[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D350-D352]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 76 public bills, H.R. 3615-3690; and 5 resolutions, 
H. Con. Res. 257-260, and H. Res. 406 were introduced.   
  Pages H2051-55
Reports Filed: Reports were filed as follows:
  H.R. 2691, to reauthorize and improve the operations of the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, amended (H. Rept. 105-477);
  H.R. 1252, to modify the procedures of the Federal courts in certain 
matters, amended (H. Rept. 105-478);
  H.R. 2729, a private bill, for the relief of Ruth Hairston by waiver 
of a filing deadline for appeal from a ruling relating to her 
application for a survivor annuity (H. Rept. 105-479); and
  H.R. 2431, to establish an Office of Religious Persecution 
Monitoring, to provide for the imposition of sanctions against 
countries engaged in a pattern of religious persecution (H. Rept. 105-
480).                                                        
Page H2051
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designated Representative Hefley to act as Speaker pro tempore for 
today.                                                       
  Page H1855
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, the 
Reverend Douglas Tanner of Washington, D.C.                  
  Page H1855
Suspension--Credit Union Membership Access Act: The House agreed to 
suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1151, to amend the Federal Credit Union 
Act to clarify existing law and ratify the longstanding policy of the 
National Credit Union Administration Board with regard to field of 
membership of Federal credit unions, by a yea and nay vote of 411 yeas 
to 8 nays, Roll No. 92.                                  
  Pages H1868-85
Rules Committee Resolutions: Agreed by unanimous consent that H. Res. 
309 and H. Res. 403 be laid on the table.                    
  Page H1885
Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act: The House 
passed H.R. 2400, to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway 
safety programs, and transit programs by a recorded vote of 337 ayes to 
80 noes with 2 voting ``present'', Roll No. 98.       
  Pages H1885-H2030
Agreed To:
  The Shuster manager's amendment, as modified, that makes various 
technical changes including provisions relating to partnerships with 
nongovernmental entities; the Indian reservation roads program; the 
Federal share for certain safety projects; a substitute project for the 
District of Columbia in lieu of Barney Circle freeway; use of HOV lanes 
by electric vehicles; a highway safety education and information study 
and report to Congress; studies on clean fuel vehicles, electronic 
data, and future strategic highway research; an integrated surface 
transportation strategic planning process; and a surface 
transportation-environment cooperative research program; 
                                                         Pages H1989-97
  The Davis of Illinois amendment that allocates an additional $108 
million for the access to jobs challenge grant pilot program designed 
to transport welfare recipients to and from jobs and activities related 
to their employment (agreed to by a recorded vote of 242 ayes to 175 
noes, Roll No. 94);                            
Pages H1997-H2000, H2012
Rejected:
  The Roukema amendment that sought to strike the Disadvantaged 
Business Enterprises section and insert language encouraging 
affirmative action and prohibiting discrimination or preferential 
treatment (rejected by a recorded vote of 194 ayes to 225 noes with 1 
voting ``present'', Roll No. 93);                        
Pages H2000-12
  The Graham amendment that sought to reduce highway project 
authorization funding and transit project authorization funding by 
approximately $18 billion during fiscal years 1998 through 2003 
(rejected by a recorded vote of 79 ayes to 337 noes with 2 voting 
``present'', Roll No. 95);                     
Pages H2012-15, H2027-28
  The Spratt amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
extend funding for an additional two months for each of the programs 
for which an extension was provided under the Surface Transportation 
Extension Act of 1997 (rejected by a recorded vote of 106 ayes to 312 
noes with 1 voting ``present'', Roll No. 96); and 
                                               Pages H2016-19, H2028-29
  The Kasich amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
establish the Transportation

[[Page D351]]

