The House : Gramm-Rudman-Hollings

By a vote of 146 for and 255 against, the House refused to force its committees to recommend the specific program cuts necessary to achieve the $11.7 billion savings that the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings budget-reduction law requires by March 1.

The vote occurred during debate on a measure (H Res 368) funding House committees during calendar 1986 that later was approved.

Under Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, if Congress and the President fail to agree on cuts needed to meet the law’s series of austerity deadlines, the cuts are imposed automatically on an across-the-board percentage basis through a process called “sequestering.”

Congress apparently will let the first round of Gramm-Rudman-Hollings cuts on March 1 be incurred automatically. Had this motion succeeded, House committees, at least, would have had to take responsibility for the $11.7 billion in fiscal 1986 cuts.

A major criticism of Gramm-Rudman-Hollings is that its automatic trigger frees lawmakers from having to answer to the public for their budget decisions.

Sponsor Robert Walker (R-Pa.) said House members were sent to Washington to legislate, not “to sit on our duffs and wait for ‘sequester’ orders to go into effect.”

Opponent Leon Panetta (D-Monterey) said the committees already have their hands full preparing for the second round of Gramm-Rudman-Hollings cuts, which will take effect soon after fiscal 1987 begins next Oct. 1.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Lungren (R) x

Regulating Amusement Rides

An amendment to sidetrack tougher federal regulation of amusement park rides was rejected by the House on a vote of 179 for and 198 against. This occurred during debate on a bill (HR3456) extending the life of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which was later passed and sent to the Senate. The vote left intact a proposal empowering the commission to inspect rides at fixed sites such as Disneyland, in cases where state regulation is inadequate or a malfunctioning ride has caused injury or death. At present the commission can regulate only rides in traveling carnivals.

The defeated amendment called for creating a commission to study the issue.

Members voting no supported federal inspections of fixed-site amusement park rides.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Lungren (R) x

10-Day Recess

By a vote of 208 for and 179 against, the House adopted a resolution (S Con Res 107) in favor of the House and Senate taking a Presidents’ Day recess between last Sunday and next Tuesday.

The Senate also approved the measure and the recess, which lawmakers like to call a “district work period,” took effect. Members voting yes favored the 10-day recess.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Lungren (R) x