[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 33 (Thursday, February 26, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D186-D189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page D186]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 53 public bills, H.R. 1093-
1145; 1 private bill, H.R. 1146; and 5 resolutions, H.J. Res. 35-37; H. 
Con. Res. 19; and H. Res. 128, were introduced.          
  Pages H1368-70
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H1372-73
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 749, to reauthorize Federal support for passenger rail programs, 
and for other purposes (H. Rept. 114-30); and
  H. Res. 129, providing for consideration of the joint resolution 
(H.J. Res. 35) making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 
2015, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 114-31).              
Page H1367
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Newhouse to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H1167
Recess: The House recessed at 11:06 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon. 
                                                             Page H1174
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Reverend 
Bruce Miroglio, St. Helena Catholic Church, St. Helena, California. 
                                                             Page H1174
Journal: The House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal by a 
recorded vote of 246 ayes to 168 noes with one answering ``present'', 
Roll No. 94.                                   
  Pages H1174-75, H1192-93
Providing for a recess of the House for a joint meeting to receive His 
Excellency Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel: Agreed by 
unanimous consent that it may be in order at any time on Tuesday, March 
3, 2015 for the Speaker to declare a recess, subject to the call of the 
Chair, for the purpose of receiving in joint meeting His Excellency 
Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel.                
  Page H1193
Recess: The House recessed at 5:03 p.m. and reconvened at 6:47 p.m.
Student Success Act: The House continued consideration of H.R. 5, to 
support State and local accountability for public education, protect 
State and local authority, inform parents of the performance of their 
children's schools. Consideration is expected to resume tomorrow, 
February 27th.                     
  Pages H1193-1266, H1266-85, H1285-99
  Pursuant to H. Res. 125, in lieu of the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
now printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a substitute 
consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 114-8, modified by the 
amendment printed in part A of H. Rept. 114-29, shall be considered as 
adopted.                                              
Pages H1193-H1252
Agreed to:
  Lawrence amendment (No. 4 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
requires that the Secretary of Education disapprove of any State plan 
that fails to, in consultation with State and local education agencies 
to demonstrate that there is a separate reporting of academic 
assessments for foster youth;                                
Page H1257
  Goodlatte amendment (No. 5 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
would provide flexibility to localities by providing States with the 
authority to allow local educational agencies to administer their own, 
locally designed academic assessment system, in place of the State-
designed academic system;                                
Pages H1257-59
  Langevin amendment (No. 7 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
requires states applying for funds under title I to show how they would 
use the funds to provide apprenticeships that offer academic credit, 
and how they would use the funds to provide comprehensive career 
counseling to the students;                              
Pages H1259-60
  Barletta amendment (No. 8 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
states that if school districts use Title I money for after school, 
before school, or summer school activities, it would require them to 
describe those activities in their local plans;          
Pages H1260-61
  Quigley amendment (No. 9 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
restores the paraprofessional qualifications that are in place under 
current law, which helped stop school districts from hiring 
paraprofessionals with little experience in education and no 
professional training (by a recorded vote of 218 ayes to 201 noes, Roll 
No. 98);                                       
Pages H1261-62, H1268-69
  DeSaulnier amendment (No. 11 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that requires LEAs to develop agreements with Head Start and other 
agencies to carry out early childhood education activities; 
                                                             Page H1263
  Rodney Davis (IL) amendment (No. 12 printed in part B of H. Rept. 
114-29) that gives certainty to local and state entities that current 
collective bargaining agreements must remain in place;   
Pages H1263-64
  McKinley amendment (No. 14 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
establishes a state-led definition of ``workforce critical subjects'', 
and requires

