[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 76 (Thursday, May 8, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H3191-H3202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION ACT OF 2008

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Solis). Pursuant to House Resolution 
1174 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of 
the Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration 
of the bill, H.R. 5818.

                              {time}  1018


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 5818) to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development to make loans to States to acquire foreclosed housing and 
to make grants to States for related costs, with Mr. McNulty (Acting 
Chairman) in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. When the Committee of the Whole rose on 
Wednesday, May 7, 2008, a request for a recorded vote on amendment No. 
7 printed in House Report 110-621 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Altmire) had been postponed.
  Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, proceedings will now resume on 
those amendments printed in House Report 110-621 on which further 
proceedings were postponed, in the following order:
  Amendment No. 4 by Mr. Hensarling of Texas.
  Amendment No. 7 by Mr. Altmire of Pennsylvania.
  The Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the time for any electronic vote 
after the first vote in this series.


               Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Hensarling

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Hensarling) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which 
the noes prevailed by voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 4 offered by Mr. Hensarling:
       Page 2, line 10, strike ``and grant''.
       Page 3, line 1, strike ``and grants''.
       Page 3, line 10, strike ``AND GRANTS''.
       Page 3, line 13, strike ``make grants under section 5(a) to 
     qualified States and''.
       Page 3, lines 18 and 19, strike ``make a grant under this 
     Act only to a State, and may''.
       Page 4, line 25, strike ``grant and''.
       Page 5, line 3, strike ``grant and''.
       Page 5, line 7, strike ``grant or''.
       Page 6, line 8, strike ``grant and''.
       Page 6, lines 21 and 22, strike ``grant amounts, and for''.

[[Page H3192]]

       Page 7, line 1, strike ``grant or''.
       Strike line 22 on page 8 and all that follows through page 
     9, line 2.
       Page 9, line 9, strike ``Grant Amounts and''.
       Page 9, line 11, strike ``grant amount or''.
       Page 9, lines 12 and 13, strike ``foreclosure grant 
     share''.
       Page 9, line 13, strike ``or''.
       Page 9, lines 13 and 14, strike ``, respectively,''.
       Page 9, line 20, strike ``grant amount or''.
       Page 9, line 22, strike ``foreclosure grant share or''.
       Page 9, line 23, strike ``, respectively,'' and ``the grant 
     amount or''.
       Page 9, line 25, strike ``foreclosure grant share or''.
       Page 10, line 1, strike ``, respectively,''.
       Page 10, line 2, strike ``grant amounts or''.
       Page 10, line 6, strike ``grant amounts or''.
       Page 10, line 9, strike ``grant amount or''.
       Page 10, line 11, strike ``grant amount or''.
       Page 10, line 13, strike ``foreclosure grant share or''.
       Page 10, line 14, strike ``, respectively''.
       Page 10, line 16, strike ``grant or''.
       Page 10, line 18, strike ``or grants''.
       Strike line 23 on page 10 and all that follows through page 
     11, line 10.
       Page 12, line 3, strike ``grant and''.
       Page 12, strike lines 5 through 7.
       Page 12, line 14, strike ``grant amounts and''.
       Page 12, lines 17 and 18, strike ``such grant amounts 
     and''.
       Page 12, line 19, strike ``grant amounts and''.
       Page 12, line 20, strike ``, respectively,''.
       Page 13, line 8, strike ``grant amounts and''.
       Page 13, lines 11 and 12, strike ``grant amounts and''.
       Page 13, line 13, strike ``grant amounts and''.
       Page 13, line 14, strike ``, respectively,''.
       Page 14, lines 1 and 2, strike ``grant and''.
       Page 14, line 5, strike ``grant and''.
       Page 14, line 8, strike ``grant and''.
       Page 14, line 12, strike ``grant amounts and''.
       Page 14, line 17, strike ``grant amounts and''.
       Page 17, strike lines 21 through 25.
       Strike line 18 on page 19 and all that follows through page 
     21, line 24.
       Page 22, line 2, strike ``grant or''.
       Strike line 12 on page 22 and all that follows through page 
     24, line 4.
       Page 24, line 6, strike ``grant or''.
       Page 24, lines 7 and 8, strike ``grant and''.
       Page 24, line 23, strike ``or grant''.
       Page 24, line 25, strike ``or grant''.
       Page 27, line 13, strike ``grant or''.
       Page 27, line 19, strike ``or grant''.
       Page 28, lines 12 and 13, strike ``receives a grant under 
     this Act or''.
       Page 28, lines 15 and 16, strike ``obligation of such grant 
     amounts and''.
       Page 28, line 20, strike ``obligate all such grant amounts 
     and''.
       Page 28, lines 24 and 25, strike ``outlay all such grant 
     amounts and''.
       Page 30, line 3, strike ``a grant or'' and insert ``an''.
       Page 30, line 13, strike ``grant or''.
       Page 30, lines 14 and 15, strike ``grant or''.
       Page 30, line 19, strike ``grant or''.
       Page 35, strike lines 8 through 10.
       Page 35, line 21, strike ``$7,500,000,000'' and insert 
     ``$15,000,000,000''.

                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 190, 
noes 219, not voting 29, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 295]

                               AYES--190

     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barrett (SC)
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boozman
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Broun (GA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Castle
     Chabot
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     Dent
     Doolittle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Ehlers
     Emerson
     English (PA)
     Everett
     Fallin
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Gilchrest
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Granger
     Graves
     Hall (TX)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Issa
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jordan
     Keller
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Lampson
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Latta
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     LoBiondo
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McHugh
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Moran (KS)
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Paul
     Pearce
     Pence
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Roskam
     Royce
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (WI)
     Sali
     Saxton
     Scalise
     Schmidt
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Souder
     Stearns
     Sullivan
     Tancredo
     Terry
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Wamp
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield (KY)
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman (VA)
     Wolf
     Young (FL)

                               NOES--219

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Baca
     Baird
     Baldwin
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Bordallo
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown, Corrine
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carson
     Castor
     Cazayoux
     Christensen
     Clarke
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Conyers
     Costello
     Courtney
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, Lincoln
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Faleomavaega
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Fortuno
     Foster
     Frank (MA)
     Gillibrand
     Gonzalez
     Gordon
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hall (NY)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Herseth Sandlin
     Higgins
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hodes
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (OH)
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     Klein (FL)
     Kucinich
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lynch
     Maloney (NY)
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum (MN)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Michaud
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Murtha
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Norton
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Price (NC)
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rodriguez
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Ryan (OH)
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Serrano
     Sestak
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shuler
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Speier
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stupak
     Sutton
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Wexler
     Wilson (OH)
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--29

     Arcuri
     Barrow
     Bean
     Bishop (GA)
     Boren
     Campbell (CA)
     Carney
     Chandler
     Clay
     Cohen
     Cooper
     Costa
     Cramer
     Cubin
     Giffords
     Goode
     Hill
     Loebsack
     Mahoney (FL)
     McHenry
     McIntyre
     Melancon
     Moore (KS)
     Pomeroy
     Richardson
     Rush
     Schiff
     Space
     Young (AK)

                              {time}  1045

  Messrs. SERRANO, JOHNSON of Georgia, FARR, GORDON of Tennessee and 
Ms. SPEIER, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Ms. SLAUGHTER and Mrs. GILLIBRAND changed 
their vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  Stated for:
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Chairman, on May 8, 2008, I missed rollcall vote No. 
295. Had I been present, I would have voted in the following manner: 
Rollcall No. 295, ``yea.''
  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 295, had I been present, 
I would have voted ``no.''
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 295, had I been present, I 
would have voted ``no.''
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Chairman, parliamentary inquiry.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman may state his inquiry.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Chairman, in light of the conversation that the 
majority leader and the minority leader had last night as far as 
leaving votes open, and I believe the majority leader said the vote 
would be for 15 minutes, and then a 2-minute courtesy period, could you 
tell me the tally of

