[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 69 (Tuesday, May 15, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H2673-H2676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL BLUE ALERT ACT OF 2012
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 365) to encourage, enhance, and integrate Blue
Alert plans throughout the United States in order to disseminate
information when a law enforcement officer is seriously injured or
killed in the line of duty, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 365
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Blue Alert Act of
2012''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Coordinator.--The term ``Coordinator'' means the Blue
Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice designated
under section 4(a).
(2) Blue alert.--The term ``Blue Alert'' means information
relating to the serious injury or death of a law enforcement
officer in the line of duty sent through the network.
(3) Blue alert plan.--The term ``Blue Alert plan'' means
the plan of a State, unit of local government, or Federal
agency participating in the network for the dissemination of
information received as a Blue Alert.
(4) Law enforcement officer.--The term ``law enforcement
officer'' shall have the same meaning as in section 1204 of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42
U.S.C. 3796b(6)).
(5) Network.--The term ``network'' means the Blue Alert
communications network established by the Attorney General
under section 3.
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
SEC. 3. BLUE ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.
The Attorney General shall establish a national Blue Alert
communications network within the Department of Justice to
issue Blue Alerts through the initiation, facilitation, and
promotion of Blue Alert plans, in coordination with States,
units of local government, law enforcement agencies, and
other appropriate entities.
SEC. 4. BLUE ALERT COORDINATOR; GUIDELINES.
(a) Coordination Within Department of Justice.--The
Attorney General shall assign an existing officer of the
Department of Justice to act as the national coordinator of
the Blue Alert communications network.
(b) Duties of the Coordinator.--The Coordinator shall--
(1) provide assistance to States and units of local
government that are using Blue Alert plans;
(2) establish voluntary guidelines for States and units of
local government to use in developing Blue Alert plans that
will promote compatible and integrated Blue Alert plans
throughout the United States, including--
(A) a list of the resources necessary to establish a Blue
Alert plan;
(B) criteria for evaluating whether a situation warrants
issuing a Blue Alert;
(C) guidelines to protect the privacy, dignity,
independence, and autonomy of any law enforcement officer who
may be the subject of a Blue Alert and the family of the law
enforcement officer;
(D) guidelines that a Blue Alert should only be issued with
respect to a law enforcement officer if--
(i) the law enforcement agency involved--
(I) confirms--
(aa) the death or serious injury of the law enforcement
officer; or
(bb) the attack on the law enforcement officer and that
there is an indication of the death or serious injury of the
officer; or
(II) concludes that the law enforcement officer is missing
in the line of duty;
(ii) there is an indication of serious injury to or death
of the law enforcement officer;
(iii) the suspect involved has not been apprehended; and
(iv) there is sufficient descriptive information of the
suspect involved and any relevant vehicle and tag numbers;
(E) guidelines--
(i) that information relating to a law enforcement officer
who is seriously injured or killed in the line of duty should
be provided to the National Crime Information Center database
operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under section
534 of title 28, United States Code, and any relevant crime
information repository of the State involved;
(ii) that a Blue Alert should, to the maximum extent
practicable (as determined by the Coordinator in consultation
with law enforcement agencies of States and units of local
governments), be limited to the geographic areas most likely
to facilitate the apprehension of the suspect involved or
which the suspect could reasonably reach, which should not be
limited to State lines;
(iii) for law enforcement agencies of States or units of
local government to develop plans to communicate information
to neighboring States to provide for seamless communication
of a Blue Alert; and
(iv) providing that a Blue Alert should be suspended when
the suspect involved is apprehended or when the law
enforcement agency involved determines that the Blue Alert is
no longer effective; and
(F) guidelines for--
(i) the issuance of Blue Alerts through the network; and
(ii) the extent of the dissemination of alerts issued
through the network;
(3) develop protocols for efforts to apprehend suspects
that address activities during the period beginning at the
time of the initial notification of a law enforcement agency
that a suspect has not been apprehended and ending at the
time of apprehension of a suspect or when the law enforcement
agency involved determines that the Blue Alert is no longer
effective, including protocols regulating--
(A) the use of public safety communications;
(B) command center operations; and
(C) incident review, evaluation, debriefing, and public
information procedures;
(4) work with States to ensure appropriate regional
coordination of various elements of the network;
(5) establish an advisory group to assist States, units of
local government, law enforcement agencies, and other
entities involved in the network with initiating,
facilitating, and promoting Blue Alert plans, which shall
include--
(A) to the maximum extent practicable, representation from
the various geographic regions of the United States; and
(B) members who are--
(i) representatives of a law enforcement organization
representing rank-and-file officers;
(ii) representatives of other law enforcement agencies and
public safety communications;
(iii) broadcasters, first responders, dispatchers, and
radio station personnel; and
(iv) representatives of any other individuals or
organizations that the Coordinator determines are necessary
to the success of the network;
(6) act as the nationwide point of contact for--
(A) the development of the network; and
(B) regional coordination of Blue Alerts through the
network; and
(7) determine--
(A) what procedures and practices are in use for notifying
law enforcement and the public when a law enforcement officer
is killed or seriously injured in the line of duty; and
(B) which of the procedures and practices are effective and
that do not require the expenditure of additional resources
to implement.
