[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 66 (Thursday, April 24, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D496-D498]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page D496]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 20 public bills, H.R. 5885-
5910; and 13 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 332-335; and H. Res. 1146-1159 
were introduced.
  Pages H2758-59
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H2759-61
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 906, to promote and coordinate global change research, with an 
amendment (H. Rept. 110-605, Pt. 1);
  H.R. 5720, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide 
assistance for housing, with an amendment (H. Rept. 110-606); and
  H.R. 5749, to provide for a program of emergency unemployment 
compensation, with an amendment (H. Rept. 110-607).
Page H2758
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Chaplain Paul 
L. Sherouse, Wing Chaplain, Andrews Air Force Base, Air Force District 
of Washington.
  Page H2661
Amending Public Law 110-196 to provide for a temporary extension of 
programs authorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
2002 beyond April 25, 2008: The House agreed by unanimous consent to S. 
2903, to amend Public Law 110-196 to provide for a temporary extension 
of programs authorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
2002 beyond April 25, 2008--clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                         Pages H2720-21
Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007: The House passed H.R. 2830, to 
authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2008, by a 
recorded vote of 395 ayes to 7 noes, Roll No. 223. 
                                   Pages H2663-66, H2666-2720, S2721-36
  Rejected the Chabot motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure with instructions to report the same 
back to the House forthwith with an amendment, by a recorded vote of 
195 ayes to 208 noes, Roll No. 222.
Pages H2733-35
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
printed in part A of H. Rept. 110-604 shall be considered as an 
original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule, 
in lieu of the amendments in the nature of a substitute recommended by 
the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Homeland Security, 
and the Judiciary now printed in the bill. 
                                            Pages H2677-H2720, H2721-33
Accepted:
  Oberstar manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 
110-604) that increases FY08 funding to the Coast Guard to $8.4 
billion; increases the authorized number of Coast Guard personnel by 
1,500 members, to 47,000; increases maritime security response teams; 
mandates protection and enforcement of security zones encompassing all 
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) areas by the Coast Guard; requires 
certification that the Coast Guard has adequate resources to provide 
such protection; directs the Department of Homeland Security to provide 
an analysis of the threat and consequences of a terrorist attack on 
gasoline and chemical shipments and report the findings to Congress; 
establishes an Assistant Commandant for Port and Waterways Security 
responsible for overseeing all regulations dealing with security in 
ports and waterways; eliminates Lead System Integrators for the 
Deepwater Program, establishing instead a civilian Chief Acquisitions 
Officer reporting directly to the Coast Guard Commandant; increases 
safety requirements on commercial fishing vessels and mandates training 
for operators; requires lower emissions of sulfur oxide and nitrogen 
oxide so that ships meet EPA standards and the U.S. complies with an 
international maritime pollution convention; requires double hulls on 
ships carrying more than 600 cubic meters of oil; requires ships to 
begin installing ballast water treatment systems to protect against the 
introduction of invasive species into ports and waterways; considers 
all Coast Guard vessels homeported in Guam as ineligible to receive 
repairs at foreign shipyards; requires the Coast Guard Academy to 
establish a policy on sexual harassment; authorizes the Coast Guard to 
issue regulations requiring licensed pilots to carry portable 
electronic devices for navigation; and requires the EPA to study the 
underground petroleum spill on the Brooklyn shoreline;
Pages H2713-14
  LaTourette amendment (No. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) 
that amends section 720 of the substitute (regarding waterside security 
around liquified natural gas tankers and terminals) to state that the 
Coast Guard may consider security assets and personnel provided by 
state and local officials contracted or otherwise made available to an 
LNG terminal operator in determining whether security resources are 
available to carry out necessary waterside security measures; 
                                                         Pages H2714-15
  Matsui amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) that 
requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is 
operating to maintain on an Internet site a numerical accounting

[[Page D497]]