[[Page D187]]

states to provide an explanation of the subjects they identify as 
``workforce critical'';                                  
Pages H1265-66
  Delaney amendment (No. 15 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
makes Pay For Success initiatives an allowable use of funds for States 
and Local Educational Agencies to improve outcomes and save money by 
training and supporting teachers;                        
Pages H1270-71
  Jeffries amendment (No. 16 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
ensures that teachers, parents and other educational professionals 
receive education on the harms of copyright piracy in order to further 
educate students to that end;                            
Pages H1271-72
  Clark (MA) amendment (No. 17 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that clarifies that early childhood education-focused professional 
development is an acceptable use of funds;               
Pages H1272-73
  Cohen amendment (No. 18 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
allows for Title II funds to be used for restorative justice and 
conflict resolution training;                            
Pages H1273-74
  Wilson (FL) amendment (No. 19 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that requires school districts to be transparent in providing 
information to parents at the beginning of the school year on mandated 
assessments the student will have to take during the school year and 
any school district policy on assessment participation;      
Page H1274
  Polis amendment (No. 20 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
expresses the sense of Congress that charter schools are a critical 
part of our education system in this Nation and that Congress must 
support opening more quality charter schools to help students succeed 
in their future;                                         
Pages H1274-75
  Polis amendment (No. 21 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
encourages collaboration and sharing of best practices between charter 
schools and local education agencies;                    
Pages H1275-76
  Kelly amendment (No. 22 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
requires Statewide Family Engagement Centers to conduct training 
programs in the community to improve adult literacy, including 
financial literacy;                                          
Page H1276
  Bonamici amendment (No. 23 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
allows State educational agencies and eligible entities to use Local 
Academic Flexible Grant funds to audit and streamline assessment 
systems, eliminates unnecessary assessments, and improves the use of 
assessments;                                             
Pages H1276-78
  Polis amendment (No. 24 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
allows grants to be used for the creation and distribution of open 
access textbooks and open educational resources;         
Pages H1278-79
  Jackson Lee amendment (No. 25 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that supports accountability-based programs and activities that are 
designed to enhance school safety, which may include research-based 
bullying prevention, cyberbullying prevention, disruption of 
recruitment activity by groups or individuals involved in violent 
extremism, and gang prevention programs as well as intervention 
programs regarding bullying;                             
Pages H1279-80
  Nolan amendment (No. 28 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
amends the current stated policy of the United States with respect to 
the education of Indian children to ensure that Indian children do not 
attend school in buildings that are dilapidated or deteriorating, as 
part of the unique and continuing trust relationship with, and 
responsibility to, the Indian people;                    
Pages H1281-83
  Davis (CA) amendment (No. 29 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that clarifies the definition of ``school leader'' such that it 
explicitly refers to a school principal as opposed to an off-site 
administrator;                                               
Page H1283
  Castro amendment (No. 34 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
improves college and career readiness for homeless youth by requiring 
the State to include in the State Plan a description of how such youth 
would receive assistance from counselors to advise, prepare, and 
improve college readiness;                               
Pages H1289-90
  Collins (GA) amendment (No. 36 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that improves accountability and ensures proper oversight of taxpayer 
funds authorized by this legislation;                        
Page H1291
  Dold amendment (No. 37 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
ensures that federal education dollars go toward their intended use for 
student benefit in the classroom by clarifying that funds received 
under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act shall not be diverted 
by the states to fill prior unfunded liability shortfalls in teacher 
pension programs; when a state receives funds under ESEA and 
distributes those funds to LEAs, this amendment prohibits the state 
from requiring LEAs to make a contribution to a pension program that is 
in excess of the ``normal cost'' of that teacher's participation in the 
pension program; and                                     
Pages H1291-92
  Flores amendment (No. 38 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
reaffirms students', teachers' and school administrators' right to 
exercise religion; in addition, it is the sense of Congress that 
schools examine their policies to ensure students and teachers are 
fully able to participate in activities on school grounds related to 
their religious freedom.                                 
Pages H1292-93
Rejected:
  Kennedy amendment (No. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
authorizes the STEM Gateways grant program as an allowable use of 
flexible funding received by state educational agencies; states

[[Page D188]]

