The Congress then broke for their summer recess and will reconvene in four weeks. The schedule for the arrival of HR1555 to the House floor was under considerable question last week as it collided with the need to deal with a series of appropriations bills. Appropriations bills must be on the President's desk by October 1 in order for the government to stay in business. Given the drastic revisions to many programs in these bills, and the last minute and highly controversial changes to HR 1555, it appeared that the American public would have another month to learn and consider the implications of an information overhaul. But that was not to be.
Bells have for entry into long distance.
It served to reverse the support of the long distance industry to absolute opposition. On Wednesday, August 2, at midnight, the House agreed by a vote of 255 to 156 to debate the HR 1555 under a modified closed rule. This allowed for nine hours of debate and a set list of amendments to be considered. Specific time allowances were given for the debate on each amendment and a Thursday, August 3 date was set. Disgust was expressed by several members of the House over debating a bill of such importance in the middle of the night and out of sight of the public.