[[Page H3193]]

the vote at the end of the 15 minutes and the 2-minute courtesy period?
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman has not stated a parliamentary 
inquiry.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order under clause 
2(a) of rule XX that the vote just ended was held open for the sole 
purpose of reversing the outcome.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair has considered whether the new 
sentence in clause 2(a) of rule XX should be enforceable in real time.
  The black letter of the rule is not dispositive. It uses the 
mandatory ``shall.'' It might just as well say ``should,'' inasmuch as 
it is setting a standard of behavior for presiding officers. For this 
reason the Chair thinks it more sensible to enforce the rule on 
collateral bases, as by a question of the privileges of the House.
  A set of ``whereas'' clauses in the preamble of a resolution could 
allege the facts and circumstances tending to indicate a violation more 
coherently than they could be articulated in argument on a point of 
order or in debate on an appeal. The resolving clause of a resolution 
could propose a fitting remedy, rather than requiring the instant 
selection of a remedy in the face of competing demands for vitiation of 
the putative result, reversal of the putative result, or admonishment 
of the presiding officer.
  The Chair finds that the new sentence in clause 2(a) of rule XX does 
not establish a point of order having an immediate procedural remedy. 
Rather than contemplating a ruling from the Chair in real time, the 
language should be understood to establish a standard of behavior for 
presiding officers that might be enforced on collateral bases.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Chairman, with that I appeal the ruling of the 
Chair.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I move to lay the appeal on 
the table.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The motion to lay on the table is not in order 
in the Committee of the Whole.
  The question is, Shall the decision of the Chair stand as the 
judgment of the Committee?
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the 
noes appeared to have it.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. This 15-minute vote on sustaining the ruling of 
the Chair will be followed by a 5-minute vote.
  Mr. LINDER (during the vote). Mr. Chairman, I was standing right by 
the gentleman who made the motion. The motion was to appeal the ruling 
of the Chair.
  Who changed the motion to sustaining it?
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair would advise the gentleman from 
Georgia that the Chair put the question correctly, that it is whether 
the ruling of the Chair shall stand.
  Mr. LINDER. That wasn't the motion. The motion was to appeal the 
ruling of the Chair.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question that the Chair properly put was 
whether the ruling of the Chair shall be sustained.
  Mr. LINDER. Would you tell me who changed the ruling from ``appeal'' 
to ``sustain''?
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair would advise the gentleman from 
Georgia the question on appeal is, as always in the Committee of the 
Whole, ``Shall the decision of the Chair stand as the judgment of the 
Committee?''
  The Chair understands that the display board initially said 
``appealing the ruling of the Chair,'' which was incorrect. So for the 
information of all Members of the House, in case of any 
misapprehension, the question is on sustaining the ruling of the Chair, 
not on whether an appeal shall take place.
  Mr. LINDER. I ask unanimous consent that the vote be restarted.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. I object.
  Mr. LINDER. I ask unanimous consent that we vacate this vote.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Objection is heard.
  Mr. LINDER. So moved.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Such a motion is not in order.
  Voting will resume. All Members are advised that the question is on 
sustaining the ruling of the Chair. Adequate time will remain for any 
Member who wishes to verify his or her vote.
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent again that we 
vacate the vote.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Is there objection? The Chair hears none.
  As soon as the Clerk is prepared, the pending vote will be vacated 
and the Chair will put the question anew.
  The question before the House is, Shall the decision of the Chair 
stand as the judgment of the Committee?
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the 
ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. This 15-minute vote will be followed by a 5-
minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 235, 
noes 182, answered ``present'' 6, not voting 15, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 296]

                               AYES--235

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Baird
     Baldwin
     Barrow
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown, Corrine
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Castor
     Cazayoux
     Chandler
     Christensen
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, Lincoln
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Faleomavaega
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Foster
     Frank (MA)
     Giffords
     Gillibrand
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Gordon
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hall (NY)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Herseth Sandlin
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hodes
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     Klein (FL)
     Kucinich
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lynch
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCollum (MN)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McIntyre
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Michaud
     Miller (NC)
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murtha
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Norton
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Pomeroy
     Price (NC)
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rodriguez
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Serrano
     Sestak
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shuler
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Space
     Speier
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stupak
     Sutton
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Wexler
     Wilson (OH)
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Yarmuth
     Young (FL)

                               NOES--182

     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Bachmann
     Barrett (SC)
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boozman
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Broun (GA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Castle
     Chabot
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Crenshaw
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Doolittle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Ehlers
     Emerson
     English (PA)
     Everett
     Fallin
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fortuno
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Granger
     Graves
     Hall (TX)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hobson

[[Page H3194]]


     Hoekstra
     Inglis (SC)
     Issa
     Johnson, Sam
     Jordan
     Keller
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kuhl (NY)
     Lamborn
     Latham
     Latta
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     LoBiondo
     Lucas
     Mack
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Moran (KS)
     Murphy, Tim
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Pearce
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pitts
     Poe
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Royce
     Ryan (WI)
     Sali
     Saxton
     Scalise
     Schmidt
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Souder
     Stearns
     Sullivan
     Tancredo
     Terry
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Turner
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Wamp
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield (KY)
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman (VA)
     Wolf
     Young (AK)

                        ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--6

     Gilchrest
     Hulshof
     LaTourette
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Pence
     Rohrabacher

                             NOT VOTING--15

     Bachus
     Boehner
     Bordallo
     Campbell (CA)
     Cohen
     Hunter
     Loebsack
     McCarthy (NY)
     Miller, George
     Paul
     Pickering
     Platts
     Richardson
     Rush
     Wu

                              {time}  1121

  Mr. ISSA changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the decision of the Chair stands as the judgment of the Committee.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                 Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Altmire

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) on which further proceedings were postponed 
and on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 7 offered by Mr. Altmire:
       Page 36, after line 2, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 15. INELIGIBLITY OF ILLEGAL ALIENS FOR ASSISTANCE.

       Aliens who are not lawfully present in the United States 
     shall be ineligible for financial assistance under this Act, 
     as provided and defined by section 214 of the Housing and 
     Community Development Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 1436a). Nothing 
     in this Act shall be construed to alter the restrictions or 
     definitions in such section 214.
       Page 36, line 3, strike ``15'' and insert ``16''.

                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 391, 
noes 33, not voting 14, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 297]

                               AYES--391

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barrett (SC)
     Barrow
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boozman
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boustany
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Broun (GA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown, Corrine
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Butterfield
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Carter
     Castle
     Castor
     Cazayoux
     Chabot
     Chandler
     Christensen
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crenshaw
     Cubin
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Lincoln
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dent
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     English (PA)
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Everett
     Faleomavaega
     Fallin
     Fattah
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fortuno
     Fossella
     Foster
     Foxx
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Giffords
     Gilchrest
     Gillibrand
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Hall (NY)
     Hall (TX)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herseth Sandlin
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hodes
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Inslee
     Israel
     Issa
     Jackson (IL)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Jordan
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Klein (FL)
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Latta
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Lynch
     Mack
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCollum (MN)
     McCotter
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, Gary
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moran (KS)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Neal (MA)
     Neugebauer
     Norton
     Nunes
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Paul
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Rodriguez
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Salazar
     Sali
     Sarbanes
     Saxton
     Scalise
     Schiff
     Schmidt
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Sestak
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuler
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Souder
     Space
     Speier
     Spratt
     Stearns
     Stupak
     Sullivan
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wamp
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Wexler
     Whitfield (KY)
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (OH)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman (VA)
     Wolf
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                                NOES--33

     Baca
     Baldwin
     Clarke
     Crowley
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Ellison
     Farr
     Filner
     Gonzalez
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hirono
     Honda
     Johnson (GA)
     Kucinich
     Lee
     McDermott
     McGovern
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (VA)
     Napolitano
     Olver
     Pastor
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Schakowsky
     Serrano
     Solis
     Stark
     Sutton
     Woolsey

                             NOT VOTING--14

     Baird
     Bordallo
     Campbell (CA)
     Cohen
     Cummings
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Loebsack
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCrery
     Miller, George
     Pickering
     Richardson
     Rush
     Welch (VT)


                  Announcement by the Acting Chairman

  The Acting CHAIRMAN (during the vote). Members have less than 1 
minute remaining to vote.

                              {time}  1130

  Mr. ELLISON changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                          Personal Explanation

  Mr. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, earlier today I was 
questioning witnesses on the arts and humanities as Chairwoman of the 
Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the Education and 
Labor Committee. I missed two votes. I would like the Record to reflect 
how I would have voted had I been able to get to the floor in time.
  Rollcall No. 296 on sustaining the ruling of the chair, I would have 
voted ``aye.''
  Rollcall No. 297 on the Altmire amendment to H.R. 5818, I would have 
voted ``aye.''


