[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 72 (Thursday, May 20, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D542-D546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: 10 public bills, H.R. 4409-4469; and 11 
resolutions, H. Con. Res. 432-438, and H. Res. 651-654 were introduced.
                                               Pages H3437-40, H3537-40
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H3440-41, H3540-41
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  Supplemental report on H.R. 4200 to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2005 for military activities of the Department of Defense, 
to prescribe

[[Page D543]]

military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2005, (H. Rept. 108-491, 
Pt. 2);
  S. 1301, to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit video 
voyeurism in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the 
United States, amended (H. Rept. 108-504);
  H.R. 1678, to amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to 
false communications about certain criminal violations, amended (H. 
Rept. 108-505);
  H.R. 2991, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study 
and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the Inland Empire regional recycling project and in the 
Cucamonga County Water District recycling project (H. Rept. 108-506);
  H.R. 3378, to assist in the conservation of marine turtles and the 
nesting habitats of marine turtles in foreign countries (H. Rept. 108-
507);
  H.R. 1014, to require Federal land managers to support, and to 
communicate, coordinate, and cooperate with, designated gateway 
communities, to improve the ability of gateway communities to 
participate in Federal land management planning conducted by the Forest 
Service and agencies of the Department of the Interior, and to respond 
to the impacts of the public use of the Federal lands administered by 
these agencies, amended (H. Rept. 108-508, Pt. 1);
  H.R. 3846, to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement or contract with 
Indian tribes meeting certain criteria to carry out projects to protect 
Indian forest land, amended (H. Rept. 108-509, Pt. 1);
  H.R. 3504, to amend the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act to redesignate the American Indian Education Foundation 
as the National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education (H. 
Rept. 108-510, Pt. 1);
  H.R. 3247, to provide consistent enforcement authority to the Bureau 
of Land Management, the National Park Service, the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service, and the Forest Service to respond to violations 
of regulations regarding the management, use, and protection of public 
lands under the jurisdiction of these agencies, to clarify the purposes 
for which collected fines may be used, amended; referred sequentially 
to the House Committee on the Judiciary for a period ending not later 
than June 30, 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. (Rept. 108-511, Pt. 1);
  H.R. 3874, to convey for public purposes certain Federal lands in 
Riverside County, California, that have been identified for disposal, 
amended (H. Rept. 108-512); and
  H.R. 2966, to preserve the use and access of pack and saddle stock 
animals on public lands, including wilderness areas, national 
monuments, and other specifically designated areas, administered by the 
National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service where there is a 
historical tradition of such use, amended (H. Rept. 108-513, Pt. 1). 
                                               Pages H3436-37, H3536-37
Chaplain: The prayer was offered today by Rev. Michael Bentley, Pastor, 
First Baptist Church in Brevard, North Carolina.
  Page H3393
Resignation of House Parliamentarian: Read a letter from the Honorable 
Charles W. Johnson wherein he resigned as Parliamentarian of the House 
of Representatives after 40 years of service, effective May 31, 2004. 
                                                             Page H3394
House Parliamentarian Appointed: The Speaker appointed John V. Sullivan 
as Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives to succeed Charles 
W. Johnson, resigned.
  Page H3394
Expressing Gratitude to the Honorable Charles W. Johnson, 
Parliamentarian: The House agreed to H. Res. 651, expressing the 
gratitude of the House of Representatives to its Parliamentarian, the 
Honorable Charles W. Johnson
  Pages H3394-H3404
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005: The House 
passed H.R. 4200, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2005 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for fiscal year 2005, by a recorded vote of 391 
ayes to 34 noes, Roll No. 206. The bill was also considered on 
Wednesday, May 19.
  Pages H3406-31, H3445-57
  Rejected the Waxman motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Armed Services with instructions to report it back to the House 
forthwith with an amendment, by a recorded vote of 202 ayes to 224 
noes, Roll No. 205.
Pages H3454-56
  The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Committee on Armed Services printed in the bill was considered as an 
original bill for the purpose of amendment.
Page H3454
  Pursuant to section 4 of H. Res. 648, it was agreed on Wednesday, May 
19, that the Slaughter amendment (No. 14 printed in H. Rept. 108-499) 
be considered out of the order printed in H. Rept. 108-499.
  Pursuant to H. Res. 648, it was agreed on Wednesday, May 19, that 
certain amendments be placed in order as though printed in H. Rept. 
108-499 and numbered 29, 30, 31, and 32; that

