[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D922-D924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 15 public bills, H.R. 6020-
6034 and 3 resolutions, H. Res. 867-869 were introduced. 
                                                         Pages H5500-01
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H5501-02
Reports Filed: There were no reports filed today.
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Collins (GA) to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H5439
Recess: The House recessed at 11:27 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon. 
                                                             Page H5448
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Reverend 
Dr. Phillip L. Pointer, Sr., St. Mark Baptist Church, Little Rock, AR. 
                                                             Page H5448
Journal: The House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal by a 
recorded vote of 252 ayes to 145 noes with two answering ``present'', 
Roll No. 507.                                            
  Pages H5461-62
Recess: The House recessed at 2:21 p.m. and reconvened at 3 p.m. 
                                                             Page H5463
Regulatory Integrity Act of 2016: The House passed 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, by a 
recorded vote of 250 ayes to 171 noes, Roll No. 510.     
  Pages H5470-79
  Rejected the Kildee motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform with instructions to report the same 
back to the House forthwith with an amendment, by a recorded vote of 
185 ayes to 238 noes, Roll No. 509.                      
Pages H5476-78
  Pursuant to the Rule, an amendment in the nature of a substitute 
consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 114-63 shall be 
considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the 
five-minute rule.                                        
Pages H5473-74
Agreed to:
  Fleming amendment (No. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-744) that 
adds a requirement that proposed regulations that duplicate or overlap 
with other existing regulations must be disclosed;       
Pages H5474-75
  McKinley amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-744) that 
restricts employees or officers of an Executive Agency from using 
private email accounts when discussing a pending agency regulatory 
action with the public; and                              
Pages H5475-76
  Boustany amendment (No. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 114-744) that 
requires the results of a Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) or a similar 
cost-benefit analysis, as well as the formula and data for the analysis 
to be included in the details disclosed by the agency on either 
regulations.gov or on the executive agency's website (by a recorded 
vote of 241 ayes to 154 noes, Roll No. 508).         
Pages H5474, H5476
  H. Res. 863, the rule providing for consideration of the bills (H.R. 
5351) and (H.R. 5226) was agreed to by a recorded vote of 238 ayes to 
171 noes, Roll No. 506, after the previous question was ordered by a 
recorded vote of 232 ayes to 172 noes, Roll No. 505.     
Pages H5453-61
VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016: The 
House passed H.R. 5620, to

[[Page D923]]

amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the removal or 
demotion of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs based on 
performance or misconduct, by a yea-and-nay vote of 310 yeas to 116 
nays, Roll No. 519. Consideration began yesterday, September 13th. 
                                               Pages H5463-70, H5479-86
  Rejected the Titus motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs with instructions to report the same back to the 
House forthwith with an amendment, by a recorded vote of 185 ayes to 
239 noes, Roll No. 518.                                  
Pages H5484-85
Agreed to:
  Ben Ray Lujan (NM) amendment (No. 14 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) 
that directs the VA to produce a report on the number of part-time 
active duty military physicians in VA health facilities, the hiring 
process for part-time active duty military physicians, the hiring 
process for part-time civilian physicians in, and the steps the VA is 
taking to recruit active duty military physicians for part-time 
employment in VA health facilities;                      
Pages H5463-64
  O'Rourke amendment (No. 16 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that provides 
the VA with the authority to offer physicians conditional job offers 
two years earlier and increases the VA's recruiting outreach efforts to 
academic affiliate institutions;                         
Pages H5464-65
  O'Rourke amendment (No. 17 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that provides 
the VA with the authority to share a patient's electronic health record 
with VA community-based providers, while maintaining HIPPA protections;
                                                             Page H5465
  O'Rourke amendment (No. 18 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that directs 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct annual surveys of veterans 
on experiences obtaining hospital care and medical services from 
medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
                                                         Pages H5465-66
  Miller (FL) amendment (No. 22 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that 
inserts the legislative text of H.R. 658 which requires a V.A. Regional 
Office carry out claim adjudication within 125 days with 98% accuracy; 
Regional Offices must submit a three step report every time it fails to 
meet its 125 day goal with explanation, reasoning and solutions for 
improvement. It will also contain a description of additional resources 
necessary for the office to reach its goals, from staffing to policy 
changes, and an action plan to enable the office to meet its goal; 
                                                         Pages H5469-70
  Takano amendment (No. 15 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that extends 
the Department of Veterans Affairs authority for the performance of 
medical disability evaluations by contract physicians by one year (by a 
recorded vote of 426 ayes with none voting ``no'', Roll No. 514); 
                                                  Pages H5464, H5481-82
  Takano amendment (No. 19 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that enables 
any person who is entitled to retired pay for nonregular (reserve) 
service or who, but for age, would be so entitled to be honored as a 
veteran; a person shall not be entitled to any benefit by reason of 
such recognition (by a recorded vote of 421 ayes to 1 no, Roll No. 
515);                                             
Pages H5466-67, H5482
  Takano amendment (No. 20 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that allows the 
Secretary of the VA to furnish rehabilitative equipment to Veterans 
entitled to prosthetic appliances, and modify non-rehabilitative 
equipment owned by the Veteran to meet that purpose, if the Veteran 
elects. Rehabilitative equipment includes recreational sports equipment 
that provides an adaption or accommodation for the Veteran (by a 
recorded vote of 421 ayes with none voting ``no'', Roll No. 516); and 
                                                  Pages H5467, H5482-83
  Duffy amendment (No. 21 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that allows the 
VA to also use hearing aid specialists, who are more available, and are 
qualified to fit, program, adjust, and repair hearing aids (by a 
recorded vote of 423 ayes to 1 no, Roll No. 517). 
                                               Pages H5467-69, H5483-84
Rejected:
  Walz amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that was debated 
on September 13th that sought to strike sections 2 through 8 and 
section 10 (by a recorded vote of 173 ayes to 250 noes, Roll No. 511); 
                                                         Pages H5479-80
  Takano amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that was debated 
on September 13th that sought 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 (by a recorded vote of 184 ayes to 240 noes, 
Roll No. 512); and                                           
Page H5480
  Kuster amendment (No. 5 printed in H. Rept. 114-742) that was debated 
on September 13th that sought 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 (by a recorded 
vote 183 ayes to 236 noes, Roll No. 513).                
Pages H5480-81
  H. Res. 859, the rule providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 
5620) was agreed to yesterday, September 13th.
Meeting Hour: Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns 
today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow, September 15th. 
                                                             Page H5486

[[Page D924]]

Presidential Messages: Read a message from the President wherein he 
notified Congress that he had issued an Executive Order that terminates 
the national emergency with respect to Cote d'Ivoire declared in 
Executive Order 13396 of February 7, 2006, and revokes that Executive 
Order--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be 
printed (H. Doc. 114-163).                                   
  Page H5462
  Read a message from the President wherein he notified Congress of the 
suspension of preferential treatment for Burma as a beneficiary 
developing country under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) 
program, and designated Burma as a least-developed beneficiary 
developing country for purposes of the GSP program--referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 114-
164).                                                        
Page H5463
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate by the Clerk and 
subsequently presented to the House today appears on page H5453.
Quorum Calls--Votes: One yea-and-nay vote and fourteen recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H5460-61, 
H5461, H5462, H5476, H5478, H5478-79, H5479-80, H5480, H5480-81, H5481-
82, H5482, H5482-83, H5483-84, H5485, and H5485-86. There were no 
quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 8:18 p.m.