could award grants to LEAs and qualified partner organizations to 
support the success of women, minorities, and low-income students in 
rigorous STEM academics (by a recorded vote of 204 ayes to 217 noes, 
Roll No. 95);                                  
Pages H1253-55, H1266-67
  Grothman amendment (No. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
shortens authorization from 2021 to 2018 (by a recorded vote of 114 
ayes to 311 noes, Roll No. 96);                   
Pages H1255-56, H1267
  Castro amendment (No. 6 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
appoints a neutral Ombudsman within the Department of Education to 
ensure K-12 textbooks are held to high academic standards (by a 
recorded vote of 182 ayes to 243 noes, Roll No. 97); 
                                                     Pages H1259, H1268
  Moore amendment (No. 13 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
delays implementation of new Title II formula until the Secretary of 
Education determines that the implementation will not reduce funding 
for schools serving high percentages of students in poverty (by a 
recorded vote of 185 ayes to 239 noes, Roll No. 99); and 
                                               Pages H1264-65, H1269-70
  Wilson (FL) amendment (No. 26 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that provides for Intensive Care Reading Labs and for specialization of 
school staffing for the purposes of basic skills in language arts, 
mathematics, and science in grades 1-3 as allowable uses in block grant 
funding.                                                 
Pages H1280-81
Withdrawn:
  Meeks amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
would require that the annual, statewide assessments measure student 
growth and require that student growth be a component of achievement 
within the accountability system established by a given state; 
                                                         Pages H1256-57
  Fudge amendment (No. 10 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
ensures continued state investment in educating students by requiring 
states to demonstrate that the level of state and local funding remains 
constant from year to year; and                          
Pages H1262-63
  Courtney amendment (No. 27 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
amends 20 U.S.C. 7703 to increase weight of non-connected children 
residing in public-private venture (PPV) housing located on military 
property for the purposes of Impact Aid basic support payment 
calculations.                                                
Page H1281
Proceedings Postponed:
  Zeldin amendment (No. 30 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
seeks to allow a State to withdraw from the Common Core Standards or 
any other specific standards;                            
Pages H1283-85
  Hurd amendment (No. 31 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
seeks to express the sense of Congress that students' personally 
identifiable information is important to protect as applied to current 
law and this act;                                            
Page H1285
  Grayson amendment (No. 32 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
seeks to require the Secretary of Education to conduct an assessment of 
the impact of school start times on student health, well-being, and 
performance;                                                 
Page H1286
  Wilson (FL) amendment (No. 33 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that seeks to provide for school dropout prevention and re-entry and 
provides grants to raise academic achievement levels for all students; 
                                                         Pages H1286-89
  Carson (IN) amendment (No. 35 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that seeks to advance assessments of student achievement and 
instructional practices, effective teacher preparation and continuing 
professional development, education administration, and international 
comparisons; the amendment supports development of a national research 
strategy to ensure that students, particularly at risk students, have 
effective teachers and are being prepared for the future; 
                                                         Pages H1290-91
  Brownley (CA) amendment (No. 39 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) 
that seeks to create a grant program for states to create or expand 
biliteracy seal programs to recognize student proficiency in speaking, 
reading, and writing in both English and a second language for 
graduating high school seniors;                          
Pages H1293-95
  Loebsack amendment (No. 40 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
seeks to support the expansion of the use of digital learning through 
competitive grants to partnerships to implement and evaluate the 
results of technology-based learning practices, strategies, tools, or 
programs at rural schools; and                           
Pages H1295-97
  Polis amendment (No. 41 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-29) that 
seeks to authorize--but does not appropriate funds--for the Secretary 
of Education to provide grants for: early-childhood education 
scholarships, professional development and licensing credentials, or 
increased compensation for educators who have attained specific 
qualifications.                                          
Pages H1297-99
  H. Res. 125, the rule providing for further consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 5), was agreed to by recorded vote of 234 ayes to 184 noes, Roll 
No. 93, after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote 
of 234 yeas to 177 nays, Roll No. 93.                    
Pages H1180-92
  A point of order was raised against the consideration of H. Res. 125 
and it was agreed to proceed with consideration of the resolution by a 
yea-and-nay vote of 224 yeas to 167 nays, Roll No. 91.   
Pages H1180-82

[[Page D189]]

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure--Communication: Read a 
letter from Chairman Shuster wherein he transmitted copies of 
resolutions to authorize 12 lease prospectuses, including three 
alteration projects and nine leases, included in the General Services 
Administration's FY2015 Capital Investment and Leasing Programs. The 
resolutions were adopted by the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure on February 12, 2015.                  
  Pages H1299-H1362
Senate Message: Messages received from the Senate by the Clerk and 
subsequently presented to the House today appear on pages H1179-80.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea-and-nay votes and seven recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H1181-82, 
H1191-92, H1192, H1193, H1266-67, H1267, H1268, H1268-69, and H1269-70 
. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 10:36 p.m.