[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D188-D190]
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. 3074-3081; 1 private bill, H.R. 
3082; and 2 resolutions, H.J. Res. 163, and H. Res. 381 were 
introduced.
  Pages H2223-24
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designates Representative Everett to act as Speaker pro tempore for 
today.
  Page H2125
Committees to Sit: The following committees and their subcommittees 
received permission to sit today during the proceedings of the House 
under the five-minute rule: Committees on Banking and Financial 
Services, Commerce, Government Reform and Oversight, International 
Relations, National Security, Resources, and Transportation and 
Infrastructure.
  Page H2129
Anti-Terrorism Act: House completed all general debate and began 
consideration of amendments to H.R. 2703, to combat terrorism. 
Consideration of amendments will resume on Thursday, March 14. 
                                                         Pages H2137-93

[[Page D189]]

Agreed To:
  The Hyde amendment that changes the knowledge requirement to make it 
illegal for an individual to provide material support to a foreign 
organization that the individual has reasonable cause to believe, 
rather than should have known, is terrorist in nature; deletes 
provisions which allow law enforcement to use ``pen register'' and 
``trap-and-trace devices'' in foreign counterintelligence operations; 
permits the FBI to access certain personal transaction records, such as 
consumer credit reports, airline or bus passengers records, or vehicle 
rental information; modifies provisions allowing U.S. citizens to file 
a lawsuit against terrorist states by requiring pre-trial arbitration 
between parties to the lawsuit if the terrorist act occurred in the 
boundaries of the country being sued and provides a ten-year statute of 
limitations in which a U.S. citizen may file a lawsuit against another 
country; requires courts to provide victims access to trial coverage 
via closed-circuit television if the trial is moved outside of, or a 
significant distances from, the State where the victim lives or where 
the trial was to have taken place; adds a new provision allowing the 
FBI to provide training to foreign law enforcement officers in order to 
assist developing nations to acquire skills and resources necessary to 
conduct effective law enforcement; and deletes the provisions allowing 
the U.S. Attorney General to provide rewards to persons giving 
information to the government leading to a felony conviction; 
                                                         Pages H2164-66
  The Barr amendment that extends to one year a study of law 
enforcement safety issues including a study of law enforcement officer 
deaths due to accidents, non-felony causes, felony firearm use, and the 
use of ``armor piercing'' ammunition; strikes provisions to allow 
Federal law enforcement access to consumer credit, public 
accommodation, and common carrier information; strikes the ``good 
faith'' exceptions to the statutory exclusionary rule for admitting in 
court certain evidence gathered by wiretaps; strikes provisions 
allowing aliens to be excluded or denied asylum in the United States 
based on their membership in a suspected or known terrorist 
organization; and strikes language requiring telephone companies to 
allow Federal authorities access to billing records, and to maintain 
their records for 90 days to assist in Federal criminal investigations 
(agreed to by a recorded vote of 246 ayes to 171 noes, Roll No. 61); 
                                                         Pages H2166-76
  The Hyde en bloc amendment, as modified, that adds a number of 
specific acts to the list of punishable offenses which quality as 
providing ``material support to a terrorist organization''; requires 
Federal authorities to purchase only American-made equipment with funds 
authorized; creates a task force to study possible impact of 
internationally-produced counterfeit U.S. currency on domestic crime 
and terrorist activity; and adds offenses involving the use of 
biological weapons to those crimes punishable under Federal law; 
                                                         Pages H2176-79
  The DeLauro amendment requiring the U.S. Sentencing Commission to 
issue increased penalties for individuals convicted of crimes involving 
the use of firearms equipped with laser sighting devices; 
                                                  Pages H2179-81, H2183
  The Schumer amendment that authorizes such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal years 1996 through 2000 for the FBI to hire personnel and 
purchase equipment to support expanded investigations of domestic and 
international terrorism; to establish a Domestic Counterterrorism 
Center within the FBI to coordinate and centralize Federal, State, and 
local law enforcement efforts in response to major incidents of 
terrorism; and to cover costs of providing law enforcement coverage of 
public events that may be targeted by domestic or international 
terrorists;
Page H2181
  The Bartlett amendment that creates a five-member commission to study 
whether Federal law enforcement agencies are complying with existing 
law and constitutional protections and to report its findings to 
Congress within two years;
Pages H2185-87
  The Bryant of Tennessee amendment that prohibits the payment of 
unusually high fees to court-appointed legal counsel in death penalty 
appeals cases; codifies a $75 to $125 range in the judiciary's policies 
and procedures guide with respect to death penalty cases; and requires 
public disclosure of amounts awarded in fees and expenses; 
                                                  Pages H2187-88, H2194
  The Martini amendment that makes it a Federal crime, punishable by 
death, to intentionally kill or attempt to kill more than one person in 
a single criminal act;
Pages H2188-90, H2194
  The Doolittle amendment that authorizes State and local law 
enforcement agencies to arrest and detain illegal aliens who have been 
convicted of a felony in the United States and who subsequently left 
the country or were deported after such conviction; provides that, 
before arrest, State and local law enforcement agencies confirm the INS 
status of individuals; and provides that the Justice Department 
cooperate with States to ensure relevant information is furnished to 
States; and
Pages H2190-92
  The McCollum amendment that establishes a criminal penalty for anyone 
who engages in a financial transaction with a terrorist organization or 
a country which supports terrorist activities.
Pages H2192-93
  Earlier, rejected the Volkmer motion that the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the

[[Page D190]]

Union rise and report the bill back to the House, striking out all 
after the enacting clause.
Pages H2184-85
  H. Res. 380, the rule under which the bill was considered, was agreed 
to earlier by a yea-and-nay vote of 251 yeas to 157 nays, Roll No. 60. 
                                                         Pages H2129-37
  Subsequently, it was made in order that H. Res. 376, the rule which 
had provided for general debate only, be laid on the table. 
                                                             Page H2137
Product Liability Litigation: By unanimous consent, the Chair appointed 
Representative Markey as a conferee on H.R. 956, to establish legal 
standards and procedures for product liability litigation, to replace 
Representative Wyden.
  Page H2190
Further Continuing Appropriations: It was made in order that the 
Committee on Appropriations be discharged from further consideration of 
H.J. Res. 163, making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal 
year 1996, when called up; that it be in order at any time to consider 
the joint resolution in the House; that the joint resolution be 
debatable for not to exceed one hour, to be equally divided and 
controlled by Chairman Livingston and Representative Obey; that all 
points of order against the joint resolution and against its 
consideration be waived; and that the previous question be considered 
as ordered on the joint resolution to final passage without intervening 
motion, except one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. 
                                                             Page H2193
Use of the Capitol Rotunda: House agreed to S. Con. Res. 45, 
authorizing the use of the Capitol Rotunda on May 2, 1996, for the 
presentation of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Reverend and Mrs. 
Billy Graham.
  Page H2193
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H2127.
Quorum Calls--Votes: One yea-and-nay vote and one recorded vote 
developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages 
H2136-37 and H2175-76.
Adjournment: Met at 11 a.m. and adjourned at 9:45 p.m.