[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 125 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1025-D1027]
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. 2922-2940; and 3 resolutions, 
H. Res. 301-303, were introduced.                        
  Pages H8627-28
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 2392, to amend the Small Business Act to extend the 
authorization for the Small Business Innovation Research Program (H. 
Rept. 106-329, Pt. 1); and
  H. Res. 300, waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with 
respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the 
Committee on Rules (H. Rept. 106-330).                       
Page H8627
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designated Representative Hefley to act as Speaker pro tempore for 
today.                                                       
  Page H8559
Interstate Class Action Jurisdiction Act: The House passed H.R. 1875, 
to amend title 28, United States Code, to allow the application of the 
principles of Federal diversity jurisdiction to interstate class 
actions by a recorded vote of 222 ayes to 207 noes, Roll No. 443. 
                                                         Pages H8568-95
  Agreed to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute made 
in order by the rule.                                        
Page H8594
Agreed to:
  The Boucher substitute amendment to the Watt of North Carolina 
amendment that allows a class action to be removed to a district court 
before or after a State has certified the class. Except that a 
plaintiff

[[Page D1026]]

who is not a named class member of the action may not seek removal of 
the action before a class containing the plaintiff has been certified. 
Subsequently, agreed to the Watt of North Carolina amendment, as 
amended.                                                 
Pages H8584-85
Rejected:
  The Nadler amendment that sought to exempt any class action that is 
brought for harm caused by a firearm or ammunition (rejected by a 
recorded vote of 152 ayes to 277 noes, Roll No. 439); 
                                                  Pages H8577-78, H8592
  The Jackson-Lee of Texas amendment that sought to exempt any class 
action that is brought for harm caused by a tobacco product (rejected 
by a recorded vote of 162 ayes to 266 noes, Roll No. 440); 
                                               Pages H8578-84, H8592-93
  The Frank of Massachusetts amendment that sought to allow a State 
court to certify a class action after the action has failed to meet 
class certification under Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil 
Procedure in a Federal court (rejected by a recorded vote of 202 ayes 
to 225 noes, Roll No. 441); and                
Pages H8585-88, H8593-94
  The Waters amendment that sought to delay implementation of the act 
until the Judicial Conference of the United States certifies that the 
number of vacancies of Federal judgeships is less that 3 percent 
(rejected by a recorded vote of 185 ayes to 241 noes, Roll No. 442). 
                                                  Pages H8588-92, H8594
  H. Res. 295, the rule that provided for consideration of the bill was 
agreed to by a yea and nay vote of 241 yeas to 181 nays, Roll No. 437. 
                                                         Pages H8563-67
Juvenile Justice Reform Act--Motions to Instruct Conferees:
  Lofgren Motions to Instruct: Agreed to the Lofgren motion to instruct 
conferees on H.R. 1501, to provide grants to ensure increased 
accountability for juvenile offenders to recommend a conference 
substitute that (1) includes a loophole-free system that assures that 
no criminals or other prohibited purchasers (e.g. murderers, rapists, 
child molesters, fugitives from justice, undocumented aliens, stalkers 
and batterers) obtain firearms from non-licensed persons and federally 
licensed firearms dealers at gun shows; (2) does not include provisions 
that weaken current gun safety law; and (3) includes provisions that 
aid in the enforcement of current laws against criminals who use guns 
(e.g. murderers, rapists, child molesters, fugitives from justice, 
stalkers and batterers) by a yea and nay vote of 305 yeas to 117 nays, 
Roll No. 438. Debate on the motion was completed on September 22. 
                                                         Pages H8567-68
  Subsequently, Representative Lofgren notified the House of her 
intention to offer another motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 1501 on 
September 24.                                                
Page H8600
  McCarthy of New York Motion to Instruct: Representative McCarthy 
moved to instruct conferees on H.R. 1501, to provide grants to ensure 
increased accountability for juvenile offenders, to insist that (1) the 
committee of conference should this week have its first substantive 
meeting to offer amendments and motions, including gun safety 
amendments and motions; and (2) the committee of conference should meet 
every weekday in public session until the committee of conference 
agrees to recommend a substitute. Ordered vote on the motion was 
postponed until September 24; and                     
  Pages H8595-H8613
  Doolittle Motions to Instruct: Representative Doolittle notified the 
House of his intention to offer a motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 
1501, to provide grants to ensure increased accountability for juvenile 
offenders; and                                               
  Page H8563
  Subsequently, Representative Doolittle notified the House of his 
intention to offer another motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 1501 on 
September 24.                                                
Page H8595
Presidential Messages: Read the following messages from the President:
  Veto Message Financial Freedom Act: Message wherein he announced his 
veto of H.R. 2488, the Financial Freedom Act of 1999, and explained his 
reasons therefor--referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and 
ordered printed (H. Doc. 106-130);                       
  Pages H8613-21
  National Emergency Re Iran: Message wherein he transmitted his report 
on the national emergency with respect to Iran--referred to the 
Committee on International Relations and ordered printed (H. Doc. 106-
131); and                                                    
  Page H8621
  Money Laundering: Message wherein he transmitted the National Money 
Laundering Strategy for 1999--referred to the Committees on the 
Judiciary and Banking and Finance.                           
  Page H8621
Amendments Ordered Printed: Amendments ordered printed pursuant to the 
rule appear on page H8629.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea and nay votes and five recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages 
H8566-67, H8567-68, H8592, H8592-93, H8593-94, H8594, and H8594-95. 
There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10:00 a.m. and adjourned at 7:02 p.m.

[[Page D1027]]