(c) Limitations.--
[[Page H2674]]
(1) Voluntary participation.--The guidelines established
under subsection (b)(2), protocols developed under subsection
(b)(3), and other programs established under subsection (b),
shall not be mandatory.
(2) Dissemination of information.--The guidelines
established under subsection (b)(2) shall, to the maximum
extent practicable (as determined by the Coordinator in
consultation with law enforcement agencies of States and
units of local government), provide that appropriate
information relating to a Blue Alert is disseminated to the
appropriate officials of law enforcement agencies, public
health agencies, and other agencies.
(3) Privacy and civil liberties protections.--The
guidelines established under subsection (b) shall--
(A) provide mechanisms that ensure that Blue Alerts comply
with all applicable Federal, State, and local privacy laws
and regulations; and
(B) include standards that specifically provide for the
protection of the civil liberties, including the privacy, of
law enforcement officers who are seriously injured or killed
in the line of duty and the families of the officers.
(d) Cooperation With Other Agencies.--The Coordinator shall
cooperate with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the
Secretary of Transportation, the Chairman of the Federal
Communications Commission, and appropriate offices of the
Department of Justice in carrying out activities under this
Act.
(e) Restrictions on Coordinator.--The Coordinator may not--
(1) perform any official travel for the sole purpose of
carrying out the duties of the Coordinator;
(2) lobby any officer of a State regarding the funding or
implementation of a Blue Alert plan; or
(3) host a conference focused solely on the Blue Alert
program that requires the expenditure of Federal funds.
(f) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Coordinator shall submit to Congress a report on the
activities of the Coordinator and the effectiveness and
status of the Blue Alert plans that are in effect or being
developed.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Pierluisi)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 365, as amended,
currently under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, in 1962, at the request of Congress, President Kennedy
proclaimed today as National Peace Officers Memorial Day. Every May 15
we honor our Nation's law enforcement officers who have been killed in
the line of duty. Earlier today, on the west front of the Capitol, we
honored those officers who were killed last year while protecting us
and enforcing the law.
H.R. 365, the National Blue Alert Act of 2012, establishes a
nationwide system for distribution of time-sensitive information to
help identify a violent suspect when a law enforcement officer is
injured or killed in the line of duty.
Each year, hundreds of law enforcement officers are killed or
seriously injured in the line of duty. America's law enforcement
officers courageously put their lives on the line every day. They often
work long and irregular hours in demanding and dangerous conditions.
These officers run a high risk of being injured or killed by the same
criminals that prey on Americans.
Just last month, in my home State of Texas, an Austin police officer
was shot and killed while responding to a call about a drunk man
shoplifting at the local Walmart. What seemed to be a routine call
turned out to be a dangerous and deadly situation. We cannot bring
Officer Padron back, but we can honor his sacrifice by helping to
apprehend and bring to justice criminals who harm our men and women in
blue.
In 1789, President George Washington appointed America's first law
enforcement officers, 13 United States Marshals. Since then, over
21,000 local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers have been
killed in the line of duty.
Despite the fact that national crime rates continue to drop, in 2011,
163 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, a 14
percent increase over the previous year. Unfortunately, criminals are
becoming even more violent, and their contempt for law enforcement and
the rule of law is more evident than ever.
This bill encourages expansion of an integrated Blue Alert
communications network throughout the United States, much like the
well-known AMBER Alert system used to locate missing and abducted
children. A Blue Alert broadcasts information and speeds apprehension
of violent criminals when a law enforcement officer is seriously
injured or killed in the line of duty. Blue Alerts use the same
principle as AMBER Alerts for missing children and Silver Alerts for
missing seniors.
