[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 113 (Thursday, July 29, 2010)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D877-D880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 64 public bills, H.R. 5917-
5980; and 16 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 307-310; and H. Res. 1570-1573, 
1575-1582, were introduced.                    
  Pages H6402-05, H6454-57
Additional Cosponsors:                         
  Pages H6406-07, H6457-58
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 5663, to improve compliance with mine and occupational safety 
and health laws, empower workers to raise safety concerns, prevent 
future mine and other workplace tragedies, and establish rights of 
families of victims of workplace accidents, with an amendment (H. Rept. 
111-579, Pt. 1);
  H.R. 5226, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
Appalachian Regional Commission to carry out a program of outreach for 
veterans who reside in Appalachia (H. Rept. 111-580, Pt. 1);
  H.R. 5626, to protect public health and safety and the environment by 
requiring the use of safe well control technologies and practices for 
the drilling of high-risk oil and gas wells in the United States, with 
an amendment (H. Rept. 111-581, Pt. 1); and
  H. Res. 1574, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3534) to 
provide greater efficiencies, transparency, returns, and accountability 
in the administration of Federal mineral and energy resources by 
consolidating administration of various Federal energy minerals 
management and leasing programs into one entity to be known as the 
Office of Federal Energy and Minerals Leasing of the Department of the 
Interior, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 5851) to provide whistleblower protections to certain 
workers in the offshore oil and gas industry (H. Rept. 111-582). 
                                                  Pages H6402, H6453-54
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed 
Representative Loretta Sanchez to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
                                                             Page H6285
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest chaplain, Reverend Bruce 
Scott, Pentecostals of South Lake, Merrillville, Indiana.    
  Page H6285
Adjournment Resolution--Senate: The House agreed to H. Con. Res. 307, 
providing for a conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate, by 
voice vote.                                                  
  Page H6306

[[Page D878]]

Adjournment Resolution--House of Representatives: The House agreed to 
H. Con. Res. 308, providing for a conditional adjournment of the House 
of Representatives, by a yea-and-nay vote of 231 yeas to 189 nays, Roll 
No. 483.                                                 
  Pages H6306-07
Suspensions--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and pass the following measures which were debated on Tuesday, July 
27th:
  Senior Financial Empowerment Act: H.R. 3040, amended, to prevent 
mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud targeting seniors in the United 
States, to promote efforts to increase public awareness of the enormous 
impact that mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud have on seniors, 
and to educate the public, seniors, their families, and their 
caregivers about how to identify and combat fraudulent activity, by a 
2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 335 yeas to 81 nays, Roll No. 487 and 
                                                             Page H6309
  Expressing the sense of Congress that Taiwan should be accorded 
observer status in the International Civil Aviation Organization 
(ICAO): H. Con. Res. 266, to express the sense of Congress that Taiwan 
should be accorded observer status in the International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO).                                         
  Page H6418
Privileged Resolution--Intent to Offer: Representative Price (GA) 
announced his intent to offer a privileged resolution.   
  Pages H6354-55
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2011: The House passed H.R. 5850, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2011, by a yea-and-nay vote of 251 yeas to 167 nays, Roll 
No. 499.                             
  Pages H6310-53, H6368-82, H6412-18
Agreed to:
  Boehner amendment (No. 1 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
terminates the HUD program for doctoral dissertation research grants on 
housing and urban development issues;                        
Page H6345
  Boehner amendment (No. 4 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
reduces the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs, 
Office of the Secretary, Salaries and Expenses, within the Department 
of Transportation by $1.6 million;                           
Page H6346
  Kaptur amendment (No. 5 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
eliminates all travel funds for the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development;                                             
Pages H6346-48
  Arcuri amendment (No. 6 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
reduces funding for the Office of Policy Development and Research 
within HUD by $2,978,450--resulting in a 2.5% reduction in funding 
below the amount appropriated in fiscal year 2010;       
Pages H6348-53
  Perlmutter amendment (No. 7 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) 
that strikes $50 million in incentive grants to states to enact laws to 
make it a primary traffic violation for occupants to not use a seat 
belt;                                                        
Page H6349
  DeFazio amendment (No. 9 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
prohibits any funds under the Act from being used to reallocate Federal 
highway formula funding for the livable communities program unless the 
program is first authorized by Congress;                     
Page H6351
  Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX) amendment (No. 11 printed in part A of H. 
Rept. 111-578) that increases by $10 million activities under Section 
107, under the Community Development Grant program at HUD. Specifically 
additional funding would be requested for the HBCU Community 
Development Grant Program. Subsequently, reverse mortgages would be 
decreased by $10 million;                                    
Page H6353
  Moore (WI) amendment (No. 13 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) 
that increases funding for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged 
Business Utilization by $100,000 and increases funding for the Minority 
Business Research Center 's outreach activities by $225,000 to help 
ensure that the small and disadvantaged business policies and goals of 
the Department are developed and implemented;                
Page H6372
  Braley amendment (No. 15 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
increases funding to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) by 
$20 million and offsets this increase with a decrease of $20 million 
for non-personnel expenses within the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development. The purpose of the CDBG funding increase is to provide 
CDBG disaster relief and recovery funds to assist communities in the 
Midwest affected by the flooding that occurred during July of 2010; and
                                                         Pages H6373-74
  Turner amendment (No. 16 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
prevents funds in the bill from being used to prohibit the 
establishment of any occupancy preference for veterans in supporting 
housing for the elderly that is assistance by HUD and is located on 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) property or is subject to an 
enhanced use lease with the VA.                              
Page H6374
Rejected:
  Boehner amendment (No. 2 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
sought to reduce HUD's Transformation Initiative (technical assistance 
and

