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Committee on Ways and Means

For Immediate Release
Contact: Barbara Clay or Christin Tinsworth
202-225-8933
December 3, 2001

AGREEMENT REACHED ON FRAMEWORK FOR ECONOMIC STIMULUS BICAMERAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

House and Senate leaders have agreed on procedures for a Leadership Conference on economic stimulus.

“These procedures create a framework for successful negotiation. As soon as the conferees are named tomorrow, I expect to get to work,” said Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas, who is expected to chair the conference. “Our legislation will create new jobs and get our economy moving again. It will offer real help to unemployed Americans.”

The House, which passed its economic stimulus bill 40 days ago on October 24, will be represented by two Republicans and one Democrat, to be named by the Speaker of the House. The Senate, which has not passed an economic stimulus bill, will be represented by two Democrats and one Republican, to be named by the Senate Majority Leader.

The first meeting is expected to be held as soon as the conferees are named.

The following is the text of the agreement:

“This document established procedures for a bicameral leadership conference on economic stimulus legislation as follows:

• The Speaker shall name two Republicans and one Democrat as the House delegation to the Leadership Conference. The Senate Majority Leader shall name two Democrats and one Republican as the Senate delegation to the Leadership Conference.

• The Chairman of the Leadership Conference shall be determined as if this were a formal conference between the Ways and Means Committee and the Finance Committee.

• Agreement will be reached when a majority of the Members of each delegation shall sign the final work product together with a joint explanatory analysis.  The joint explanatory analysis shall be inserted in the record prior to floor consideration in the respective bodies.

• No dissenting views or additional views shall accompany the joint explanatory analysis.

• It is the intention of the bicameral leadership that any final work product will be passed in both the House and Senate without amendment, subject to the rules of each body.

In addition, a conference is created to address that portion of HR3090 as reported by the Senate Finance Committee whose subject matter falls in the jurisdiction of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

• The Speaker shall name two Republicans and one Democrat to the additional conference. The Senate Majority Leader shall name two Democrats and one Republican to the additional conference.

• Agreement will be reached when a majority of the Members of each delegation shall sign the final work product together with a joint explanatory analysis. The joint explanatory analysis shall be inserted in the record prior to floor consideration in the respective bodies.

• No dissenting views or additional views shall accompany the joint explanatory analysis.

• The work product, if any, from the additional conference will be included in the final work product of the Leadership Conference.”