[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 88 (Wednesday, June 19, 2013)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D603-D608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 18 public bills, H.R. 2428-
2445, were introduced.                                       
  Page H3927
Additional Cosponsors:                                       
  Page H3929
Reports Filed: There were no reports filed today.
Recess: The House recessed at 10:55 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon. 
                                                         Pages H3766-67
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest chaplain, Reverend James 
Rehder, Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Bellevue, Washington.       
  Page H3767
Journal: The House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal by a 
recorded vote of 275 ayes to 139 noes with 1 answering ``present'', 
Roll No. 255.                                     
  Pages H3767, H3786-87
Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013: The House 
resumed consideration of H.R. 1947, to provide for the reform and 
continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of 
Agriculture through fiscal year 2018. Consideration is expected to 
continue tomorrow, June 20th.                         
  Pages H3787-H3926
  Pursuant to the rule, an amendment in the nature of a substitute 
consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 113-14, modified by the 
amendment printed in part A of H. Rept. 113-117, shall be considered as 
an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute 
rule, in lieu of the amendments recommended by the Committees on 
Agriculture and the Judiciary now printed in the bill.       
                                                             Page H3850
  Agreed by unanimous consent that during further consideration of H.R. 
1947 pursuant to H. Res. 271, amendment 55 printed in part B of H. 
Rept. 113-117 may be considered out of sequence.             
                                                             Page H3787
                                                             Agreed to:
  Herrera Beutler amendment (No. 55 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-
117) that codifies the EPA's longstanding silviculture rule. It 
protects federal, state, county, tribal, and private forest roads from 
costly permit requirements or other point source regulation along with 
litigation expenses and citizen suit liability;          
                                                         Pages H3856-57
  Enyart amendment (No. 6 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
establishes a revenue neutral

[[Page D604]]

National Drought Council and a National Drought Policy Action Plan to 
streamline the federal response in times of drought;     
                                                         Pages H3860-62
  Lujan amendment (No. 10 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
allows small-scale Hispanic irrigators to be eligible for EQIP funding;
                                                         Pages H3866-67
  Gardner amendment (No. 12 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
specifies that the Secretary should give priority consideration for the 
use of Emergency Watershed Protection funding for those areas seeking 
assistance to protect public safety from flooding and repair damaged 
infrastructure caused by catastrophic wildfires;         
                                                         Pages H3867-68
  Foxx amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
caps spending on the Farm Risk Management Election program at 110% of 
CBO-predicted levels for the first five years in which payments are 
disbursed (FY 2016-2020) (by a recorded vote of 267 ayes to 156 noes, 
Roll No. 257);                                 
                                               Pages H3857-59, H3878-79
  Kaptur amendment (No. 14 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
improves federal coordination in addressing the documented decline of 
managed and native pollinators and promotes the long-term viability of 
honey bees, wild bees, and other beneficial insects in agriculture (by 
a recorded vote of 273 ayes to 149 noes, Roll No. 261); 
                                                  Pages H3870-72, H3881
  Castor amendment (No. 19 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
