[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 91 (Thursday, June 24, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D725-D726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 27 public bills, H.R. 2335-2361, were introduced. 
                                                         Pages H4910-12
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 853, to amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to provide 
for joint resolutions on the budget, reserve funds for emergency 
spending, strengthened enforcement of budgetary decisions, increased 
accountability for Federal spending, accrual budgeting for Federal 
insurance programs, mitigation of the bias in the budget process toward 
higher spending, modifications in paygo requirements when there is an 
on-budget surplus, amended, adversely (H. Rept. 106-198, Part 1); and
  H. Res. 221, providing for the consideration of H.R. 1802, to amend 
part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to provide States with 
more funding and greater flexibility in carrying out programs designed 
to help children make the transition from foster care to self-
sufficiency (H. Rept. 106-199).
Page H4910
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Rev. Dr. 
Calvin V. French of Washington, D.C.
  Page H4829
Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Flag Desecration: The House passed 
H.J. Res. 33, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States authorizing the Congress to prohibit the physical desecration of 
the flag of the United States by a recorded vote of 305 ayes to 124 
noes, Roll No. 252. The House completed general debate on June 23. 
                                                         Pages H4833-44
  Rejected the Watt of North Carolina amendment in the nature of a 
substitute that sought to propose

[[Page D726]]

the following article as an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States: ``Not inconsistent with the first article of amendment to this 
Constitution, the Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical 
desecration of the flag of the United States'' by a yea and nay vote of 
115 yeas to 310 nays, Roll No. 251.
Pages H4833-41
  H. Res. 217, the rule that provided for consideration of the joint 
resolution was agreed to on June 23.
Year 2000 Readiness and Responsibility Act: The House disagreed to the 
Senate amendment to H.R. 775, to establish certain procedures for civil 
actions brought for damages relating to the failure of any device or 
system to process or otherwise deal with the transition from the year 
1999 to the year 2000, and agreed to a conference. Appointed as 
conferees: Representatives Hyde, Sensenbrenner, Goodlatte, Conyers, and 
Lofgren from the Committee on the Judiciary and Representatives Bliley, 
Oxley, and Dingell from the Committee on Commerce for consideration of 
section 18 of the Senate amendment.
  Pages H4844-51
  Agreed to the Conyers motion to instruct conferees to ensure that 
their eventual report to the House reflects due regard for the 
substantive concerns of the high-technology community and the possible 
implications of the ``y2k'' date change on that community and on the 
Nation's economy; the substantive inputs of the Administration and of 
the bipartisan Leaderships in the Congress on the issues committed to 
conference; and the sense of the House that a decision not to follow 
this process will lead to a failure to enact legislation by a yea and 
nay vote of 426 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 253. 
                                                         Pages H4844-51
Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act: The House passed H.R. 1658, to 
provide a more just and uniform procedure for Federal civil forfeitures 
by a recorded vote of 375 ayes to 48 noes, Roll No. 255. 
                                                         Pages H4854-79
  Agreed to a Committee amendment in the nature of a substitute made in 
order by the rule.
Pages H4864-78
Agreed to:
  The Hyde amendment that clarifies that the provisions of the bill 
apply to civil asset forfeitures not criminal asset forfeitures. 
                                                             Page H4864
Rejected:
  The Paul substitute amendment to the Hutchinson amendment in the 
nature of a substitute that sought to specify that no property may be 
forfeited under any civil asset forfeiture law unless the property's 
owner has first been convicted of the criminal offense that makes the 
property subject to forfeiture; and
Pages H4871-76
  The Hutchinson amendment in the nature of a substitute that sought to 
create general rules relating to civil forfeiture proceedings and 
require the United States to establish, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, that the property is subject to forfeiture (rejected by a 
recorded vote of 155 ayes to 268 noes, Roll No. 254).
Pages H4864-76
Withdrawn:
  The Meek of Florida amendment was offered, but subsequently 
withdrawn, that sought to permit civil asset forfeiture for any 
conveyance used in alien smuggling.
Page H4869
  H. Res. 216, the rule that provided for consideration of the bill was 
agreed to earlier by voice vote.
Pages H4851-54
Presidential Messages: Read the following messages from the President:
  Civil Uses of Atomic Energy Between the U.S. and Canada: Message 
wherein he transmitted his text of a proposed Protocol Amending the 
Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Civil Uses of Atomic Energy 
Between the government of the United States and Canada--referred to the 
Committee on International Relations and ordered printed (H. Doc. 106-
84); and
  Pages H4879-80
  Export Administration Act: Message wherein he transmitted 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. 106-85). 
                                                             Page H4880
Senate Messages: Message received from the Senate appears on page 
H4829.
Amendments Ordered Printed: Amendments ordered printed pursuant to the 
rule appear on pages H4913-53.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea and nay votes and three recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages 
H4841, H4843-44, H4851, H4876, and H4878. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10:00 a.m. and adjourned at 9:10 p.m.