[[Page D544]]

amendment numbered 13 in H. Rept 108-499 be modified in the form that 
was placed at the desk; and that the amendments and the modification 
placed at the desk be considered as read.
Page H3406
Agreed To:
  Weldon of Pennsylvania (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 108-499) amendment 
that was debated on Wednesday, May 19, that expresses the sense of 
Congress that the Secretary of Defense should assist the Iraqi 
Government in destroying the Abu Ghraib prison and replacing it with a 
modern detention facility (by a recorded vote of 308 ayes to 114 noes, 
Roll No. 201);
Pages H3411-12
  Skelton amendment (No. 14 printed in H. Rept. 108-499) that was 
debated on Wednesday, May 19, that requires the Secretary of Defense to 
develop a comprehensive policy for the Department of Defense on the 
prevention of and response to sexual assaults involving members of the 
Armed Forces and requires the DoD to take related measures to address 
sexual assaults involving members of the Armed Forces (by a recorded 
vote of 410 ayes with none voting ``no,'' Roll No. 202); 
                                                         Pages H3412-14
  Hunter en bloc amendment consisting of amendments printed in H. Rept. 
108-499 and numbered 10, that makes a variety of substantive changes to 
the bill and makes a technical cite correction; No. 12, that clarifies 
provisions in the bill relating to tanker procurement; No. 13, that 
restores funds to the Department of Energy's Defense Site Acceleration 
Completion account for ``Waste Incidental to Reprocessing''; No. 15, 
that directs the Secretary of Defense to eliminate the backlog in 
forensic evidence collection kits and to provide an adequate supply of 
forensic evidence collection kits at all domestic and overseas U.S. 
military installations, military academies, and theaters of operation; 
No. 16, that requires that sureties would be treated in the same manner 
as financing institutions when contractors default; No. 17, that allows 
procurement officials within the Department of Defense to include the 
creation of jobs in the United States as an evaluation factor; No. 18, 
that authorizes landscaping services and pest control for inclusion in 
the Comp Demonstration program; No. 19, that permits firefighter's 
Federal Excess Property Program, administered by the U.S. Forest 
Service, to screen Department of Defense excess property at the same 
level of law enforcement, defense contractors, defense-related 
organizations, and humanitarians services for combating forest fires 
and other fire suppression purposes; No. 20, that expands the 
Department of Defense Excess Personal Property Disposal Program to 
include health agencies; No. 21, that requires the Secretary of 
Defense, when submitting a budget request for construction of a 
military medical treatment facility and the Secretary of Veteran's 
Affairs when proposing construction of a new or replacement medical 
facility, to certify that the facility was evaluated, with the 
consultation of the other Secretary, for the feasibility of 
establishing a joint DoD-VA medical facility; No. 22, that provides 
authority for removal of remains of certain persons interred in United 
States Military Cemeteries overseas; No. 23, that requires the 
Secretary of Defense to study various aspects of mental health services 
available to U.S. military personal deployed to combat theaters and 
requires the Secretary to submit a report of the study; No. 24, that 
specifies the membership of the Board of Visitors to the United States 
Air Force Academy and sets certain recommendations and requirements for 
meetings of the Board; No. 26, that corrects an Army regulation that 
requires South Korea-based combat troops to be involved in 5 firefights 
in order to qualify for their combat recognition medals; No. 27, that 
allows the Secretary of the Army to establish a Combat Service 
Recognition Ribbon to recognize participation in combat by members of 
the Army, regardless of branch; No. 28, that allows the Department of 
Defense, Nisqually Tribe, and Bonneville Power Administration to 
complete their agreement to move power lines currently crossing the 
Nisqually Indian Reservation to land on the Fort Lewis Army base; No. 
29, that directs placement of a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery 
honoring noncitizen service members killed in the line of duty while 
serving in the U.S. Armed Forces; No. 30, that increases funds 
authorized for construction at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, offset 
by a reduction in funds for Air Force Reserve land acquisition and 
construction; No. 31, that provides additional funds for the 
procurement of the Aircraft Wireless Intercom System and for bladefold 
kits for Apache helicopters; and No. 32, that establishes a college 
financial assistance program for the DC National Guard; 
                                                         Pages H3418-27
  Wamp amendment (No. 11 printed in H. Rept 108-499) that makes changes 
to the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program; and 
                                                         Pages H3427-29
  Ryun of Kansas amendment (No. 25 printed in H. Rept. 108-499) that 
requires the Secretary of Defense to initiate senior officer official 
educational programs with Taiwan (by a recorded vote of 290 ayes to 132 
noes, Roll No. 204).
Pages H3429-31, H3453-54
Rejected:
  Kennedy of Minnesota amendment (No. 8 printed in H. Rept. 108-499) 
that sought to eliminate the 2-year BRAC delay containing in the bill 
and require that certain reports be submitted to Congress approximately 
six months before any potential vote

