[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 116 (Thursday, September 23, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D940-D942]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                        House of Representatives

Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: 17 public bills, H.R. 5130-5146; and; 10 resolutions, 
H.J. Res. 106; H. Con. Res. 497-499, and H. Res. 795-800 were introduced. 
                                                              Pages H7574-75
Additional Cosponsors:
  Page H7575
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 4341, to reform the postal laws of the United States, amended (H. 
Rept. 108-672, Pt. 2);
  Conference report on H.R. 1308, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
to end certain abusive tax practices, to provide tax relief and 
simplification (H. Rept. 108-696);
  H. Res. 745, of inquiry requesting the President of the United States to 
provide certain information to the House of Representatives respecting the 
National Energy Policy Development Group, adversely (H. Rept. 108-697);
  H.R. 4661, to amend title 18, United States Code, to discourage spyware, 
amended (H. Rept. 108-698); and
  H. Res. 794, waiving points of order against the conference report to 
accompany the bill (H.R. 1308) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to 
accelerate the increase in the refundability of the child tax credit (H. 
Rept. 108-699).
Pages H7573-74
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative 
Kirk to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today.
  Page H7445
Chaplain: The prayer was offered today by Rev. Betsy Singleton, Pastor, 
Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. 
                                                                  Page H7445
Recess: The House recessed at 9:05 a.m. for the purpose of receiving His 
Excellency Ayad Allawi, Interim Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq and 
reconvened at 11:15 a.m.; and agreed that the proceedings had during the 
Joint Meeting be printed in the Record.
  Pages H7445, H7448

[[Page D941]]

Joint Meeting to receive His Excellency Ayad Allawi, Interim Prime Minister 
of the Republic of Iraq: The House and Senate met in a Joint Meeting to 
receive His Excellency Ayad Allawi, Interim Prime Minister of the Republic 
of Iraq. He was escorted in the House Chamber by a Committee comprised of 
Representatives DeLay, Blunt, Cox, Kingston, Hunter, Ros-Lehtinen, Pelosi, 
Hoyer, Clyburn, Skelton, Lantos, and Harman and Senators Frist, McConnell, 
Santorum, Hutchinson, Kyl, Allen, Lugar, Sessions, Daschle, Breaux, 
Stabenow, Clinton, and Corzine.
  Pages H7445-46
Pledge Protection Act of 2004--Rule for Consideration: The House passed H.R. 
2028, to amend title 28, United States Code, with respect to the 
jurisdiction of Federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court over certain 
cases and controversies involving the Pledge of Allegiance, by yea and nay 
vote of 247 yeas to 173 nays, Roll No. 467.
  Pages H7451-78
  Agreed to the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill and considered as an 
original bill for the purpose of amendment.
Page H7478
Agreed to:
  Sensenbrenner manager's amendment (no. 1 printed in H. Rept. 108-693) that 
clarifies that the local courts of the District of Columbia may consider 
cases relating to the Pledge of Allegiance.
Pages H7471-72
Rejected:
  Jackson-Lee amendment (no. 3 printed in H. Rept. 108-693) that sought to 
provide for an exception to the bill's preclusion from the federal courts of 
claims that involve allegations of coerced or mandatory recitation of the 
Pledge of Allegiance, including coercion in violation of the First 
Amendment; and
Pages H7475-77
  Watt amendment (no. 2 printed in H. Rept. 108-693) that sought to preserve 
the authority of the United States Supreme Court to hear or decide any 
question pertaining to the interpretation of, or the validity under the 
Constitution of, the Pledge of Allegiance, as defined in section 4 of title 
4, or its recitation (by a recorded vote of 202 ayes, to 217 noes, Roll No. 
466).
Pages H7472-75, H7477
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: to amend title 28, United States 
Code, with respect to the jurisdiction of Federal courts over certain cases 
and controversies involving the Pledge of Allegiance.
Page H7478
  H. Res. 781, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was agreed 
to yesterday, September 22.
Page H7451
Suspension: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following 
measure which was debated yesterday, September 22.
  Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act: H.R. 1057, to repeal the sunset of the 
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 with respect to 
the expansion of the adoption credit and adoption assistance programs, by a 
yea and nay vote of 414 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 468. 
                                                              Pages H7478-79
Tax Relief, Simplification, and Equity Act of 2004--Conference Report: The 
House agreed to H. Rept. 108-696, the conference report to accompany H.R. 
1308, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to accelerate the increase 
in the refundability of the child tax credit, by a recorded vote of 339 ayes 
to 65 noes, Roll No. 472.
  Pages H7514-40
  H. Res. 785, the rule waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of Rule XIII 
with respect to the same day consideration of certain resolutions reported 
by the Rules Committee, was agreed to by a voice vote, after agreeing to 
order the previous question by a yea and nay vote of 211 yeas to 196 nays, 
Roll No. 469.
Page H7514
  H. Res. 794, the rule providing for consideration of the conference report 
was agreed to by a yea and nay vote of 235 to 167, Roll No. 471, after 
agreeing to order the previous question by a yea and nay vote of 212 yeas to 
193 nays, Roll No. 470.
Pages H7514-31
  The Moore motion to instruct conferees on the bill, which was debated 
yesterday, was vitiated by the filing of the conference report on the bill. 
                                                                  Page H7509
Recess: The House recessed at 3:12 p.m. and reconvened at 3:54 p.m. 
                                                                  Page H7514
Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourn today it adjourn to meet at 
2 p.m. tomorrow, September 24; and further that when the House adjourns on 
that day, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 28 for 
Morning Hour debate.
  Page H7542
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday business 
of Wednesday, September 29.
  Page H7542
Committee Election: Agreed to H. Res. 795, electing Representative Gerlach 
to the Committee on Financial Services and Representative Burgess to the 
Committee on Government Reform.
  Page H7542
Member Resignation: Read a letter from Representative Goss wherein he 
resigned as Representative of the 14th Congressional District of Florida, 
effective close of business today.
  Page H7542
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H7563.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Five yea and nay votes and two recorded vote developed 
during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H7477, H7478, H7478-79, 
H7514, H7529-30, H7530, H7539-40. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 11:58 p.m.

[[Page D942]]