[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 16, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D986-D988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 11 public bills, H.R. 4577-4587; 2 private bills, 
H.R. 4588-4589; and 3 resolutions, H.J. Res. 128-129 and H. Res. 540, 
were introduced.                                         
  Pages H7914-15
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  Report on Revised Suballocation of Budget totals for Fiscal Year 1999 
(H. Rept. 105-722);
  H.R. 3381, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary 
of the Interior to exchange land and other assets with Big Sky Lumber 
Co., amended (H. Rept. 105-723 Part 1);
  H. Res. 541, providing for consideration of H.J. Res. 128, making 
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1999 (H. Rept. 105-724);
  H. Res. 542, providing for consideration of H.R. 4569, making 
appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related 
programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999 (H. Rept. 105-
725); and
  H. Res. 543, providing for consideration of H.R. 3248, to provide 
dollars to the classroom (H. Rept. 105-726).                 
Page H7914
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designated Representative Upton to act as Speaker pro tempore for 
today.                                                       
  Page H7811
Treasury, Postal Appropriations: The House disagreed to the Senate 
amendment to H.R. 4104, making appropriations for the Treasury 
Department, the United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of 
the President, and certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 1999, and agreed to a conference. Appointed as 
conferees: Representatives Kolbe, Wolf, Istook, Northup, Aderholt, 
Livingston, McDade, Hoyer, Meek of Florida, Price of North Carolina, 
and Obey.                                                
  Pages H7814-17
  Agreed to the Hoyer motion to instruct conferees to insist on the 
Senate position providing $3,250,000,000 for emergency expenses 
relating to Year 2000 conversion of Federal information technology 
systems.                                                 
Pages H7815-17

[[Page D987]]

