[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 19, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D262-D263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page D262]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: 26 public bills, H.R. 1345-1370; 1 private bill, 
H.R. 1371; and 4 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 101-102, and H. Res. 149-
150, were introduced.                                    
  Pages H2130-32
Additional Cosponsors:                                       
  Page H2132
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H. Res. 151, providing for consideration of H. Con. Res. 95, 
establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government 
for fiscal year 2004 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for 
fiscal years 2003 and 2005 through 2013 (H. Rept. 108-44); and
  H. Res. 152, 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. 108-45).                        
Page H2130
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Rev. 
Willie Davis, Pastor, Second Baptist Church of Las Vegas, Nevada. 
                                                             Page H1957
Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002: The Speaker 
announced that he is in receipt of a report from the President pursuant 
to the Use of Force Resolution approved by Congress last year (107th 
Congress, H.J. Res. 114, Public Law 107-243). He stated that the report 
summarizes diplomatic and other peaceful means pursued by the United 
States, cooperating with foreign countries and international 
organizations to obtain Iraqi compliance with all relevant United 
Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq. He further stated 
that, pursuant to House Rule 12, he will refer the report to the 
Committee on International Relations and submit the document in its 
entirety, for printing into the Congressional Record (H. Doc. 108-50). 
                                                         Pages H1957-60
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Mortgage Servicing Clarification Act: Debated on March 18, H.R. 314, 
to amend the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to exempt mortgage 
servicers from certain requirements of the Act with respect to 
federally related mortgage loans secured by a first lien (agreed to by 
2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 424 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 
68);                                              
  Pages H1988-89, H1989
  Cibola Wildlife Refuge Boundary Correction: H.R. 417, to revoke a 
Public Land Order with respect to certain lands erroneously included in 
the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, California (agreed to by 2/3 yea-
and-nay vote of 424 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 69); 
                                               Pages H1962-63, H1989-90
  Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer Study: H.R. 699, to direct 
the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a comprehensive study of the 
Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer, located in Idaho and 
Washington (agreed to by 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 414 yeas to 6 nays, 
Roll No. 70);                                        
  Pages H1963, H1990
  San Gabriel River Watershed Study: H.R. 519, to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the San Gabriel River 
Watershed;                                               
  Pages H1963-64
  Tax Relief, Simplification, and Equity Act: H.R.1308, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to end certain abusive tax practices, to 
provide tax relief and simplification.                   
  Pages H1970-76
Suspensions--Proceedings Postponed: The House postponed further 
proceedings until tomorrow, March 20 on the following motions to 
suspend the rules that were debated today:
  Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act: H.R. 1307, to amend the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a special rule for members of the 
uniformed services in determining the exclusion of gain from the sale 
of a principal residence and to restore the tax exempt status of death 
gratuity payments to members of the uniformed services; and 
                                                         Pages H1964-70
  Urging that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling on the Pledge 
of Allegiance be Overturned: H. Res. 132, expressing the sense of the 
House of Representatives that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling 
in Newdow v. United States Congress is inconsistent with the Supreme 
Court's interpretation of the first amendment and should be overturned.
                                                         Pages H1976-81
Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act: The House 
passed H.R. 975, to amend title 11 of the United States Code by yea-
and-nay vote of 315 yeas to 113 nays with 1 voting ``present'', Roll 
No. 74.                                               
  Pages H1991-H2100
  Rejected the Jackson-Lee motion to recommit the bill to the Committee 
on the Judiciary with instructions to report the same back to the House 
forthwith with an amendment that inserts Sec. 220A, protecting alimony 
and child support payments from competition with new creditor 
entitlements by a recorded vote of 150 ayes to 276 noes with 1 voting 
``present'', Roll No. 73.                                
Pages H2097-99

[[Page D263]]


  Pursuant to the rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill 
(H. Rept. 108-40 Part 1) was considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment.                                        
Page H1999
Agreed To:
  Toomey amendment No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 108-42 that revises Title 
IX, Financial Contract Provisions to include banks and credit unions; 
                                                         Pages H2046-51
  Guiterrez amendment No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 108-42 that specifies 
that Section 1234, Involuntary Cases, shall apply with respect to cases 
commenced under Title 11 of the United States Code before, on, and 
after enactment;                                             
Page H2055
  Cannon amendment No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 108-42 that increases the 
monetary cap on wage and employee benefit claims entitled to priority 
under the bankruptcy code, strengthens provisions dealing with fraud, 
and requires the reinstatement of retiree benefits that are modified 
within 180 days period preceding the filing unless equity balances 
justify the modification.                                
Pages H2151-53
Rejected:
  Sherman amendment No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 108-42 that sought to 
require corporations to file a bankruptcy case in the district where 
their principal place of business is located (rejected by recorded vote 
of 155 ayes to 269 noes with 1 voting ``present,'' Roll No. 71); and 
                                               Pages H2053-55, H2095-96
  Nadler amendment in the nature of a substitute No. 5 printed in H. 
Rept. 108-42 that among other provisions, sought to modify the means 
test and require the court, in considering a motion to dismiss or 
convert a Chapter 7 case, to consider the debtor's actual reasonable 
and necessary expenses and income (rejected by a recorded vote of 128 
ayes to 296 noes with 1 voting ``present,'' Roll No. 72). 
                                               Pages H2055-95, H2096-97
  Agreed to the unanimous consent request made by Representative 
Gutierrez that he be permitted to offer amendment numbered 2 printed in 
House Report 107-42 out of numerical sequence.               
Page H2055
  The Clerk was authorized to make technical corrections and conforming 
changes in the engrossment of the bill.                      
Page H2100
  The House agreed to H. Res. 147, the rule that provided for 
consideration of the bill by voice vote.                 
Pages H1981-88
Presidential Messages: Read the following messages from the President:
  National Emergency Re National Union for the Total Independence of 
Angola: Message wherein he transmitted a 6 month report on the national 
emergency with respect to the National Union for the Total Independence 
of Angola (UNITA) that was declared in Executive order 12865 of 
September 26, 1993--referred to the Committee on International 
Relations;                                                   
  Page H2100
  Federal Ocean and Coastal Activities Report: Message wherein he 
transmitted the first biennial Federal Ocean and Coastal Activities 
Report--referred to the Committees on Resources, Science, and 
Transportation and Infrastructure; and                       
  Page H2100
  United States Participation in the United Nations: Message wherein he 
transmitted a report on the participation of the United States in the 
United Nations and its affiliated agencies during calendar year 2002--
referred to the Committee on International Relations.        
  Page H2118
Recess: The House recessed at 9:50 p.m. and reconvened at 10:37 p.m. 
                                                             Page H2129
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H1957.
Referral: S. 628 was referred to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs 
and Science.                                                 
  Page H2129
Quorum Calls--Votes: Four yea-and-nay votes and three recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages 
H1989, H1989-90, H1990, H2095-96, H2096-97, H2098-99, and H2099-H2100. 
There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 10:38 p.m.