[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 111 (Monday, July 11, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H4603-H4606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           STRENGTHENING TRANSPARENCY IN HIGHER EDUCATION ACT

  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3178) to simplify and streamline the information regarding 
institutions of higher education made publicly available by the 
Secretary of Education, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3178

       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 ``Strengthening Transparency 
     in Higher Education Act''.

     SEC. 2. COLLEGE DASHBOARD WEBSITE.

       (a) Establishment.--Section 132 of the Higher Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``first-time,'';
       (B) in paragraph (3) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
     (A), by striking ``first-time,''; and
       (C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``first-time,'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``first-time,''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``first-time,'';
       (3) by striking subsections (c) through (g), (j), and (l);
       (4) by redesignating subsections (h), (i), and (k) as 
     subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively; and
       (5) by striking subsection (d) (as so redesignated) and 
     inserting the following new subsection:
       ``(d) Consumer Information.--
       ``(1) Availability of title iv institution information.--
     The Secretary shall develop and make publicly available a 
     website to be known as the `College Dashboard website' in 
     accordance with this section and prominently display on such 
     website, in simple, understandable, and unbiased terms for 
     the most recent academic year for which satisfactory data are 
     available, the following information with respect to each 
     institution of higher education that participates in a 
     program under title IV:
       ``(A) A link to the website of the institution.
       ``(B) An identification of the type of institution as one 
     of the following:
       ``(i) A four-year public institution of higher education.
       ``(ii) A four-year private, nonprofit institution of higher 
     education.
       ``(iii) A four-year private, for-profit institution of 
     higher education.
       ``(iv) A two-year public institution of higher education.
       ``(v) A two-year private, nonprofit institution of higher 
     education.
       ``(vi) A two-year private, for-profit institution of higher 
     education.
       ``(vii) A less than two-year public institution of higher 
     education.
       ``(viii) A less than two-year private, nonprofit 
     institution of higher education.
       ``(ix) A less than two-year private, for-profit institution 
     of higher education.
       ``(C) The number of students enrolled at the institution--
       ``(i) as undergraduate students; and
       ``(ii) as graduate students, if applicable.
       ``(D) The student-faculty ratio.
       ``(E) The percentage of degree-seeking or certificate-
     seeking undergraduate students enrolled at the institution 
     who obtain a degree or certificate within--
       ``(i) 100 percent of the normal time for completion of, or 
     graduation from, the program in which the student is 
     enrolled;
       ``(ii) 150 percent of the normal time for completion of, or 
     graduation from, the program in which the student is 
     enrolled; and
       ``(iii) 200 percent of the normal time for completion of, 
     or graduation from, the program in which the student is 
     enrolled.
       ``(F) The average net price per year for undergraduate 
     students receiving Federal student financial aid under title 
     IV based on an income category selected by the user from a 
     list containing the following income categories:
       ``(i) $0 to $30,000.
       ``(ii) $30,001 to $48,000.
       ``(iii) $48,001 to $75,000.
       ``(iv) $75,001 to $110,000.
       ``(v) $110,001 to $150,000.
       ``(vi) Over $150,000.
       ``(G) A link to the net price calculator for such 
     institution.
       ``(H) The percentage of undergraduate students who obtained 
     a certificate or degree from the institution who borrowed 
     Federal student loans under title IV, and the average Federal 
     student loan debt incurred by an undergraduate student who 
     obtained a certificate or degree from the institution and 
     borrowed Federal student loans under title IV in the course 
     of obtaining such certificate or degree.
       ``(I) A link to national and regional data from the Bureau 
     of Labor Statistics on starting salaries in all major 
     occupations.
       ``(J) A link to the webpage of the institution containing 
     campus safety data with respect to such institution.
       ``(2) Other information.--The Secretary shall publish on 
     Internet webpages that are linked to through the College 
     Dashboard website for the most recent academic year for which 
     satisfactory data is available the following information with 
     respect to each institution of higher education that 
     participates in a program under title IV:
       ``(A) Enrollment.--
       ``(i) The percentages of male and female undergraduate 
     students enrolled at the institution.
       ``(ii) The percentages of undergraduate students enrolled 
     at the institution--

       ``(I) full-time; and
       ``(II) less than full-time.

       ``(iii) In the case of an institution other than an 
     institution that provides all courses and programs through 
     distance education, of the undergraduate students enrolled at 
     the institution--

       ``(I) the percentage of such students who are from the 
     State in which the institution is located;
       ``(II) the percentage of such students who are from other 
     States; and
       ``(III) the percentage of such students who are 
     international students.

