[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 138 (Tuesday, September 13, 2016)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D913-D914]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page D913]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 20 public bills, H.R. 6000-
6019; and 4 resolutions, H.J. Res. 862, 864-866 were introduced. 
                                                         Pages H5435-36
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H5436-37
Reports Filed:Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 3438, to amend title 5, United States Code, to postpone the 
effective date of high-impact rules pending judicial review, with an 
amendment (H. Rept. 114-743);
  H. Res. 863, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5351) to 
prohibit the transfer of any individual detained at United States Naval 
Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and providing for consideration of the 
bill (H.R 5226) to amend chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, to 
require the publication of information relating to pending agency 
regulatory actions, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 114-744);
  H.R. 4419, to update the financial disclosure requirements for judges 
of the District of Columbia courts, with amendments (H. Rept. 114-745); 
and
  H.R. 5461, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to submit a 
report to the appropriate congressional committees on the estimated 
total assets under direct or indirect control by certain senior Iranian 
leaders and other figures, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 114-746, 
Part 1).                                                 
Pages H5434-35
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Webster (FL) to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H5341
Recess: The House recessed at 11 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon. 
                                                             Page H5348
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Reverend 
Wayne Lomax, The Fountain of New Life Church, Miami Gardens, FL. 
                                                             Page H5348
Privileged Resolution--Intent to Offer: Representative Fleming 
announced his intent to offer a privileged resolution.   
  Pages H5351-52
Committee Resignation: Read a letter from Representative Cartwright 
wherein he resigned from the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform and the Committee on Natural Resources.               
  Page H5365
Committee Election: The House agreed to H. Res. 862, electing a Member 
to a certain standing committee of the House of Representatives. 
                                                             Page H5365
Halt Tax Increases on the Middle Class and Seniors Act: The House 
passed H.R. 3590, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal 
the increase in the income threshold used in determining the deduction 
for medical care, by a yea-and-nay vote of 261 yeas to 147 nays, Roll 
No. 502.                                                 
  Pages H5380-86
  Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means now printed in the bill 
shall be considered as adopted.                              
Page H5380
  H. Res. 858, the rule providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 
3590) was agreed to by a recorded vote of 239 ayes to 169 noes, Roll 
No. 501, after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote 
of 237 yeas to 171 nays, Roll No. 500.         
Pages H5352-57, H5364-65
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century 
Act: H.R. 5587, amended, to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
Technical Education Act of 2006, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 405 
yeas to 5 nays, Roll No. 503; and                 
  Pages H5365-80, H5386
  Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2016: H.R. 
5985, amended, to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain 
expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs.                                                 
  Pages H5387-90
Suspension--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and agree to the following measure which was debated on Monday, 
September 12th:
  Expressing support for the expeditious consideration and finalization 
of a new, robust, and long-term Memorandum of Understanding on military 
assistance to Israel between the United States Government and the 
Government of Israel: H. Res. 729, expressing support for the 
expeditious consideration and finalization of a new, robust, and long-
term Memorandum of Understanding on military assistance to Israel 
between the United States Government and the Government of Israel, by a 
\2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 405 yeas to 4 nays, Roll No. 504. 
                                                         Pages H5386-87
VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016: The 
House began consideration of H.R. 5620, to amend title 38, United 
States Code, to provide for the removal or demotion of employees of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs based

[[Page D914]]

on performance or misconduct. Consideration is expected to resume 
tomorrow, September 14th.                             
  Pages H5390-H5417
Agreed to:
  Miller (FL) manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) 
that makes technical and conforming changes to the bill and aligns the 
due process procedures for the recoupment provisions of the bill; 
                                                         Pages H5404-05
  Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM) amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 114-
742) that adds Members of Congress to the reporting requirements; 
                                                         Pages H5407-08
  Takano amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 114-742), as modified, 
that adds section 8, Office of Accountability and Whistleblower 
Protection, to the bill;                                 
Pages H5409-11
  Newhouse amendment (No. 7 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that applies 
the statutory requirements of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor 
Act (EMTALA) to emergency care furnished by the VA to enrolled 
veterans; requires every enrolled veteran who arrives at the emergency 
department of a VA medical facility, and indicates an emergency 
condition exists, be assessed and treated in an effort to prevent 
further injury or death;                                 
Pages H5411-14
  Takano amendment (No. 10 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that provides 
the sense of the Congress honoring American veterans disabled for life 
and encouraging Americans to do so each year;                
Page H5415
  Takano amendment (No. 11 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that 
establishes positions of Directors of Veterans Integrated Service 
Networks (VISN) in the VA's Office of Undersecretary for Health; 
                                                         Pages H5415-16
  Keating amendment (No. 12 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that directs 
healthcare providers with VA affiliation to take continuing education 
courses specific to pain management, opioids, and substance abuse; and 
                                                         Pages H5416-17
  Lowenthal amendment (No. 13 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that 
requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or a designee to review 
covered whistleblower complaints quarterly.                  
Page H5417
Withdrawn:
  Schweikert amendment (No. 8 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that was 
offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have required that the VA 
use distributive ledger technology when scheduling healthcare 
appointments to ensure transparency and accountability 1 year after 
enactment.                                               
Pages H5414-15
Proceedings Postponed:
  Walz amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that seeks to 
strike sections 2 through 8 and section 10;              
Pages H5405-06
  Takano amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that seeks to 
replace Section 3 with a new provision allowing the Secretary to 
suspend without pay any VA employee whose performance or misconduct 
threatens public health or safety, including the health and safety of 
veterans; and may remove a suspended employee after such investigation 
and review as the Secretary considers necessary, if the Secretary 
determines removal is in the interests of public health and safety; and
                                                         Pages H5406-07
  Kuster amendment (No. 5 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that seeks to 
replace Section 7 with S. 2921 Section 113, which contains an improved 
process to expedite the removal or demotion of a member of the Senior 
Executive Service.                                       
Pages H5408-09
  H. Res. 859, the rule providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 
5620) was agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 241 yeas to 169 nays, Roll 
No. 499, after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote 
of 237 yeas to 170 nays, Roll No. 498.                   
Pages H5357-64
Quorum Calls--Votes: Six yea-and-nay votes and one recorded vote 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H5362-63, 
H5363-64, H5364, H5364-65, H5385-86, H5386 and H5387. There were no 
quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 9:32 p.m.