[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 27, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D414-D416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page D414]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 19 public bills, H.R. 1705-
1723; 1 private bill, H.R. 1724; and 9 resolutions, H.J. Res. 40; H. 
Con. Res. 101-102; and H.Res. 273; 276-280, were introduced. 
                                                         Pages H3183-84
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H3184-86
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 477, to amend the Public Health Service Act to strengthen 
education, prevention, and treatment programs relating to stroke, with 
amendments (H. Rept. 110-75);
  H.R. 1132, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide waivers 
relating to grants for preventive health measures with respect to 
breast and cervical cancers, with an amendment (H. Rept. 110-76);
  H.R. 727, to amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements 
regarding trauma care, with an amendment (H. Rept. 110-77);
  H. Res. 274, providing for consideration of H.R. 1538, to amend title 
10, United States Code, to improve the management of medical care, 
personnel actions, and quality of life issues for members of the Armed 
Forces who are receiving medical care in an outpatient status, and for 
other purposes (H. Rept. 110-78); and
  H. Res. 275, providing for consideration of H. Con. Reg. 99, revising 
the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal 
year 2007, establishing the congressional budget for the United States 
Government for fiscal year 2008, and setting forth appropriate 
budgetary levels for fiscal years 2009 through 2012 (H. Rept. 110-79). 
                                                         Pages H3182-83
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed 
Representative Berkley to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H3083
Recess: The House recessed at 10:45 a.m. and reconvened at noon. 
                                                             Page H3084
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Rev. Roy Smith, 
Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Little Rock, 
Arkansas.
  Page H3084
Suspension--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and pass the following measure which was debated on Monday, March 26th:
  Supporting the goals and ideals of Professional Social Work Month and 
World Social Work Day: H. Res. 266, to support the goals and ideals of 
Professional Social Work Month and World Social Work Day, by a \2/3\ 
yea-and-nay vote of 417 yeas to 2 nays, Roll No. 193.
  Pages H3098-99
Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007: The House passed 
H.R. 1401, to improve the security of railroads, public transportation, 
and over-the-road buses in the United States, by a recorded vote of 299 
ayes to 124 noes, with 1 voting ``present'', Roll No. 201. 
                                                      Pages H3099-H3149
  Agreed to the King (NY) motion to recommit the bill to the Committee 
on Homeland Security with instructions to report the same back to the 
House forthwith with an amendment, by a recorded vote of 304 ayes to 
121 noes, Roll No. 200. Subsequently, Representative Thompson (MS) 
reported the bill back to the House with the amendment and the 
amendment was agreed to.
Pages H3146-49
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Homeland Security now printed in the 
bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment.
Page H3111
  On a demand for a separate vote on certain amendments agreed to in 
the Committee of the Whole:
  By a recorded vote of 222 ayes to 197 noes, with 5 voting 
``present'', Roll No. 198, agreed to the Thompson (MS) Manager's 
amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 110-74) that makes technical and 
clerical changes to H.R. 1401, clarifies the relationship between the 
Department of Homeland Security and Transportation in carrying out 
certain portions of the bill, and modifies the whistleblower 
protections for federal employees and contractors to make them more 
similar to those granted in H.R. 985 (agreed to in the Committee of the 
Whole by a recorded vote of 224 ayes to 199 noes, with 1 voting 
``present'', Roll No. 194) and
Pages H3123-28, H3138-39, H3141-45
  By a yea-and-nay vote of 234 yeas to 184 nays, with 4 voting 
``present'', Roll No. 199, agreed to the Cohen amendment (No. 3 printed 
in H. Rept. 110-74) that establishes a program to coordinate with state 
and local governments to minimize the need for transportation of toxic 
inhalation hazardous materials by rail (agreed to in the Committee of 
the Whole by a recorded vote of 237 ayes to 188 noes, Roll No. 195). 
                                     Pages H3129-31, H3139-40, H3145-46

[[Page D415]]

