[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 64 (Thursday, May 9, 1996)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D450-D452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 11 public bills, H.R. 3422-3432; and 3 resolutions, 
H. Con. Res. 173-174, and H. Res. 429 were introduced.
   Page H4800
Reports Filed: Reports were filed as follows:
  H.R. 2604, to amend title 28, United States Code, to authorize the 
appointment of additional bankruptcy judges, amended (H. Rept. 104-
569); and
  H. Res. 430, providing for consideration of H.R. 3230, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 1997 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, and to prescribe military personnel strengths 
for fiscal year 1997 (H. Rept. 104-570).
Page H4800
Committees To Sit: By a yea-and-nay vote of 230 yeas to 182 nays, Roll 
No. 155, agreed to the Armey motion that all committees and 
subcommittees be permitted to sit today and the remainder of the week 
during proceedings of the House under the 5-minute rule. 
                                                         Pages H4660-62
Housing Act: By a recorded vote of 315 ayes to 107 noes, Roll No. 161, 
the House passed H.R. 2406, to repeal the United States Housing Act of 
1937, deregulate the public housing program and the program for rental 
housing assistance for low-income families, and increase community 
control over such programs.
  Pages H4662-H4738
  On demand for a separate vote, agreed to the Maloney amendment that 
allows elderly and disabled

[[Page D451]]

residents living in federally-assisted housing be allowed to keep a 
common household pet (agreed to by a recorded vote of 375 ayes to 48 
noes, Roll No. 159). This amendment was agreed to in the Committee of 
the Whole by a voice vote on Wednesday, May 8.
Page H4734
  Agreed to the Committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as 
amended.
Pages H4733-34
  Rejected the Kennedy of Massachusetts motion to recommit the bill to 
the Committee on Banking and Financial Services with instructions to 
report it back forthwith containing an amendment that specifies that 
the amount paid for monthly rent may not exceed thirty percent of the 
family's adjusted monthly income for any family who has an annual 
income of which not less than fifty percent is earned income (rejected 
by a recorded vote of 196 ayes to 226 noes, Roll No. 160). 
                                                         Pages H4734-37
Agreed To:
  The Hinchey en bloc amendment that limits to thirty percent of income 
the maximum rent that an elderly or disabled family could be required 
to pay for public housing;
Pages H4676-78
  The Kennedy of Massachusetts en bloc amendment that limits to thirty 
percent of income the maximum rent that veterans could be required to 
pay for public or housing;
Pages H4678-79
  The Kennedy of Massachusetts amendment, as modified, that requires 
forty percent of rental assistance vouchers be reserved for families 
with incomes at or below thirty percent of median income; and for units 
made available for occupancy, not less than thirty-five percent shall 
be occupied by families whose incomes do not exceed thirty percent of 
median income;
Pages H4679-83
  The Vento amendment, as modified, that extends authorization for the 
Community Partnerships Against Crime Act through 1998;
Pages H4683-85
  The Sanders amendment that increases the level of administrative fees 
to local housing authorities administering the rental assistance 
program; and establishes a two-tiered payment schedule that gives local 
authorities 7.65 percent of the base grant amount for the first 600 
units and seven percent for all units in excess of 600 units; 
                                                         Pages H4693-94
  The Traficant amendment that expresses the sense of Congress that to 
the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased 
with funds made available in the bill should be American made; 
                                                             Page H4695
  The Filner amendment that permits the use of rental assistance for 
the rental of manufactured housing or the property on which such 
housing is situated, such as mobile homes, in which case the rental 
will be provided directly to the family living on the site, not the 
property owner;
Pages H4695-96
  The Waters amendment, as modified, that limits to fifty percent the 
amount an eligible public entity may use to make loan guarantees for 
economic development under the Community Development Block Grant loan 
guarantee program that could be used for housing purposes; 
                                                         Pages H4702-04
  The Cardin amendment that directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development to consult with local authorities in negotiating any 
settlement of litigation regarding public housing or rental assistance;
                                                         Pages H4710-11
  The Hayworth amendment, as amended by the Young of Alaska and the 
Bereuter amendments, that adds a new title consisting of the text of 
the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act; 
establishes a block grant to be administered by Indian tribes to 
provide housing assistance on Indian reservations; conforms provisions 
to the Davis-Bacon Act as it relates to public housing; and specifies 
provisions relating to loan guarantees and authorities to use 
appropriated funds; and
Pages H4712-24
  The Roemer amendment that establishes a national manufactured housing 
construction and safety standards consensus committee to develop 
Federal standards for the construction of manufactured homes. 
                                                         Pages H4724-31
Rejected:
  The Frank of Massachusetts amendment, as modified, that sought to 
limit to 30 percent of income any family's rent for public or assisted 
housing (rejected by a recorded vote of 196 ayes to 222 noes, Roll No. 
156).
Pages H4662-76
  The McIntosh amendment to the agreed-to Roemer amendment that sought 
to establish a manufactured housing construction and safety standards 
consensus committee, to include provisions that require certain 
competitive bidding procedures; and to subject the expenditure of 
inspection fees to be addressed through the annual appropriations 
process;
Pages H4726-31
  The Velazquez en bloc amendment that sought to require that the 
minimum tenant rent contribution for public housing may not exceed $25 
per month; and
Pages H4685-89, H4731-32
  The Durbin amendment, as modified, that sought to prohibit the 
illegal possession or discharge of firearms in public housing zones 
except in cases of self-defense.
Pages H4704-07, H4732
  A point of order was sustained against the Ney amendment that sought 
to add a new section to allow eligibility of communities in Federal 
flood insurance programs despite the presence of mobile homes in those 
communities which are located in areas of flood risk.
Pages H4707-09

