, where we have almost full employment, that the need for job training is less than in the past. Such growth justifies a slowdown in spending.

   So I would say to the gentlewoman, let us talk not about cuts. There are not cuts except in certain areas where they are justified. There are increases. They simply are not increases of the magnitude that the President has suggested because the President's budget is not responsible, I believe; and because we have a limited allocation.

   Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. MOAKLEY), the ranking member on the Committee on Rules.

   Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my great colleague, my dear friend, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. SLAUGHTER), for yielding me the time.

   Mr. Speaker, do my colleagues know where their Committee on Rules was last night around midnight at the witching hour? When everybody else was nestled all snug in bed, the Committee on Rules was at work, under the cover of darkness, rewriting the rule for the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill, where they once again put children's programs on the chopping block. 

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