                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Chairman, I was unavoidable detained in a meeting 
earlier today, May 8, 2008, in the other body regarding legislation I 
have sponsored, and, therefore, was absent from the Chamber when 
rollcall votes 296 and 297 were taken. Had I been present for these two 
votes taken in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
Union,

[[Page H3195]]

I would have voted as follows: ``aye'' to sustain the ruling of the 
Chair (rollcall vote 296) and ``aye'' on the amendment offered by Mr. 
Altmire of Pennsylvania to H.R. 5818 (rollcall vote 297).
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Chairman, this legislation represents a fair, 
commonsense solution that will give assistance to communities 
struggling to deal with the problem of vacant homes, help stabilize the 
housing market, and help low income families obtain a home they can 
afford and be proud of.
  The Neighborhood Stabilization Act will make available to communities 
throughout the Nation $15 billion in new zero interest loans and grants 
for the purchase and rehabilitation of foreclosed properties. State and 
local governments have been hit hard by the foreclosure crisis not only 
because they have been stuck with the bill for maintaining and securing 
vacant homes, but also because they face decreased property tax 
revenues. Not only are these properties off the tax rolls, but empty 
houses drive down the value of other homes in the neighborhood which 
further decreases tax revenues.
  Just as important, this bill will get these homes occupied by 
families who truly need them. A priority will be given to low income 
families, families who have lost a home through foreclosure, as well as 
first responders, veterans, public school teachers, and homeless 
persons.
  This measure will bring almost $600 million in assistance to the 
State of Michigan at a time when it is badly needed. Michigan has been 
particularly hard hit by the President's misguided economic policies, 
most especially his failure to address the foreclosure crisis. I 
sincerely hope that the President, who approved a $30 billion bailout 
for the investment bank Bear Steams, will see to it to sign and 
implement this bill which will provide much needed assistance to State 
and local governments.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this 
housing package because it is imperative that Congress take action to 
assist homeowners struggling today. The epidemic of home losses in this 
country is severe, with the impact not only causing harm to the 
families who lose their homes, but also affecting nearby homeowners who 
suffer drops in their property values and communities who suffer the 
impact of lower tax revenues.
  Nationally, the number of seriously delinquent loans and new 
foreclosures in January and February of this year was over 2.1 million, 
an increase of 8 percent over the previous quarter and a 55 percent 
increase from a year earlier.
  The housing crisis has severely impacted my congressional district, 
particularly the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland's weak housing 
market coupled with a housing over-supply has created a large number of 
foreclosures and abandoned properties. As of December 2007, the number 
of properties in Cleveland identified as abandoned, nuisance properties 
was 8,588. According to the Cleveland Department of Community 
Development, the estimated number of homes entering the tax foreclosure 
pool in 2008 was 1,000--with 900 homes within this pool requiring 
public demolition. These abandoned and foreclosed properties exist in 
every neighborhood in Cleveland, but there are concentrations in 
communities in my district where the real estate market has completely 
collapsed.
  I support this housing package because it will greatly assist my 
constituents in Cleveland as well as thousands of Americans across the 
country by helping families stay in their homes while they repay their 
mortgage debt. This legislation will also help avoid the decreased 
property values and increased crime rates that often come with 
concentrations of foreclosed and abandoned properties.
  I wish to thank Chairman Rangel and Ranking Member McCrery as well as 
Chairman Frank and Subcommittee Chair Waters for their work on these 
important pieces of legislation. I am extremely pleased that sections 
of H.R. 1043, the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act, a piece 
of legislation I have introduced for the past two Congresses, was 
incorporated into the housing legislation before us today.
  This bill simplifies the Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, 
``Rehab Credit'' thereby making it easier to utilize the credit for 
revitalizing our nation's older neighborhoods, harnessing greater 
housing potential in underutilized historic and older buildings, and 
focusing more private sector investment in smaller, ``main street'' 
oriented commercial structures.
  The language in the bill that explicitly refers to the ``historic 
nature'' of development projects is important because, for the first 
time, it directs state housing agencies to create a priority within 
their qualified allocation plans for historic properties that can be 
converted to affordable housing through the use of both the Low-Income 
Housing Tax Credit and the Federal historic tax credit.
  Additionally, the bill simplifies the rules for nonprofit and 
government agencies who sponsor or rent space in historic tax credit 
projects and significantly lowers the cost of these transactions.
  In addition to simplifying the Rehab Tax Credit, the bill would also 
facilitate coordination of the credit with the Low-Income Housing Tax 
Credit by exempting both credits from the restrictions of the AMT 
rules.
  Since its inception, the rehab credit has been responsible for 133 
residential and commercial projects in the city of Cleveland, 
leveraging about $760 million of private investment. Because of the 
credit, downtown Cleveland and neighborhoods like the Warehouse 
District, the Gateway District, and East Fourth Street are being 
revitalized--pumping more investment into the region and revenue to the 
city and State. This legislation is crucial to furthering the economic 
development of Cleveland and the State of Ohio.
  My hope is that as we move forward we shall have the other important 
parts of H.R. 1043 enacted, as well as further simplification and 
clarification of the regulations regarding nonprofit and government use 
of historic buildings rehabilitated with the help of the Federal 
historic tax credit.
  I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this housing package.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 5818, 
the Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008. This bill would provide $15 
billion in loans and grants, administered by the U.S. Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, for States to buy and, rehabilitate 
foreclosed and vacated housing properties in order to resell or rent 
them out.
  While I have some reservations about the balance in this bill between 
loans and grants, I think the potential threat to the value of American 
homes and the safety of our communities justifies the overall cost. 
Studies have shown that home foreclosures adversely affect the value of 
other homes in the same neighborhood, and the rate of home foreclosures 
in a neighborhood directly corresponds to a spike in crime in that 
neighborhood. In many cases, foreclosed and vacated homes have become 
the dens of vagrants, drug addicts and drug dealers.
  H.R. 5818 attempts to reduce the likelihood of these problems by 
helping States buy and refurbish foreclosed and vacated housing 
properties to make them an appealing choice for qualified families to 
buy or rent. In addition, this legislation includes provisions to 
protect against housing speculator abuse by requiring that homes 
purchased and refurbished by a State be resold to families whose income 
does not exceed 140 percent of the area median income. This bill offers 
further targeted assistance for those Americans who need it most by 
requiring that half of the bill's grant money be dedicated to housing 
families at or below 50 percent area median income.
  Finally, H.R. 5818 will direct funds to the States with the greatest 
need. Under this bill, each State's loan and grant authority would be 
based on the State's percentage of nationwide foreclosures reported 
during the previous four calendar quarters. This is a significant point 
for my home State of Colorado, which has consistently ranked among the 
top 10 States in percentage of foreclosures.
  Mr. Chairman, this bill is a good measure that deserves our support. 
As I previously stated, the benefits of this legislation outweigh my 
concerns over its cost, and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting it.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the committee amendment in 
the nature of a substitute, as amended.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Under the rule, the Committee rises.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Weiner) having assumed the chair, Mr. McNulty, Acting Chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5818) to 
authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make loans 
to States to acquire foreclosed housing and to make grants to States 
for related costs, pursuant to House Resolution 1174, reported the bill 
back to the House with an amendment adopted by the Committee of the 
Whole.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is 
ordered.
  Is a separate vote demanded on any amendment to the amendment 
reported from the Committee of the Whole? If not, the question is on 
the amendment.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third 
reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.

[[Page H3196]]