Western Hemisphere Drug Elimination Act: The House passed H.R. 4300, to 
support enhanced drug interdiction efforts in the major transit 
countries and support a comprehensive supply eradication and crop 
substitution program in source countries, by a recorded vote of 384 
ayes to 39 noes, Roll No. 442.                           
  Pages H7819-57
Agreed To:
  The Hastert amendment numbered 2 printed in the Congressional Record 
that requires the Director of the Office of National Drug Control 
Policy to develop a 10-year master plan for the use of mycoherbicides 
to control narcotic crops;                                   
Page H7835
  The Shaw amendment numbered 6 printed in the Congressional Record 
that allows a State, county, port authority or other local jurisdiction 
to conduct criminal background checks on employees or applicants for 
employment;                                              
Pages H7844-48
  The McCollum amendment numbered 4 printed in the Congressional Record 
that expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense and 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff should revise the priority for 
counter drug activity, making it second only to war-fighting (agreed to 
by a recorded vote of 362 ayes to 61 noes, Roll No. 438); 
                                               Pages H7831-35, H7854-55
  The Traficant amendment that specifies that the Secretary of Defense 
shall assist in keeping illegal drugs out of the U.S. by assigning 
members of the Armed Forces to assist the Immigration and 
Naturalization Service and the Customs Service (agreed to by a recorded 
vote of 291 ayes to 133 noes, Roll No. 440);   
Pages H7835-44, H7855-56
Rejected:
  The Reyes amendment, as modified, to the Traficant amendment that 
sought to clarify that nothing shall be construed as authorizing the 
deployment of the Armed Forces in contravention of United States law 
(rejected by a recorded vote of 167 ayes to 256 noes, Roll No. 439); 
                                                  Pages H7838-44, H7855
  The Waters amendment that sought to strike sections providing 
additional eradication resources for Colombia and Mexico, and to strike 
the sense of Congress provision to accord U.S. law enforcement 
personnel serving in Mexico and Mexican law enforcement personnel 
serving in the United States the same status as their respective 
diplomatic and consular personnel (rejected by a recorded vote of 67 
ayes to 354 noes, Roll No. 441).               
Pages H7848-54, H7856-57
  H. Res. 537, the rule that provided for consideration of the bill, 
was agreed to by voice vote.                             
Pages H7817-19
Drug Demand Reduction Act: The House passed H.R. 4550, to provide for 
programs to facilitate a significant reduction in the incidence and 
prevalence of substance abuse through reducing the demand for illegal 
drugs and the inappropriate use of legal drugs, by a recorded vote of 
396 ayes to 9 noes, Roll No. 444.                        
  Pages H7863-88
Agreed To:
  The Portman amendment that clarifies that Employee Assistance 
Programs may offer treatment; specifies that the program for drug free 
teenage drivers does not place a mandate on the States and authorizes 
appropriations; requires a study regarding the development of anti-
addiction drugs; and specifies a quorum for Commission on the Role of 
Medical Education in Reducing Substance Abuse.           
Pages H7869-70
  The Ros-Lehtinen amendment that increases the drug-free parents 
empowerment grant amount from $20,000 to $50,000;        
Pages H7875-76
  The Barrett of Wisconsin amendment that specifies that any drug-free 
workplace demonstration program shall include employee drug testing by 
a drug testing laboratory certified by the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration or the College of American Pathologists, 
and each positive test result shall be reviewed by a Licensed Medical 
Review Officer;                                              
Page H7876
  The Souder amendment that specifies that quality rating, criteria, 
quality program designation, and public notification decisions are the 
responsibility of each State; and                        
Pages H7876-77
  The Portman amendment that specifies that members of the Commission 
on Role of Medical Education in Reducing Substance Abuse shall include 
representatives of the American Psychiatric Association, American 
Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and American Academy of 
Addiction Psychiatry, and establishes a quorum of 7 members. 
                                                             Page H7886
Rejected:
  The Taylor of Mississippi amendment that requires that each 
individual appointed to an employment position with the Federal 
Government after enactment shall be subject to random, unannounced drug 
testing (rejected by a recorded vote of 123 ayes to 281 noes, Roll No. 
443);                                          
Pages H7877-80, H7886-87
Point of Order sustained against:
  The Latham amendment numbered 1 printed in the Congressional Record 
that specifies that any person who manufactures or distributes a 
controlled substance shall be liable in a civil action to any party 
harmed, directly or indirectly, by the use of that controlled 
substance.                                               
Pages H7884-85
Withdrawn:
  The Ramstad amendment numbered 2 printed in the Congressional Record 
that sought to require parity in the application of treatment 
limitations and financial requirements to substance abuse treatment

[[Page D988]]

benefits with those for medical and surgical benefits; and 
                                                         Pages H7880-82
  The Kennedy of Massachusetts amendment that includes alcohol abuse in 
the national media campaign by the Director of the Office of National 
Drug Control Policy for the purpose of reducing and preventing alcohol 
abuse among young people.                                
Pages H7882-84
  The Clerk was authorized in the engrossment of the bill to make 
technical and conforming changes to reflect the actions of the House. 
                                                             Page H7888
  H. Res. 538, the rule that provided for consideration of the bill, 
was agreed to by a voice vote.                           
Pages H7858-63
Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act: The House insisted on its 
amendment to S. 1260, to amend the Securities Act of 1933 and the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to limit the conduct of securities 
class actions under State law, and agreed to a conference. Appointed as 
conferees: Representatives Bliley, Oxley, Tauzin, Cox, White, Dingell, 
Stupak, and Eshoo.                                           
  Page H7888
Presidential Message--Commodity Credit Corporation: Read a message from 
the President wherein he transmitted his annual report of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation for FY 1996--referred to the Committee on 
Agriculture.                                                 
  Page H7888
Committee Election: Agreed to H. Res. 540, electing Representative 
Sherman to the Committee on Science.                         
  Page H7888
Amendments: Amendments ordered printed pursuant to the rule appear on 
pages H7915-23.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Seven recorded votes developed during the 
proceedings of the House today and appear on pages H7854-55, H7855, 
H7855-56, H7856-57, H7857, H7886-87, and H7887-88. There were no quorum 
calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10:00 a.m. and adjourned at 11:30 p.m.