[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 57 (Tuesday, May 6, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D433-D435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 10 public bills, H.R. 1532-1541; and 3 resolutions, 
H. Con. Res. 73-74, and H. Res. 144, were introduced.
  Pages H2253-54
Reports Filed: Reports were filed as follows:
  H. Res. 142, providing for consideration of H.R. 478, to amend the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 to improve the ability of individuals 
and local, State, and Federal agencies to comply with that Act in 
building, operating, maintaining, or repairing flood control projects, 
facilities, or structures (H. Rept. 105-88); and
  H. Res. 143, providing for consideration of H.R. 3, to combat violent 
youth crime and increase accountability for juvenile criminal offenses 
(H. Rept. 105-89).
Page H2253
Recess: The House recessed at 1:32 p.m. and reconvened at 2:00 p.m. 
                                                             Page H2178
Presidential Message--Re Export Administration Act: Read a letter from 
the President wherein he transmits his report on the national emergency 
declared with respect to the lapse of the Export Administration Act of 
1979--referred to the Committee on International Relations and ordered 
printed (H. Doc. 105-80).
  Pages H2180-81
Suspension--Trade Agencies Authorization Act: The House voted to 
suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1463, amended, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for the Customs Service, 
the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the 
International Trade Commission.
  Pages H2181-83
Suspension--Consumer Price Index: The House completed all debate on the 
motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 93, expressing the 
sense of the House of Representatives that the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics alone should make any adjustments, if any are needed, to the 
methodology used to determine the Consumer Price Index. The vote on 
this motion was postponed until Wednesday, May 7.
  Pages H2183-88
Housing Authority and Responsibility Act: The House resumed 
consideration of amendments to H.R. 2, to repeal the United States 
Housing Act of 1937, deregulate the public housing program and

[[Page D434]]

the program for rental housing assistance for low-income families, and 
increase community control over such programs. The House completed all 
debate on Wednesday, April 30 and considered amendments to the bill on 
Thursday, May 1. Consideration of amendments will resume on Wednesday, 
May 7.
  Pages H2188-H2243
Agreed To:
  The Lazio en bloc amendment that clarifies that certain specified 
resident programs and services may be included, but are not mandated; 
requires that local housing authorities notify local government 
officials of proposed housing developments and provide information as 
may reasonably be requested by the local government; clarifies that 
operating funds from block grants may be used for child care services 
for public housing residents; extends hardship rent and voucher 
provisions to a family that includes a member who is an alien lawfully 
admitted for permanent residence who would be entitled to public 
benefits but for the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
Reconciliation Act of 1996; specifies that no rental assistance shall 
be given to private housing projects unless the owners consent to allow 
law enforcement officers enter common areas without advance notice upon 
a determination of probable cause that criminal activity is taking 
place; directs that the award criteria for economic development 
initiative grants include the extent of regional cooperation 
demonstrated by the proposed plan; extends emergency homeownership 
counseling to veterans; prohibits action during the two years following 
enactment that would reduce the inventory of senior citizen housing 
owned by the housing authority of the City of Las Vegas and directs HUD 
to assist the housing authority to identify alternative repayment 
options without reducing senior citizen housing; prohibits any person 
classified as a sexually violent predator from receiving public housing 
assistance; and allows the Tamaqua highrise project in Tamaqua, 
Pennsylvania to be converted from tenant based assistance to project 
based rental assistance for certain residents;
Pages H2188-92
  The Waters amendment that excludes from administrative grievance 
procedures an eviction or termination of tenancy in public housing that 
involves any activity that threatens the health and safety of other 
tenants or any drug-related criminal activity and, for other evictions 
establishes an administrative grievance process with time limits for 
the hearing and final action regarding the grievance; and
Page H2211
  The Jackson-Lee amendment that requires that public housing 
authorities and contractors working within housing projects shall try 
to hire public housing residents to the maximum extent that is 
possible.
Pages H2241-42
Rejected:
  The Watt of North Carolina amendment that sought to require that 
public housing agencies compensate each person who provides work at a 
rate that is not less than the minimum wage rate (rejected by a 
recorded vote of 140 ayes to 286 noes, Roll No. 103); 
                                                      Pages H2195-H2210
  The Frank of Massachusetts amendment that sought to allow public 
housing agencies the option of complying with the family self-
sufficiency agreement requirements (rejected by a recorded vote of 168 
ayes to 253 noes, Roll No. 104);
Pages H2204-10
  The Kennedy of Massachusetts amendment that sought to revise the 
income mix of public housing units by requiring that not less than 40 
percent shall be occupied by families whose incomes do not exceed 30 
percent of the area median income; not less than 90 percent shall be 
occupied by families whose incomes do not exceed 60 percent of the 
median income for the area with the option to reduce to 80 percent 
occupancy if such a reduction would enhance the viability of the 
housing development; prohibits the concentration of very low-income 
families in certain housing developments; and strikes the fungibility 
with choice-based assistance provisions; and
Pages H2224-33
  The Kennedy of Massachusetts amendment that sought to increase the 
authorized funding by $1.2 billion for capital grants, increase funding 
by $.3 billion for operating grants, and authorize sums as may be 
necessary to fully fund operating costs.
Pages H2235-41
Withdrawn:
  The Waters amendment was offered but subsequently withdrawn that 
sought to only exclude from administrative grievance procedures an 
eviction or termination of tenancy in public housing that involves any 
activity that threatens the health and safety of other tenants or any 
drug-related criminal activity; and
Pages H2192-95
  The Jackson-Lee amendment was offered but subsequently withdrawn that 
sought to establish a housing replacement requirement in areas with 
public housing shortages.
Pages H2242-43
Vote Postponed:
  The Frank of Massachusetts amendment was offered that seeks to 
establish a monthly rent, determined by the public housing agency, that 
does not exceed 30 percent of the monthly adjusted income of the family 
or 10 percent of the monthly income of the family (the vote was 
postponed until Wednesday, May 7).
Pages H2233-35

[[Page D435]]


  On April 30, the House agreed to H. Res. 133, the rule that is 
providing for consideration of the bill.
Pages H2035-38
Amendments: Amendments ordered printed pursuant to the rule appear on 
pages H2255-56.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two recorded votes developed during the 
proceedings of the House today and appear on pages H2209-10 and H2210. 
There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: Met at 12:30 p.m. and adjourned at 10:50 p.m.