               Motion to Recommit Offered by Mr. Shadegg

  Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
  Mr. SHADEGG. I am in its present form.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Shadegg moves to recommit the bill H.R. 5818 to the 
     Committee on Financial Services with instructions to report 
     the same back to the House promptly in the form to which it 
     may be perfected at the time of this motion with the 
     following amendments:
       Page 6, line 3, before ``provide'' insert ``subject to any 
     preferences as may be specifically set forth in this 
     subsection with respect to amounts for housing rehabilitation 
     and to the preferences required under the last two paragraphs 
     of this subsection,''.
       Page 6, line 15, strike ``for veterans,''.
       Page 6, strike ``or providing'' in line 18 and all that 
     follows through ``located'' in line 20 and insert the 
     following: ``except that preferences established pursuant to 
     this paragraph shall be subordinate to any preferences as may 
     be specifically set forth in this subsection with respect to 
     amounts for housing rehabilitation and to the preferences 
     required under the last two paragraphs of this subsection''.
       Page 6, line 24, strike ``and''.
       Page 7, line 5, strike the period and insert a semicolon.
       Page 7, after line 5, insert the following:
       (14) subject only to any preferences as may be specifically 
     set forth in this subsection with respect to amounts for 
     housing rehabilitation and to the last paragraph of this 
     subsection and notwithstanding any other preferences 
     established or authorized by this subsection, provide 
     priority preference, in use of amounts from grants or loans 
     under this Act, for providing housing for veterans and for 
     teachers or workforce (including law enforcement officers, 
     firefighters, and other first responders) who are employed by 
     the city or locality in which the housing is located; and
       (15) provide that in carrying out any other provision of 
     this subsection that provides preference, in the use of 
     amounts from grants or loans under this Act (or any portion 
     of such amounts), for providing housing for veterans and 
     other classes, highest preference shall be provided for 
     providing housing for disabled veterans, and then preference 
     shall be given to providing housing for other veterans and 
     such other classes; and
       Page 27, after line 16, insert the following:
       (k) Limitation on Residency.--No individual may purchase or 
     lease any qualified foreclosed housing that was acquired 
     using any amounts provided under a grant or loan under this 
     Act, or any dwelling unit in any such qualified foreclosed 
     housing, if such individual has been convicted under Federal 
     or State law of a drug-dealing offense, a sex offense, or 
     mortgage fraud.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Arizona is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is flawed in many 
respects. It provides $7.5 billion in loans to cities, States, and 
nonprofits to buy foreclosed homes from mortgage lenders who made bad 
loans. That will not help people avoid foreclosures. In addition, it 
provides $7.5 billion in grants to rehabilitate those homes. As such, 
it is a giveaway to the mortgage industry that made bad loans.
  Nonetheless, Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit is a genuine 
attempt to improve this bill. If the majority insists on going down 
this path, the least we can do is to give those who have served our 
Nation the highest priority in receiving housing assistance under this 
legislation, and to make sure that those who have preyed upon our 
society as criminals are not helped by the legislation.
  In its present form, the bill allows homes acquired and rehabilitated 
with taxpayer money to be purchased by convicted drug dealers, 
convicted sex offenders, and people who have been convicted of mortgage 
fraud.
  Last night our colleague, Mr. Altmire, offered an amendment that 
prohibits homes made available for sale under this bill, acquired and 
rehabilitated with taxpayer dollars, from being sold to illegal 
immigrants. That was a good amendment and I am glad to see that the 
House just now overwhelmingly adopted it.
  In advocating for his amendment, Mr. Altmire said that homes made 
available through this bill should be available only to law abiding 
U.S. citizens.
  My colleagues, Mr. Altmire is right. This motion to recommit brings 
the same commonsense to this bill that Mr. Altmire's amendment did. It 
simply says that homes made available under the bill cannot be sold to 
drug dealers, sex offenders, or people convicted of mortgage fraud.
  I ask my colleagues, imagine how you would feel if your taxes were 
taken under this legislation and used by the government to purchase 
foreclosed homes, then to rehabilitate a foreclosed home in your 
neighborhood, and then if that house was put on the market and sold by 
the government to a convicted drug dealer, a convicted sex offender, or 
person guilty of fraud in the mortgage industry who contributed to the 
very housing turmoil we are now faced with. You would be outraged, and 
you should be. We cannot let that happen under this legislation.
  The second provision of the motion to recommit corrects another 
defect in the bill. Yesterday an amendment was offered to provide 
veterans and public safety officers such as firemen and police with a 
preference in purchasing homes made available under this bill. The 
chairman of the committee quite appropriately accepted that amendment. 
But we can do better than that. This motion to recommit takes that 
concept one step further. It provides that disabled American veterans 
are to be accorded an even higher preference in acquiring homes under 
this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, every Member in this body is aware tragically that 
American soldiers are returning with horrific wounds. Like many of you, 
I have been to Landstuhl Hospital in Germany and visited our fighting 
men and women. I have been to Walter Reed Army Hospital and visited 
them. It is wonderful that we can save their lives, but this motion to 
recommit recognizes and rewards their sacrifices. It provides that 
disabled veterans, seeking to purchase a home made available under this 
legislation, must be given first preference.
  Mr. Speaker, these are commonsense changes to this bill that will 
improve it, and I urge my colleagues to adopt them by passing this 
motion to recommit.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in 
opposition to the motion to recommit.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I hope we are here seriously 
to legislate. The effect of adopting this will be to make it much less 
likely that veterans will get the preference. Now I understand the 
frustration of Members on the other side. The gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. McCotter) offered an amendment yesterday, notwithstanding any 
other preferences, first priority to veterans, members of the Armed 
Forces on active duty, members of the National Guard or Armed Forces 
reserves, school teachers and emergency responders. That is now in the 
bill. That is part of the bill.
  The gentleman phrased his motion as ``promptly.'' Now we have already 
seen the kind of delay tactics that the minority has been prone to use. 
Send this back to committee, and you are very unlikely to get it back 
on the floor in a way in which we can pass it. So last night we adopted 
preference for veterans. Today, in the guise of redoing what we have 
already done, a motion is offered that will keep veterans from 
benefiting from that preference because the bill won't go anywhere.
  The gentleman was honest. He began by saying he doesn't like this 
bill. And since a head-on assault will not pass--no, I will not yield. 
I will explain why I won't yield. I won't yield because I have 
consistently, when I was chairing the committee, been open to 
amendments. I have yielded. But when at the last minute with zero 
notice something is drafted with no chance to discuss it, and they use 
their full 5 minutes, of course I won't give up the small amount of 
time we have. It is already inadequate to discuss this.
  So this will prevent the veterans from getting the preferences they 
already have. You have seen what can happen with these delays. We have 
preference for veterans in this bill.
  Now let me say procedurally, if this had said ``forthwith,'' I would 
have been less concerned about it. But there is also this: during the 
markup of this bill, we accepted nine Republican amendments. Yesterday 
we accepted several Republican amendments. If I was seriously 
interested in helping the people who are to be the beneficiaries,

[[Page H3197]]

I would have offered an amendment at the Rules Committee, and we would 
have accepted it. I would not have waited to say ``promptly'' so that I 
would have used the disabled veterans as a way to kill the bill.
  Similarly, with regard to mortgage fraud--and by the way, this is 
through the cities. If you think that the cities are going to give out 
money to rapists, worry about it.
  I would be prepared, if this would have been put forward in an 
orderly way so we could vet it and not have unintended consequences as 
we did with the last recommit on a bill from our committee, we could 
have accepted it.
  As we go forward, and let me say further in conference with the 
Senate, yes, I think we ought to make it explicit that people with 
mortgage fraud don't get it, as well as certain kinds of sex offenders. 
Yes, I think we can do these things, and we will do them going forward.
  But to take it now with a ``promptly,'' designed to kill the bill, 
and it will in fact undo, take back the veterans' preferences we gave 
yesterday, and to use disabled veterans and to use concern for the law 
as a cover to kill a bill for which the votes do not exist to kill it 
is the wrong way to go.
  We have amended this bill. Nine amendments were accepted in 
committee. None of these were offered. Had they been, they would have 
substantially been accepted, and they can be accepted going forward. 
But you have seen, my colleagues, what has gone on here. Send this back 
to committee, we have to go back to committee. We have rules to deal 
with. You have a crowded agenda in the committee. You will not see this 
bill again probably for weeks, and we will again have these tactics.
  The gentleman from Georgia is going to raise the point that it can 
come out the next day. It cannot. The rules of the House do not allow 
it. And anyone who thinks you are going to get unanimous consent from 
this group to waive four and five rules is not paying attention. After 
we just had two votes on an appeal of a ruling, a frivolous appeal, and 
we get an appeal of the appeal because people didn't like the wording 
on the board, you tell me if you think we are going to get serious 
legislative efforts.