[[Page D545]]

to disapprove the recommendations of the BRAC Commission in order to 
review and hold hearings on the report (by a recorded vote of 162 ayes 
to 259 noes, Roll No. 200; and
Pages H3406-11
  Tauscher amendment (No. 9 printed in H. Rept. 108-499) that sought to 
transfer funds from the Department of Energy's Robust Nuclear Earth 
Penetrator and Advanced Concepts programs to increase both intelligence 
capabilities to get at hard and deeply buried targets and improved 
conventional bunker-busting capabilities (by a recorded vote of 204 
ayes to 214 noes, Roll No. 203).
Pages H3415-18, H3453
  The Clerk was authorized to make technical and conforming changes to 
the bill.
Page H3457
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: to authorize appropriations 
for fiscal year 2005 for military activities of the Department of 
Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the 
Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal 
year for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Page H3457
  H. Res. 648, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was 
agreed to on Wednesday, May 19.
Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2003: The House 
disagreed to the Senate amendments to H.R. 1047, to amend the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to modify temporarily 
certain rates of duty, to make other technical amendments to the trade 
laws, and agreed to a conference.
  Page H3414
  Appointed as conferees: From the Committee on Ways and Means for 
consideration of the House bill and the Senate amendments, and 
modifications committed in conference, Representatives Thomas, Crane, 
Shaw, Rangel, and Levin.
Page H3414
Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004: The House passed 
H.R. 4359, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the 
child tax credit, by a recorded vote of 271 ayes to 139 noes, Roll No. 
209.
  Pages H3459-75
  Rejected the Levin amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in 
H. Rept. 108-496 by a yea and nay vote of 187 yeas to 226 nays, Roll 
No. 208.
Pages H3467-74
  H. Res. 644, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was 
agreed to by a voice vote.
Pages H3431-34, H3443-45
Participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization: Agreed to 
take from the Speaker's table and pass S. 2092, to address the 
participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization--clearing the 
measure for the President.
  Pages H3457-58
Memorial Day District Work Period: The House agreed to H. Con. Res. 
432, providing for the conditional adjournment of the House and the 
conditional adjournment or recess of the Senate, by a yea and nay vote 
of 222 yeas to 193 nays, Roll No. 207.
  Pages H3458-59
Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourn today, it adjourn to 
meet at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 24, unless it sooner has received a 
message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in H. Con. Res. 
432, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that 
concurrent resolution.
  Page H3475
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday 
business of Wednesday, June 2.
  Page H3475
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 
appointed Representative Gilchrest or, if not available to perform this 
duty, Representative Thornberry to act as Speaker pro tempore for sign 
enrolled bills and joint resolutions through June 1, 2004.
  Page H3475
Presidential Messages: Read a letter from the President wherein he 
notified the Congress of the continuation of the national emergency 
protecting the Development Fund for Iraq--referred to the Committee on 
International Relations and ordered printed (H. Doc. 108-187); and 
                                                         Pages H3475-76
  Read a letter from the President wherein he transmitted the 8th 
biennial revision (2004-2008) to the United States Arctic Research 
Plan--referred to the Committee on Science.
Page H3476
  Read a letter from the President wherein he transmitted a report 
entitled ``2004 Comprehensive Report on U.S. Trade and Investment 
Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa and Implementation of the African Growth 
and Opportunity Act''--referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. 
                                                             Page H3499
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H3393.
Senate Referral: S. 213, S. 524, S. 943, S. 960, S. 1107, S. 1577, and 
S. 2178 were referred to the Committee on Resources; S. 1576 was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce; and S. 15, S. 1167, 
S. 1516, and S. 1848 were held at the desk.
  Page H3434
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea and nay votes and eight recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H3411, 
H3412, H3413, H3453, H3453-54, H3456, H3456-57, H3458, H3474, and 
H3474-75. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and pursuant to the provisions of 
H. Con. Res. 432, the House stands adjourned until 4 p.m. on Monday,

[[Page D546]]

May 24, 2004, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate 
transmitting its adoption of H. Con. Res. 432, in which case the House 
shall stand adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1.