       ``(iv) The percentages of undergraduate students enrolled 
     at the institution, disaggregated by--

       ``(I) race and ethnic background;
       ``(II) classification as a student with a disability;
       ``(III) recipients of a Federal Pell Grant;
       ``(IV) recipients of assistance under a tuition assistance 
     program conducted by the Department of Defense under section 
     1784a or 2007 of title 10, United States Code, or other 
     authorities available to the Department of Defense or 
     veterans' education benefits (as defined in section 480); and
       ``(V) recipients of a Federal student loan under title IV.

       ``(B) Completion.--The information required under paragraph 
     (1)(E), disaggregated by--
       ``(i) recipients of a Federal Pell Grant;
       ``(ii) recipients of a loan made under part D of title IV 
     (other than a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan) who 
     did not receive a Federal Pell Grant;
       ``(iii) individuals who did not receive a Federal Pell 
     Grant or a loan made under part D of title IV (other than a 
     Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan);
       ``(iv) race and ethnic background;
       ``(v) classification as a student with a disability;
       ``(vi) recipients of assistance under a tuition assistance 
     program conducted by the Department of Defense under section 
     1784a or 2007 of title 10, United States Code, or other 
     authorities available to the Department of Defense or 
     veterans' education benefits (as defined in section 480); and
       ``(vii) male and female.
       ``(C) Costs.--
       ``(i) The cost of attendance for full-time undergraduate 
     students enrolled in the institution who live on campus.
       ``(ii) The cost of attendance for full-time undergraduate 
     students enrolled in the institution who live off campus.
       ``(iii) The cost of tuition and fees for full-time 
     undergraduate students enrolled in the institution.
       ``(iv) The cost of tuition and fees per credit hour or 
     credit hour equivalency for undergraduate students enrolled 
     in the institution less than full time.
       ``(v) In the case of a public institution of higher 
     education (other than an institution described in clause 
     (vi)) and notwithstanding

[[Page H4604]]

     subsection (b)(1), the costs described in clauses (i) and 
     (ii) for--

       ``(I) full-time students enrolled in the institution who 
     are residents of the State in which the institution is 
     located; and
       ``(II) full-time students enrolled in the institution who 
     are not residents of such State.

       ``(vi) In the case of a public institution of higher 
     education that offers different tuition rates for students 
     who are residents of a geographic subdivision smaller than a 
     State and students not located in such geographic subdivision 
     and notwithstanding subsection (b)(1), the costs described in 
     clauses (i) and (ii) for--

       ``(I) full-time students enrolled at the institution who 
     are residents of such geographic subdivision;
       ``(II) full-time students enrolled at the institution who 
     are residents of the State in which the institution is 
     located but not residents of such geographic subdivision; and
       ``(III) full-time students enrolled at the institution who 
     are not residents of such State.

