[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 4, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D562-D564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 19 public bills, H.R. 1775-1793; and 1 private bill, 
H.R. 1794 were introduced.
  Pages H3475-76
Reports Filed: Reports were filed as follows:
  Conference report on H. Con. Res. 84, establishing the congressional 
budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 1998 and 
setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 1999, 2000, 
2001, and 2002 (H. Rept. 105-116);
  H. Res. 160, waiving points of order against the conference report to 
accompany H. Con. Res. 84, establishing the congressional budget for 
the United States Government for fiscal year 1998 and setting forth 
appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001, and 
2002 (H. Rept. 105-117);
  H. Res. 161, waiving a requirement of clause 4(b) of rule XI with 
respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the 
Committee on Rules (H. Rept. 105-118); and
  Conference report on H.R. 1469, making emergency supplemental 
appropriations for recovery from natural disasters, and for overseas 
peacekeeping efforts, including those in Bosnia, for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 1997 (H. Rept. 105-119). 
                                     Pages H3358-H3424, H3442-74, H3475
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designated Representative Hobson to act as Speaker pro tempore for 
today.
  Page H3277
Late Report: Conferees received permission to have until midnight 
tonight to file a conference report on H.R. 1469, making emergency 
supplemental appropriations for recovery from natural disasters, and 
for overseas peacekeeping efforts, including those in Bosnia, for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 1997.
  Page H3291
Foreign Relations Authorization Act: The House completed all debate and 
began consideration of amendments to H.R. 1757, to consolidate 
international affairs agencies and to authorize appropriations for the 
Department of State and related agencies for fiscal years 1998 and 
1999. Consideration of amendments will resume on Thursday, June 6. 
                                            Pages H3291-H3358, H3424-34

[[Page D563]]

Agreed To:
  The Gilman en bloc amendment that strikes fee account provisions for 
passport information services and visas to conform to existing 
procedure;
Page H3313
  The Diaz-Balart amendment to the Skaggs amendment that requires the 
President to certify that continued funding for television broadcasting 
to Cuba is not in the national interest of the United States (agreed to 
by a recorded vote of 271 ayes to 155 noes, Roll No. 159); 
                                                         Pages H3314-21
  The Skaggs amendment, as amended, that prohibits funding for 
television broadcasting to Cuba after October 1, 1997 if the President 
certifies that continued funding is not in the national interest of the 
United States;
Pages H3314-21
  The Smith of New Jersey amendment that increases funding for Radio 
Free Asia;
Pages H3321-22
  The Bachus amendment that requires an annual report to Congress 
listing overseas United States surplus properties for sale and 
specifies that amounts received from these sales be used for deficit 
reduction (agreed to by a recorded vote of 277 ayes to 146 noes Roll 
No. 161);
Pages H3325-26, H3341-42
  The Hefley amendment that requires that the State Department maintain 
records on criminal incidents of individuals with immunity from the 
criminal jurisdiction of the United States under the Vienna Convention;
                                                         Pages H3326-27
  The Gilman en bloc amendment that authorizes certain U.S. citizen 
employees to perform designated consular officer duties; clarifies that 
the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security is responsible 
for diplomatic security and management; increases the authorized 
strength of the Foreign Service; establishes the policy that the United 
States shall not expel, extradite, or otherwise effect the involuntary 
return of any person to a country in which there is a substantial 
danger of torture; expresses the sense of Congress that the Government 
of Turkey recognize the Ecumenical Patriarch and its nonpolitical, 
religious mission and reopen the Halki Patriarchal School of Theology; 
and requires a report dealing with the repatriation of unresolved POW/
MIA remains from Viet Nam;
Page H3327
  The Goss amendment that strikes the section relating to the Office of 
the Inspector General procedures for instances where an employee is the 
likely subject or target of a criminal investigation (agreed to by a 
recorded vote of 214 ayes to 211 noes Roll No. 162); 
                                               Pages H3329-33, H3342-43
  The Gilman en bloc amendment that urges Peru to respect the rights of 
prisoners and expedite legal procedures; directs the State Department 
to monitor human rights in Ethiopia; establishes special envoys to 
promote mutual disarmament talks throughout the world; expresses the 
sense of Congress that Taiwan should reconsider the transfer of nuclear 
waste to North Korea; expresses support for Prime Minister Gujral of 
India; supports the sovereignty of Belarus; supports the accession of 
Taiwan to the World Trade Organization; requires a report concerning 
human rights violations of the Hmong and Laotian refugees who have 
returned to Laos; withholds assistance to countries that provide 
nuclear fuel to Cuba; makes funds available for the Cuban liberty and 
Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996 and the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992; 
urges the President to achieve an international arms sales code of 
conduct with all Wassenaar Arrangement countries; and requires 
compliance with the Buy American Act;
Pages H3344-49
  The Coburn amendment that prohibits funding for the Man and Biosphere 
Program or the World Heritage Program administered by the United 
Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; 
                                                         Pages H3353-54
  The Smith of New Jersey amendment that requires the President to 
report on any border closure or economic or commercial blockade by any 
newly independent states that impede the delivery of U.S. humanitarian 
aid;
Pages H3356-57
  The Pallone amendment that expresses the sense of Congress that 
reaffirms United States policy and commitment to a negotiated 
settlement to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabagh;
Pages H3357-58
  The Engel amendment that establishes a declaration of policy 
regarding the crisis in Albania and urges the U.S. to support the new 
government as it attempts to reestablish calm and achieve political 
reconciliation;
Pages H3426-27
  The Serrano amendment that requires a report to Congress concerning 
official complaints of the government of Cuba to the departments or 
agencies of the U.S. government;
Pages H3427-28
  The Fox of Pennsylvania amendment that expresses the sense of 
Congress commending the government of Ukraine for their decision to 
relinquish nuclear weapons;
Pages H3428-29
  The Lazio amendment that expresses the sense of Congress regarding 
the compliance with child and spousal support obligations by United 
Nations Personnel;
Pages H3430-31
  The Pallone amendment that expresses the sense of Congress concerning 
the development of Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea petroleum reserves; 
                                                         Pages H3431-32
  The Condit amendment that requires an annual foreign assistance 
justification report from the President and requires congressional 
explanation of proposed changes to the President's foreign assistance 
report; and
Page H3432

