Under the process that we use here under this rule XI. clause 4(c). a member of the Rules Committee can call up any resolution that has been reported by the Rules Committee and is pending here for action. In this case it is House Resolution 215. which was the rule that was reported over a year ago. going back to I think July 9. 1985. for the Justice Department authorization. Our intention here by calling up this rule is to have the full hour for debate. in which we will explain exactly what we are trying to do on the immigration reform rule. and after that 1 hour of debate we would urge our colleagues to defeat the previous question. defeat the previous question. at which point a rule would be offered allowing for immigration reform to be considered. a fair rule. that would make in order the bill that was reported by the Committee on the Judiciary. the rule that was reported by the Committee on Rules. but with some very crucial changes in that rule. that would be a bipartisan change in the rule. so that we can get this issue up. I wish that we did not have to do it this way. but it appears that it is the only way that it can be done. because after the vote on the rule last week there have been no indications that the Rules Committee will meet again. and yet the Rules Committee could. and I know that the chairman of the Rules Committee could and would call a Rules Committee meeting. We could grant it a rule. we could have it back on the floor that same day or certainly by the next day. The Rules Committee met yesterday morning on a relativelywell. I will not call it insignificantbut on an issue. and did not report out a rule. but we did not take up immigration reform. It is apparent to me that there is no intention at this time from the Rules Committee. or from the leadership on the other side. to bring up another rule. I think that that is a mistake. Therefore. we are left only with this opportunity. this unusual procedure. if you will. but certainly one that is not unprecedentedit has been used beforeto bring up this most important issue. this time bomb that is waiting out there. that is having a tremendous impact on our country. on a number of. States. on the economy of this country. The Judiciary Committee has put a lot of work into it and has done a good job. and we have this one remaining relatively small issue that is holding up this whole effort to get an immigration reform. So that is why we are doing this. to give us an opportunity to get up this very important issue. Specifically. my substitute rule would make in order a new part II to the Justice Department bill. Part II would consist of the text of H.R. 3810. the immigration reform bill. as reported by the Committee on the Judiciary. Six categories of amendments would be made in order to part II. First. the amendments reported by other committees to the immigration bill. now printed in that bill. Second. the amendments made in order by the Rules Committee under the previous rule and printed in the Rules Committee print of September 24. Third. the Lungren amendment on farm workers.
Keywords matched
immigration