[[Page D879]]

capacity building) by $40 million (by a recorded vote of 206 ayes to 
217 noes, Roll No. 488);                       
Pages H6345-46, H6368-69
  Latham amendment (No. 8 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
sought to cut $1.8 billion from specific accounts that were increased 
over and above the President's request (by a recorded vote of 197 ayes 
to 225 noes, Roll No. 489);                    
Pages H6349-51, H6369-70
  Culberson amendment (No. 10 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) 
that sought to reduce the bill's funding level by $12.4 billion 
dollars, returning the bill to the FY2009 funding level. This is an 18% 
cut in the bill's spending (by a recorded vote of 169 ayes to 252 noes, 
Roll No. 490);                                 
Pages H6351-53, H6370-71
  Graves (MO) amendment (No. 12 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) 
that sought to prohibit the Federal Aviation Administration from using 
funds in the Act to require a sponsor of a public general aviation 
airport to terminate existing residential through-the-fence agreements, 
or otherwise withhold funds from a sponsor of a general aviation 
airport, solely because the sponsor enters into a residential through-
the-fence agreement;                                     
Pages H6371-72
  Kirkpatrick amendment (No. 17 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) 
that sought to make an across the board cut of 5% from the base text of 
the bill. It would have reduced the cost of the bill by $3.37 billion, 
bringing the total cost of the bill down to $64.03 billion; 
                                                         Pages H6374-75
  Neugebauer amendment (No. 14 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) 
that sought to reduce spending in the bill by $10.52 billion. This 
amount represents the uncommitted funds from the $61.7 billion in 2009 
stimulus funds that were appropriated for transportation and housing 
related programs (by a recorded vote of 177 ayes to 247 noes, Roll No. 
492);                                          
Pages H6372-73, H6412-13
  Jordan amendment (No. 18 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
sought to reduce spending by $18,579,000,000 in order to reflect FY 
2008 levels (by a recorded vote of 159 ayes to 265 noes, Roll No. 493);
                                               Pages H6375-76, H6413-14
  Flake amendment (No. 20 printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
sought to reduce funding for Capital and Debt Service Grants to the 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation for capital investments by 
$1,203,500,000 (by a recorded vote of 129 ayes to 293 noes, Roll No. 
494);                                             
Pages H6376-77, H6414
  Flake amendment (No. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
sought to prohibit $1,000,000 from being made available for the 
Blackstone River Bikeway in Rhode Island and reduce the overall cost of 
the bill by the same amount (by a recorded vote of 163 ayes to 260 
noes, Roll No. 495);                           
Pages H6377-78, H6414-15
  Flake amendment (No. 4 printed in Part B of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
sought to prohibit $1,000,000 from being made available for the 
downtown Tacoma streetscapes improvement project in Washington and 
reduce the overall cost of the bill by the same amount (by a recorded 
vote of 157 ayes to 267 noes, Roll No. 496);   
Pages H6378-79, H6415-16
  Flake amendment (No. 10 printed in part B of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
sought to prohibit $1,000,000 from being made available for the 
restoration and improvements to the historical Darwin Martin House Home 
and complex in New York and reduce the overall cost of the bill by the 
same amount (by a recorded vote of 165 ayes to 258 noes, Roll No. 497); 
and                                               
Pages H6379-81, H6416
  Flake amendment (No. 11 printed in part B of H. Rept. 111-578) that 
sought to prohibit $150,000 from being made available for the 
construction of a children's playground in the Municipality of Yauco, 
Puerto Rico and reduce the overall cost of the bill by the same amount 
(by a recorded vote of 159 ayes to 264 noes, Roll No. 498). 
                                               Pages H6381-82, H6416-17
  H. Res. 1569, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a recorded vote of 231 ayes to 185 noes, Roll No. 485, 
after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 236 
yeas to 179 nays, Roll No. 484.                
Pages H6289-97, H6307-08
  A point of order was raised against the consideration of H. Res. 1569 
and it was agreed to proceed with consideration of the resolution by 
voice vote.                                              
Pages H6289-90
Investing in American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010: The 
House began consideration of H.R. 5893, to amend the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 to create jobs through increased investment in 
infrastructure and to eliminate loopholes which encourage companies to 
move operations offshore. Further proceedings were postponed. 
                                                         Pages H6355-68
  H. Res. 1568, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 233 yeas to 182 nays, Roll No. 486, 
after the previous question was ordered without objection. 
                                            Pages H6297-H6306, H6308-09
Suspension--Failed: The House failed to agree to suspend the rules and 
pass the following measure:
  James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010: H.R. 847, 
amended, to amend the Public Health Service Act to extend and improve 
protections and services to individuals directly impacted by the 
terrorist attack in New York City on