                              {time}  1145

  So, yeah, I want veterans preferences in the bill. Going forward, we 
can address this. But Members who are worried about some kind of ad 
long before your election, the sensible parts of this will be embodied 
in the bill. You will have a chance to vote to protect against mortgage 
fraud, et cetera. But vote for this today.
  And as the gentleman from Arizona made clear, he doesn't like the 
bill. And I understand the problem the President has. The 
administration can't decide whether it wants to sign or veto. There are 
internal debates, so it falls to our Republican colleagues to save this 
President from having to make the decision.
  I urge my colleagues not to fall for that partisan ploy. Vote down 
this effort to delay, and perhaps delay indefinitely this bill. We 
will, going forward, take the good parts of it and incorporate it. Had 
they been substantially offered seriously before, they would have been 
adopted.
  Please, let's not fall for a partisan ploy and kill a good bill.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Speaker, I rise in support of the second amendment to 
the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008.
  Today, one quarter of subprime adjustable-rate mortgages are 
delinquent by 90 days or more. As a consequence, during 2007, 
foreclosure proceedings were initiated on about 1.5 million U.S. homes. 
The Federal Reserve has projected that the rate of foreclosures will 
grow even higher in 2008.
  We know that many of these foreclosures are unavoidable. There are 
cases where investors choose foreclosure because a property's value has 
depreciated significantly, or a borrower's personal circumstances have 
changed. And, many times, as has recently become alarmingly prevalent, 
a borrower was put into a loan inappropriate for their circumstances. 
But, if a foreclosure is preventable, and the borrower wants to stay in 
the home, the economic argument for trying to avolid foreclosure is 
strong.
  Foreclosures impose high legal and administrative costs. Foreclosures 
can destabilize communities, reduce area property values and lower 
municipal tax revenues. And, at the national level, foreclosures add to 
the stock of homes for sale, increasing downward pressure on home 
prices, which affects the broader economy.
  In the past, mortgage defaults were usually triggered by a borrower's 
life event, such as the loss of a job, serious illness or injury, or 
divorce. But the widespread decline in home prices we are witnessing 
today is a relatively new phenomenon and lenders, servicers and 
policymakers will have to develop new strategies to meet this new 
challenge.
  To be effective, our approach must closely target the borrowers at 
the highest risk of foreclosure while avoiding programs that give 
borrowers, who can make their payments, an incentive to default.
  Th American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act will 
address these problems. The bill's second amendment contains several 
housing-related tax provisions recently reported by the Ways and Means 
Committee as part of the Housing Assistance Tax Act.
  The amendment creates a refundable tax credit of up to $7,500 for 
first-time homebuyers that would serve as an interest-free loan, and 
provides an additional standard deduction in 2008 of up to $350 for 
individuals and $700 for couples for state and local property taxes. It 
authorizes an additional $10 billion in taxexempt bonds that would be 
used to refinance subprime loans, finance the construction of low-
income rental housing, and support loans to first-time homebuyers.
  To assist our men and women in uniform, many of whom have put 
themselves in harms way in service to their country, the amendment adds 
provisions from a measure approved by the Veterans Affairs Committee 
that extends to one year, from 90 days, the period following active 
duty service during which service members are protected from 
foreclosures.
  This amendment will fully offset the cost of its tax provisions in 
two ways. First, by raising $8 billion through FY 2018 by requiring 
brokers to report their customer's basis in securities transactions, 
and second, by raising $3.2 billion through FY 2018 by delaying, until 
2010, new rules allocating interest expenses between foreign and 
domestic sources.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand today in support of the second 
amendment to The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act 
of 2008 and I urge my colleagues to join me.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, this legislation represents a fair, common 
sense solution that will allow homeowners to stay in their homes and 
help stabilize the housing market. I would like to extend my gratitude 
to Chairman Frank for his hard work on this legislation, which will be 
of critical importance in Michigan, where there are thousands of 
homeowners in danger of foreclosure. I am especially pleased that this 
bill includes legislation which I cosponsored that would provide up to 
$300 billion in new loan guarantees to help refinance at-risk borrowers 
into viable mortgages. In addition, this legislation includes important 
provisions that expand homeownership opportunities for veterans, 
seniors, and first-time homebuyers.
  This legislation will help both homeowners and lenders, but this is 
no bailout. Lenders who participate will have to take a loss, but their 
losses under this program will be far less than if these properties go 
into foreclosure. Borrowers who realize a profit when they sell their 
home must return some of that profit to the government. The United 
States provided similar leadership during the New Deal using a program 
run by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation, HOLC. Much like the HOLC, 
this program stands to save millions of homes from foreclosure at a 
minimum cost to the taxpayers.
  I would especially like to thank Chairman Frank for his assistance in 
securing passage of a provision important to the residents of Parkview 
Apartments in Ypsilanti, Michigan. I have been working for four years 
now to try to facilitate the transfer of this property to Ypsilanti 
Housing Authority. Chairman Frank and the staff of the Financial 
Services Committee have been instrumental in these efforts, which are 
designed to clarify Congressional intent regarding certain properties 
that entered the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, 
property disposition process prior to the enactment of the Deficit 
Reduction Act, DRA, but where the initial proposed disposition was 
delayed.
  While I believe that Parkview is already subject to the 
grandfathering provision of the DRA, this provision clarifies that such 
properties should be considered ``pre-DRA'' properties, and that HUD 
should proceed with its prior disposition contracts as to those 
properties. This provision is one of many that was included in 
legislation that passed the House last year, and is now being included 
in this bill as part of a comprehensive housing package. This 
legislation is of the utmost importance to the Congress, and it is my 
hope and expectation that it will soon be enacted into law.
  Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3221, The 
Foreclosure

[[Page H3198]]

Prevention Act of 2008 and the package on the floor today that will 
provide much-needed relief to homeowners at risk of foreclosure across 
the country.
  The collapse of the mortgage market that has unraveled over the last 
year has not only impacted homebuyers who entered into non-traditional 
mortgage products that they now find they are unable to repay, but has 
also reverberated throughout the economy. We must act with necessary 
urgency and pass the package before us today.
  My home State of Indiana has been significantly impacted by this 
foreclosure crisis, which is contributing to an ongoing economic 
downturn. Our State has lost 27,000 jobs in the manufacturing industry 
since 2000. Additionally, in 2007, 53,000 Indiana homes received 
foreclosure notices. This number is up 74 percent from the number of 
notices in 2005. That means that 53,000 families in my State+ may be 
forced to move out of their homes, pull their children out of school 
and find another place to live. Mr. Speaker, many of these people are 
not reckless speculators, but rather hard-working families struggling 
to make ends meet.
  This package allows lenders, investors and homeowners to voluntarily 
sit down at a table and work out a plan to rescue mortgages that may be 
on the verge of foreclosure. It takes a responsible approach to provide 
rescue assistance to those who most need it without encouraging 
irresponsible behavior.
  Mr. Speaker, I am also glad to see that this legislation includes a 
bill I introduced to raise loan limits on FHA Title I-insured 
manufactured home loans which have not been adjusted since 1992, 
allowing more people to enter into a mortgage that they can afford on a 
high-quality affordable home.
  Also, this comprehensive package includes a number of tax incentives 
to help prospective and current homeowners. It provides a $7,500 tax 
credit to eligible families to put towards their downpayment on their 
first home. Existing homeowners who do not itemize their tax returns 
for 2008 would be eligible to deduct up to $700 for property tax relief 
at a time they need it most.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Frank for his continued 
leadership in responding to the housing and economic crisis and I urge 
all my colleagues to pass the Housing Rescue Package today.
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3221, American 
Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, and amendments 
to the bill. This bill is a critical step towards stabilizing our 
housing market, and providing assistance to thousands of Americans 
facing foreclosure.
  There are grave problems facing our current housing market and 
economy. Decreasing home values and lack of available credit are 
damaging the market, and skyrocketing mortgages have led thousands of 
families to face the frightening prospect of foreclosure. In my state 
of North Carolina alone, PEW Charity Trusts and the Center for 
Responsible Lending estimate there will be 53,254 foreclosures in 2008 
and 2009. Not only does foreclosure strike at the heart of these 
families' financial stability, but unfortunately the damage spreads 
across all of our communities. The same study shows that over 330,000 
homes in North Carolina will be devalued by the spillover impact of the 
foreclosures, and North Carolina stands to lose over $860 million in 
property values.
  However, H.R. 3221 is a comprehensive package that can provide relief 
to these families and our communities in a variety of ways. Provisions 
in this bill reform and modernize the Federal Housing Administration 
(FHA) as well as government sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie 
Mac. These programs allow for stability in the housing market and by 
strengthening their loan limits and regulations, they can serve as a 
safer alternative to the riskier subprime loans we have recently seen. 
The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 also 
includes a tax benefit for first-time homebuyers as well as an 
additional credit on property taxes for existing homeowners who claim 
the standard deduction. These measures will help revive the housing 
market and get our sluggish economy moving in the right direction.
  This bill also creates a voluntary FHA initiative that provides 
mortgage refinancing assistance to allow families to stay in their 
homes while also strengthening the housing market. This voluntary plan 
would require lenders to write-down some of the existing mortgage in 
order to qualify for FHA backing, and would require borrowers to return 
portions of any future profits on the house to the government in order 
to prevent foreclosure. It is important to note that under H.R. 3221, 
only owner-occupied homes facing foreclosure can qualify for this 
mortgage assistance, and speculators, investors, and second-homeowners 
are not eligible. This provision represents a compromise by all 
participating parties and can keep people in their homes and improve 
surrounding communities.
  I support the passage of H.R. 3221, American Housing Rescue and 
Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, and I urge my colleagues to join 
me.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this 
legislation.
  In most circumstances, I consider it counterproductive and not in the 
best interest of the American people for the Federal Government to 
intervene in the free market process. However, in certain exceptional 
times, I believe it is the duty of the Federal Government to act for 
the greater good of our Nation. And I think we are experiencing such an 
exceptional moment in American history.
  The provisions of this legislative package will help stabilize the 
downward trend in the housing industry and overall economy, and prevent 
that trend from spiraling out of control.
  The danger is real. Just last month, the Pew Charitable Trusts 
released a study that forecast one in 25 homeowners in my home state of 
Colorado will be in foreclosure within the next two years if Congress 
does not act now to curb this impending disaster. The national forecast 
of homeowners in foreclosure within the next two years--one in 33--is 
only slightly less discouraging. If we stand by and do nothing, as some 
have suggested, the damage to the overall American economy could be 
devastating.
  First and foremost, this bill will help American families at risk of 
foreclosure to stay in their homes by allowing the Federal Housing 
Administration (FHA) to guarantee qualified refinanced loans. To do so, 
however, homeowners and their lenders must agree to sacrifice. Lenders 
could recover no more than 85 percent of a property's current value, 
but could avoid the potentially greater losses associated with 
unloading a foreclosed property. Meanwhile, participating homeowners 
could remain in their home, but must repay the Federal Government a 
percentage of the value of the home if they sell or refinance again.
  The bill provides much needed measures to modernize the FHA, allowing 
expanded opportunities for families to secure affordable loans without 
having to turn to subprime lenders. The legislation also increases the 
Veterans Administration home loan guarantee limit, allowing our 
veterans to receive the dignified homeownership opportunities they 
deserve for honoring us with their service; reforms Government 
Sponsored Enterprises through strengthened regulation, while raising 
GSE loan limits for homes in high-cost areas; and encourages mortgage 
servicers to readjust at-risk mortgages by removing the threat of 
lawsuit.
  This legislation would help remove some of the excess housing 
inventory by offering a refundable tax credit for first-time 
homebuyers. It would also provide additional mortgage revenue bonds for 
states to refinance subprime loans, and help prevent soldiers from 
being unfairly penalized for their service by providing more time to 
get their finances in order when they return from service before a 
lender could start foreclosure.
  A final important piece of this legislation would simply protect the 
right of States and cities to regulate their own foreclosure process. 
Some have argued that national banks and financial institutions should 
be exempt from these rules. I, however, believe it is the right of 
States and cities to have their own requirements and enforce their own 
rules throughout the foreclosure process.
  Mr. Speaker, I was very disappointed to learn of the Bush 
Administration's threat to veto this legislation, because I believe 
that it is important for us to act now to provide relief to America's 
stressed homeowners. It is my understanding that Federal Reserve 
Chairman Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Paulson, as well as other 
Administration officials, had worked with Chairman Frank to shape 
provisions of this legislation, so this change of heart is doubly 
regrettable. I hope that the President will change his mind and sign 
this needed legislation when it reaches his desk.
  This legislation has been carefully crafted to safeguard against 
fraud, corporate giveaways and speculator abuse. And as concerned as I 
was that the Federal Reserve had to devote $29 billion to prevent the 
collapse of investment bank Bear Stearns, I am equally concerned about 
the Federal Government taking action to rescue the housing market. 
However, without the stability that the Fed provided the investment 
banking industry, experts tell us that the bottom may well have fallen 
out of our economy. And it appears the same is true for our housing 
market--without the stability this legislation will help provide, it 
may not have the chance to correct itself and, eventually, rebound. 
Main Street deserves the same attention as Wall Street.
  For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting all three components of this legislation.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the American 
Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act, which will help cities 
and towns, but most importantly, individuals and families that have 
been adversely impacted by the foreclosure crisis.

