[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 107 (Thursday, June 26, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D826-D829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 52 public bills, H.R. 6376-
6427; and 18 resolutions, H.J. Res. 96-97; H. Con. Res. 383-387; and H. 
Res. 1306-1316, were introduced.
  Pages H6173-76
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H6177-78
Reports Filed: There were no reports filed today.
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measure:
  Directing the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to utilize all its 
authority, including its emergency powers, to curb immediately the role 
of excessive speculation in any contract market within the jurisdiction 
and control of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, on or through 
which energy futures or swaps are traded: H.R. 6377, to direct the 
Commodity Futures Trading Commission to utilize all its authority, 
including its emergency powers, to curb immediately the role of 
excessive speculation in any contract market within the jurisdiction 
and control of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, on or through 
which energy futures or swaps are traded, and to eliminate excessive 
speculation, price distortion, sudden or unreasonable fluctuations or 
unwarranted changes in prices, or other unlawful activity that is 
causing major market disturbances that prevent the market from 
accurately reflecting the forces of supply and demand for energy 
commodities, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 402 yeas to 19 nays, Roll 
No. 468.
  Pages H6103-10, H6143-44
Order of Procedure: The House agreed by unanimous consent that the 
motions to suspend the rules relating to the following measures be 
considered as adopted in the form considered by the House on Tuesday, 
June 24th:

[[Page D827]]

  Supporting the goals and ideals of National Save for Retirement Week: 
H. Res. 1294, to support the goals and ideals of National Save for 
Retirement Week;
  Page H6121
  Expressing the sense of Congress in support of further research and 
activities to increase public awareness, professional education, 
diagnosis, and treatment of Dandy-Walker syndrome and hydrocephalus: H. 
Con. Res. 163, amended, to express the sense of Congress in support of 
further research and activities to increase public awareness, 
professional education, diagnosis, and treatment of Dandy-Walker 
syndrome and hydrocephalus;
  Page H6121
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there 
should be an increased Federal commitment supporting the development of 
innovative advanced imaging technologies for prostate cancer detection 
and treatment: H. Res. 353, amended, to express the sense of the House 
of Representatives that there should be an increased Federal commitment 
supporting the development of innovative advanced imaging technologies 
for prostate cancer detection and treatment;
  Page H6121
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ``Expressing the sense of 
the House of Representatives that there should be an increased 
commitment supporting the development of innovative advanced imaging 
technologies for prostate cancer detection and treatment.''. 
                                                             Page H6121
  Supporting the goals and ideals of Vietnam Veterans Day and calling 
on the American people to recognize such a day: H. Res. 1231, to 
support the goals and ideals of Vietnam Veterans Day and calling on the 
American people to recognize such a day;
  Page H6121
  Elwood ``Bud'' Link Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic 
Designation Act: H.R. 2245, to designate the Department of Veterans 
Affairs outpatient clinic in Wenatchee, Washington, as the Elwood 
``Bud'' Link Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic; 
                                                             Page H6121
  Michael Bilirakis Department of Veterans Affairs Spinal Cord Injury 
Center Designation Act: H.R. 4264, to name the Department of Veterans 
Affairs spinal cord injury center in Tampa, Florida, as the ``Michael 
Bilirakis Department of Veterans Affairs Spinal Cord Injury Center''; 
                                                             Page H6121
  Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 
Designation Act: H.R. 4918, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs 
medical center in Miami, Florida, as the ``Bruce W. Carter Department 
of Veterans Affairs Medical Center'';
  Page H6121
  Recognizing National Homeownership Month and the importance of 
homeownership in the United States: H. Res. 1271, to recognize National 
Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in the United 
States;
  Page H6121
  Expressing support for designation of September 2008 as ``Gospel 
Music Heritage Month'' and honoring gospel music for its valuable and 
longstanding contributions to the culture of the United States: H. Con. 
Res. 370, to express support for designation of September 2008 as 
``Gospel Music Heritage Month'' and to honor gospel music for its 
valuable and longstanding contributions to the culture of the United 
States;
  Page H6121
  Expressing the sense of the Congress that a National Dysphagia 
Awareness Month should be established: H. Con. Res. 195, to express the 
sense of the Congress that a National Dysphagia Awareness Month should 
be established;
  Page H6121
  Expressing support for designation of June 30 as ``National Corvette 
Day'': H. Res. 970, to express support for designation of June 30 as 
``National Corvette Day''; and
  Page H6121
  Honoring the life of Robert Mondavi: H. Con. Res. 365, to honor the 
life of Robert Mondavi.
  Page H6121
Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to 
meet at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 30, 2008, unless it sooner has received 
a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in H. Con. Res. 
379, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that 
concurrent resolution.
  Page H6121
Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act of 2008: The House 
passed H.R. 6052, to promote increased public transportation use and to 
promote increased use of alternative fuels in providing public 
transportation, by a recorded vote of 322 ayes to 98 noes, Roll No. 
467.
  Pages H6122-43
  Rejected the Walden (OR) motion to recommit the bill to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure with instructions to report the 
same back to the House promptly with amendments, by a recorded vote of 
199 ayes to 221 noes, Roll No. 466.
Pages H6140-43
Accepted:
  Oberstar amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 110-734) that adds a 
finding that public transportation stakeholders should engage local 
communities in promoting the importance of using public transportation; 
amends section 3 (grants to improve public transportation services) to 
clarify that transit agencies may use these new grants to offset the 
increased cost of fuel to transit agencies; clarifies that

