House Republican leaders remain committed to finishing the legislative business of the 105th Congress and getting their members out of town tonight-despite the delay Monday in filing the conference report on the fiscal 1999 omnibus appropriations bill. The Senate, however, will be in session through Wednesday.
Although appropriators had hoped to file the mammoth spending package around noon Monday, they did not get it in until Monday night. Nevertheless, House leaders plan to stick to their original schedule of a Rules Committee meeting at 3:30 p.m. today, with the rule going to the House floor at 4 p.m. for a 5 p.m. vote. Debate on the omnibus bill is expected to begin after 5 p.m.
A spokeswoman for House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., Monday attempted to stamp out speculation that the House could be in session after today, saying, "There's no reason right now not to foresee a vote on the omnibus sometime after 5 p.m. [Tuesday]. Then after that, it's anchors away," the spokeswoman said.
The Senate, which has not held a recorded vote since Oct. 9, will begin debate on the omnibus bill today, but is not scheduled to vote on it until 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., had hoped to dispense with the matter by voice vote-but a roll call was scheduled after several senators insisted on it.
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