[[Page H3199]]

  In my home state of Rhode Island, this problem is particularly acute. 
Foreclosures have increased by 20 percent in the last few months, and 
it is our most vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately 
affected.
  Last weekend I teamed with Rhode Island Housing--a nonprofit 
organization dedicated to keeping housing affordable--to hold a 
workshop for those facing foreclosure. While we helped many local 
families, it is time for the Federal Government to do its part on a 
national scale.
  I commend Chairman Frank and Chairman Rangel for their leadership in 
bringing this critical measure to the floor. I urge my colleagues to 
support this bill.
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act 
of 2008. This package is a comprehensive response to the current 
housing crisis that has left many honest, hardworking Americans in 
financial distress.
  H.R. 3221 is especially important to Hoosiers who have struggled as 
our state consistently ranks among the top ten for foreclosures 
nationally. The district I represent, which includes most of the City 
of Indianapolis, currently has around 17,000 foreclosed properties and 
around 7,200 in the preforeclosure phase. My constituents need the 
assistance available in this bill urgently.
  This package includes key legislation such as Government Sponsored 
Enterprise reform, Federal Housing Administration modernization, the 
Housing Assistance Tax Act and H.R. 5830, a critical bill reported out 
of the Financial Services Committee last week that will help borrowers 
at risk of foreclosure refinance into more stable loans. These bills 
will not only help borrowers now, but strengthen the mortgage lending 
market moving forward.
  In order to ensure borrowers would be aware of the important FHA 
refinancing opportunity under Chairman Frank's bill, H.R. 5830, I 
introduced an amendment in the Financial Services Committee which 
stated that no less than 2 percent of funds available for counseling in 
the bill would be targeted towards notification to individuals who are 
eligible to refinance their mortgage under the bill's provisions.
  Further, we know that African American mortgage consumers were 3.7 
times more likely than white borrowers to receive subprime loans and 
Latinos were 2.3 times more likely. In order to help those 
disproportionately affected by these high-cost loans, my amendment 
further instructed the Secretary to give preference to organizations 
that have a proven track record for outreach within minority 
communities in allocating these notification resources. I am pleased 
the amendment received bipartisan support and was incorporated into 
this crucial piece of legislation.
  I believe H.R. 3221 is the right approach to this complex housing 
crisis. I thank Chairman Frank and Chairman Rangel for their hard and 
thoughtful work on this bill and I look forward to seeing this 
legislation move forward.
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this bipartisan housing 
stimulus package.
  The foreclosure crisis is hurting communities all across the Nation, 
and my district has been especially impacted: 4,523 families in my 
district have already lost their homes this year. Over 11,000 families 
in San Bernardino County are currently in default. And the San 
Bernardino-Riverside area in the Inland Empire, ranked #2 nationwide in 
foreclosure filings this year.
  Everyone pays when there are foreclosures! Crime increases, home 
values decline, schools are affected, and cities run deficits which 
impacts revenues for local police, fire, and social services.
  H.R. 5818, the Neighborhood Stabilization Act which passed today, 
will help stabilize communities harmed by empty homes closed by 
foreclosure. It will provide loans and grants to States to buy and 
rehabilitate these properties and restore home values in neighborhoods.
  The broader housing package is also important for many reasons: FHA 
Stabilization will allow lenders to refinance mortgages with FHA-
insured loans to keep families in their homes. FHA Modernization 
increases FHA loan limits permanently to help high cost housing areas 
like the Inland Empire. The $7,500 Tax Credit for Homebuyers will help 
first-time homebuyers purchasing their first home. Low-income Housing 
Credit Reform modernizes the credit to increase affordable housing in 
underserved neighborhoods. The increase in Mortgage Revenue Bonds will 
allow states to issue more bonds for housing and use the proceeds to 
refinance subprime mortgages.
  Finally, my amendment to the financial services committee bill, H.R. 
5830, will promote in-person housing counseling to reach homeowners in 
default. This is more effective than sending a letter in the mail and 
will help prevent many foreclosures.
  I urge my colleagues to support this housing stimulus package. This 
is the right thing to do and will keep people in their homes.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
this legislation to help homeowners and families affected by the 
housing crisis.
  This past year has been one of the most difficult ever for middle 
class and low-income homeowners because of the collapse of the credit 
markets, the weak economy, and high energy prices. It is clear to all 
that what began as a housing crisis has become a crisis for the entire 
economy and the entire country.
  The housing crisis put a strain on our banking system, and that has 
sent shock waves throughout the credit markets, for cars, for student 
loans, and for all consumers. American families in all walks of life 
are feeling the economic strain.
  Millions of families across the Nation have lost or are at risk of 
losing their homes. Foreclosures in my congressional district, Solano 
County and Contra Costa County, are among the highest in the country. 
People are looking to Congress for help.
  It is critical that we stabilize the housing market and reduce the 
number of homes going into foreclosure.
  The bill we are considering today is urgently needed. It is designed 
to responsibly rescue those who are facing foreclosure. It responds 
directly to the current crisis, but it also establishes a system to try 
to prevent a similar crisis in the future.
  This bill will provide mortgage refinancing assistance to keep 
families from losing their homes, protect neighboring home values, and 
help stabilize the housing market. The federal government will step in 
to insure $300 billion in new mortgages.
  This legislation will allow FHA to insure more affordable fixed rate 
loans for borrowers who are facing financial troubles. It will 
modernize the FHA and reform the GSEs while providing crucial liquidity 
to our mortgage markets now, and will also strengthen regulation and 
oversight for the future.
  The mortgage collapse has sent shockwaves through our entire economy 
and it is clear that stabilizing the housing market is a critical step 
in strengthening our economy.
  I am appalled that President Bush refuses to help American homeowners 
despite being perfectly willing to rescue Bear Stearns just a few 
months ago. It is reckless for the White House to threaten to veto this 
housing package that will make it easier for those in trouble to keep 
their homes and will help stabilize our economy.
  I urge the President to support this bill.
  With this legislation, we can begin to repair the economy, restore 
confidence in the markets, limit the damage to families and 
neighborhoods, and help build new affordable housing. This bill is good 
for hard working American families. We owe it to them to get it done.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, we're here today to take a stand on 
behalf of low-income and vulnerable Americans who have been left out, 
shut out, dropped out or forced out of any chance at decent, affordable 
housing because of the predatory economic policies of this 
Administration.
  Under the leadership of Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, we 
have bipartisan legislation before us today that finally responds to 
the needs of the American people.
  For too long, too many disadvantaged and vulnerable Americans have 
been forgotten, ignored or under-served when it came time to provide 
economic assistance.
  For the first time in a long time we have legislation that recognizes 
and addresses the unique housing needs and circumstances of the working 
poor, and other vulnerable Americans.
  We provide States and cities with incentives to ensure that low-
income housing options remain available to those who need it most.
  We increase the allocation of Federal low-income housing tax credits 
and expand the authority of States to issue tax-exempt bonds to help 
finance affordable housing.
  Section 103 includes language to ensure that Federal assistance that 
helps vulnerable populations, like the elderly, the sick, and veterans, 
does not reduce the value of the Federal low-income housing tax credits 
used to finance affordable rental housing.
  Section 104 allows for consideration of whether an affordable housing 
development employs technology and practices to improve its energy 
efficiency, when Federal low-income housing tax credits are allocated 
to affordable housing developments.
  Section 104 also clarifies that students who were formerly in foster 
care are not precluded from renting affordable housing financed by 
Federal low-income housing tax credits.
  This legislation touches the lives of real Americans who have been 
left behind or outright forgotten for too long.
  I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
  If we fail to meet the needs of vulnerable Americans, then we will 
fail to live up to our responsibility of governing on behalf of all 
people.

