[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 15 (Wednesday, February 16, 2000)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D97-D98]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 30 public bills, H.R. 3669-3698, and 4 resolutions, 
H. Con. Res. 252-255, were introduced.
  Pages H508-10
Reports Filed: No Reports were filed today.
Journal: Agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal of February 15 
by a yea and nay vote of 354 yeas to 46 nays, Roll No. 22. 
                                                          Pages H457-58
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain the Rev. 
Dr. Ronald F. Christian of Fairfax, Virginia.
  Page H457
Millennium Digital Commerce Act--E-SIGN: The House passed S. 761, to 
regulate interstate commerce by electronic means by permitting and 
encouraging the continued expansion of electronic commerce through the 
operation of free market forces, after amending it to contain the text 
of H. R. 1714, Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce 
Act. The House insisted on its amendments and requested a conference. 
                                                          Pages H486-89
  Appointed as conferees: Chairman Bliley and Representatives Tauzin, 
Oxley, Dingel, and Markey.
Page H489
Small Business Liability Reform Act of 2000: The House passed H.R. 
2366, to provide small businesses certain protections from litigation 
excesses and to limit the product liability of nonmanufacturer product 
sellers by a recorded vote of 221 ayes to 193 noes, Roll No. 25. 
                                                          Pages H463-86
Agreed to:
  Hutchinson amendment that allows the court to exceed punitive damage 
caps if it finds clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted 
with specific intent to cause harm;
Pages H476-77
  Moran of Virginia amendment that defines punitive damage as those 
awarded to punish or deter others from engaging in similar behavior and 
does not include any civil penalties, fines, or treble damages assessed 
by a State or Federal government agency; and
Pages H478-79
  Watt of North Carolina amendment that strikes language to preclude 
Federal court jurisdiction over

[[Page D98]]

claims dealing with the interference in interstate commerce and 
antitrust.
Page H479
Rejected:
  Conyers amendment that sought to change the definition of small 
business to those with revenues, in each of the last two years, of $5 
million or less; apply product liability protections to small retailers 
only; limits cap on punitive damages to product liability; define hate 
crime as those where a defendant selects a victim or victim's property 
based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, 
ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation; and allows States 
to opt out of the Federal damages cap through legislation or voter 
initiative (rejected by a recorded vote of 178 ayes to 237 noes, Roll 
No. 24).
Pages H479-85
  Agreed to H. Res. 423, the rule that provided for consideration of 
the bill by a yea and nay vote of 223 yeas to 187 nays, Roll No. 23. 
                                                          Pages H461-63
Resignations--Appointments: Agreed that notwithstanding any adjournment 
of the House until Tuesday, February 29, 2000, the Speaker, Majority 
leader and Minority leader be authorized to accept resignations and to 
make appointments.
  Page H489
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed that the Calendar Wednesday business be 
dispensed with on Wednesday, March 1, 2000.
  Page H489
Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group: The Chair announced the 
Speaker's appointment of Representative Houghton, as Chairman, to the 
Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group.
  Pages H489-90
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
designated Representative Morella to act as Speaker pro tempore to sign 
enrolled bills and joint resolutions through February 29, 2000. 
                                                              Page H489
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea and nay votes and two recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the House and appear on pages H457-
58, H463, H484-85, and H485. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10:00 a.m. and pursuant to S. Con. Res. 
80, the House adjourned at 5:19 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 
February 29, 2000, for morning-hour debate.