of missing persons and alleged crimes committed on cruise ships. The 
database would be updated quarterly and aggregated by cruise line. The 
amendment would require cruise lines to include a link to this database 
on their public websites;
Pages H2715-17
  Bilirakis amendment (No. 6 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) 
that strikes section 708 of the substitute amendment (maritime 
biometric identification) and replaces it with a requirement that the 
Commandant of the Coast Guard, within one year of enactment, conduct a 
program for the mobile biometric identification of suspected 
individuals, including terrorists, to enhance border security. It 
requires a cost analysis of expanding these capabilities to other Coast 
Guard and DHS vessels. The analysis may include a plan to give priority 
to vessels and units more likely to encounter those suspected of making 
illegal border crossings through the maritime environment; 
                                                         Pages H2719-20
  Markey amendment (No. 7 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) that 
directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to notify the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (FERC) of any determination by the Secretary that 
a proposed waterside liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility is suitable 
or unsuitable for the marine traffic associated with the LNG facility. 
Within 90 days of such notification, FERC must respond to the 
Secretary's determination with what action the Commission has taken 
regarding a proposal to construct and operate a waterside LNG; 
                                                         Pages H2721-22
  Zoe Lofgren (CA) amendment (No. 8 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-
604) that allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to use a secondary 
authentication system for individuals applying for transportation 
security cards when fingerprints are not able to be taken or read to 
enhance transportation security;
Pages H2722-23
  Bishop (NY) amendment (No. 9 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) 
that requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard 
is operating to study, within 180 days of enactment, the role of state 
and local law enforcement in augmenting Coast Guard resources by 
enforcing Coast Guard-imposed security zones around vessels transiting 
to, through, or from U.S. ports and conducting port security patrols; 
                                                         Pages H2723-25
  Cuellar amendment (No. 11 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) that 
directs the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is 
operating, within 90 days of enactment, to conduct a mission 
requirement analysis for the navigable portions of the Rio Grande 
River, Texas, international water boundary. The analysis would identify 
what resources would be needed to further the Coast Guard's mission 
along the Rio Grande River;
Pages H2727-28
  Kirk amendment (No. 12 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) that 
includes vessels that operate exclusively in the Great Lakes ecosystem 
among vessels that would be required to have a ballast water treatment 
system, at the request of the Secretary of Agriculture; 
                                                         Pages H2728-29
  Jackson-Lee (TX) amendment (No. 14 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-
604) that directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess, within 
30 days of enactment, the enrollment sites for transportation security 
cards, including the feasibility of keeping them open for longer 
durations and the quality of their customer service and application 
processing times;
Pages H2729-30
  Stupak amendment (No. 15 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) that 
permits the Commandant of the Coast Guard to convey, without 
consideration, the Coast Guard Station Marquette and Lighthouse Point 
in Marquette County, Michigan, to the City of Marquette, Michigan. The 
conveyance could not occur until the Coast Guard has relocated to a 
newly constructed station, any environmental remediation required under 
federal law has been completed, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard 
determines that retention of the lighthouse is not needed for Coast 
Guard missions;
Pages H2730-32
  Poe amendment (No. 4 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) that 
states the findings of Congress that stateless submersible or semi-
submersible vessels on international voyages are a serious 
international problem, facilitate international crimes, and are a 
threat to the safety and security of the United States. The amendment 
makes it a federal criminal offense subject to fines, imprisonment, or 
both for the operation and embarkation of any stateless submersible or 
semi-submersible vessel (by a recorded vote of 408 ayes to 1 no, Roll 
No. 220); and
Pages H2717-18, H2732-33
  McNerney amendment (No. 5 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) that 
states that the marine safety provisions of the bill shall not impair 
the legal authority of the Coast Guard to carry out its homeland 
security mission, including protecting ports and waterways, stopping 
human smuggling, and preventing terrorist organizations from attacking 
the United States (by a recorded vote of 408 ayes with none voting 
``no'', Roll No. 221).
Pages H2718-19, S2733
Withdrawn:
  Broun (GA) amendment (No. 10 printed in part B of H. Rept. 110-604) 
that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have struck 
title X

[[Page D498]]

(appeals to national transportation safety board) and title XI (marine 
safety) from the bill.
Pages H2725-27
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming 
changes to reflect the actions of the House.
Page H2736
  H. Res. 1126, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to on Wednesday, April 23rd.
Providing for a recess of the House for a joint meeting to receive His 
Excellency Bertie Ahern, Prime Minister of Ireland: Agreed by unanimous 
consent that it may be in order at any time on Wednesday, April 30, 
2008, for the Speaker to declare a recess, subject to the call of the 
Chair, for the purpose of receiving in joint meeting His Excellency 
Bertie Ahern, Prime Minister of Ireland.
  Page H2737
Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns on Friday, April 
25th, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29th, for 
morning hour debate.
  Page H2737
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday 
business of Wednesday, April 30th.
  Page H2737
Privileged Resolution: The House agreed to H. Res. 1148, providing 
additional amounts for the expenses of the select committee established 
under House Resolution 611.
  Page H2737
Commission on Wartime Contracting--Appointment: Read a letter from 
Representative Boehner, Minority Leader, in which he appointed Mr. Dean 
G. Popps of Virginia to the Commission on Wartime Contracting. 
                                                         Pages H2751-52
Senate Messages: Messages received from the Senate today appear on 
pages H2661, 2666, and H2748.
Senate Referrals: S. Con. Res. 77 was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary and S. 2324 and S. 1315 were held at the desk.
  Page H2756
Quorum Calls--Votes: Four recorded votes developed during the 
proceedings of today and appear on Pages H2732-33, H2733, H2735, and 
H2735-36. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10:00 a.m. and adjourned at 6:21 p.m.