[[Page D828]]

intercity bus service and acquiring facilities or equipment to improve 
fuel efficiency are eligible activities under the bill; and requires 
the Transportation Secretary to carry out consumer awareness programs 
on the benefits of alternative transportation;
Pages H6133-34
  McGovern amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 110-734) that amends 
section 5 (transportation fringe benefits) to authorize increasing the 
transit portion of the transportation fringe benefit so it is equal to 
the maximum limit of the parking portion of the transportation fringe 
benefit;
Pages H6134-35
  Reichert amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 110-734) that amends 
section 7 (federal share for fixed guideway stations) to create a 100% 
Federal share for park-and-ride lots that serve fixed route commuter 
bus routes of more than 20 miles in length;
Pages H6137-39
  Hodes amendment (No. 5 printed in H. Rept. 110-734) that allows funds 
authorized in section 3 of the bill (regarding grants to improve public 
transportation services) to be used by states to establish or expand 
commuter matching services to provide commuters with information about 
alternatives to single occupancy vehicle use; and
Pages H6139-40
  Mahoney (FL) amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 110-734) that 
provides an exception to section 526 of the Energy Independence and 
Security Act (regarding procurement and acquisition of alternative 
fuels) by exempting contracts for generally available fuels that are 
not predominantly produced from noncontroversial petroleum sources if 
(1) the contract does not require the contractor to provide alternative 
fuels, (2) the purpose of the contract is not to obtain an alternative 
fuel, and (3) the contract does not provide incentives for a refinery 
upgrade or expansion to allow a refinery to use or increase its use of 
fuel from a nonconventional petroleum source (by a recorded vote of 421 
ayes with none voting ``no'', Roll No. 465).
Pages H6135-37, H6140
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming 
changes to reflect the actions of the House.
Page H6145
  H. Res. 1304, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 230 yeas to 196 nays, Roll No. 463, 
after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 
228 yeas to 198 nays, Roll No. 462.
Pages H6094-H6102
Suspension--Failed: The House failed to agree to suspend the rules and 
pass the following measure:
  Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act: H.R. 6251, amended, to 
prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from issuing new Federal oil and 
gas leases to holders of existing leases who do not diligently develop 
the lands subject to such existing leases or relinquish such leases, by 
a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 223 yeas to 195 nays, Roll No. 469. 
                                               Pages H6110-21, H6144-45
Suspension--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and agree to the following measure which was debated on Tuesday, June 
24th:
  Supporting the goals and ideals of the Year of the American Veteran: 
H. Res. 1098, to support the goals and ideals of the Year of the 
American Veteran, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 409 yeas with none 
voting ``nay'', Roll No. 470.
  Page H6145
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday 
business of Wednesday, July 9th.
  Page H6146
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she 
appointed Representative Hoyer and Representative Van Hollen to act as 
Speaker pro tempore to sign enrolled bills and joint resolutions 
through July 8, 2008.
  Page H6146
Removing the African National Congress from treatment as a terrorist 
organization for certain acts or events and providing relief for 
certain members of the African National Congress regarding 
admissibility: The House agreed to concur in the Senate amendment to 
H.R. 5690, to remove the African National Congress from treatment as a 
terrorist organization for certain acts or events and to provide relief 
for certain members of the African National Congress regarding 
admissibility--clearing the measure for the President.
  Pages H6171-72
Presidential Message: Read a message from the President wherein he 
issued an Executive Order continuing certain restrictions on North 
Korea and North Korean nationals imposed pursuant to the exercise of 
authorities under the Trading with the Enemy Act--referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered printed (H. Doc. 110-128). 
                                                             Page H6103
Senate Messages: Messages received from the Senate today appear on 
pages H6091, H6103, and H6171.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Six yea-and-nay votes and three recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H6101, 
H6101-02, H6102-03, H6140, H6142-43, H6143, H6143-44, H6144-45, and 
H6145. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 9:44 p.m.

[[Page D829]]