[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 45 (Thursday, March 20, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D273-D275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: 40 public bills, H.R. 1372-1411; and 14 
resolutions, H.J. Res. 41-42; H. Con. Res. 103-109, and H. Res. 153-157 
were introduced.
  Pages H2268-70
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H2270-72
Reports Filed: No reports were filed today.
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Rev. 
David K. Stewart, Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Wayne, 
Michigan.
  Page H2133
Journal: The House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal of 
Wednesday, March 19 by yea-and-nay vote of 373 yeas to 49 nays with 2 
voting ``present'', Roll No. 75.
  Pages H2133, H2135-36
Expressing the Support and Appreciation of the Nation for the President 
and the Members of the Armed Forces: The House agreed to H. Con. Res. 
104, expressing the support and appreciation of the Nation for the 
President and the members of the Armed Forces who are participating in 
Operation Iraqi Freedom by yea-and-nay vote of 392 yeas to 11 nays with 
22 voting ``present'', Roll No. 83.
  Pages H2229-51, H2262-63
  Earlier agreed by unanimous consent to consider the concurrent 
resolution.
Pages H2227-29
Leave of Absence Granted to Representative Buyer of Indiana: On motion 
of Speaker Hastert, Representative Buyer was granted a leave of absence 
for an indefinite period of time on account of military service. 
Earlier, the Speaker read a letter from Representative Buyer wherein he 
stated that he had been called to active duty in the United States Army 
and that pending further orders, he requested immediate indefinite 
leave of the House of Representatives to accommodate his military 
duties.
  Pages H2226-27
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act: Debated on March 19, 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 
(agreed to by \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 422 yeas with none voting 
``nay,'' Roll No. 76); and
  Pages H2136-37
  Urging that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling on the Pledge 
of Allegiance be Overturned:

[[Page D274]]

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 (agreed to by \2/3\ yea-and-
nay vote of 400 yeas to 7 nays with 15 voting ``present,'' Roll No. 
77).
  Page H2137
Concurrent Resolution on the Budget: The House agreed to 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 by yea-and-nay vote 
of 215 yeas to 212 nays, Roll No. 82. 
                                Pages H2145-70, H2171-H2227, H2251-2262
  Pursuant to the rule, the Nussle amendment in the nature of a 
substitute specified in part A of H. Rept. 108-44 was considered as 
adopted.
Rejected:
  Hill (``Blue Dog Coalition'') amendment in the nature of a substitute 
no. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 108-44 that sought to provide for 
spending at the levels contained in the President's budget as estimated 
by CBO; include reconciliation for a tax package with tax relief offset 
by deferring a portion of tax cuts for upper income taxpayers if the 
budget remains in deficit; directs a Medicare prescription drug benefit 
of $400 billion; provides an increase in the debt limit of 150 billion 
but prohibits any further increase in the debt limit of more that $100 
billion until CBO certifies that the budget is on path to balance by 
2009 (rejected by a recorded vote of 174 ayes to 254 noes, Roll No. 
78);
Pages H2176-89
  Toomey (``Republican Study Committee'') amendment in the nature of a 
substitute no. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 108-44 that sought to 
balance the budget in four years; provide $512 billion in tax relief 
over the next five years and $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years, all 
under reconciliation; freezes total discretionary spending for one year 
and then permits growth at half of the rate of inflation for two years; 
and within the total level of discretionary spending, defense and 
homeland security are funded at the requested levels (rejected by a 
recorded vote of 80 ayes to 342 noes, Roll No. 79);
Pages H2189-H2204
  Cummings (``Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus'') 
amendment in the nature of a substitute no. 3 printed in part B of H. 
Rept. 108-44 that sought to freeze the tax cut; support defense funding 
commensurate with the President's request; provide $300 billion for 
economic stimulus; provide for universal single payer healthcare 
program and $528 billion for Medicare prescription drug benefit; and 
increase education funding by $20 billion (rejected by recorded vote of 
85 ayes to 340 noes, Roll No. 80);
Pages H2203-13
  Spratt (``Democratic Alternative'') amendment in the nature of a 
substitute no. 4 printed in part B of H. Rept. 108-44, as modified, 
that sought to restore $98 billion of direct spending cuts and increase 
funding for homeland security, education, and other priorities; provide 
$528 billion for a Medicare prescription drug benefit and allows 
increases to the extent offsets are identified; achieves budget balance 
in 2010 and adds $573 billion less to the public debt (rejected by 
recorded vote of 192 ayes to 236 noes, Roll No. 81).
Pages H2213-26
  Earlier agreed to the unanimous consent request made by 
Representative Spratt that the amendment no. 4 in H. Rept. 108-44 be 
considered as modified by the form that he placed at the desk. 
                                                             Page H2145
  The House agreed to H. Res. 151, the rule that provided for 
consideration of the concurrent resolution by voice vote. 
                                                         Pages H2138-45
Presidential Message--National Emergency re Iraq: Message wherein he 
reported that he has taken additional steps with respect to the 
national emergency declared in Executive Order 12722 of August 2, 1990, 
by exercising his statutory authority to confiscate and vest certain 
property of the Government of Iraq and its agencies, instrumentalities, 
or controlled entities--referred to the Committee on International 
Relations and ordered printed (H. Doc. 108-51).
  Page H2264
Legislative Program: The Majority Leader announced the Legislative 
Program for the week of March 24.
  Page H2263
Meeting Hour--Monday, March 24 and Tuesday, March 25: Agreed that when 
the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 
24 and agreed that when the House adjourns on Monday, it adjourn to 
meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, for morning hour today. 
                                                         Pages H2263-64
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday 
business of Wednesday, March 26.
  Page H2264
Recess: The House recessed at 11 a.m. and reconvened at 12:30 p.m. 
                                                             Page H2138
Senate Message: Messages received from the Senate today appear on pages 
H2133.
Referrals: S. 153 was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and S. 
342 was held at the desk.
  Page H2265
Quorum Calls--Votes: Five yea-and-nay votes and four recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages 
H2135-36,

[[Page D275]]

H2136-37, H2137, H2189, H2203, H2212, H2226, H2261-62, H2262-63. There 
were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 3:11 a.m. on 
Friday, March 21.