ensures that Department of Agriculture certificates of origin are 
accepted by any country that has entered into a free trade agreement 
with the United States;                                      
                                                             Page H3884
  Grimm amendment (No. 21 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
amends Sec. 4016 by specifying that at least one such pilot program 
shall be conducted in a large urban area that administers its own SNAP 
program and otherwise complies with the pilot program requirements; 
                                                         Pages H3884-85
  Hudson amendment (No. 22 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
allows states to conduct drug testing on SNAP applicants as a condition 
for receiving benefits;                                  
                                                         Pages H3885-86
  Chabot amendment (No. 27 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
shortens the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit 
expunging statute and require a State agency to expunge benefits that 
have not been accessed by a household after a period of 60 days; 
                                                             Page H3890
  Black amendment (No. 28 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
terminates an agreement the U.S. Department of Agriculture has entered 
in with the Mexican government known as the ``Partnership for Nutrition 
Assistance Program'';                                    
                                                         Pages H3890-91
  Kaptur amendment (No. 29 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
requires that at least 50 percent of the funds made available for the 
Farmers Market Nutrition Program be reserved for seniors;    
                                                             Page H3891
  Lucas en bloc amendment that consists of the following amendments 
printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117: Sinema amendment (No. 53) that 
requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide technical assistance 
to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection on identifying produce 
claiming to be made in the United States when in fact it is not; Kuster 
amendment (No. 59) that increases the cap for wildlife habitat funding 
within the Environmental Quality Incentives Program from 5 percent to 
7.5 percent; Thompson (MS) amendment (No. 60) that allows the Healthy 
Forest Reserve Program to be a participating program of the Regional 
Conservation Partnership Program; Pearce amendment (No. 62) that 
requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on current 
USDA programs related to the Lesser Prairie Chicken to analyze the 
economic impact and effectiveness of these programs; Cramer amendment 
(No. 63) that caps mitigation for enhancement, restoration or creation 
of wetlands at a 1-for-1 acreage basis; Keating amendment (No. 64) that 
directs the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture to conduct an 
economic analysis of the existing market for U.S. Atlantic Spiny 
Dogfish; Reed amendment (No. 65) that makes technical changes to 
Section 4015 regarding data exchange standardization for improved 
operability; Young (AK) amendment (No. 66) that grants the Secretary of 
Agriculture authority to permit the donation, preparation, and 
consumption of traditional Native food in public facilities primarily 
serving Alaska Natives and American Indians; Negrete McLeod amendment 
(No. 67) that authorizes a feasibility study to identify which federal 
food programs tribes have the capacity to administer on their own; 
Duckworth amendment (No. 68) that requires the Secretary of Agriculture 
to conduct a study and report back to Congress on the impact of SNAP 
cuts on demand seen at charitable food providers; Crowley amendment 
(No. 69) that facilitates cost-neutral purchasing of Kosher and Halal 
food within the Emergency Food Assistance Program; Huizenga amendment 
(No. 70) that requires the USDA to conduct a study of sole-source 
contracts in Federal nutrition programs; Gardner amendment (No. 71) 
that gives Rural Utilities Services borrowers the ability to hire 
contractors to perform NEPA studies without going through the Federal 
Acquisition Regulation process; Ruiz amendment (No. 72) that amends the 
Distance