Earlier, agreed to amendments in the Committee of the Whole:
  Arcuri amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 110-74) that requires the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of 
Transportation, to conduct an assessment of the safety and security 
vulnerabilities of placing high voltage direct current electric 
transmission lines along active railroad rights-of-way; 
                                                         Pages H3128-29
  Castle amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 110-74) that requires the 
Secretary of Homeland Security to study foreign rail security practices 
that are not currently used in the U.S. and submit a report on 
recommendations for implementing such practices; and
Pages H3131-32
  Lynch amendment (No. 8 printed in H. Rept. 110-74) that provides that 
no later than 1 year after the Secretary issues the detailed worker 
training guidance required under Section 109, the Secretary must submit 
a report to Congress on the progress of providers of covered 
transportation in meeting the Section's worker training requirements. 
                                                         Pages H3137-38
Rejected in the Committee of the Whole:
  Flake amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 110-74) that sought to 
strike section 203, ``Transportation Security Administration Breeding 
Program Increase'' which authorizes an increase in the number of 
domestically bred canines under the Transportation Security 
Administration's Puppy Program;
Pages H3134-35
  Sessions amendment (No. 5 printed in H. Rept. 110-74) that sought to 
prohibit funds in this act, except those noted in Section 108, from 
being used by Amtrak for any of the Top 10 worst revenue losing long-
distance routes as noted by its September 2006 monthly performance 
report, unless the Secretary deems a route or a portion of a route as 
critical to homeland security (by a recorded vote of 130 ayes to 299 
noes, Roll No. 196); and
Pages H3132-34, H3140-41
  Flake amendment (No. 7 printed in H. Rept. 10-74) that sought to 
strike the section of the bill that provides a new Homeland Security 
grant program, ``Over-The-Road Bus Security Assistance'' (by a recorded 
vote of 98 ayes to 332 noes, Roll No. 197).
Pages H3135-37, H3141
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming 
changes to reflect the actions of the House.
Pages H3149-50
  H. Res. 270, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 223 yeas to 199 nays, Roll No. 191, 
after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 
222 yeas to 199 nays, Roll No. 190.
Pages H3089-98
Joint Economic Committee--Appointment: The Chair announced the 
Speaker's appointment of the following Members of the House of 
Representatives to the Joint Economic Committee: Representatives 
Hinchey, Hill, Loretta Sanchez, Cummings, and Doggett.
  Page H3153
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Katrina Housing Tax Relief Act of 2007: H.R. 1562, amended, to amend 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and expand certain rules 
with respect to housing in the GO Zones;
  Pages H3150-53
  National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program 
Reauthorization Act of 2007: H.R. 1132, amended, to amend the Public 
Health Service Act to provide waivers relating to grants for preventive 
health measures with respect to breast and cervical cancers; 
                                                         Pages H3153-57
  Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act of 2007: H.R. 727, 
amended, to amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements 
regarding trauma care; and
  Pages H3157-61
  Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act: H.R. 477, amended, to 
amend the Public Health Service Act to strengthen education, 
prevention, and treatment programs relating to stroke.
  Pages H3161-64
Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act of 2007: The House began 
consideration of H.R. 835, to reauthorize the programs of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing assistance for 
Native Hawaiians. Further consideration is expected to continue 
Wednesday, March 28th.
  Pages H3164-67
  H. Res. 269, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 234 yeas to 188 nays, Roll No. 192, 
after agreeing to order the previous question.
Pages H3087-89, H3098
Joint Economic Committee--Appointment: The Chair announced the 
Speaker's appointment of the following Members of the House of 
Representatives to the Joint Economic Committee: Representatives Brady 
(TX), English (PA), and Paul.
  Page H3170
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H3167.
Senate Referrals: S. 474 was referred to the Committee on Financial 
Services and S. 1002 was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Labor.
  Page H3182
Quorum Calls--Votes: Five yea-and-nay votes and seven recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H3096-97,

[[Page D416]]

H3097-98, H3098, H3098-99, H3139, H3139-40, H3140, H3141, H3145, H3145-
46, H3148, and H3149. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10:30 a.m. and adjourned at 11:41 p.m.