reclaiming my time , i appreciate the gentleman not only asking these questions but bringing up and talking about some important issues . 
first of all , i would be the first one to admit that we have for the last few weeks been dealing with issues related to katrina and other important matters as it relates to housing . 
to answer the gentleman most directly , i must say that the instructions that i have given are that we are going back to the bill of july 14 . 
there have been no changes made at this time to that . 
that will be the text that will be considered by the rules committee . 
the rules committee , as we deliberate , we take into consideration amendments of how people would wish for the bill to be changed , new thoughts and ideas ; and that will be just as current as the filing date that we have set . 
so it is my hope that you would have the opportunity to work with members of your party , and that this announcement would be available for members of my party to say that we are open to any amendment , any thought process that people would like to come to the rules committee . 
it is not unusual for us to hold hearings and take testimony that may take hours and hours and we hear from people . 
that thought process will be considered next week . 
the chairman of the rules committee , the gentleman from california , has instructed me to advise members that we will be ready to do business next week and be open to the amendment process as members choose . 
