[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 27 (Wednesday, March 9, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D207-D208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: 30 public bills, H.R. 1181-1210; 1 private bill, 
H.R. 1211; and 4 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 88-90, and H. Res. 145, were 
introduced.
  Pages H1263-64
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H1264-65
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H. Res. 144, providing for further consideration of H.R. 3, to 
authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and 
transit programs (H. Rept. 109-15).
Page H1263
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Miller of Michigan to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for 
today.
  Page H1027
Chaplain: The prayer was offered today by Rev. Mary E. Moore, Pastor, 
New Salem Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
  Page H1027
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Sense of the House that a National Tartan Day should be established:  
H. Res. 41, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a 
day should be established as ``National Tartan Day'' to recognize the 
outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish Americans 
to the United States; and
  Pages H1029-31
  Recognizing the contributions of the U.S. Marine Corps and other 
units of the Armed Forces on the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo 
Jima: H. Res. 119, recognizing the contributions of the United States 
Marine Corps and other units of the United States Armed Forces on the 
occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World 
War II.
  Pages H11031-34
Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users: The House began 
consideration of H.R. 3, to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, 
highway safety programs, and transit programs. Further proceedings will 
resume tomorrow, March 10.
  Pages H1038-H1205
  Agreed that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended 
by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure now printed in 
the

[[Page D208]]

bill and modified by the amendment printed in part A of H. Rept. 109-14 
be adopted; and further that the bill, as amended, is considered as the 
original bill for the purpose of further amendment.
Pages H1055-H1184
Accepted:
  Moran of Kansas amendment (No. 4 printed in part B of H. Rept. 109-
14) amends the exemption for maximum driving and on duty time for 
drivers of motor carriers transporting agricultural commodities or farm 
supplies at the time of planting or harvest for a 100 air mile radius 
to the distribution point of the source of the commodities by including 
in the definition of ``agricultural commodities'', livestock, food, 
feed, and fiber, and other farm products (by a recorded vote of 257 
ayes to 167 noes, Roll No. 57);
Pages H1187-88, H1189-90
  Kuhl amendment (No. 5 printed in part B of H. Rept. 109-14) that 
names a portion of Interstate 86 in upstate New York in the vicinity of 
the City of Corning, the ``Amo Houghton Bypass'', after Former 
Congressman Amo Houghton who retired from Congress in 2004 after 
serving 18 years;
Pages H1190-91
  Cox amendment (No. 7 printed in part B of H. Rept. 109-14) that 
clarifies that states are not pre-empted under federal law from 
requiring one or both of the following from tow-truck operators when 
they are removing a vehicle from private property without the consent 
of the vehicle owner or operator: first, a state can require that the 
tow-truck operator have written permission from the owner of the 
private property authorizing the non-consensual tow; and second, a 
state can require that the owner of the private property be present at 
the time the vehicle is towed from the private property. 
                                                         Pages H1192-94
  Osborne amendment (No. 6 printed in part B of H. Rept. 109-14) that 
exempts the State of Nebraska from the ISTEA 1991 truck length freeze, 
subject to a change in state statute, to allow the operation of 
commercial vehicle combinations not exceeding 81 feet, six inches for 
custom harvesters operating in the State of Nebraska (by a recorded 
vote of 236 ayes to 184 noes, Roll No. 58); and 
                                               Pages H1191-92, H1202-03
  Graves amendment (No. 10 printed in part B of H. Rept. 109-14) that 
eliminates liability under state law for an owner of a motor vehicle or 
their affiliate who is engaged in the business of renting and leasing 
motor vehicles provided there is no negligence or criminal wrongdoing 
on the part of the motor vehicle owner or affiliate (by a recorded vote 
of 218 ayes to 201 noes, Roll No. 60).
Pages H1199, H1202, H1204
Rejected:
  Conaway amendment (No. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 109-14) that 
sought to exempt commercial motor vehicle operators working in field 
operations for the natural gas and oil industry from the hours of 
service rules issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 
(by a recorded vote of 198 ayes to 226 noes, Roll No. 56); and 
                                               Pages H1186-87, H1188-89
  Kennedy of Minnesota amendment (No. 8 printed in part B of H. Rept. 
109-14) that sought to streamline tolling authority to charge tolls on 
new lanes, and dedicates those revenues to the user fee purpose (by a 
recorded vote of 155 ayes to 265 noes, Roll No. 59). 
                                               Pages H1194-99, H1203-04
Withdrawn:
  Boozman amendment (No. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 109-14) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have allowed 
operators of a property carrying motor vehicle to take up to two hours 
of off-duty time, as defined by FMSCA, during their 14 hours on duty, 
so as not to exceed 16 hours; and
Pages H1184-86
  Kuhl amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of H. Rept. 109-14) that was 
offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have amended the 
exemption for maximum driving and on duty time for drivers of motor 
carriers transporting agricultural commodities or farm supplies at the 
time of planting or harvesting for a 100 air mile radius to the 
distribution point of the source of the commodities, by increasing the 
air mile radius to 150.
Page H1187
  H. Res. 140, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was 
agreed to by voice vote.
Pages H1034-38
Recess: The House recessed at 7:45 p.m. and reconvened at 9:28 p.m. 
                                                             Page H1225
Quorum Calls--Votes: Five recorded votes developed during the 
proceedings of today and appear on pages H1188-89, H1189-90, H1203, 
H1203-04, and H1204. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 9:29 p.m.