[[Page D605]]

Learning and Telemedicine Program to add designated Health Professional 
Shortage Areas as a priority in awarding funding; Michaud amendment 
(No. 73) that reauthorizes through fiscal year 2018 the Northern Border 
Regional Commission, the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and 
the Southwest Border Regional Commission; Turner amendment (No. 74) 
that adds a sense of the Congress in support of improving agricultural 
research and education through a USDA land grant program; Gabbard 
amendment (No. 75) that authorizes research, development, and a pest 
management plan to combat the coffee berry borer; Faleomavaega 
amendment (No. 76) that includes American Samoa and the Federated 
States of Micronesia as provided for the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands; Slaughter amendment (No. 77) that reauthorizes the 
Research and Education Grants for the Study of Antibiotic Research 
program through 2018; Gosar amendment (No. 78) that establishes parity 
among the fire-liability provisions in stewardship contracts by 
incorporating the liability provisions from timber contracts into 
integrated resource service contracts; Cotton amendment (No. 79) that 
amends Section 8304 Good Neighbor Authority in H.R.1947; Tipton 
amendment (No. 80) that establishes a program providing the U.S. Forest 
Service a large airtanker and aerial asset lease program; Griffith (VA) 
amendment (No. 81) that conveys a small parcel of National Forest 
System land in Pound, Virginia; Meadows amendment (No. 82) that waives 
NEPA requirements for timber cleanup projects on forest service land 
after a disaster; Loebsack amendment (No. 83) that reinstates 
feasibility studies under the Rural Energy for America Program in the 
Energy Title; Grimm amendment (No. 84) that requires the Secretary of 
Agriculture to conduct a study and no later than 180 days after 
enactment report back to the relevant committees an analysis of energy 
use in USDA facilities, a list of energy audits that have been 
conducted at USDA facilities, a list of energy efficiency projects that 
have been conducted at USDA facilities and a list of energy savings 
projects that could be achieved with additional mechanical insulation 
at USDA facilities; Cardenas amendment (No. 85) that expands food 
safety education initiatives to include training farm workers on how to 
identify sources of food contamination and how to decrease bacterial 
contamination of food; Austin Scott (GA) amendment (No. 86) that 
mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to consult with the Secretary of 
Labor to ensure that producers of perishable commodities are afforded a 
transparent and equitable process related to the labor disputes; Kaptur 
amendment (No. 87) that requires the Secretary to submit an annual 
report on invasive species in the U.S.; Foxx amendment (No. 88) that 
requires the government to disclose the names of certain persons and 
entities receiving federal crop insurance subsidies; Schock amendment 
(No. 89) that includes pennycress as a research and development 
priority at the Risk Management Agency; Barr amendment (No. 90) that 
requires that any changes to current crop insurance policies be 
published and open for public comment at least 60 days before June 30 
and at least 60 days before November 30 of the year before the change 
would take effect; Takano amendment (No. 91) that directs the Secretary 
of Agriculture to report to Congress on the economic implications for 
consumers, fishermen, and aquaculturists of fraud and mislabeling in 
wild and farmed seafood; Fudge amendment (No. 92) that requires USDA 
agencies that serve farmers and ranchers to provide a time and date 
stamped receipt for service to each farmer and rancher requesting 
information or service from USDA; Velazquez amendment (No. 93) that 
directs USDA to coordinate opportunities for urban agriculture; Jackson 
Lee amendment (No. 94) that establishes the sense of Congress that the 
Federal Government should increase business opportunities for small 
businesses, black farmers, women, and minority businesses; Ross 
amendment (No. 95) that expresses the sense of Congress that 
agricultural nutrients and chemicals play an important role in the 
production of American agriculture; Conaway amendment (No. 96) that 
requires the Secretary of State to submit a report on water sharing 
with Mexico; Flores amendment (No. 97) that requires USDA to conduct 
and submit a study detailing all activities engaged in and resources 
expended in furtherance of Executive Order 13547 relating to the 
Administration's continued attempts to establish the National Ocean 
Policy without Congressional authorization; and Reed amendment (No. 
103) that ends eligibility for SNAP for convicted violent rapists, 
pedophiles and murderers after enactment into law;       
                                                         Pages H3914-20
  Benishek amendment (No. 51 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that requires a scientific and economic analysis of the FDA's Food 
Safety and Modernization Act prior to final regulations being enforced;
                                                         Pages H3920-22
  Bachus amendment (No. 52 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
ensures that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will consider 
regulations in accordance with provisions in the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act, so that small business impacts are considered in actions and 
alternatives that the USDA considers;                        
                                                             Page H3922
  Wittman amendment (No. 54 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
provides performance

[[Page D606]]

