[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 143 (Wednesday, September 10, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1062-D1064]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 15 public bills, H.R. 6854-
6868; and 2 resolutions, H. Res. 1423-1424 were introduced. 
                                                         Pages H8018-19
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H8019-20
Reports Filed: There were no reports filed today.
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Dr. David O. 
Dykes, Pastor, Green Acres Baptist Church, Tyler, Texas.
  Page H7959
Recess: The House recessed at 10:35 a.m. and reconvened at 12:20 p.m. 
                                                         Pages H7962-63
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
terrorist attacks launched

[[Page D1063]]

against the United States on September 11, 2001: The House agreed by 
unanimous consent that the Speaker be authorized to entertain motions 
to suspend the rules relating to H. Res. 1420, expressing the sense of 
the House of Representatives regarding the terrorist attacks launched 
against the United States on September 11, 2001, on the legislative day 
of Thursday, September 11, 2008.
  Page H7967
Suspensions--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and pass the following measures which were debated on Tuesday, 
September 9th:
  Rural Veterans Access to Care Act: H.R. 1527, amended, to amend title 
38, United States Code, to allow highly rural veterans enrolled in the 
health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive covered 
health services through providers other than those of the Department, 
by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 417 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll 
No. 578;
  Pages H7968-69
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ``To amend title 38, United 
States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 
pilot program to permit certain highly rural veterans enrolled in the 
health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive covered 
health services through providers other than those of the 
Department.''.
Page H7969
  Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2008: S. 
2617, to amend title 38, United States Code, to codify increases in the 
rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities 
and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the 
survivors of certain disabled veterans that were effective as of 
December 1, 2007 and to provide for an increase in the rates of such 
compensation effective December 1, 2008, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 
418 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 579--clearing the measure 
for the President; and
  Pages H7969-70
  Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act of 2008: H.R. 4081, amended, to 
prevent tobacco smuggling and to ensure the collection of all tobacco 
taxes, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 379 yeas to 12 nays, Roll No. 
584.
  Pages H7987-88
Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2008: 
The House passed H.R. 3667, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to 
designate a segment of the Missisquoi and Trout Rivers in the State of 
Vermont for study for potential addition to the National Wild and 
Scenic Rivers System, by a recorded vote of 299 ayes to 118 noes, Roll 
No. 583.
  Pages H7970-84
  Agreed to table the appeal of the ruling of the chair on a point of 
order sustained against the Sali motion to recommit the bill to the 
Committee on Natural Resources with instructions to report the same 
back to the House forthwith with an amendment, by a yea-and-nay vote of 
228 yeas to 187 nays, Roll No. 582.
Pages H7982-83
  Boehner motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Natural 
Resources with instructions to report the same back to the House 
promptly with an amendment was withdrawn.
Pages H7983-84
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the 
bill pursuant to part II of H. Rept. 110-668 shall be considered as an 
original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule. 
                                                             Page H7977
  Agreed to the Grijalva motion that the Committee rise by a recorded 
vote of 221 ayes to 193 noes, Roll No. 580.
Page H7980
Accepted:
  Bishop amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 110-834) that adds to the 
proposed study an assessment of any impact a wild and scenic 
designation in the study area is likely to have on energy production, 
transmission or conveyance;
Pages H7978-79
  Flake amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 110-834) that provides 
that nothing in it may be construed as authorizing appropriations for a 
new designation within the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; and 
                                                         Pages H7979-80
  Grijalva amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 110-834) that requires 
that the proposed study analyze any potential impacts on the possession 
or use of a weapon, trap, or net, including a concealed weapon (by a 
recorded vote of 418 ayes with none voting ``no'', Roll No. 581). 
                                                  Pages H7977-78, H7981
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming 
changes to reflect the actions of the House.
Page H7988
  H. Res. 1419, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 223 yeas to 190 nays, Roll No. 577, 
after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 
224 yeas to 189 nays, Roll No. 576.
Pages H7963-68
Recess: The House recessed at 3:53 p.m. and reconvened at 5:27 p.m. 
                                                             Page H7980
Point of Personal Privilege: Representative Rangel rose to a point of 
personal privilege and was recognized.
  Pages H7984-87
Amending the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 To Restore the Highway Trust 
Fund Balance: The House agreed by unanimous consent that the

[[Page D1064]]

Speaker be authorized to entertain motions to suspend the rules 
relating to H.R. 6532, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to 
restore the Highway Trust Fund balance, on the legislative day of 
Thursday, September 11, 2008.
  Page H7988
Senate Messages: Messages received from the Senate today appear on 
pages H7959, H7984.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Six yea-and-nay votes and three recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H7967-68, 
H7968, H7968-69, H7969-70, H7980, H7981, H7983, H7984, H7988. There 
were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 11:35 p.m.