[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 168 (Thursday, November 1, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1461-D1463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 29 public bills, H.R. 4039-
4067; 3 private bills, H.R. 4068-4070; and 6 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 
245; and H. Res. 788-792, were introduced.              
  Pages H12453-55
Additional Cosponsors:                                  
  Pages H12455-56
Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows: H.R. 2857, to 
reauthorize and reform the national service laws, with an amendment (H. 
Rept. 110-420).                                             
  Page H12453
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed 
Representative Weiner to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today. 
                                                            Page H12387
Journal: The House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal by a 
recorded vote of 227 ayes to 187 noes with 1 voting ``present'', Roll 
No. 1029.                                               
  Pages H12396-97
Committee Elections: The House agreed to H. Res. 788, electing the 
following Member to serve on certain committees of the House of 
Representatives: Committee on Armed Services: Representative Tsongas 
(to rank immediately after Representative Giffords). Committee on the 
Budget: Representative Tsongas (to rank immediately after 
Representative McGovern).                                   
  Page H12397
Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007: The House passed H.R. 
2262, to modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on 
public domain lands, consistent with the principles of self-initiation 
of mining claims, by a yea-and-nay vote of 244 yeas to 166 nays, Roll 
No. 1033.                                           
  Pages H12397-H12432
  Rejected the Pearce motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Natural Resources with instructions to report the same back to the 
House promptly with amendments, by a yea-and-nay vote of 170 yeas to 
240 nays, Roll No. 1032.                                
Pages H12430-31
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the 
bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment under the five-minute rule.                       
Page H12410
  Agreed by unanimous consent that during the consideration of H.R. 
2262, the Rahall manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 110-
416) is modified by the form placed at the desk.        
Pages H12420-21

[[Page D1462]]

Accepted:
  Rahall modified manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 110-
416) that clarifies that ``valid existing rights'' associated with 
existing mining claims would be protected under the Act. It clarifies 
that in addition to paying a 4% royalty, existing operations will still 
need to come into compliance with the Act within 10 years; clarifies 
that the claim maintenance and location fees currently allotted to 
administration of the mining laws will continue to be so allotted, with 
the balance going to clean-up of abandoned hardrock mines, subject to 
appropriations; clarifies that user fees assessed by the BLM to process 
mining permit applications will be used for administration of the 
mining law program; limits the purview of section 504-citizen suits to 
permits issued pursuant to title III of the Act; and finally, clarifies 
that nothing under the Act will affect the sovereign immunity of any 
Indian Tribe;                                               
Page H12421
  Matsui amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that states that 
river watershed areas may be considered as eligible and as priorities 
to receive funding from the Abandoned Locatable Minerals Mine 
Reclamation Fund; and                                   
Pages H12422-23
  Heller (NV) amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that 
redirects 50 percent of the funds deposited into the Hardrock 
Reclamation Fund to states in proportion to the royalty funds generated 
there.                                                  
Pages H12423-24
Rejected:
  Pearce amendment (No. 7 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that sought to 
establish the Mineral Commodity Information Administration into a role 
in the Department of the Interior. This administration would have the 
Minerals Information Team (MIT) to collect, analyze, and disseminate 
information on the domestic and international supply of, and demand 
for, minerals and mineral materials critical to the U.S economy and 
national security. The amendment would have removed the MIT from under 
the U.S. Geological Survey and established it as a stand-alone agency 
within the Department of the Interior and would have increased MIT's 
staff in order to perform the new and expanded functions authorized in 
the amendment;                                          
Pages H12425-28
  Pearce amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that sought to 
strike the definition of ``undue degradation'' in the legislation (by a 
recorded vote of 173 ayes to 244 noes, Roll No. 1030); and 
                                                Pages H12421-22, H12428
  Cannon amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that sought to 
strike section 517--Mineral materials (by a recorded vote of 175 ayes 
to 240 noes, Roll No. 1031).                    
Pages H12424-25, H12429
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming 
changes to reflect the actions of the House.                
Page H12432
  H. Res. 780, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a recorded vote of 224 ayes to 195 noes, Roll No. 1028, 
after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 
221 yeas to 194 nays, Roll No. 1027.                    
Pages H12389-96
Meeting Hour: Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns 
today, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, November 5th for 
morning hour debate.                                        
  Page H12435
Providing for a recess of the House for a joint meeting to receive His 
Excellency Nicholas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic: Agreed 
by unanimous consent that it may be in order at any time on Wednesday, 
November 7, 2007, for the Speaker to declare a recess, subject to the 
call of the chair, for the purpose of receiving in joint meeting His 
Excellency Nicholas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic. 
                                                            Page H12435
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed by unanimous consent to dispense with the 
Calendar Wednesday business of Wednesday, November 7th.     
  Page H12435
Providing for consideration of a Presidential veto: Agreed by unanimous 
consent that if a message transmitting a Presidential veto is laid 
before the House on Monday, November 5, 2007, then after the message is 
read and the objections of the President are spread at large upon the 
Journal, further consideration of the veto message and the bill shall 
be postponed until the following day, Tuesday, November 6, 2007. 
                                                            Page H12435
Presidential Message: Read a message from the President wherein he 
notified Congress of the continuation of the national emergency 
declared with respect to Sudan--referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs and ordered printed (H. Doc. 110-70).               
  Page H12435
Senate Messages: Message received from the Senate today and message 
received from the Senate by the Clerk and subsequently presented to the 
House today appear on page H12387.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes and four recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H12395-
96, H12396, H12397, H12428-29, H12429, H12431 and H12431-32 . There 
were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 5:41 p.m.

[[Page D1463]]