[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 137 (Tuesday, October 25, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Page D1088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
BUDGET RECONCILIATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Began discussion of Title I, the 
Digital Television Transition Act of 2005, and Title II, which will 
consist of Medicaid, Katrina health relief and Katrina energy relief, 
of Budget reconciliation recommendations.
  Will continue tomorrow.
BRIEFING--AGRO-TERRORISM THREAT ASSESSMENT
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear 
and Biological Attack met in executive session to receive a briefing on 
assessing the threat of agro-terrorism. The Subcommittee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held an 
oversight hearing entitled ``The Voting Rights Act: Section 5 of the 
Act: History, Scope, and Purpose.'' Testimony was heard from Brad 
Schlozman, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, 
Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee also held an oversight hearing entitled ``The Voting 
Rights Act: The Continuing Need for Section 5.'' Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
LAWSUIT ABUSE REDUCTION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
one hour of general debate on H.R. 429, Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 
2005, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary. The rule waives all 
points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides 
that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill shall be considered 
as an original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be 
considered as read. The rule makes in order only those amendments 
printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution. The 
rule provides that the amendments printed in the report may be offered 
only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a 
Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives 
all points of order against the amendments printed in the report. 
Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Sensenbrenner and 
Representative Schiff.
FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE REFORM ACT OF 2005
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 7 to 3, a structured rule 
providing one hour of general debate on H.R. 1461, Federal Housing 
Finance Reform Act of 2005, equally divided and controlled by the 
chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Financial 
Services. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of 
the bill. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now 
printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. The rule waives 
all points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute. The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in 
the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution. The rule 
provides that the amendments made in order may be offered only in the 
order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated 
in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the 
time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall 
be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in 
the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives all points of order against 
the amendments printed in the report. Finally, the rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Baker, Leach, Royce, Kennedy of Minnesota, Renzi, 
Frank of Massachusetts, Kanjorski, and Davis of Alabama.