[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 169 (Thursday, November 20, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1309-D1311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: 28 public bills, H.R. 3540-3567; and 6 
resolutions, H. Con. Res. 332-335, and H. Res. 460-461, were 
introduced.
  Pages H11700-02
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H11702-03
Reports Filed: Reports were filed as follows today:
  H.R. 2408, to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize 
volunteer programs and community partnerships for national wildlife 
refuges, amended (H. Rept. 108-385);
  Conference report on H.R. 1904, to improve the capacity of the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to plan and 
conduct hazardous fuels reduction projects on National Forest System 
lands and Bureau of Land Management lands aimed at protecting 
communities, watersheds, and certain other at-risk lands from 
catastrophic wildfire, to enhance efforts to protect watersheds and 
address threats to forest and rangeland health, including catastrophic 
wildfire, across the landscape (H. Rept. 108-386);
  H. Res. 456, providing for consideration of motions to suspend the 
rules (H. Rept. 108-387);
  H. Res. 457, waiving points of order against the conference report to 
accompany H.R. 1904, to improve the capacity of the Secretary of 
Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to plan and conduct 
hazardous fuels reduction projects on National Forest System lands and 
Bureau of Land Management lands aimed at protecting communities, 
watersheds, and certain other at-risk lands from catastrophic wildfire, 
to enhance efforts to protect watersheds and address threats to forest 
and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire, across the 
landscape (H. Rept. 108-388);
  H. Res. 458, 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. 108-389); and
  H. Res. 459, 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. 108-390).
  Conference report on H.R. 1, to amend title XVIII of the Social 
Security Act to provide for a voluntary program for prescription drug 
coverage under the Medicare Program, to modernize the Medicare Program, 
to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction to 
individuals for amounts contributed to health savings security accounts 
and health savings accounts, to provide for the disposition of unused 
health benefits in cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements, 
and for other purposes, (H. Rept. 108-391).
Page H11686-98, H11700
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
appointed Representative Bass to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                            Page H11657
Chaplain: The prayer was offered today by Rev. Msgr. Barry Knestout of 
the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.
  Page H11657
Consideration of measures under suspension of the rules: The House 
agreed to H. Res. 449, providing for consideration of motions to 
suspend the rules by a voice vote.
  Pages H11660-61
Intelligence Authorization Act--Conference Report: The House agreed to 
the conference report on H.R. 2417, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2004 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities 
of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and 
the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, by a 
yea-and-nay vote of 264 yeas to 163 nays, Roll No. 649. 
                                             Pages H11661-63, H11667-78
  Agreed to H. Res. 451, the rule providing for consideration of the 
conference report by a voice vote.
Pages H11661-63
Continuing Appropriations for fiscal year 2004: The House passed H.J. 
Res. 78, making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2004, 
by a yea-and-nay vote of 410 yeas to 10 nays, Roll No. 648. 
                                                Pages H11667-73, H11677
  Agreed to H. Res. 450, the rule providing for consideration of the 
measure by a yea-and-nay vote of 406 yeas to 2 nays, Roll No. 645. 
                                                        Pages H11663-65
Recess: The House recessed at 1 p.m. and reconvened at 1:35 p.m. 
                                                            Page H11677

[[Page D1310]]

Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003--Motion to 
Instruct Conferees: The House rejected the Hooley motion to instruct 
conferees on H.R. 1, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
provide for a voluntary prescription drug benefit under the Medicare 
program and to strengthen and improve the Medicare program, by a yea-
and-nay vote of 201 yeas to 222 nays, Roll No. 650.
  Pages H11678-79
  Later the House debated the Inslee motion to instruct conferees on 
the bill. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. 
                                                        Pages H11845-53
Labor/HHS Appropriations--Motion to Instruct Conferees: The House 
agreed to the Kildee motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 2660, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2004, by a yea-and-nay vote of 360 yeas to 64 nays, Roll 
No. 651.
  Pages H11679-80
  Later Representative Markey announced his intention to offer a motion 
to instruct conferees on the bill and Representative Pomeroy announced 
his intention to offer a motion to instruct conferees on the bill. 
                                                            Page H11845
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Prevention Act of 2003: 
Debated on Wednesday, November 19, S. 286, to revise and extend the 
Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 
415 yeas to 1 nay, Roll No. 646--clearing the measure for the 
President;
  Pages H11665-66
  Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act Amendments of 
2003: Debated on Wednesday, November 19, S. 686, amended, to provide 
assistance for poison prevention and to stabilize the funding of 
regional poison control centers, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 420 
yeas to 1 nay, Roll No. 647;
  Pages H11666-67
  21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act: S. 189, to 
authorize appropriations for nanoscience, nanoengineering, and 
nanotechnology research;
  Pages H11680-85
  Veterans Benefits Act of 2003: Agreed to the Senate amendment to H.R. 
2297, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve benefits under 
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs--clearing the 
measure for the President;
  Pages H11705-22
  Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003: Agreed to the 
Senate amendments to H.J. Res. 63, to approve the Compact of Free 
Association, as amended, between the Government of the United States of 
America and the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia, and 
the Compact of Free Association, as amended, between the Government of 
the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, and to appropriate funds to carry out the amended 
Compacts, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 417 yeas to 2 nays, Roll No. 
652--clearing the measure for the President;
  Pages H11722-57
  Commending the signing of the United States-Adriatic Charter: Agreed 
to the Senate amendments to H. Con. Res. 209, commending the signing of 
the United States-Adriatic Charter, a charter of partnership among the 
United States, Albania, Croatia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 416 yeas to 1 nay, Roll No. 
653--clearing the measure for the President; 
                                             Pages H11757-59, H11842-43
  Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 
2003: Agreed to the Senate amendments to H.R. 1828, to halt Syrian 
support for terrorism, end its occupation of Lebanon, stop its 
development of weapons of mass destruction, cease its illegal 
importation of Iraqi oil and illegal shipments of weapons and other 
military items to Iraq, and by so doing hold Syria accountable for the 
serious international security problems it has caused in the Middle 
East, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 408 yeas to 8 nays, with one 
voting ``present'', Roll No. 654--clearing the measure for the 
President;
  Pages H11759-62, H11843-44
  Tax Relief Extension Act of 2003: H.R. 3521, amended, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions; 
and
  Pages H11762-H11833
  Two Floods and You Are Out of the Taxpayers' Pocket Act of 2003: H.R. 
253, amended, to amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to 
reduce losses to properties for which repetitive flood insurance claim 
payments have been made, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 352 yeas to 67 
nays, Roll No. 655.
  Pages H11833-42, H11844
Extending the Programs on the Small Business Act and the Small Business 
Investment Act: The House agreed by unanimous consent to pass S. 1895, 
to temporarily extend the programs under the Small Business Act and the 
Small Business Investment Act of 1958 through March 15, 2004--clearing 
the measure for the President.
  Pages H11844-45
Transportation and Treasury Appropriations--Motion to Instruct 
Conferees: The House agreed to the Hastings of Florida motion to 
instruct conferees on H.R. 2989, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Transportation and Treasury, and

[[Page D1311]]

independent agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004 by 
voice vote.
  Pages H11853-56
Senate Messages: Messages received from the Senate today appear on 
pages H11658 and H11677.
Senate Referral: S. 1895 was ordered held at the desk.
  Page H11658
Quorum Calls--Votes: 11 yea-and-nay votes developed during the 
proceedings of the House today and appear on pages H11665, H11665-66, 
H11666-67, H11677, H11678, H11678-79, H11679-80, H11842, H11843, 
H11843-44 and H11844. There were no recorded votes or quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and at 12 midnight stands in 
recess subject to the call of the chair; the House reconvened at 1:17 
a.m. and adjourned at 1:18 a.m.