[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D606-D608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 117 public bills, H.R. 2537-
2643; 2 private bills, H.R. 2644-2645; and 25 resolutions, H.J. Res. 
54-55; H. Con. Res. 133-136; and H. Res. 469-473, 475-488 were 
introduced.                                            
  Pages H6008-6014
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H6014-16
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  Supplemental report on H.R. 915, to amend title 49, United States 
Code, to authorize appropriations for the Federal Aviation 
Administration for fiscal years 2009 through 2012, to improve aviation 
safety and capacity, and to provide stable funding for the national 
aviation system (H. Rept. 111-119, Pt. 2);
  H. Res. 474, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2200) to 
authorize the Transportation Security Administration's programs 
relating to the provision of transportation security (H. Rept. 111-
127); and
  H.R. 1736, to provide for the establishment of a committee to 
identify and coordinate international science and technology 
cooperation that can strengthen the domestic science and technology 
enterprise and support United States foreign policy goals, with an 
amendment (H. Rept. 111-128).                                
Page H6008
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Reverend Troy 
Ehlke, Christ Lutheran Church, Charlotte, North Carolina.    
  Page H5895
Adjournment Resolution: The House agreed to H. Con. Res. 133, providing 
for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a 
conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate, by a yea-and-nay vote 
of 237 yeas to 184 nays, Roll No. 282.                       
  Page H5904
Privileged Resolution--Intent to Offer: Representative Bishop (UT) 
announced his intent to offer a privileged resolution.   
  Pages H5904-05
Question of Privilege: The Chair ruled that the resolution offered by 
Representative Bishop (UT) did not constitute a question of the 
privileges of the House. Agreed to table the motion to appeal the 
ruling of the Chair by a yea-and-nay vote of 252 yeas to 172 nays, Roll 
No. 283.                                                 
  Pages H5905-06
Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009--Conference Report: The 
House agreed to the conference report to accompany S. 454, to improve 
the organization and procedures of the Department of Defense for the 
acquisition of major weapon systems, by a yea-and-nay vote of 411 yeas 
with none voting ``no'', Roll No. 286.      
  Pages H5898-H5900, H5907-12
  H. Res. 463, the rule providing for consideration of the conference 
report, was agreed to by a voice vote, after agreeing to order the 
previous question without objection.                         
Page H5907
Suspension--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and pass the following measure which was debated on Tuesday, May 19th:
  Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act of 2009: H.R. 1676, amended, to 
prevent tobacco smuggling and to ensure the collection of all tobacco 
taxes, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 397 yeas to 11 nays, Roll No. 
287.                                                     
  Pages H5912-13
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009: The House passed H.R. 915, to amend 
title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the 
Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years 2009 through 2012, to 
improve aviation safety and capacity, and to provide stable funding for 
the national aviation system, by a recorded vote of 277 ayes to 136 
noes, Roll No. 291.                    
  Pages H5901-04, 5906-07, 5913-81
  Rejected the Campbell motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure with instructions to report the same 
back to the House forthwith with an amendment, by a recorded vote of 
154 ayes to 263 noes, Roll No. 290.                      
Pages H5978-80
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-126, modified by the amendment 
printed in part B of such report, shall be considered as adopted in the 
House and in the Committee of the Whole,

[[Page D607]]

in lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure now printed in the 
bill. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as the original bill 
for the purpose of further amendment under the 5-minute rule. 
                                                             Page H5928
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ``To amend title 49, United 
States Code, to authorize appropriations for the Federal Aviation 
Administration for fiscal years 2010 through 2012, to improve aviation 
safety and capacity, to provide stable funding for the national 
aviation system, and for other purposes.''.                  
Page H5981
Agreed to:
  Oberstar manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in part C of H. Rept. 
111-126) that makes sundry changes to the bill;          
Pages H5959-66
  Lee (NY) amendment (No. 2 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) that 
requires GAO, within 3 months of enactment, to initiate a study into 
commercial airline pilot training and certification programs. The GAO 
shall submit the report to Congress within 12 months of the study's 
initiation;                                              
Pages H5966-68
  Richardson amendment (No. 3 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) 
that requires the Transportation Secretary, within 180 days of 
enactment, to issue regulations to require each air carrier to provide 
each of its passengers an option to receive a text message (or other 
comparable electronic service), subject to any fees applicable under 
the contract of the passenger for the electronic service, from the air 
carrier consisting of a notification of any change in the status of the 
flight of such passenger prior to boarding. This would only apply to 
air carriers that earn at least one-percent of the domestic passenger 
service revenue;                                         
Pages H5968-69
  Cuellar amendment (No. 5 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126), as 
modified, that directs the FAA Administrator to study the FAA radar 
signal locations and their impact on the development of renewable 
energy technologies, and to make recommendations as necessary for 
relocation of FAA radars and testing and deployment as needed; 
                                                         Pages H5970-71
  Murphy (CT) amendment (No. 7 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) 
that provides that when conducting an appraisal for purchase or 
property under the Airport Improvement Program, the appraisal must not 
consider either the increased or decreased value of the property due to 
the property's inclusion in a potential project;             
Page H5972
  Cassidy amendment (No. 8 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) that 
amends section 417 (review of air carrier flight delays, cancellations, 
and associated causes) so that the Inspector General study includes the 
effect that limited air carrier service operations on routes have on 
the frequency of delays and cancellations on such routes; 
                                                         Pages H5972-73
  Kilroy amendment (No. 9 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) that 
requires the GAO to study, within one year of enactment, the 
effectiveness of FAA oversight activities related to preventing or 
mitigating the effects of dense continuous smoke in the cockpit of 
commercial aircraft;                                         
Page H5973
  Lowey amendment (No. 11 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) that 
directs the FAA to initiate a rulemaking process to determine the 
authorization of Westchester County Airport to reinstate limits on 
overnight aircraft operations;                               
Page H5975
  Ackerman amendment (No. 12 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) 
that provides that Congress finds the FAA did not follow FAA policy 
statements in determining whether the proposed College Point Marine 
Transfer Station in New York if constructed would constitute a hazard 
to air navigation. It also requires the FAA Administrator to take such 
actions as may be necessary to designate the proposed College Point 
Marine Transfer Station in New York City, New York, as a hazard to air 
navigation;                                              
Pages H5975-77
  Burgess amendment (No. 4 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) that 
expresses the sense of Congress that FAA whistleblowers be granted the 
full protection of the law (by a recorded vote of 420 ayes with none 
voting ``no'', Roll No. 288); and                 
Pages H5969-70, H5977
  McCaul amendment (No. 6 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-126) that 
prohibits authorized funds from being used to name a project or program 
for an individual then serving as a Member, Delegate, Resident 
Commissioner, or Senator of the United States Congress (by a recorded 
vote of 417 ayes to 2 noes, Roll No. 289).     
Pages H5971-72, H5977-78
Withdrawn:
  Frelinghuysen amendment (No. 10 printed in part C of H. Rept. 111-
126) that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have 
required the FAA to study the proposed New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia 
Class B modification design change. The study would determine the 
effect of the change on the environment, with an emphasis on airplane 
noise. The study would state whether the change was considered in 
conjunction with the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Airspace 
Redesign.                                                
Pages H5974-75
  Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming 
changes to reflect the actions of the House.                 
Page H5981
  H. Res. 464, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 234 yeas to 178 nays, Roll No. 285, 
after agreeing

[[Page D608]]

to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 246 yeas to 175 
nays, Roll No. 284.                                      
Pages H5906-07
Public Interest Declassification Board--Appointment: Read a letter from 
Representative Boehner, Minority Leader, in which he reappointed 
Admiral William O. Studeman of Great Falls, Virginia to the Public 
Interest Declassification Board.                             
  Page H5983
  National Council on the Arts--Reappointment: Read a letter from 
Representative Boehner, Minority Leader, in which he reappointed 
Representative Tiberi to the National Council on the Arts.   
Page H5993
  Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards--Appointment: The Chair 
announced the Speaker's appointment of the following Members of the 
House of Representatives to the Commission on Congressional Mailing 
Standards: Representatives Davis (CA), Sherman, and Edwards (MD). 
                                                             Page H5993
  Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Group--Appointment: The Chair 
announced the Speaker's appointment of the following Members of the 
House of Representatives to the Mexico-United States Interparliamentary 
Group: Representatives McCaul, Dreier, Mack, Bilbray, and Nunes. 
                                                             Page H5993
Presidential Message: Read a message from the President wherein he 
transmitted the text of a proposed Agreement for Cooperation Between 
the Government of the United States of America and the Government of 
the United Arab Emirates Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy--
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered printed (H. 
Doc. 111-43).                                            
  Pages H5983-84
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H5895.
Senate Referrals: S. 614 was referred to the Committees on Financial 
Services and House Administration.                           
  Page H6006
Quorum Calls--Votes: Six yea-and-nay votes and four recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H5904, 
H5905-06, H5906-07, H5907, H5912, H5913, H5977, H5978, H5979-80, H5980-
81. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and at 9.27 p.m., the House 
stands adjourned until 3 p.m. on Monday, May 25, 2009 unless it sooner 
has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in 
H. Con. Res. 133, in which case the House shall stand adjourned 
pursuant to that concurrent resolution.