[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 25, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D546-D548]
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. 2617-2644; and 1 private 
bill, H.R. 2645, were introduced.                        
  Pages H4072-73
Additional Cosponsors:                                       
  Page H4073
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H. Res. 298, providing for consideration of H.R. 2528, making 
appropriations for military quality of life functions of the Department 
of Defense, military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006 
(H.Rept. 109-97).                                            
Page H4072
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Miller of Michigan to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for 
today.                                                       
  Page H3897
Chaplain: The prayer was offered today by Father Val J. Peter, 
Executive Director, Girls and Boys Town USA in Boys Town, Nebraska. 
                                                             Page H3897
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005: The House 
passed H.R. 1815, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for fiscal year 2006, by a yea-and-nay vote of 390 
yeas to 39 nays, Roll No. 222.                        
  Pages H3912-H4046
  Rejected the Taylor of Mississippi motion to recommit the bill to the 
Committee on Armed Services with instructions to report it back to the 
House forthwith with amendments, by a recorded vote of 211 ayes to 218 
noes, Roll No. 221.                                      
Pages H4044-46
  Agreed to the amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
recommended by the Committee on Armed Services now printed in the bill, 
and that the amendment be considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment.                                        
Page H4044
  Pursuant to the rule, Representative Hunter requested that the 
following amendments printed in H. Rept. 109-96 be considered out of 
order: Goode (#20), Davis of Virginia (#24), Davis of California (#12), 
Hunter (#1), Stearns (#6), Bradley (#29), and Woolsey (#26). 
                                                             Page H3912
Agreed to:
  En bloc amendment consisting of the following amendments printed in 
H. Rept. 109-96: Ortiz (#2) directing the Secretary to submit to the 
congressional defense committees a sustainment plan for the existing 
MHC-51 class mine countermeasures ships; Kaptur (#3) requiring the DOD 
to conduct a study on the use of bio-diesel and ethanol fuels by the 
Armed Forces and Defense Agencies; Simmons (#7) lifting the age 60 
requirement for Space-A travel by National Guard and Reserve retirees; 
Filner (#10) requiring a study to determine if it is feasible for DOD 
to allow veterans with a service connected disability rating of 50% or 
higher access to Space-A travel; DeLauro, (#13) as modified, requiring 
the DOD to revise its mental health evaluations for pre- and post-
deployment of servicemembers to combat theaters; Manzullo (#15) 
codifying the content requirements of the Buy American Act as stated in 
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement; Crowley (#21) 
expressing the sense of Congress that recognizes the diversity of the 
men and women of our Armed Services killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom 
and Operation Enduring Freedom; Spratt (#28) as modified, adding war-
related reporting requirements for tracking costs, military personnel 
force levels, reconstitution requirements, and military construction 
projects associated with operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 
enhanced security operations at home; Simmons (#18) encouraging the DOD 
to buy Lithium-Ion cells and batteries, and associated manufacturing 
technologies that are made in America; and Israel (#25) making 
permanent the pilot ``Science, Mathematics, and Research for 
Transformation Defense Education Program'' and include within its 
purview the study of foreign languages.                  
Pages H4001-06
  Goode amendment (No. 20 printed in H. Rept. 109-96) that authorizes 
the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the Armed Forces, under 
certain

[[Page D547]]

