[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 70 (Thursday, May 7, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D521-D523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 47 public bills, H.R.2294-
2340; 1 private bill, H.R. 2341; and 14 resolutions, H.J. Res. 50-51; 
H. Con. Res. 121-122; and H. Res. 414-423 were introduced. 
                                                      Pages H5397-H5400
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H5400-01
Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows:
  H.R. 23, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity 
Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served 
in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport 
Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II, with an 
amendment (H. Rept. 111-99).                                 
Page H5397
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed 
Representative Tauscher to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H5311
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Rev. Michael 
Cummings, Burnt Swamp Association, Pembroke, North Carolina. 
                                                             Page H5311
Discharge Petition: Representative LaTourette moved to discharge the 
Committee on Rules from the consideration of H. Res. 359, providing for 
the consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 251) directing the 
Secretary of the Treasury to transmit to the House of Representatives 
all information in his possession relating to specific communications 
with American International Group, Inc. (AIG). (Discharge Petition No. 
3).                                                          
  Page H5401
Suspension--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and agree to the following measure which was debated on Wednesday, May 
6th:
  Recognizing the importance of the Border Patrol in combating human 
smuggling and commending the Department of Justice for increasing the 
rate of human smuggler prosecutions: H. Res. 14, amended, to recognize 
the importance of the Border Patrol in combating human smuggling and to 
commend the Department of Justice for increasing the rate of human 
smuggler prosecutions.                                       
  Page H5324
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ``Recognizing the importance 
of the Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in 
combating human smuggling and trafficking in persons, and commending 
the Department of Justice for increasing the rate of human smuggling 
and trafficking prosecutions.''.                             
Page H5324
Privileged Resolution--Intent to Offer: Representative Flake announced 
his intent to offer a privileged resolution.             
  Pages H5324-25
Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act: The House passed H.R. 
1728, to amend the Truth in Lending Act to reform consumer mortgage 
practices and provide accountability for such practices and to provide 
certain minimum standards for consumer mortgage loans, by a yea-and-nay 
vote of 300 yeas to 114 nays, Roll No. 242. Consideration of the 
measure began on Wednesday, May 6th.           
  Pages H5313-24, H5325-71
  Agreed to the Sessions motion to recommit the bill to the Committee 
on Financial Services with instructions to report the same back to the 
House

[[Page D522]]

forthwith with an amendment by voice vote. Subsequently, Representative 
Frank (MA) reported the bill back to the House with the amendment and 
the amendment was agreed to.                   
Pages H5315-24, H5369-70
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now printed in the 
bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment under the 5-minute rule.                   
Pages H5313, H5325
Agreed to:
  Frank (MA) manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) 
that makes various and sundry clarifying changes in the bill; 
                                                         Pages H5343-50
  Bachus amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that provides 
assistance to the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation for activities, 
in connection with servicers of residential mortgage loans, to inform 
borrowers under such loans who are delinquent with respect to payments 
due under such loans of the dangers of fraudulent activities associated 
with foreclosure;                                        
Pages H5352-53
  Perlmutter amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that reduces 
the grace period for renters renting a unit in violation of a mortgage 
contract when that property is sold to a purchaser who intends to use 
such property as an owner-occupied unit from 90 days to 30 days. 
Additionally, creditors may only accelerate debt repayment in certain 
circumstances;                                           
Pages H5353-54
  Moore (KS) amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that requires 
income to be verified by lenders utilizing IRS tax transcripts or 
similar methods that verify income by a third party;     
Pages H5356-57
  McNerney amendment (No. 8 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that stipulates 
that when awarding assistance to HUD-approved housing counseling 
agencies and/or state housing finance agencies, the Secretary may give 
priority consideration to entities serving areas with high rates of 
foreclosure;                                             
Pages H5358-59
  Dahlkemper amendment (No. 10 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that 
requires that benefits of pre-payment of mortgage balances be explained 
in the consumer education guide produced by HUD;             
Page H5360
  Ginny Brown-Waite (FL) amendment (No. 11 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) 
that expands the scope of the GAO study required under this act to 
include an examination of any effects on consumer and small business 
credit availability and affordability;                   
Pages H5360-61
  Titus amendment (No. 12 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that requires 
that the costs and benefits of each residential mortgage loan offered, 
discussed or referred to by the originator be clearly presented side by 
side and that the disclosures for each product have equal prominence. 
Requires that disclosure be made in writing, the understanding of which 
will be acknowledged by the signature of the mortgage originator and 
consumer;                                                
Pages H5361-62
  Mario Diaz-Balart (FL) amendment (No. 13 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) 
that requires the Secretary of HUD to study the effects of the presence 
of Chinese dry wall on foreclosures and the availability of property 
insurance for residential structures where Chinese dry wall is present;
                                                             Page H5362
  Weiner amendment (No. 14 printed in H. Rept. 111-98), as modified, 
that requires Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to take into account factors 
such as the health of the local or regional housing market and other 
factors when determining fee schedules, occupancy and pre-sale 
guidelines for condominium and cooperative housing mortgages; and 
                                                         Pages H5364-65
  Frank (MA) amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that provides 
that no funds in the bill for legal assistance or housing counseling 
grants may be distributed to any organization which has been or which 
employs an individual who has been convicted for a violation under 
Federal law relating to an election for Federal office (by a recorded 
vote of 245 ayes to 176 noes, Roll No. 238).      
Pages H5350-52, H5366
Rejected:
  Hensarling amendment (No. 5 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that sought 
to strike the assignee and securitizer liability provisions from the 
bill (by a recorded vote of 171 ayes to 252 noes, Roll No. 239); 
                                               Pages H5354-56, H5366-67
  Price (GA) amendment (No. 7 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that sought 
to delay the enactment of titles I, II, and III of the bill until the 
Federal Reserve certifies that they will not reduce the availability or 
increase the price of credit for qualified mortgages (by a recorded 
vote of 167 ayes to 259 noes, Roll No. 240); and 
                                               Pages H5357-58, H5367-68
  McHenry amendment (No. 9 printed in H. Rept. 111-98) that sought to 
strike title III from the bill relating to high-cost mortgages (by a 
recorded vote of 171 ayes to 255 noes, Roll No. 241). 
                                                  Pages H5359-60, H5368
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming 
changes to reflect the actions of the House.                 
Page H5371
  H. Res. 406, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 247 yeas to 174 nays, Roll No. 237, 
after agreeing to order the previous question without objection. 
                                                         Pages H5323-24

[[Page D523]]

Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to 
meet at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 11th, and further, when the House 
adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 
12th for morning hour debate.                                
  Page H5372
Presidential Messages: Read a message from the President wherein he 
notified Congress that the national emergency with respect to the 
actions of the Government of Syria is to continue in effect beyond May 
11, 2009--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered 
printed (H. Doc. 111-38).                                    
  Page H5371
  Read a message from the President wherein he transmitted to Congress 
the Budget of the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2010--
referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered printed (H. 
Doc. 111-3).                                                 
Page H5373
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H5371.
Senate Referrals: S. 454 was held at the desk.               
  Page H5371
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea-and-nay votes and four recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H5323-24, 
H5366, H5366-67, H5367-68, H5368 and H5370. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 7:42 p.m.