[[Page H3200]]

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5818, 
the Neighborhood Stabilization Act, and H.R. 3221, the American Housing 
Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act.
  These bills come at a critical time for America--and especially for 
my constituents on the Central and South Coasts of California. That is 
why I am extremely disappointed that the President has threatened to 
veto them both.
  They include much-needed reforms of the Federal Housing 
Administration, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, and usher these agencies 
into the 21st century.
  But they also accomplish three tasks that are vital to the housing 
market and economy of the Central and South Coasts.
  First, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act 
makes permanent the temporary loan limit increases contained in the 
Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.
  Mr. Speaker, I cannot stress enough how vital this provision is for 
my district.
  Median home prices in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo 
Counties are well above the national average, and our families are 
truly struggling to obtain affordable housing.
  Second, this bill will stem foreclosures by creating a voluntary 
mortgage refinancing program that allows families to stay in their 
homes.
  Under this program, the Federal Housing Administration has the 
authority to refinance up to $300 billion in imperiled mortgages.
  With median home prices in Santa Barbara County alone declining 
almost 30 percent in the past year alone, it is undoubtedly in the best 
interests of lenders to participate in this program.
  Lastly, the Neighborhood Stabilization Act establishes a loan and 
grant program for the purchase and rehabilitation of foreclosed homes.
  Just this week one of my hometown newspapers, the Ventura County 
Star, reported on the negative impact that foreclosed homes have on 
communities.
  Lower home values, increased crime, and safety hazards are just a few 
of the consequences that can result from foreclosure.
  This bill prevents neighborhood decline by providing targeted 
assistance to state and local governments.
  Mr. Speaker, American families need help, and that is exactly what is 
provided by the housing bills on the floor today.
  I urge my colleagues to support these bills, and I urge the President 
to work together with Congress in addressing the needs of the hard-
working families in America who want to keep their homes.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3221, the 
American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008.
  This vital legislation comes at a time of record-breaking gas prices, 
double digit increases in food prices and a weakening economy. On top 
of all these struggles, Americans now face a crisis at home and in 
their communities in the form of rising property foreclosures. In some 
parts of the country, neighborhoods are littered with ``for sale'' 
signs, and many families are struggling to keep up with their mortgage 
payments. The legislation we are debating on this floor today will 
empower communities to respond to the current home mortgage crisis, 
prevent further lending abuses and increase federal oversight of the 
mortgage industry.
  H.R. 3221 expands the Federal Housing Administration's role in 
preventing foreclosures by expanding refinancing loan guarantees for 
at-risk homeowners. Today, families are facing variable interest rates, 
hidden fees, early payment penalties, but with enactment of the 
Foreclosure Prevent Act, the government will be there to provide relief 
and counseling. It also increases oversight to ensure regulators have 
the tools to prevent the next crisis. It expands housing counseling and 
consumer protections. The bill also establishes an affordable housing 
trust fund to provide assistance for low income households. The bill 
even makes it harder to foreclose on the homes of our returning troops 
from Iraq and Afghanistan.
  This bill also contains important language to my district and my 
hometown of Malden, Massachusetts. The tenants of the Heritage 
Apartments face an uncertain future, with an HUD affordability contract 
expiring soon. The tenants are facing possible displacement once an 
outstanding HUD mortgage is fully paid in a few years. The development 
is also in need of major renovations and upgrades that simply cannot be 
delayed. Unfortunately HUD is failing to ensure that the development 
remains affordable and livable by placing burdensome restrictions on 
prepayment of the outstanding mortgage and subsequent transfer to a new 
owner who is willing to finance the renovations.
  Language in this bill would allow income-eligible residents to 
qualify for enhanced housing vouchers following the prepayment of the 
HUD mortgage and the property transfer and directs HUD to approve such 
actions. I want to thank the Chairman of the Financial Services 
Committee (Mr. Frank) for his assistance in ensuring that this 
important provision is included in this housing bill.
  Today, with this legislation, we are taking steps to revitalize our 
communities for a better tomorrow. I strongly urge this House to vote 
to approve this bill.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, over the past months, economic conditions 
in our country have soured. Particularly troublesome to our Nation's 
economic engine are skyrocketing home foreclosures and loan delinquency 
rates, which have risen over 85 percent in the past year.
  Foreclosures and delinquencies are harmful to borrowers and lenders, 
but they also stifle economic growth, shake consumer confidence, and 
lower home values for those who live near foreclosed properties.
  While borrowers in our country must certainly bear a great deal of 
responsibility when it comes to financial planning, the government can 
and must carefully examine the impact of soaring mortgage foreclosures 
on the whole U.S. economy and also thoroughly review regulatory 
oversight with respect to the mortgage business.
  I have been pleased that the House has been active in addressing the 
mortgage crisis, voting last year to strengthen consumer protections 
against risky loans and to overhaul the Federal Housing Administration 
(FHA), Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae, among other things. Under the 
leadership of Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, the 
House is again poised to pass critical, market-driven housing 
legislation designed to reduce foreclosures, to help families avoid 
foreclosure in the future, and to alleviate the negative impacts of 
foreclosures on property values and the national economy.
  I am pleased to support this legislation, which would create a new 
voluntary program within FHA that would offer lenders an alternative to 
foreclosure. This approach, which is driven by the lenders' desire to 
save costs associated with foreclosing on property, forces the lender, 
the borrower, and the government to all make sacrifices to ensure 
families have the ability to stay in their homes. While some have 
criticized this initiative as a government bailout of those who have 
made poor financial choices, in my view, it represents an innovative, 
market-driven way to shore up the housing market and the overall 
economy.
  The measure would also create a $7,500 tax incentive for first time 
home buyers and other important tax incentives while simultaneously 
modernizing the FHA, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae and increasing the 
loan limit for FHA and Veterans' Administration loans.
  I am hopeful that the Senate will act quickly on this well written 
bill and that it will be signed into law by the President.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3221, the 
Foreclosure Prevention Act.
  At the end of last year, home foreclosure rates rose to the highest 
level in 20 years. Every day more than 7,000 people file for 
foreclosure, and it is predicted that predatory lending practices and 
sub prime mortgages will cause one in every thirty-three homeowners to 
foreclose on their mortgages in the next 2 years.
  This is not an issue that is merely affecting those who have 
defaulted on their mortgages and their lenders; it is having a ripple 
effect throughout the economy. It has resulted in a nationwide decrease 
in housing prices of 12.4 percent, and 10 percent of Americans now owe 
more money on their mortgages than their homes are worth. It has caused 
a decrease in consumer confidence and corresponding decrease in 
consumer spending. It has contributed to a steep increase in job losses 
in housing related industries such as manufacturing, construction and 
related industries. These job losses combined with the loss of consumer 
confidence could reduce economic activity by over 150 billion dollars 
in 2008.
  This is a crisis, and it is time, it is past time, that the Federal 
Government step in and help those that are suffering. H.R. 3221 would 
provide mortgage refinancing assistance to keep families in their 
homes, protect neighboring home values, and help stabilize the housing 
market. It would expand the Federal Housing Administration to help 
borrowers who are at risk of losing their homes to refinance into 
lower-cost government-insured mortgages that they can afford to repay. 
H.R. 3221 ensures that this will be done responsibly, by requiring 
lenders and mortgage investors to take significant losses in order to 
participate in this program and by requiring borrowers to share a 
portion of any resale of a refinanced home with the government.
  H.R. 3221 also provides 11 billion dollars in tax incentives to help 
Americans purchase a first home or hold onto the ones that they already 
have. This includes tax credits to first-time homebuyers, an additional 
10 billion dollars in mortgage revenue bonds for states,