Empowerment Act that provides a four year transition period to return 
to the States maximum discretionary authority and fiscal responsibility 
for all elements of the national transportation systems not within the 
direct purview of the Federal government and lowers the federal gas tax 
by 11 cents per gallon and eliminates most highway trust fund programs 
(rejected by a recorded vote of 98 ayes to 318 noes with 2 voting 
``present'', Roll No. 97).                        
Pages H2019-27, H2029
  The Clerk was authorized to make technical corrections in the 
engrossment of the bill to reflect the actions of the House. 
                                                             Page H2030
  H. Res. 405, the rule that provided for consideration of the bill was 
agreed to earlier by a yea and nay vote of 357 yeas to 61 nays, Roll 
No. 91. Pursuant to the rule, the amendment expressing the sense of 
Congress that any offsets should not include provisions that change 
programs or benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
was considered as adopted.                               
Pages H1858-67
Senate Action--BESTEA: Agreed by unanimous consent that if and when the 
Clerk receives a message from the Senate indicating that it has passed 
H.R. 2400, with an amendment, insisted upon its amendment, and 
requested a conference, then the House be deemed to have disagreed to 
the amendment of the Senate and agreed to the conference requested by 
the Senate, and that the Speaker be deemed to have appointed conferees 
without intervening motion. Further, it was made in order that at any 
time during the week of Tuesday, April 21, 1998, notwithstanding the 
Speaker's appointment of conferees pursuant to this request, for a 
Member to offer a motion to instruct the managers on the part of the 
House on H.R. 2400, as if offered prior to the appointment of the 
conferees. The managers may not file their report prior to Wednesday, 
April 22, 1998.                                              
  Page H2031
Appointment of Conferees--BESTEA: Pursuant to the earlier order of the 
House of today, the Chair appointed the following conferees on H.R. 
2400, effective upon receipt of the proper message from the Senate: For 
consideration of the House bill, except title XI , and the Senate 
amendment, except title VI, and modifications committed to conference: 
Chairman Shuster, Representatives Young of Alaska, Petri, Boehlert, 
Kim, Horn, Fowler, Baker, Ney, Metcalf, Oberstar, Rahall, Borski, 
Lipinski, Wise, Clyburn, Filner, and McGovern. The Chair will announce 
additional conferees at a subsequent time.                   
  Page H2034
Thirtieth Anniversary of the Death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: The 
House agreed to H. Con. Res. 247, recognizing the contributions of the 
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the civil society of the United 
States and the world and to the cause of nonviolent social and 
political change to advance social justice and equality for all races 
and calling on the people of the United States to study, reflect on, 
and celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on the thirtieth 
anniversary of his death.                                
  Pages H2031-32
Enrollment Correction: The House agreed to S. Con. Res. 87, to correct 
the enrollment of S. 419.                                
  Pages H2032-33
Late Report: The committee on Education and the Workforce received 
permission to have until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 20 to file a report 
on H.R. 6, the Higher Education Amendments of 1998.          
  Page H2033
Passover-Easter District Work Period: The House agreed to H. Con. Res. 
257 providing for the adjournment of both Houses of Congress by a yea 
and nay vote of 223 yeas to 187 nays with 1 voting ``present'', Roll 
No. 91.                                                  
  Pages H1867-68
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designated Representative Morella or, if not available, Representative 
Davis of Virginia to act as Speaker pro tempore to sign enrolled bills 
and joint resolutions through Tuesday, April 21, 1998.       
  Page H2032
Extension of Remarks: Agreed that for today, all members be permitted 
to extend their remarks and to include extraneous material in that 
section of the record entitled ``Extension of Remarks.''     
  Page H2033
Resignations--Appointments: Agreed that notwithstanding any adjournment 
of the House until Tuesday, April 21, 1998, the Speaker, Majority 
Leader, and Minority Leader be authorized to accept resignations and to 
make appointments authorized by law or by the House.         
  Page H2033
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed that business in order under the calendar 
Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday, April 22, 1998. 
                                                             Page H2033
Senate Messages: Messages received from the Senate appear on pages 
H1855 and H2034.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea and nay votes and six recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages 
H1867, H1868, H1884-85, H2011-12, H2012, H2028, H2028-29, H2029, and 
H2030. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: Met at 10:00 a.m. and pursuant to the provisions of H. 
Con. Res. 257, the House adjourned at 11:59 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. on 
Tuesday, April 21, for morning hour debates.

[[Page D352]]