[[Page D452]]

Withdrawn:
  The following amendments were offered, but subsequently withdrawn:
  The Watts of Oklahoma substitute amendment to the agreed-to Frank of 
Massachusetts amendment that sought to limit to 30 percent of income 
the maximum rent that any elderly or disabled family could be required 
to pay for public housing;
Pages H4669-71
  The Kennedy of Massachusetts amendment that sought to require HUD to 
set aside $195 million of tenant-based rental assistance to homeless 
families with children of families participating in programs related to 
welfare initiatives;
Pages H4694-95
  The Clerk was authorized to correct section members, references, 
punctuation, and indentation, and to make any other technical and 
conforming changes as may be necessary in the engrossment of the bill. 
                                                             Page H4753
  Subsequently, S. 1260, a similar Senate-passed bill was passed in 
lieu, after being amended to contain the language of the House bill as 
passed. Agreed to amend the title of the Senate bill. H.R. 2406 was 
laid on the table.
  House then insisted on its amendments to S. 1260 and asked a 
conference. appointed as conferees; Representatives Leach, Lazio, 
Bereuter, Baker of Louisiana, Castle, Gonzalez, Vento, and Kennedy of 
Massachusetts.
Pages H4738-53
  Presidio Properties: House disagreed to the Senate amendment to H.R. 
1296, to provide for the administration of certain Presidio properties 
at minimal cost to the Federal taxpayers; and asked a conference. 
Appointed as conferees: Representatives Young of Alaska, Hansen, 
Allard, Hayworth, Cubin, Miller of California, Richardson, and Vento. 
                                                         Pages H4755-56
Adoption of Minority Children: It was made in order that, during the 
consideration of H.R. 3286, to help families defray adoption cost, and 
to promote the adoption of minority children, pursuant to H. Res. 428, 
notwithstanding the order of the previous question, it may be in order 
immediately after initial debate on the bill, as amended, for the Chair 
to postpone further consideration of the bill until the following 
legislative day, on which consideration may resume at a time designated 
by the Speaker.
  Page H4756
Product Liability: By a yea-and-nay vote of 258 yeas to 163 nays, Roll 
No. 162, the House voted to sustain the President's veto of H.R. 956, 
to establish legal standards and procedures for product liability 
litigation (two-thirds of those present not voting to override).
  Subsequently, the message and the bill were referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary.
Pages H4756-64
Government Civilian Science Activities: House agreed to H. Res. 427, 
providing for the consideration of H.R. 3322, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 1997 for civilian science activities of 
the Federal Government.
  Pages H4764-66
Adoption of Minority Children: House completed all general debate on 
H.R. 3286, to help families defray adoption costs, and to promote the 
adoption of minority children. Consideration of amendments will begin 
on Friday, May 10.
  Pages H4775-85
  H. Res. 428, providing for the consideration of the bill, was agreed 
to earlier by a voice vote.
Pages H4766-75
Senate Messages: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H4754.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea-and-nay votes and six recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages 
H4661-62, H4675-76, H4731-32, H4732, H4734, H4736-37, H4737-38, and 
H4764. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: Met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 11:55 p.m.