[[Page H3201]]

and improves access to low-income housing. It also includes a provision 
that I wrote to allow homeowners who currently do not itemize their 
Federal tax returns to take an additional standard deduction for the 
state and local property taxes that they pay. The Temporary Tax Relief 
Act creates an additional standard deduction of $350 for single filers 
and $700 for joint filers for state and local real property taxes paid 
or accrued. This legislation will complement efforts that have already 
been implemented on the state and federal level to help address the 
housing crisis.
  I am proud that several organizations in my home state of New Jersey 
have stepped in to provide services and assistance to New Jerseyans who 
are at risk of losing their homes. One of the shining examples of this 
is Legal Services of New Jersey. LSNJ created the Anti-Predatory 
Lending Project 5 years ago to provide legal services to borrowers 
victimized by predatory lenders. LSNJ's hardworking lawyers have helped 
almost 500 families who were facing foreclosure receive legal 
assistance. I would like to commend LSNJ for the work that they have 
done on behalf of the residents of my central New Jersey district and 
for all New Jerseyans who have been at risk of losing their homes.
  H.R. 3221 and the companion bill that the House of Representatives 
will be considering, H.R. 5818, the Neighborhood Stabilization Act are 
a bold step towards addressing the mortgage crisis and the resulting 
economic downturn, and I urge my colleagues to support them.
  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the amendments to 
H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act 
of 2008, which the House is considering today. This urgently needed 
legislation makes a number of surgical reforms to help address the 
problems we are currently facing in our Nation's housing markets.
  In particular, I am pleased that one of the amendments that we will 
consider today contains H.R. 5579, the Emergency Mortgage Loan 
Modification Act of 2008. I have worked with the gentleman from 
Delaware (Mr. Castle) to refine his original proposal and introduce a 
new bill. We also held a productive hearing on H.R. 5579 before the 
House Financial Services Capital Markets Subcommittee and made a number 
of revisions to the bill before bringing it to the floor today.
  During the hearings on H.R. 5579 and throughout its legislative 
development, I have been clear about the intended goals of this 
legislation: to provide servicers a safe harbor from investor lawsuits. 
Servicers, in turn, would have to meet prescribed duties and enter into 
a ``qualified loan modification'' or ``workout plan'' which the 
legislation defines. It is my firm belief that with such an arrangement 
in place, servicers will more readily assist troubled homeowners and 
will have more tools at their disposal to prevent defaults and 
foreclosures.
  Moreover, I would like to be clear about what the bill does not 
intend. H.R. 5579 does not intend to create a statutory preference for 
loss mitigation activities generally, nor does it limit the ability of 
servicers to pursue the full scope of available options. In drafting 
this legislation we sought to create a bill that honors the terms of 
existing contracts while at the same time recognizing that foreclosure 
is not in the best interests of the investor or borrower.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, Americans have been hit hard both by the 
current housing crisis and by the broader credit crunch. We can delay 
action no longer. I therefore urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3221, 
and especially the incorporated language from H.R. 5579.


                        Parliamentary Inquiries

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Weiner). State your parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, isn't it true that if this motion 
passed, that it would be referred back to the committee from whence it 
came, and that it could be reported back the next legislative day?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. As the Chair reaffirmed on November 15, 
2007, at some subsequent time, the committee could meet and report the 
bill back to the House.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. The committee and the House are 
constrained by a number of rules that cause substantial numbers of days 
to elapse. Does this motion, if it passes, in any way empower us to 
forget those rules of the House which require a certain number of days 
in committee, certain number of layovers, an announcement of a markup, 
a delay before the bill is reported, the Rules Committee, et cetera? 
Does this motion in any way reduce any of those timetables?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. As the Chair stated on November 15, 2007, an 
order of recommital does not necessarily waive any rules, but the Chair 
cannot render an advisory opinion on what points of order might lie.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia will state his 
parliamentary inquiry.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, isn't it true if you have 218 votes 
you can do just about anything you want to in this House?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has not stated a proper 
parliamentary inquiry.
  Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the motion to 
recommit.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 and clause 9 of rule 
XX, this 15-minute vote on the motion to recommit will be followed by 
5-minute votes on passage of the bill, and motion to suspend the rules 
on H.R. 4279.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 210, 
noes 216, not voting 7, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 298]

                               AYES--210

     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barrett (SC)
     Barrow
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boozman
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Broun (GA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carney
     Carter
     Castle
     Cazayoux
     Chabot
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Crenshaw
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Donnelly
     Doolittle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Ehlers
     Ellsworth
     Emerson
     English (PA)
     Everett
     Fallin
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Giffords
     Gilchrest
     Gillibrand
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Granger
     Graves
     Hall (TX)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hill
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Issa
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jordan
     Keller
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Lampson
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Latta
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     LoBiondo
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Marshall
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Mitchell
     Moran (KS)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Pearce
     Pence
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Royce
     Ryan (WI)
     Sali
     Saxton
     Scalise
     Schmidt
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Souder
     Stearns
     Sullivan
     Tancredo
     Terry
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Turner
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Wamp
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield (KY)
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman (VA)
     Wolf
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                               NOES--216

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Baird
     Baldwin
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown, Corrine
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carson
     Castor
     Chandler
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, Lincoln
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett

[[Page H3202]]


     Doyle
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Emanuel
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Foster
     Frank (MA)
     Gonzalez
     Gordon
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Hall (NY)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Herseth Sandlin
     Higgins
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hodes
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (OH)
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     Klein (FL)
     Kucinich
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lynch
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Markey
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum (MN)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McNulty
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Michaud
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murtha
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Pomeroy
     Price (NC)
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rodriguez
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Serrano
     Sestak
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shuler
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Space
     Speier
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stupak
     Sutton
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Wexler
     Wilson (OH)
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--7

     Campbell (CA)
     Cohen
     Gutierrez
     Jones (NC)
     Loebsack
     Richardson
     Rush


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). Members have 2 minutes 
remaining to cast their votes.

                              {time}  1206

  Messrs. KINGSTON and PICKERING changed their vote from ``no'' to 
``aye.''
  So the motion to recommit was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 239, 
noes 188, not voting 6, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 299]

                               AYES--239

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Baird
     Baldwin
     Barrow
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown, Corrine
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Castor
     Cazayoux
     Chandler
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, Lincoln
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Foster
     Frank (MA)
     Giffords
     Gilchrest
     Gonzalez
     Gordon
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Hall (NY)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Herseth Sandlin
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hodes
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (OH)
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     Klein (FL)
     Kucinich
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     LaTourette
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lynch
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum (MN)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McIntyre
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Michaud
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murtha
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rodriguez
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Serrano
     Sestak
     Shays
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shuler
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Space
     Speier
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stupak
     Sutton
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Wexler
     Wilson (OH)
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth

                               NOES--188

     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barrett (SC)
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boozman
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Broun (GA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Castle
     Chabot
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Crenshaw
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     Dent
     Doolittle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Ehlers
     Emerson
     English (PA)
     Everett
     Fallin
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Gillibrand
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Granger
     Graves
     Hall (TX)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Issa
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jordan
     Keller
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Latham
     Latta
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     LoBiondo
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Moran (KS)
     Murphy, Tim
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Paul
     Pearce
     Pence
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Price (GA)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Roskam
     Royce
     Ryan (WI)
     Sali
     Saxton
     Scalise
     Schmidt
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Souder
     Stearns
     Sullivan
     Tancredo
     Terry
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Wamp
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield (KY)
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman (VA)
     Wolf
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--6

     Campbell (CA)
     Cohen
     Gutierrez
     Loebsack
     Richardson
     Rush


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). Members are reminded there 
are 2 minutes remaining on this vote.

                              {time}  1216

  Mr. KIRK changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________