The Blue Alert system is a cooperative effort among local, State, and
Federal authorities, law enforcement agencies, and the general public.
A Blue Alert provides a description of an offender who is still at
large and may include a description of the offender's vehicle and
license plate information. Like AMBER Alerts, Blue Alerts will help
hinder the offender's ability to escape and will facilitate their
capture.
The bill directs the Department of Justice to designate an existing
officer as the Blue Alert national coordinator, who will encourage
those States that have not already done so to develop Blue Alert plans
and establish voluntary guidelines. As of today, 14 States have Blue
Alert networks in place, and Ohio will implement its network in June.
An integrated nationwide Blue Alert system ensures that when tragedy
strikes, the public is on notice and suspects can be more quickly
apprehended and brought to justice. A nationwide Blue Alert network
will be particularly effective when a suspect flees across State lines.
I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Grimm) and Mr.
Reichert of Washington for their work on this issue. This is a
bipartisan, bicameral bill. Similar legislation was approved by the
Senate Judiciary Committee last September.
Supporters of this legislation include the National Fraternal Order
of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, the Federal Law
Enforcement Officers Association, and the Sergeants Benevolent
Association.
Too often, criminals in our society have no respect for authority and
the rule of law. The goal of the Blue Alert is to immediately notify
the entire community to assist in the location and apprehension of
violent criminals who injure or kill police officers. This bill
reaffirms our determination to ensure the future safety of our law
enforcement men and women and the communities they serve to protect
every day.
I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1640
Mr. PIERLUISI. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 365,
and I yield myself such time as I may consume to explain the bill and
to respectfully urge my colleagues to vote for it.
The National Blue Alert Act of 2012 has strong bipartisan backing and
was approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee on April 25. I am
proud to join my colleague, Mr. Grimm, as the lead Democratic sponsor
of this legislation, and I want to thank the gentleman from New York, a
former FBI agent, for his leadership on this and on other law
enforcement issues.
This bill constitutes an effort to protect and defend the men and
women of law enforcement, who protect and defend us, our families, and
our communities. The bill has been endorsed, as has been stated by the
gentleman from Texas, by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers
Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of
Police Organizations, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the
Sergeants Benevolent Association. In our sister Chamber, an identical
companion bill to H.R. 365 has been approved by the Senate Judiciary
Committee and currently awaits floor consideration.
The legislation before us directs the Attorney General to establish a
national Blue Alert communications network within the Department of
Justice to disseminate information when a law enforcement officer is
killed or seriously injured in the line of duty and when the suspect
has not yet been apprehended. A Blue Alert would provide
[[Page H2675]]
a physical description of the suspect and may include a description of
the suspect's vehicle and license plate information.
The Blue Alert system is a cooperative effort among Federal, State,
and local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and the general
public. The Blue Alert system would use the same infrastructure as
AMBER Alerts, which are disseminated for missing children, and Silver
Alerts, which are disseminated for missing seniors.
Pursuant to the bill, the Attorney General will assign an existing
DOJ officer to serve as the national coordinator for the Blue Alert
communications network. The national coordinator's duties will include:
encouraging State, territory, and local governments to develop Blue
Alert plans; establishing voluntary guidelines for these government
entities to use in developing such plans; developing protocols for
efforts to apprehend suspects; and establishing an advisory group to
assist State and local governments and law enforcement agencies to
create, facilitate, and promote Blue Alert plans.
In the last 220 years, nearly 21,000 law enforcement officers have
been killed in the line of duty in the United States, and many more
have been seriously injured. In Puerto Rico, which is the jurisdiction
I represent, over 325 law enforcement officers have been killed in the
line of duty since 1900, with over 40 island officers killed between
the year 2000 and the year 2010.
This year, two veteran Puerto Rico police officers were fatally shot
in the line of duty--Abimael Castro Berrocal and Francis Crespo Mandry.
Although at least one suspect has been apprehended, other suspects in
both of these killings remain at large. This morning, these two
officers, along with over 160 of their brothers and sisters in law
enforcement who lost their lives in the line of duty in the past year,
were honored in front of the Capitol as part of the National Peace
Officers' Memorial Service.
The overriding purpose of this legislation is to help deter violent
acts against police officers and, in the event such a violent act
occurs, to ensure that the perpetrator is quickly apprehended and
brought to justice. Police officers, unlike young children and seniors,
are not a vulnerable population group in the traditional sense. They
are strong, capable, and brave, but every day, they put themselves in
harm's way to protect us. They have our backs, and it's important that
we have theirs.