[[Page D880]]

September 11, 2001, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 255 yeas to 159 nays, 
Roll No. 491.                               
  Pages H6382-H6400, H6409-12
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 
2010: H.R. 5900, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend 
the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust 
Fund and to amend title 49, United States Code, to extend airport 
improvement program project grant authority and to improve airline 
safety;                                                  
  Pages H6418-28
  Modifying the date on which the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency and applicable States may require permits for 
discharges from certain vessels: S. 3372, to modify the date on which 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and applicable 
States may require permits for discharges from certain vessels; 
                                                         Pages H6428-29
  Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2010: H.R. 5320, 
amended, to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to increase assistance 
for States, water systems, and disadvantaged communities; to encourage 
good financial and environmental management of water systems; to 
strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to enforce the 
requirements of the Act; to reduce lead in drinking water; and to 
strengthen the endocrine disruptor screening program;    
  Pages H6431-40
  Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act: H.R. 2476, 
amended, to amend the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 to 
clarify the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture regarding 
additional recreational uses of National Forest System lands that are 
subject to ski area permits;                             
  Pages H6445-46
  Expressing support for designation of September 2010 as ``Gospel 
Music Heritage Month'': H.J. Res. 90, to express support for 
designation of September 2010 as ``Gospel Music Heritage Month'' and to 
honor gospel music for its valuable and longstanding contributions to 
the culture of the United States; and                    
  Pages H6446-49
  Congratulating the United States Men's National Soccer Team for its 
inspiring performance in the 2010 FIFA World Cup: H. Res. 1527, to 
congratulate the United States Men's National Soccer Team for its 
inspiring performance in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.        
  Pages H6449-50
Suspensions--Proceedings Postponed: The House debated the following 
measures under suspension of the rules. Further proceedings were 
postponed:
  Real Estate Jobs and Investment Act of 2010: H.R. 5901, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt certain stock of real estate 
investment trusts from the tax on foreign investment in United States 
real property interests;                                 
  Pages H6429-31
  Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Student Nonviolent 
Coordinating Committee (SNCC): H. Res. 1566, to recognize the 50th 
anniversary of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and 
the pioneering of college students whose determination and nonviolent 
resistance led to the desegregation of lunch counters and places of 
public accommodation over a 5-year period; and 
                                               Pages H6440-42, H6442-44
  Providing for the conveyance of a small parcel of National Forest 
System land in the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina: 
H.R. 5414, amended, to provide for the conveyance of a small parcel of 
National Forest System land in the Francis Marion National Forest in 
South Carolina.                                          
  Pages H6444-45
Presidential Message: Read a message from the President wherein he 
notified Congress that the national emergency declared with respect to 
the actions of certain persons to undermine the sovereignty of Lebanon 
or its democratic processes and institutions is to continue in effect 
beyond August 1, 2010--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
ordered printed (H. Doc. 111-136).                           
  Page H6355
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page 
H6289.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Six yea-and-nay votes and 11 recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H6306-07, 
H6307, H6307-08, H6308-09, H6309, H6369, H6369-70, H6370, H6412, H6412-
13, H6413-14, H6414, H6414-15. H6415-16, H6416, H6416-17, and H6417-18. 
There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 1:10 a.m. on 
Friday, July 30, 2010.