[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 10, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1341-D1343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 30 public bills, H.R. 3791-
3820; and 15 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 230-233; and H. Res. 722-723, 
725-733 were introduced.
  Pages H11489-91
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H11491-92
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 2102, to maintain the free flow of information to the public by 
providing conditions for the federally compelled disclosure of 
information by certain persons connected with the news media, with an 
amendment (H. Rept. 110-370) and
  H. Res. 724, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2095) to 
amend title 49, United States Code, to prevent railroad fatalities, 
injuries, and hazardous materials releases and to authorize the Federal 
Railroad Safety Administration (H. Rept. 110-371).
Page H11489
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, His Holiness 
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Holy 
Etchmiadzin, Republic of Armenia.
  Page H11397
Moment of Silence: The House observed a moment of silence in honor of 
Joseph David Waggonner, Jr., former Member of Congress.
  Page H11414
Committee Elections: The House agreed to H. Res. 722, electing the 
following Members to serve on certain standing committees of the House 
of Representatives: Committee on Armed Services: Representative 
Lamborn. Committee on Foreign Affairs: Representative Blunt, to rank 
after Representative Chabot.
  Page H11415
National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007: The House passed 
H.R. 2895, to establish the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund in 
the Treasury of the United States to provide for the construction, 
rehabilitation, and preservation of decent, safe, and affordable 
housing for low-income families, by a yea-and-nay vote of 264 yeas to 
148 nays, Roll No. 958.
  Pages H11410-14, H11415-46
  Rejected the Musgrave motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Financial Services with instructions to report the same back to the 
House promptly with amendments, by a recorded vote of 199 ayes to 218 
noes, Roll No. 957.
Pages H11443-45
  Pursuant to the rule, 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.
Page H11410
Accepted:
  Frank (MA) amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 110-369) that adds 
additional flexibility to permitted fund uses by allowing a grantee to 
use up to 10% of their funds for project operating accounts to cover 
shortfalls for projects assisted with trust fund dollars in order to 
facilitate affordability for families below the SSI income limit; 
                                                        Pages H11431-32
  Hastings (FL) amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 110-369) that 
amends the Affordable Housing Trust Fund homeownership counseling 
criteria to include flood or other disaster specific insurance in 
applicable regions;
Page H11432
  Frank (MA) amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 110-369) that 
includes among the factors for consideration in selecting applicants to 
receive Trust Fund grant amounts a consideration of the extent to

[[Page D1342]]

which the design, construction, and operation of the housing reduces 
utility costs for residents;
Pages H11432-33
  Frank (MA) amendment (No. 5 printed in H. Rept. 110-369) that allows 
grantees to give preference to public employees, including first 
responders and teachers, who cannot afford to live in high-cost areas; 
these workers have to meet the income eligibility requirements stated 
in the text of H.R. 2895;
Page H11433
  Frank (MA) amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 110-369) that directs 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish an 
internet-based ``Green Housing Clearinghouse'' including best 
practices, technical recommendations and other informational material 
regarding green building techniques. Additionally, grantees would be 
required to self-certify how many of the total units they built with 
money from the national affordable housing trust fund were green; 
                                                        Pages H11433-34
  Frank (MA) amendment (No. 7 printed in H. Rept. 110-369) that 
provides that, for the purpose of increasing accountability, previous 
grant recipients applying for new grants must include in their 
applications progress reports for projects for which they used funds in 
the previous fiscal year; and
Page H11434
  Frank (MA) manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 110-369) 
that establishes a state minimum allocation percentage, under which 
every state will receive at least one half of one percent (.5%) of the 
total funds available each year that are allocated to states, Indian 
Tribes, and insular areas. Allocations to all other states would be 
reduced pro rata to bring these states up to this .5% minimum. The 
amendment also provides that the local jurisdiction in each state that 
is slated to receive the largest amount by formula in such state would 
be entitled to receive such funds directly (notwithstanding the bill's 
provision that jurisdictions entitled to their state in any year that 
nationwide funding is less than $2 billion). The amendment includes a 
technical clarification to ensure that the mixed income limitation 
capping the number of units initially rented to extremely low income 
families at 50% applies to all of the units in a project (not just 
those units assisted by trust fund dollars). The amendment provides 
that the exception to the mixed income rule applies to all ``elderly 
only'' projects, not just those projects of 25 or fewer units (by a 
recorded vote of 418 ayes to 2 noes, Roll No. 955).
Pages H11441-42
Rejected:
  Neugebauer amendment in the nature of a substitute (No. 8 printed in 
H. Rept. 110-369) that sought to establish a National Affordable 
Housing Grant Fund program within the HOME program, which is currently 
administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 
Development (by a recorded vote of 163 ayes to 257 noes, Roll No. 956).
                                             Pages H11434-41, H11442-43
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming 
changes to reflect the actions of the House.
Page H11446
  H. Res. 720, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a recorded vote of 224 ayes to 194 noes, Roll No. 952, 
after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 
223 yeas to 195 nays, Roll No. 951.
Pages H11410-13
Moment of Silence: The House observed a moment of silence in honor of 
George Sangmeister, former Member of Congress.
  Page H11445
Tax Collection Responsibility Act of 2007: The House passed H.R. 3056, 
to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the authority of 
the Internal Revenue Service to use private debt collection companies, 
to delay implementation of withholding taxes on government contractors, 
and to revise the tax rules on expatriation, by a recorded vote of 232 
ayes to 173 noes, Roll No. 960.
  Pages H11400-10, H11446-64
  Rejected the Hulshof motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Ways and Means with instructions to report the same back to the House 
promptly with an amendment, by a yea-and-nay vote of 196 yeas to 212 
nays, Roll No. 959.
Pages H11462-64
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means now printed in the bill, 
modified by the amendment printed in H. Rept. 110-368, shall be 
considered as adopted.
Page H11400
  H. Res. 719, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 217 yeas to 198 nays, Roll No. 954, 
after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 
220 yeas to 198 nays, Roll No. 953.
Pages H11400, H11414-15
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed by unanimous consent to dispense with the 
Calendar Wednesday business of Wednesday, October 17.
  Page H11466
Meeting Hour: Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns 
today, it adjourn to meet at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 12, and 
further, when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 
12:30 p.m. on Monday, October 15 for morning hour debate.
  Page H11466
Privileged Resolution: The House agreed to H. Res. 723, providing for 
the expenses of the select committee established under House Resolution 
611.
  Pages H11466-67

[[Page D1343]]

Quorum Calls--Votes: Five yea-and-nay votes and five recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H11412-
13, H11413, H11414, H11414-15, H11441-42, H11442-43, H11445, H11445-46, 
H11463-64, H11464. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 9:31 p.m.