I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Grimm), who is the sponsor of this legislation.
Mr. GRIMM. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
This is truly a very special opportunity for me to speak on this
bill, H.R. 365, the National Blue Alert Act of 2012. As a former FBI
special agent, it makes it a very special honor to have the House
consider this important legislation, especially during National Police
Week. Think about it. Thousands of law enforcement officers from around
the world and this country are going to converge on our Nation's
Capitol to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice: to protect
the citizens back at home.
On a personal note, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to
New York City's police commissioner, Ray Kelly, and to the very brave
men and women of the NYPD for their service to our great city. I
encourage all of my colleagues to treat every week as if it were
National Police Week, because it is truly those sacrifices made by
these individuals that have inspired me to introduce this important
legislation.
During my career in the FBI, I witnessed firsthand the danger posed
by criminals who attack law enforcement officers and the particular
threat that they pose to our communities. Time and time again, we have
seen, if criminals are willing to attack police officers to avoid
apprehension, then there is no limit to the lengths they will go or to
the victims they will target simply to avoid being brought to justice.
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 173
officers were killed in the line of duty in 2011. As Members of
Congress representing New York City and Puerto Rico, it is a sad fact
for me and for my friend and colleague, Congressman Pierluisi, who is
the lead cosponsor of this bill, that the New York City Police
Department and the Puerto Rico Police Department both lost four
officers--the most of any other agency--in 2011. Now, it is impossible
to completely transform the hazardous nature of the work our law
enforcement officers carry out every single day, but there are steps
that we can take to enhance their safety and to quickly apprehend those
who put them at risk.
The National Blue Alert Act does this by creating a national Blue
Alert communications network within the United States Department of
Justice to disseminate information on suspects who are being sought in
connection with the death or injury of a law enforcement officer.
Similar to the nationwide AMBER Alert system for missing children, the
Blue Alert would rapidly notify law enforcement agencies, as well as
the media and the public, in order for them to help aid in the
apprehension of these extremely violent criminals. Additionally, this
legislation would further encourage the expansion of the Blue Alert
program beyond the handful of States where it currently exists by
helping develop the Blue Alert plans, the regional coordination, and
the development and implementation of new technologies to improve Blue
Alert communications.
This legislation, as we have heard, is supported across the board by
many law enforcement organizations, and I am certain that the National
Blue Alert Act will enhance the safety of our communities as well as
the law enforcement officers who protect them. I encourage its swift
passage in the full House of Representatives, and I would like to thank
my lead cosponsor and friend, Mr. Pierluisi.
Mr. PIERLUISI. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I would certainly be remiss if I did
not extend my commendation to the gentleman from New York and to my
good friend and colleague from Puerto Rico for their leadership and
their service in bringing this legislation to the floor, also and more
especially to Chairman Smith and our ranking member, Mr. Conyers, for
their support in bringing this bill to the floor for consideration.
Madam Speaker, I fully support the fundamental purpose of this bill,
which is to create and integrate Blue Alert plans throughout the 50
States and the U.S. territories in order to disseminate information
when a law enforcement officer is seriously injured in the line of
duty. This program is similar to the Silver Alert public notification
system, which broadcasts information about missing persons, especially
seniors with Alzheimer's disease; or the America's Missing:
Broadcasting Emergency Response, known mainly as the AMBER Alert, a
public notification system about a missing child.
{time} 1650
Similarly, the intent of this legislation is to expeditiously
apprehend the offenders that kill or hurt law enforcement officers.
Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to
protect and to serve the public. Each year, hundreds of law enforcement
officers are killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. On
average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty
every 53 hours. Last year, 173 officers had been killed, up to 13
percent from 153 killed in the line of duty 2 years ago.
The Blue Alert system is a cooperative effort among local, State,
Federal authorities, law enforcement agencies, and the general public.
It provides a description of an offender who is still at large and may
include the description of the offender's vehicle and license plate
information.
Madam Speaker, I am concerned to learn just this morning that the
initial provision for a grant program to be made available to States
and territories in support of the Blue Alert system is nowhere to be
found in the language of the bill. Instead, the current bill language
will only provide that the Attorney General shall assign an existing
officer of the Department of Justice to act as the national coordinator
[[Page H2676]]
of the Blue Alert communications network.