       ``(D) Financial aid.--
       ``(i) The average annual grant amount (including Federal, 
     State, and institutional aid) awarded to an undergraduate 
     student enrolled at the institution who receives financial 
     aid.
       ``(ii) The percentage of undergraduate students enrolled at 
     the institution receiving Federal, State, and institutional 
     grants, student loans, and any other type of student 
     financial assistance known by the institution, provided 
     publicly or through the institution, such as Federal work-
     study funds.
       ``(iii) The cohort default rate (as defined in section 
     435(m)) for such institution.
       ``(E) Faculty information.--
       ``(i) The ratio of the number of course sections taught by 
     part-time instructors to the number of course sections taught 
     by full-time faculty, disaggregated by course sections 
     intended primarily for undergraduate students and course 
     sections intended primarily for graduate students.
       ``(ii) The mean and median years of employment for part-
     time instructors.
       ``(3) Other data matters.--
       ``(A) Completion data.--The Commissioner of Education 
     Statistics shall ensure that the information required under 
     paragraph (1)(E) includes information with respect to all 
     students at an institution, including students other than 
     first-time, full-time students and students who transfer to 
     another institution, in a manner that the Commissioner 
     considers appropriate.
       ``(B) Adjustment of income categories.--The Secretary may 
     annually adjust the range of each of the income categories 
     described in paragraph (1)(F) to account for a change in the 
     Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers as determined by 
     the Bureau of Labor Statistics if the Secretary determines an 
     adjustment is necessary.
       ``(4) Institutional comparison.--The Secretary shall 
     include on the College Dashboard website a method for users 
     to easily compare the information required under paragraphs 
     (1) and (2) between institutions.
       ``(5) Updates.--
       ``(A) Data.--The Secretary shall update the College 
     Dashboard website not less than annually.
       ``(B) Technology and format.--The Secretary shall regularly 
     assess the format and technology of the College Dashboard 
     website and make any changes or updates that the Secretary 
     considers appropriate.
       ``(6) Consumer testing.--
       ``(A) In general.--In developing and maintaining the 
     College Dashboard website, the Secretary, in consultation 
     with appropriate departments and agencies of the Federal 
     Government, shall conduct consumer testing with appropriate 
     persons, including current and prospective college students, 
     family members of such students, institutions of higher 
     education, and experts, to ensure that the College Dashboard 
     website is usable and easily understandable and provides 
     useful and relevant information to students and families.
       ``(B) Recommendations for changes.--The Secretary shall 
     submit to the authorizing committees any recommendations that 
     the Secretary considers appropriate for changing the 
     information required to be provided on the College Dashboard 
     website under paragraphs (1) and (2) based on the results of 
     the consumer testing conducted under subparagraph (A).
       ``(7) Provision of appropriate links to prospective 
     students after submission of fafsa.--The Secretary shall 
     provide to each student who submits a Free Application for 
     Federal Student Aid described in section 483 a link to the 
     webpage of the College Dashboard website that contains the 
     information required under paragraph (1) for each institution 
     of higher education such student includes on such 
     Application.
       ``(8) Interagency coordination.--The Secretary, in 
     consultation with each appropriate head of a department or 
     agency of the Federal Government, shall ensure to the 
     greatest extent practicable that any information related to 
     higher education that is published by such department or 
     agency is consistent with the information published on the 
     College Dashboard website.
       ``(9) References to college navigator website.--Any 
     reference in this Act to the College Navigator website shall 
     be considered a reference to the College Dashboard 
     website.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--The Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), as amended by subsection (a) 
     of this section, is further amended--
       (1) in section 131(h) (20 U.S.C. 1015(h)), by striking 
     ``College Navigator'' and inserting ``College Dashboard''; 
     and
       (2) in section 132(a) (20 U.S.C. 1015a(a)), by striking 
     paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraph:
       ``(1) College dashboard website.--The term `College 
     Dashboard website' means the College Dashboard website 
     required under subsection (d).''.
       (c) Development.--The Secretary of Education shall develop 
     and publish the College Dashboard website required under 
     section 132 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1015a), as amended by subsections (a) and (b) of this 
     section, not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (d) College Navigator Website Maintenance.--The Secretary 
     shall maintain the College Navigator website required under 
     section 132 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1015a), as in effect the day before the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, in the manner required under the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965, as in effect on such day, until the 
     College Dashboard website referred to in subsection (c) is 
     complete and publicly available on the Internet.

     SEC. 3. NET PRICE CALCULATORS.

       Subsection (c) of section 132 of the Higher Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a), as redesignated by section 2(a)(4) 
     of this Act, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (6); and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(4) Minimum requirements for net price calculators.--Not 
     later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the 
     Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, a net 
     price calculator for an institution of higher education shall 
     meet the following requirements:
       ``(A) The link for the calculator shall--
       ``(i) be clearly labeled as a net price calculator and 
     prominently, clearly, and conspicuously posted in locations 
     on the website of such institution where information on costs 
     and aid is provided and any other location that the 
     institution considers appropriate; and
       ``(ii) match in size and font to the other prominent links 
     on the webpage where the link for the calculator is 
     displayed.
       ``(B) The webpage displaying the results for the calculator 
     shall specify at least the following information:
       ``(i) The net price (as calculated under subsection (a)(2)) 
     for such institution, which shall be the most visually 
     prominent figure on the results screen.
       ``(ii) Cost of attendance, including--

       ``(I) tuition and fees;
       ``(II) average annual cost of room and board for the 
     institution for a full-time undergraduate student enrolled in 
     the institution;
       ``(III) average annual cost of books and supplies for a 
     full-time undergraduate student enrolled in the institution; 
     and
       ``(IV) estimated cost of other expenses (including personal 
     expenses and transportation) for a full-time undergraduate 
     student enrolled in the institution.

