[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 46 (Thursday, April 17, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D355-D356]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 47 public bills, H.R. 1358-1404; and 5 resolutions, 
H. Con. Res. 64 and H. Res. 120-123, were introduced.
  Pages H1703-06
Reports Filed: Reports were filed as follows:
  H.R. 688, to amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require at least 
85 percent of funds appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency 
from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund to be distributed 
to States for cooperative agreements for undertaking corrective action 
and for enforcement of subtitle I of such Act (H. Rept. 105-58 Part I).
                                                             Page H1703
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designated Representative Kolbe to act as Speaker pro tempore for 
today.
  Page H1621
Journal: By a recorded vote of 317 ayes to 100 noes, Roll No. 84, the 
House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal of Wednesday, 
April 16.
  Page H1626
Words Stricken From the Record--Proceed in Order: Objection was heard 
to the proposal of the Chair that certain words of Representative Lewis 
of Georgia be stricken from the record by unanimous consent. By a 
recorded vote of 227 ayes to 190 noes with 3 voting ``present'', Roll 
No. 82, the House voted to strike the words from the record. 
Subsequently, by a recorded vote of 223 ayes to 199 noes, Roll No. 83, 
the House agreed to table a motion that Representative Lewis of Georgia 
be allowed to proceed in order.
  Pages H1624-26
Member Sworn: Representative-elect Ciro D. Rodriguez presented himself 
in the well of the House and was administered the oath of office by the 
Speaker.
  Pages H1626-27
Personal Privilege: Representative Gingrich rose to a point of personal 
privilege and was recognized for one hour.
  Pages H1627-29
21st Century Patent System Improvement Act: The House completed all 
general debate and began consideration of amendments to H.R. 400, to 
amend title 35, United States Code, with respect to patents, and began 
consideration of amendments. Consideration of amendments will resume on 
Wednesday, April 23.
  Pages H1629-55
  Agreed to the Coble amendment that includes technical changes; delays 
the publication of patent applications from small business concerns or 
independent inventors until 3 months after a second notification on the 
merits is made by the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO); retains the 
practice of charging small business and independent inventors a reduced 
application fee; separates operational and policy functions of PTO and 
creates an Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Policy 
to develop patent and trademark policy; establishes an incentive 
program to train patent and trademark examiners; and strikes authority 
to accept gifts or donations of services.
Page H1669
  Rejected the Rohrabacher amendment in the nature of a substitute that 
sought to establish a 17-year patent term from the date the patent is 
granted or 20 years from the date the patent application is filed; 
provide that patent applications can be published only if the 
information is in the public domain in other countries at the time it 
is filed in the United States, the application has been filed with PTO 
for five years or longer and PTO determines that the public interest 
served by publication, or the inventor deliberately withholds 
publication of the patent; provide for patent examiner training; 
require that user fees be used only for the Patent and Trademark 
Office; and specify that contracts between marketing companies and 
inventors contain standardized

[[Page D356]]

disclosures (rejected by a recorded vote of 178 ayes to 227 noes, Roll 
No. 85).
Page H1684
  H. Res. 116, the rule providing for the consideration of the bill was 
agreed to earlier by a voice vote.
Page H1629
Committee Resignations: Read a letter from Representative Holden 
wherein he resigned from the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight; read a letter from Representative Lampson wherein he 
resigned from the Committee on Resources; and read a letter from 
Representative Doggett wherein he resigned from the Committee on 
Science.
  Page H1684
Concerning Democracy in Zaire: The House agreed to H. Res. 115, 
concerning the promotion of peace, stability, and democracy in Zaire. 
Agreed to the Royce amendment to the text; and agreed to the Royce 
amendment to the preamble.
  Pages H1684-86
Committee Election: Agreed to H. Res. 120 electing Representatives 
Holden and Lampson to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure; Representative Tauscher to the Committee on Science; 
Representative Davis of Florida to the Committee on International 
Relations; Representative Rodriguez to the Committee on National 
Security; Representative Doggett to the Committee on Resources; and 
Representative Ford to the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight.
  Page H1687
Bipartisan Task Force on Reform of the Ethics Process: Agreed by 
unanimous consent that the order of the House of February 12, 1997 be 
extended through April 23, 1997. On February 12, in furtherance of the 
understanding concerning the establishment of the ethics 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 Standard 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.
  Page H1687
Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to 
meet at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, April 21; and agreed that when the House 
adjourns on Monday, it adjourn to meet at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 
23.
  Page H1687
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed that the business in order under the 
Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday, April 23. 
                                                             Page H1687
Senate Messages: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H1621.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Four recorded votes developed during the 
proceedings of the House today and appear on pages H1624-25, H1625-26, 
H1626, and H1683-84. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: Met at 10:00 a.m. and adjourned at 8:52 p.m.