[[Page D564]]


  The Menendez amendment that maintains proportions of assistance made 
available for activities and programs in Latin America and the 
Caribbean region and the Asia and Pacific region.
Pages H3432-33
Rejected:
  The Hamilton en bloc amendment that sought to strike the 
Consolidation of Foreign Affairs Agencies sections in the bill and 
replace with sections that authorize the President to implement his 
proposal to reorganize and consolidate the foreign affairs agencies and 
requires a plan to be submitted to Congress within 120 days of 
enactment (rejected by a recorded vote of 202 ayes to 224 noes, Roll 
No. 160)
Pages H3300-03, H3321
  The Paul amendment that sought to withdraw the United States from the 
United Nations upon enactment; repeal the United Nations Participation, 
Headquarters Agreement, Educational, Scientific, and Cultural 
Organization, and Environment Program Participation Acts; terminate 
Peacekeeping Operations and U.S. contributions to the United Nations; 
withdraw United Nations presence in facilities of the U.S. Government; 
and repeal diplomatic immunity for United Nations employees (rejected 
by a recorded vote of 54 ayes to 369 noes Roll No. 163); 
                                                  Pages H3335-40, H3343
  The Stearns amendment that sought to have the Congress, instead of 
the Secretary of State, make the determination that the United Nations 
or any such agency has failed to implement consensus-based 
decisionmaking procedures on budgetary matters (rejected by a recorded 
vote of 176 ayes to 244 noes Roll No. 164);
Pages H3340-41, H3343-44
Withdrawn:
  The Snowbarger amendment was offered but subsequently withdrawn that 
sought to condition any payment of arrearage to the United Nations upon 
a certification by the President that the United Nations has 
implemented a range of reforms.
Pages H3351-53
  The Nethercutt amendment was offered but subsequently withdrawn that 
sought to establish the sense of Congress relating to the abduction and 
detention of Donald Hutchings of the State of Washington;
Page H3427
Votes Postponed:
  The Stearns amendment that seeks to express the sense of Congress 
that the President and Permanent Representative of the United States to 
the United Nations should encourage the United Nations to commission a 
study concerning a revolving headquarters for the U.N. and establish 
the United Nations as a part-time body was debated and a recorded vote 
was postponed until Thursday, June 5;
Pages H3349-51
  The Scarborough amendment that seeks to apply to Sudan the provisions 
of the Anti-terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act that restricts 
financial transactions until the President certifies that Sudan is no 
longer sponsoring or supporting terrorism and establishes findings that 
continued disregard of the freedom of religion by Sudan is unacceptable 
was debated and a recorded vote was postponed until Thursday, June 5; 
                                                         Pages H3424-26
  The Engel amendment that seeks to express the sense of Congress that 
the United States should consider applying to Syria sanctions which are 
currently enforced against Iran and Libya was debated and a recorded 
vote was postponed until Thursday, June 5;
Pages H3429-30
  By a yea-and-nay vote of 221 yeas to 200 nays, Roll No. 158, the 
House agreed to H. Res. 159, the rule providing for consideration of 
both H.R. 1757, to consolidate international affairs agencies and to 
authorize appropriations for the Department of State and related 
agencies for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 and H.R. 1758, to ensure that 
the enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
proceeds in a manner consistent with United States interests, to 
strengthen relations between the United States and Russia, and to 
preserve the prerogatives of the Congress with respect to certain arms 
control agreements. Earlier, agreed to order the previous question by a 
yea-and-nay vote of 219 yeas to 204 nays, Roll No. 157. 
                                                         Pages H3281-91
Amendments: Amendments ordered printed pursuant to the rule appear on 
page H3477.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea-and-nay votes and six recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the house today and appear on pages 
H3290, H3290-91, H3320-21, H3321, H3341-42, H3342-43, H3343, and H3343-
44. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: Met at 12:00 noon and adjourned at 11:14 p.m.