[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 41 (Monday, March 6, 1995)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D292-D293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 8 public bills, H.R. 1134-1141; and 4 resolutions, 
H.J. Res. 75, H. Con. Res. 33, and H. Res. 106 and 107 were introduced.
  Page H2716
Reports Filed: Reports were filed as follows:
  H.J. Res. 2, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States with respect to the number of terms of office of Members of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives, amended (H. Rept. 104-67); and
  H. Res. 105, providing for consideration of H.R. 1058, to reform 
Federal securities litigation (H. Rept. 104-68).
Page H2716
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designates Representative Goss as Speaker pro tempore for today.
  Page H2655
Recess: Recessed at 1 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m.
  Page H2658
Presidential Messages: Read the following messages from the President:
  Floodplain management: Message wherein he transmits a report on a 
unified program for national floodplain management--referred to the 
Committee on Banking and Financial Services; and
  Page H2663
  National Endowment for Democracy: Message wherein he transmits the 
11th Annual Report of the National Endowment for Democracy for fiscal 
year 1994.
  Page H2663
Attorney Accountability Act: House completed all general debate and 
began consideration of amendments to H.R. 988, to reform the Federal 
civil justice system. Consideration of amendments will resume on 
Tuesday, March 7.
  Pages H2661-H2703
  Agreed to the Goodlatte amendment that clarifies provisions regarding 
petition for the award of costs and attorneys' fees in civil diversity 
litigation after an offer of settlement (agreed to by a recorded vote 
of 317 ayes to 89 noes, Roll No. 200).
Pages H2677-81
Rejected:
  The McHale amendment that sought to add language providing guidelines 
for the legal determination of a frivolous complaint and providing 
that, if a defendant makes a motion to dismiss a suit within 90 days of 
the filing of the complaint, and the court finds it to be frivolous, 
the court must dismiss the claim and award counsel fees and legal costs 
to the defendant (rejected by a recorded vote of 115 ayes to 306 noes, 
Roll No. 202);
Pages H2684-96
  The Berman amendment to the McHale amendment that sought to strike 
provisions regarding the award of costs and attorneys' fees in Federal 
civil diversity litigation after an order of settlement (rejected by a 
recorded vote of 186 ayes to 235 noes, Roll No. 201);
Pages H2687-96
  The Hoke amendment that sought to limit the contingency fees 
attorneys can receive (when a qualifying settlement offer is made and 
accepted) to the lesser of the previously agreed-to hourly rate for 
work performed plus expenses or 10 percent of the amount of the 
settlement offer; and limit the contingency fees (when a qualifying 
settlement offer is made but rejected) to the total of no more than 33 
percent of the difference between the final recovery and the settlement 
offer, the previously agreed-to hourly rate for work performed, and the 
attorney's actual expenses (rejected by a recorded vote of 71 ayes to 
347 noes, Roll No. 203); and
Pages H2697-H2703
  The Conyers amendment to the Hoke amendment that sought to place the 
same fee limitations on attorneys of both the plaintiff and the 
defendant.
Pages H2698-99 [[Page D293]] 
  H. Res. 104, the rule under which the bill is being considered, was 
agreed to earlier by a voice vote.
Pages H2661-62
Committees to Sit: The following committees and their subcommittees 
received permission to sit on Tuesday, March 7, during proceedings of 
the House under the 5-minute rule: Committees on Agriculture, Banking 
and Financial Services, Economic and Educational Opportunities, 
Government Reform and Oversight, National Security, Resources, 
Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans' Affairs, and Intelligence.
  Page H2703
Amendments Ordered Printed: Amendments ordered printed pursuant to the 
rule appear on pages H2717-20.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Four recorded votes developed during the 
proceedings of the House today and appear on pages H2681, H2695-96, 
H2702-03. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: Met at 12:30 p.m. and adjourned at 10:59 p.m.