       ``(iii) Estimated total need-based grant aid and merit-
     based grant aid from Federal, State, and institutional 
     sources that may be available to a full-time undergraduate 
     student.
       ``(iv) Percentage of the full-time undergraduate students 
     enrolled in the institution that received any type of grant 
     aid described in clause (iii).
       ``(v) The disclaimer described in paragraph (6).
       ``(vi) In the case of a calculator that--

       ``(I) includes questions to estimate the eligibility of a 
     student or prospective student for veterans' education 
     benefits (as defined in section 480) or educational benefits 
     for active duty service members, such benefits are displayed 
     on the results screen in a manner that clearly distinguishes 
     such benefits from the grant aid described in clause (iii); 
     or
       ``(II) does not include questions to estimate eligibility 
     for the benefits described in subclause (I), the results 
     screen indicates that certain students (or prospective 
     students) may qualify for such benefits and includes a link 
     to information about such benefits.

       ``(C) The institution shall populate the calculator with 
     data from an academic year that is not more than 2 academic 
     years prior to the most recent academic year.
       ``(5) Prohibition on use of data collected by the net price 
     calculator.--A net price calculator for an institution of 
     higher education shall--
       ``(A) clearly indicate which questions are required to be 
     completed for an estimate of the net price from the 
     calculator;
       ``(B) in the case of a calculator that requests contact 
     information from users, clearly mark such requests as 
     optional and provide for an estimate of the net price from 
     the calculator without requiring users to enter such 
     information; and
       ``(C) prohibit any personally identifiable information 
     provided by users from being sold or made available to third 
     parties.''.

     SEC. 4. FUNDING.

       (a) Use of Existing Funds.--Of the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Department of Education to maintain the 
     College Navigator website, $1,000,000 shall be available to 
     carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act.

[[Page H4605]]

       (b) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No funds are 
     authorized by this Act to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act or the amendments made by this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rigell). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer) and the gentleman from the Northern 
Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.

                              {time}  1615


                             General Leave

  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 3178.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3178, 
the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, and I yield 
myself such time as I may consume.
  For many Americans, access to higher education is a critical step in 
achieving the American Dream. However, as young men and women enter 
into the college selection process, they are too often faced with a 
complex maze of options, a lack of clear and consistent information, 
and a complicated and burdensome financial aid system.
  Congress made a number of reforms in 2008 to provide students and 
their families with more information on colleges and universities. 
Students are now better equipped to make informed decisions about where 
they choose to pursue a postsecondary education. But, unfortunately, 
some of these initiatives have only added to confusion faced by 
students and families as they make their higher education decisions, so 
more needs to be done.
  Too often, information that is available does not take into account 
the number of current students who enroll in higher education and lacks 
other important crucial information that may impact the decisions being 
made by students and their families. That is why Representative Foxx 
and I, along with many of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, 
have introduced this important legislation.
  The Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act makes 
significant improvements to the transparency gaps that currently exist 
within our current higher education system, including completion rates 
for Pell grant recipients. It will help ensure all available data is 
straightforward, useful, and relevant for today's students.
  By streamlining the maze of information into a consumer-tested 
College Dashboard, we can provide better information on enrollment, 
completion rates, and average student loan debt. Students can more 
easily form side-by-side comparisons of the colleges and universities 
that they are considering.
  Currently, the Secretary of Education is only required to publish 
information on first-time students who attend class full-time, ignoring 
a large part of the current college population. This legislation will 
ensure available information is better reflective of all students, both 
traditional and contemporary, and new and prospective students have a 
clearer picture of all options that are available to them.
  The Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act takes steps to 
improve coordination among Federal agencies by requiring the Secretary 
of Education to work with other departments and agencies to ensure that 
any information related to higher education that they publish is 
consistent with the College Dashboard. This will help to avoid 
duplicative efforts and reduce confusion for students.
  With these reforms, we can ensure that students have all the 
information they need to make the best decisions for their futures. By 
working together, we can help make the dream of obtaining a college 
degree a reality for more Americans.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3178, the Strengthening 
Transparency in Higher Education Act, and I want to thank the gentleman 
from Indiana for joining me today in managing the bill. I want to also 
thank Ms. Foxx, chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and 
Workforce Training, for her hard work on this bill. I also want to 
thank our chairman, John Kline, and ranking member, Bobby Scott, for 
their leadership.
  No matter which side of the aisle we are on, we can all agree that, 
by helping people get an education, we are benefiting both the 
individual and the American economy. In today's world, getting an 
education means more than grade school and high school; it means higher 
education as well.
  H.R. 3178 will help more Americans get a college education, and it 
does so by helping college students and potential college students and 
their families get more of the information they need to make the tough 
financial decision that go along with a college education.
  With more than 7,000 colleges and universities nationwide to choose 
from, the college application process can be quite overwhelming for 
students and their families. H.R. 3178 helps to bridge the information 
gap by creating a new online tool for students and families called the 
College Dashboard, to be managed by the U.S. Department of Education. 
This Web site will replace the cumbersome College Navigator and compile 
information submitted by institutions on enrollment, graduation rates, 
costs, financial aid, and faculty status. The bill will also streamline 
existing efforts at the Federal level to reduce confusion, and require 
better coordination by Federal agencies to avoid duplication.
  A bill like H.R. 3178 is particularly important for students in 
America who come from areas like the one I represent, the Northern 
Mariana Islands, that are geographically remote. Students from my 
district cannot hop in the car with their parents and drive around the 
country looking at colleges. It costs thousands of dollars to fly off 
island, as we say; and for families who come from some of the poorer 
areas of our Nation, like the one I represent, those thousands of 
dollars that would be spent to look at colleges would be better spent 
paying tuition, buying books, or covering the cost of room and board.
  Having more information readily available about the cost of any 
particular college and the return on investment that graduates of that 
college can expect is also critically important for students and 
families who often are investing in a college education for the first 
time. Making an investment like that for families that have never sent 
anyone to college is a leap of faith, a huge risk, and if we can help 
reduce the risk, or give those families a better sense of the value of 
the financial sacrifices they will have to make to pay for college, 
then we should do so.
  By supplying key information about the colleges online on the College 
Dashboard, as this measure does, it would help bridge the geographic 
and socioeconomic gaps that can be a barrier for bright, hardworking, 
and ambitious students everywhere in America to get a college degree. 
When we can do that, we are helping these individuals have a more 
productive, satisfying life, and we are helping our Nation remain 
productive and competitive in our world economy.
  Again, I want to thank Chairwoman Foxx for the opportunity to work 
with her on this important and meaningful legislation. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 3178, the Strengthening Transparency in 
Higher Education Act.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to thank the gentleman from the 
Northern Mariana Islands for his leadership on this important bill and 
all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their hard work on 
this bipartisan legislation.
  Going through the college decision application process should be an 
experience students look forward to as they plan the next stage of 
their lives. The Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act 
makes the reforms necessary to ensure the information available to 
students is more accessible, relevant, and helpful as they go through 
that process.
  I am pleased with the good work we have been able to do here on 
Capitol Hill.