circumstances and subject to certain conditions, to assist the 
Department of Homeland Security in the performance of border protection 
functions (by a recorded vote of 245 ayes to 184 noes, Roll No. 214); 
                                               Pages H3996-H4001, H4016
  Jo Ann Davis of Virginia amendment (No. 24 printed in H. Rept. 109-
96) that clarifies federal law regarding support for youth 
organizations by the federal government (by a recorded vote of 413 ayes 
to 16 noes, Roll No. 215);                     
Pages H4006-09, H4016-17
  Hunter manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 109-96) that 
amends United States Code to extend veteran's preference; modifies 
section 574 of the bill relating to women in the Armed Forces, adds 
funding for supersonic cruise missile engines; and establishes a 
memorial to the USS Oklahoma (by a recorded vote of 428 ayes to 1 no, 
Roll No. 217);                                    
Pages H4013-16, H4018
  Enbloc amendment consisting of the following amendments printed in H. 
Rept. 109-96: Stark (#4) instructing the GAO to submit a report to 
Congress on criminal violations in military recruiting practices; 
Strickland (#5) adding ``information concerning the availability of 
mental health services'' to what is already required to be communicated 
in benefit counseling sessions to those in the armed forces who are 
separating from active duty; Slaughter (#8) authorizing annual funding 
for training and resources for the DOD to better respond to incidences 
of sexual assault; Reichert (#9) requiring the GAO to study the 
difficulties faced by our National Guard and Reserve Personnel in 
gaining re-employment once returning from duty; Menendez (#11) 
requiring the GAO to prepare a report on compensation and benefits for 
reserve component members; Bishop (#14) requiring a study of 
effectiveness of self administered pre- and post-deployment exams; 
Andrews (#16) as modified, requiring the DOD to include a provision in 
their contracts with all defense contractors prohibiting them from 
requiring licenses and fees from businesses that manufacture, 
distribute, or sell models and model kits; Blunt (#17) requiring DOD to 
establish the employment of National Guard and Reserve Personnel as an 
evaluation factor in the awarding of defense contracts; Matheson (#22) 
prohibiting the DOD from destroying historical fallout records; and 
Hostettler (#23) amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to admit 
Afghan and Iraqi nationals who serve U.S. forces as interpreters; 
                                                         Pages H4020-26
  Weldon of Pennsylvania amendment (No. 27 printed in H. Rept. 109-96) 
that expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. should cooperate 
with Russia on missile defense; and                      
Pages H4040-41
  Stearns amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 109-96) that expresses 
the sense of Congress that any college or university that denies equal 
access or discriminate against ROTC programs or military recruiters 
should be denied certain Federal taxpayer support (by a recorded vote 
of 336 ayes to 92 noes, Roll No. 218).         
Pages H4018-20, H4041-42
Rejected:
  Davis of California amendment (No. 12 printed in H. Rept. 109-96) 
that sought to lift the current ban on privately funded abortions at 
U.S. military facilities overseas (by a recorded vote of 194 ayes to 
233 noes, Roll No. 216);                       
Pages H4009-13, H4017-18
  Bradley amendment (No. 29 printed in H. Rept. 109-96) that sought to 
postpone the BRAC recommendations until one year after certain actions 
occur (by a recorded vote of 112 ayes to 316 noes, Roll No. 219); and 
                                               Pages H4026-35, H4042-43
  Woolsey amendment (No. 26 printed in H. Rept. 109-96) that sought to 
express the sense of Congress that the President should develop a plan 
for the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq (by a recorded 
vote of 128 ayes to 300 noes, Roll No. 220).      
Pages H4035-40, H4043
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: to authorize appropriations 
for fiscal year 2006 for military activities of the Department of 
Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the 
Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
such fiscal year.                                            
Page H4046
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections and 
conforming changes in the engrossment of the bill.           
Page H4047
  H. Res. 293, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was 
agreed to by a recorded vote of 225 ayes to 198 noes, Roll No. 213, 
after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 
225 yeas to 200 nays, Roll No. 212.                      
Pages H3900-12
Suspension: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measure:
  Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2005: H.R. 2566, to provide 
an extension of highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, 
and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending 
enactment of a law reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act for the 
21st Century.                                            
  Pages H4047-53
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H4047.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea-and-nay votes and nine recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings today and appear on pages H3911, 
H3911-12, H4016, H4017, H4017-18, H4018, H4041-42, H4042-43, H4043, 
H4045-46, and H4046. There were no quorum calls.

[[Page D548]]

Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 11:35 p.m.