[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 12, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D112-D113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page D112]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 49 public bills, H.R. 693-741; 2 private bills, H.R. 
742-743; and 9 resolutions, H.J. Res. 51-53, H. Con. Res. 20, and H. 
Res. 51-55, were introduced.                              
  Pages H521-24
Reports Filed: No reports were filed today.
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest chaplain, the Rev. 
Richard Anderson, of Aurora, Illinois.                        
  Page H455
Bipartisan Task Force on Reform of the Ethics Process: The Majority 
Leader, with the concurrence of the Minority Leader, announced the 
establishment of a Bipartisan Task Force on Reform of the Ethics 
Process. The Majority Leader named as task force members: 
Representatives Livingston, Co-chairman; Goss; Castle; Thomas; Solomon; 
and Hanson, ex-officio, in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct. The Minority Leader named as members: 
Representatives Cardin, Co-chairman; Frost; Moakley; Pelosi; Stokes; 
and Berman, ex-officio, in his capacity as Ranking Minority Member of 
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.               
  Page H456
  In furtherance of this understanding concerning the establishment of 
the task force, it was made in order that during the period beginning 
immediately and ending on April 11, 1997: (1) The Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct may not receive, renew, initiate, or 
investigate a complaint against the official conduct of a member, 
officer, or employee of the House; (2) The Committee on Standards of 
Official Conduct may issue advisory opinions and perform other non-
investigative functions; and (3) A resolution addressing the official 
conduct of a member, officer, or employee of the House that is proposed 
to be offered from the floor by a member other than the Majority Leader 
or the Minority Leader as a question of the privileges of the House 
shall, once noticed pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of Rule IX, have 
precedence of all other questions except motions to adjourn only at a 
time or place designated by the chair in the legislative schedule 
within two legislative days after April 11, 1997.         
Pages H456-57
Congressional Term Limits: By a yea-and-nay vote of 217 yeas to 211 
nays with two-thirds required for passage, Roll No. 21, the House 
failed to pass 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. 
                                                        Pages H467-H512
Amendments Rejected:
  The Hutchinson amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
limit service of House Members to 3 two-year terms and Senators to 2 
six-year terms and provides that upon ratification incumbents and 
others who have served in the House are limited to 2 additional terms 
and those who have served in the Senate are limited to 1 additional 
term. The amendment was identical to the ballot initiative approved by 
the voters of Arkansas (rejected by a recorded vote of 85 ayes to 341 
noes, Roll No. 11);                              
Pages H486-88, H491-92
  The McInnis amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
limit service of House Members to 3 two-year terms and Senators to 2 
six-year terms and provides that upon ratification incumbents and 
others who have served in the House are limited to 2 additional terms 
and those who have served in the Senate are limited to 1 additional 
term. The amendment was identical to the ballot initiative approved by 
the voters of Colorado (rejected by a recorded vote of 87 ayes to 339 
noes, Roll No. 12);                                 
Pages H488-90, H492
  The Crapo amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
limit service of House Members to 3 two-year terms and Senators to 2 
six-year terms and provides that upon ratification incumbents and 
others who have served in the House are limited to 2 additional terms 
and those who have served in the Senate are limited to 1 additional 
term. The amendment was identical to the ballot initiative approved by 
the voters of Idaho (rejected by a recorded vote of 85 ayes to 339 
noes, Roll No. 13);                                       
Pages H490-93
  The Blunt amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
limit service of House Members to 3 two-year terms and Senators to 2 
six-year terms, provides that upon ratification incumbents and others 
who have served in the House are limited to 2 additional terms and 
those who have served in the Senate are limited to 1 additional term, 
and allows any state to enact by state constitutional amendment longer 
or shorter term limits. The amendment was identical to the ballot 
initiative approved by the voters of Missouri (rejected by a recorded 
vote of 72 ayes to 353 noes, Roll No. 14);          
Pages H493-95, H497
  The Christensen amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought 
to limit service of House Members to 3 two-year terms and Senators to 2 
six-year terms and provides that upon ratification incumbents and 
others who have served in the House are limited to 2 additional terms 
and those who have

[[Page D113]]

served in the Senate are limited to 1 additional term. The amendment 
was identical to the ballot initiative approved by the voters of 
Nebraska (rejected by a recorded vote of 83 ayes to 342 noes, Roll No. 
15);                                             
Pages H495-96, H497-98
  The Ensign amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
limit service of House Members to 3 two-year terms and Senators to 2 
six-year terms and provides that upon ratification incumbents and 
others who have served in the House are limited to 2 additional terms 
and those who have served in the Senate are limited to 1 additional 
term. The amendment was identical to the ballot initiative approved by 
the voters of Nevada (rejected by a recorded vote of 85 ayes to 339 
noes, Roll No. 16);                                 
Pages H496, H498-99
  The Thune amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
limit service of House Members to 3 two-year terms and Senators to 2 
six-year terms and provides that upon ratification incumbents and 
others who have served in the House are limited to 2 additional terms 
and those who have served in the Senate are limited to 1 additional 
term. The amendment was identical to the ballot initiative approved by 
the voters of South Dakota (rejected by a recorded vote of 83 ayes to 
342 noes, Roll No. 17);                           
Pages H499-H500, H502
  The Fowler amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
limit service of House Members to 4 consecutive two-year terms and 
Senators to 2 consecutive six-year terms, not counting any term that 
began before the adoption of the amendment (rejected by a recorded vote 
of 91 ayes to 335 noes, Roll No. 18);               
Pages H500, H502-03
  The Scott amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
limit the election of House Members to 6 two-year terms and Senators to 
2 six-year terms, provide that no person who has served in the House 
for more than 1 year shall be eligible for election more than five 
times and no person who has served in the Senate more than 3 years be 
eligible for election more than once, and allow any state to enact 
shorter term limits (rejected by a recorded vote of 97 ayes to 329 
noes, Roll No. 19);                              
Pages H500-01, H503-04
  The Barton of Texas amendment in the nature of a substitute that 
sought to limit the election of House Members to 6 two-year terms and 
Senators to 2 six-year terms, retroactively counting the elections of 
Representatives or Senators before the ratification of the amendment 
(rejected by a recorded vote of 152 ayes to 274 noes, Roll No. 20). 
                                                          Pages H504-10
  Earlier, agreed to H. Res. 47, the rule under which the joint 
resolution was considered.                                
Pages H458-67
Committee Election: The House agreed to H. Res. 52, electing 
Representatives Hill and Sununu to the Committee on Small Business. 
                                                              Page H512
Quorum Calls--Votes: One yea-and-any vote and ten recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages 
H491-92, H492, H493, H497, H497-98, H498-99, H502, H502-03, H503-04, 
H509-10, and H511-12. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: Met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 7:42 p.m.