[[Page H4606]]

  I want to thank Chairwoman Foxx for her leadership on this bill as 
well.
  I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3178, 
the ``Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act,'' which 
streamlines and simplifies information regarding institutions of higher 
education.
  At a time when American innovation and intellectual growth is 
critical to maintaining our country's global economic leadership, 
higher education is an indispensable means of ensuring the next 
generation can uphold the exceptionally high standards of American 
innovation.
  As the founder and chair of the Children's Caucus, and a longtime 
advocate for education opportunities for students at every stage, I 
know this nation can do better.
  In order to ensure tomorrow's economic, academic, and political 
leaders are the best our nation has to offer, higher education 
opportunities must be available and accessible to all.
  I support the ``Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act'' 
because it makes an important contribution in ensuring higher education 
remains accessible and possible for all students.
  In particular, H.R. 3178 simplifies available information on higher 
education opportunities by developing and making publicly available a 
website known as the ``College Dashboard Website'' that will streamline 
available information about participating institutions in a readily-
accessible manner.
  The information on this website will include:
  (1) A link to the website of the institution, as well as an 
identification of the type of institution;
  (2) Information about the institution including its attendance, 
student-faculty ratio, and percentage of degree-seeking or certificate-
seeking undergraduate students enrolled at the institution who obtain 
their degree or certificate within a particular time frame;
  (3) Financial information including average net price per year and 
availability of financial aid; and
  (4) Data about campus safety, as well as regional and national data 
regarding starting salaries in all major occupations.
  The ``College Dashboard Website,'' moreover, will include links to 
more exhaustive data regarding enrollment, completion, costs, financial 
aid, faculty, and institutional comparison.
  Finally, the ``College Dashboard Website'' will include links that 
provide net price calculators for participating institutions of higher 
education.
  These resources being made available to the education marketplace 
will provide important information to students and their families in 
their search for the best education value possible.
  As an effort to simplify the public's access to institutions of 
higher education, H.R. 3178 represents a crucial step in bolstering the 
accessibility of education in America.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3178, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________