[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 67 (Thursday, May 13, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D500-D501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                        House of Representatives

Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: 12 public bills, H.R. 4358-4369; and 6 resolutions, H. 
Con. Res. 422-426, and H. Res. 642, were introduced.
  Pages H3015-16
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H3016-17
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 2729, to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to 
provide for greater efficiency at the Occupational Safety and Health Review 
Commission, amended (H. Rept. 108-486);
  H.R. 2728, to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to 
provide for adjudicative flexibility with regard to an employer filing of a 
notice of contest following the issuance of a citation by the Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration, amended (H. Rept. 108-487);
  H.R. 2730, to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to 
provide for an independent review of citations issued by the Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration, amended, referred sequentially to the 
House Committee on the Judiciary for a period ending not later than May 17, 
2004 for consideration of such provisions of the bill and amendment as fall 
within the jurisdiction of that committee pursuant to clause 1(k), rule X. 
(H. Rept. 108-488, Pt. 1); and
  H.R. 2731, to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to 
provide for the award of attorney's fees and costs to very small employers 
when they prevail in litigation prompted by the issuance of citations by the 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, amended, referred 
sequentially to the House Committee on the Judiciary for a period ending not 
later than May 17, 2004 for consideration of such provisions of the bill and 
amendment as fall within the jurisdiction of that committee pursuant to 
clause 1(k), rule X. (H. Rept. 108-489, Pt. 1).
Pages H3014-15
Chaplain: The prayer was offered today by Rev. Dr. Larry D. Pickens, Senior 
Pastor, First United Methodist Church in Elgin, Illinois.
  Page H2921
50th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision: The House 
agreed to H. Con. Res. 414, expressing the sense of the Congress that, as 
Congress recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education 
decision, all Americans are encouraged to observe this anniversary with a 
commitment to continuing and building on the legacy of Brown, by a yea-and-
nay vote of 406 yeas to 1 nay, Roll No. 176.
  Pages H2925-33, H2987-88
  The measure was considered under a unanimous consent agreement reached on 
Wednesday, May 12.
Permanent Extension of 10-Percent Individual Income Tax Rate Bracket bill: 
The House passed H.R. 4275, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to 
permanently extend the 10-percent individual income tax rate bracket, by a 
recorded vote of 344 ayes to 76 noes, Roll No. 170.
  Pages H2933-49
  Rejected the Tanner amendment in the nature of a substitute, printed in H. 
Rept 108-483, by a yea-and-nay vote of 190 yeas to 227 nays, Roll No. 169. 
                                                              Pages H2941-49
  H. Res. 637, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was agreed 
to on Wednesday, May 12.
Budget Resolution for FY 2005--Motion to Instruct Conferees: The House 
rejected the Pomeroy motion to instruct conferees on S. Con. Res. 95, 
original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for 
the United States Government for fiscal year 2005 and including the 
appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2006 through 2009, by a yea-
and-nay vote of 207 yeas to 211 nays, Roll No. 171.
  Pages H2949-50
Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004: The House passed H.R. 4281, to 
amend title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to 
improve access and choice for entrepreneurs with small businesses with 
respect to medical care for their employees, by a yea-and-nay vote of 252 
yeas to 162 nays and one voting ``present'', Roll No. 174.
  Pages H2951-86
  Rejected the McCarthy motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce with instructions to report the bill back to the 
House forthwith with amendments, by a recorded vote of 196 ayes to 218 noes, 
Roll No. 173.
Pages H2984-86
  Rejected the Kind amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in part 
B of H. Rept. 108-484, by a yea-and-nay vote of 193 yeas to 224 nays, Roll 
No. 172.
Pages H2976-84
  H. Res. 638, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was agreed 
on Wednesday, May 12.
  Pursuant to section 4 of H. Res. 638, the text of H.R 4280 and H.R. 4281 
will be appended to the engrossment of H.R. 4279, and H.R. 4280 and H.R. 
4281 shall be laid on the table.
Page H2986
  Also pursuant to section 4 of H. Res. 638, the title of H.R. 4279 is 
conformed to reflect the addition of the text of H.R. 4280 and H.R. 4281. 
Conformed so as to read: to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to 
provide for the disposition of unused health benefits in cafeteria plans and 
flexible spending arrangements, to improve patient access to health care 
services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden 
the liability system places on the health care delivery system, and to amend 
title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to improve 
access and choice for entrepreneurs with small businesses with respect to 
medical care for their employees.

[[Page D501]]

Suspensions--Proceedings Postponed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and pass the following measure which was debated on Tuesday, May 11:
  Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 
1944: H.J. Res. 91, recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Servicemen's 
Readjustment Act of 1944, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 409 yeas with none 
voting ``nay'', Roll No. 175.
  Pages H2986-87
Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourn today, it adjourn to meet 
at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17 for morning hour debate and further, that 
when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. on 
Tuesday, May 18 for morning hour debate as though after May 31, 2004, 
thereafter to resume its session at 10 a.m.
  Page H2990
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday business 
of Wednesday, May 19.
  Page H2990
Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Group--Appointments: The Chair 
announced the Speaker's appointment of the following members of the House to 
the Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Group: Representatives Kolbe 
(Chairman), Ballenger (Vice Chairman), Dreier, Barton (TX), Manzullo, 
Weller, and Stenholm.
  Page H2990
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H2921.
Senate Referral: S. Con. Res. 107 was held at the desk and S. Con. Res. 108 
was referred to the Committee on Energy & Commerce.
  Page H3014
Quorum Calls--Votes: Six yea-and-nay votes and two recorded votes developed 
during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H2948-49, H2949, H2950, 
H2984, H2985-86, H2986, H2986-87, and H2987-88. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m and adjourned at 8:49 p.m.