based measures, including crosscut budgeting, adaptive management and 
an Independent Evaluator, to assure federal dollars currently spent on 
Bay restoration activities produce results;              
                                                         Pages H3922-24
  Crawford amendment (No. 56 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that modifies the exemption levels of EPA's SPCC rules for small 
farmers and ranchers, which require producers to construct a 
containment facility around above-ground oil tanks;          
                                                             Page H2924
  Crawford amendment (No. 57 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that prohibits the EPA from procuring or disclosing the private 
information of farmers and ranchers; and                 
                                                         Pages H3924-25
  Foxx amendment (No. 58 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
sunsets all discretionary programs in the bill upon the expiration of 
the 5-year authorization period.                         
                                                         Pages H3925-26
                                                              Rejected:
  Ellison amendment (No. 4 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
sought to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to complete a study on 
the climate impacts of the Price Loss Coverage program;      
                                                             Page H3859
  Titus amendment (No. 17 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
sought to continue USDA's Hunger-Free Communities grant program, which 
has been included in the Senate Farm Bill. The program was created to 
foster collaborative public-private partnership efforts at the 
community level to root out and address the causes of hunger and help 
increase community access to nutritious foods;           
                                                         Pages H3876-77
  McGovern amendment (No. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
sought to restore the $20.5 billion cuts in SNAP by offsetting the Farm 
Risk Management Election Program and the Supplemental Coverage Option 
(by a recorded vote of 188 ayes to 234 noes, Roll No. 256); 
                                               Pages H3850-55, H3877-78
  Broun (GA) amendment (No. 5 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that sought to repeal permanent law from the Agriculture Act of 1949 
that pertains to dairy support. Sought to prevent the currently 
suspended law from becoming reactivated should Congress not reauthorize 
programs under the Department of Agriculture (by a recorded vote of 112 
ayes to 309 noes, Roll No. 258);                  
                                                  Pages H3859-60, H3879
  Blumenauer amendment (No. 8 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that sought to require that twenty percent of the acreage enrolled in 
the Conservation Reserve Program be set aside for the Conservation 
Reserve Enhancement Program and the Continuous Conservation Reserve 
Program, which allows states to target high priority and 
environmentally sensitive land, and to continuously re-enroll that land 
in CRP (by a recorded vote of 179 ayes to 242 noes, Roll No. 259); 
                                               Pages H3863-64, H3879-80
  Blumenauer amendment (No. 9 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that sought to reform the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to 
increase access for farmers, and eliminate payments to projects that do 
not show strong conservation benefits (by a recorded vote of 157 ayes 
to 266 noes, Roll No. 260);                    
                                               Pages H3864-66, S3880-81
  Royce amendment (No. 15 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
sought to reform U.S. international food aid to allow for not more than 
45 percent of authorized funds to be used for assistance other than 
U.S. agricultural commodities, yielding $215 million in annual 
efficiency savings, enabling the U.S. to reach an additional 4 million 
disaster victims (by a recorded vote of 203 ayes to 220 noes, Roll No. 
262);                                          
                                               Pages H3872-75, H3881-82
  Chabot amendment (No. 16 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
sought to repeal Section 3102, which reauthorizes the Market Access 
Program (MAP) until 2018 (by a recorded vote of 98 ayes to 322 noes, 
Roll No. 263); and                             
                                               Pages H3875-76, H3882-83
  Gingrey amendment (No. 34 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
sought to strike section 6105 from the bill which provides the 
authorization for the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee 
Program.                                                 
                                                         Pages H3894-96
                                                             Withdrawn:
  Gibbs amendment (No. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have set the target 
price for all crops at 55 percent of the five year rolling Olympic 
average. The amendment also changes the acreage available for target 
price support to 85 percent of the farmer's base acres; 
                                                         Pages H3855-56
  Graves (GA) amendment (No. 7 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have ensured 
that corn growers who sell their crop for ethanol production may not 
receive farm payments. Prohibits a producer on a farm that sells corn, 
directly or through a third party, to an ethanol production facility 
from receiving any farm bill payments or benefits;       
                                                         Pages H3862-63
  Fortenberry amendment (No. 13 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have required a 
conservation compliance plan be filed with the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture and followed for all crops in wetlands and all annually 
tilled crops on highly erodible lands in order to qualify for crop 
insurance premium subsidy assistance;                    
                                                         Pages H3868-70

[[Page D607]]


  Costa amendment (No. 33 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have created a pilot 
program that would use funds from the Rural Utility Service to address 
nitrate contamination of rural drinking water in communities with less 
than 10,000 residents;                                       
                                                             Page H3894
  Palazzo amendment (No. 36 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have authorized 
$500,000 in funding for the Agriculture Technology Innovation 
Partnership program that is already set up through USDA; and 
                                                         Pages H3896-97


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page D607, June 19, 2013, in the top left column, the 
following appears: Palazzo amendment (No. 37 printed in part B . . 
.
  
  The Record has been corrected to read: Palazzo amendment (No. 36 
printed in part B . . .