Madam Speaker, while knowing that the Blue Alert system is not
mandatory, resources should be made available to the 50 States and
territories in order for the Blue Alert system network to work
effectively and efficiently, otherwise the initial purpose of this bill
will not be met under the current bill text before us today. However, I
fully support the needs of the Blue Alert system. I urge that a grant
program be made available to ensure that the law enforcement officers
in the 50 States and territories are provided equal and fair treatment.
Again, I want to thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Conyers for
their support of this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. PIERLUISI. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes).
Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I just wanted to add my support for this
legislation and thank my colleagues from New York and Puerto Rico for
introducing this very important piece of legislation.
As a former Border Patrol agent and chief in the United States Border
Patrol, I had the experience of working both as an agent with all the
other law enforcement agencies and then as a chief. I can tell you that
there isn't a worse feeling than that phone call in the middle of the
night that one of your agents or one of your officers has been injured
or killed. That's why this legislation is so important not just to
officers and agents across the country, but to their families.
I strongly urge that our colleagues support this very important piece
of legislation and agree with my colleague from American Samoa that
more than just the legislation, we ought to do everything we can to
provide the funding to actually bring this critical program to
fruition.
Again, I want to thank my colleagues and also Chairman Smith for
bringing this legislation to the floor, and I ask all our colleagues to
strongly support it.
Mr. PIERLUISI. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time as well.
Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 365,
the National Blue Alert Act.
This important bill directs the Attorney General to establish a
national Blue Alert communications network within the Department of
Justice to broadcast information when a law enforcement officer is
seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.
It would also assign a Department of Justice officer to act as the
national coordinator of the Blue Alert Communications Network.
The Blue Alert System would operate in a similar fashion as the
``Amber Alert'' system and would be implemented by law enforcement
agencies and officers at all levels--local, State, and Federal.
Law enforcement officers and officials are among the bravest
individuals in today's society.
Each day, they knowingly risk their personal safety and their lives
to ensure that our communities are safer and more secure.
As such, we need to be sure to do all that we can to ensure their
safety when possible.
Building and expanding on the existing blue alert networks in various
states will ensure that important information is sent out in an
efficient and timely manner.
I am proud to stand here today and offer my support for this
important legislation.
I want to thank the gentleman from New York, Mr. Grimm, for his hard
work in bringing this important legislation before us today.
And I also want to thank all the brave men and women who work in law
enforcement and sacrifice day in and day out for our safety.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, today I rise up in support of H.R.
365, the National Blue Alert Act of 2011. This bill would create a
Federal information network that would make it easier to track down and
prosecute those who seriously injure or kill State and Federal law
enforcement officers.
In 2011 a total of 72 law enforcement officers were killed by
perpetrators, 10 of which were in my home state of California. For the
first time in 14 years there were more officers killed by gunfire than
officers killed in traffic accidents.
Gun violence against law enforcement had declined in recent decades;
however there was a 70 percent increase from 2008 to 2011. The cause
for this increase is unknown, but with technology growing better each
day, and methods becoming more sophisticated, these statistics should
be going in the opposite direction.
Some officers attribute the rise in deaths to budget cuts and
officers not having the necessary resources to ensure their own safety.
Others believe that the new trend of sending officers to the most
violent areas of the city as a preventative measure has led to the
spike. Regardless, this is a problem that needs an immediate solution.
Due to this dramatic increase in only a few short years, the FBI
conducted a study which showed many of the officers were killed while
attempting to arrest or subdue a suspect who already had a history of
violent crimes. With this information they implemented a new Federal
program so that now when an officer pulls over a car and runs the
license plate they will be informed if the suspect has a violent
criminal record so they can be properly prepared.
While this new program is a step in the right direction, law
enforcement officers will always be put in high risk situations. It is
simply the nature of the job. They put their lives on the line everyday
to protect the citizens of this country, and they deserve to know their
government is doing everything it can to provide them with as much
safety as possible.
The National Blue Alert Act of 2011 would ease the minds of officers,
reassuring them of a quick and efficient response should anything
happen to them while on duty. The bill would also increase the
likelihood of catching a perpetrator who injures or kills an officer.
Madam Speaker, every stop an officer makes can be potentially fatal.
Yet these men and women go to work every day because they know their
service will save the lives of countless others. With this level of
self sacrifice the very least we can do as elected officials is provide
them with the reassurances within the National Blue Alert Act.
Today, I ask my colleagues to rise up in support of the National Blue
Alert Act of 2011. A quick response may be all it takes to save the
life of an officer who gives so much, and asks for so little in return.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 365, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GRIMM. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
____________________