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  Polis amendment (No. 39 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have helped the U.S. 
Forest Service streamline forest management decisions to treat insect 
infestations on public lands so that USFS can better protect our 
natural resources and critical infrastructure while reducing the fuel 
loads that contribute to wildfires.                      
Pages H3900-01
Proceedings Postponed:
  Brooks (AL) amendment (No. 18 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that seeks to terminate funding for the Emerging Markets Program (EMP) 
after September 30, 2013;                                
Pages H3883-84
  Conaway amendment (No. 23 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to require a 10% reduction in the Thrifty Food Plan calculation 
in any year that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is not 
authorized;                                              
Pages H3886-87
  Butterfield amendment (No. 25 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that seeks to add a section at the end of subtitle A of title IV to 
include items for personal hygiene for household use in the 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program;               
Pages H3887-88
  Marino amendment (No. 26 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to direct the Comptroller General to establish a pilot program 
within nine States using the data required to be reported for SNAP 
under the Food and Nutrition Act. After the pilot program ends, the 
Comptroller General shall determine whether item specific data 
purchased with SNAP benefits can be collected using existing reporting 
requirements, and how to improve current SNAP reporting; 
                                                         Pages H3888-90
  Schweikert amendment (No. 30 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that seeks to strike the Health Food Financing Initiative; 
                                                         Pages H3891-93
  Tierney amendment (No. 32 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to allow commercial fishermen to be eligible recipients of the 
Emergency Disaster Loan program;                         
Pages H3893-94
  Polis amendment (No. 37 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to allow institutions of higher education to grow or cultivate 
industrial hemp for the purpose of agricultural or academic research. 
The amendment only applies to States that already permit industrial 
hemp growth and cultivation under State law;             
Pages H3897-98
  Garamendi amendment (No. 38 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that seeks to modify the Forest Legacy program to allow qualified third 
party, non-governmental entities to hold the conservation easements 
financed with Forest Legacy revenue;                  
Pages H3898-S3900
  Marino amendment (No. 41 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to repeal the Biodiesel Fuel Education Program, which awards 
federal grants to educate fleet operators and the public on the 
benefits of using biodiesel fuels, instead of fossil fuels; 
                                                         Pages H3901-02
  McClintock amendment (No. 43 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that seeks to strike Sec. 10003, which is the Farmers Market and Local 
Food Promotion Program;                                  
Pages H3902-03
  Gibson amendment (No. 44 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to strike the olive oil import restriction contained in section 
10010 of the bill;                                       
Pages H3903-05
  Walorski amendment (No. 45 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that seeks to continue the prohibition on the Christmas tree tax by 
striking the section of the bill that lifts the stay on the tax; 
                                                         Pages H3905-06
  Courtney amendment (No. 46 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) 
that seeks to add farmed shellfish to the list of specialty crops 
listed in section 3 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004, 
which would allow these products to be eligible for USDA marketing and 
research assistance;                                     
Pages H3906-07
  Kind amendment (No. 47 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to limit premium subsidies to those producers with an AGI under 
$250,000 and limits per person premium subsidies to $50,000 and caps 
crop insurance providers' reimbursement of administrative and operating 
at $900 million and reduces their rate of return to 12%; 
                                                         Pages H3907-11
  Carney amendment (No. 48 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to strike section 11012 of the Federal Agriculture Reform and 
Risk Management Act;                                         
Page H3911
  Radel amendment (No. 49 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to repeal the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center; and 
                                                         Pages H3911-13
  Walberg amendment (No. 50 printed in part B of H. Rept. 113-117) that 
seeks to strike the addition of ``natural stone'' to the list of 
commodity products

[[Page D608]]

that can petition the USDA for the issuance of a promotion and research 
order.                                                   
Pages H3913-14
  H. Res. 271, providing for further consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to by a recorded vote of 239 ayes to 177 noes, Roll No. 254, 
after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 233 
yeas to 187 nays, Roll No. 253.                          
Pages H3770-86
  A point of order was raised against the consideration of H. Res. 271 
and it was agreed to proceed with consideration of the resolution by 
voice vote.                                              
Pages H3770-74
Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to 
meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.                                     
  Page H3926
Quorum Calls--Votes: One yea-and-nay vote and nine recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H3785-86, 
H3786, H3786-87, H3877-78, H3878-79, H3879, H3880, H3880-81, H3881-82, 
and H3882-83. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 11:53 p.m.