[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 83 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D557-D559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 14 public bills, H.R. 5887-
5893, 5896-5902; and 1 resolution, H. Res. 906 were introduced. 
                                                         Pages H4283-84
Additional Cosponsors:                                       
  Page H4285
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 4245, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to 
Congress certain documents relating to the Electronic Health Record 
Modernization Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (H. Rept. 
115-691);
  H.R. 5215, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prohibit employees found to have 
knowingly misused Department of Veterans Affairs purchase cards from 
serving as purchase card holders or approving officials (H. Rept. 115-
692);
  H.R. 5418, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program using multiple prime vendors 
(H. Rept. 115-693);
  H.R. 4830, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the 
disapproval of any course of education for purposes of the educational 
assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs unless the 
educational institution providing the course permits individuals to 
attend or participate in courses pending payment by Department, and for 
other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 115-694);
  H.R. 5655, to establish the Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument in 
the State of Kentucky as a unit of the National Park System, and for 
other purposes (H. Rept. 115-695);
  H.R. 5894, making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 
115-696);
  H.R. 5895, making appropriations for energy and water development and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for 
other purposes (H. Rept. 115-697);
  Supplemental Report on H.R. 5515, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2019 for military activities of the Department of Defense 
and for military construction, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 115-
676, Part 2); and
  H. Res. 905, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5515) to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense and for military construction, to 
prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (S. 204) to 
authorize the use of unapproved medical products by patients diagnosed 
with a terminal illness in accordance with State law, and for other 
purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (S. 2155) to 
promote economic growth, provide tailored regulatory relief, and 
enhance consumer protections, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 115-
698).                                                        
Page H4283
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Newhouse to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H4245
Recess: The House recessed at 12:06 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m. 
                                                             Page H4246

[[Page D558]]

Commission on International Religious Freedom--Reappointment: The Chair 
announced the Speaker's reappointment of the following individual on 
the part of the House to the Commission on International Religious 
Freedom for a term effective May 14, 2018, and ending May 14, 2020: Ms. 
Kristina Arriaga of Alexandria, Virginia.                    
  Page H4246
Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children-
Appointment: The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of the 
following individuals on the part of the House to the Alyce Spotted 
Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children: Ms. Gloria 
O'Neill of Anchorage, Alaska, Ms. Lisa Johnson Billy of Lindsay, 
Oklahoma, and Ms. Elizabeth Morris of Hillsboro, North Dakota. 
                                                             Page H4246
United States Semiquincentennial Commission--Appointment: The Chair 
announced the Speaker's appointment of the following Member on the part 
of the House to the United States Semiquincentennial Commission to fill 
the vacancy thereon: Representative Holding.                 
  Page H4246
United States Capitol Preservation Commission--Appointment: The Chair 
announced the Speaker's appointment of the following Member on the part 
of the House to the United States Capitol Preservation Commission: 
Representative Holding.                                      
  Page H4246
Recess: The House recessed at 2:07 p.m. and reconvened at 3 p.m. 
                                                             Page H4246
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Veterans Affairs Billing Accountability Act: H.R. 1972, amended, to 
amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to waive the requirement of certain veterans to make 
copayments for hospital care and medical services in the case of an 
error by the Department of Veterans Affairs;             
  Pages H4247-48
  Military Sexual Assault Victims Empowerment Act: H.R. 3642, amended, 
to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
program to improve the access to private health care for veterans who 
are survivors of military sexual trauma;                 
  Pages H4248-50
  Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act: H.R. 3832, amended, to direct 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a memorandum of 
understanding with the executive director of a national network of 
State-based prescription monitoring programs under which Department of 
Veterans Affairs health care providers shall query such network, by a 
\2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 377 yeas to 2 nays, Roll No. 209; 
                                               Pages H4250-51, H4268-69
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ``To amend title 38, United 
States Code, to provide for access by Department of Veterans Affairs 
health care providers to State prescription drug monitoring 
programs.'';                                                 
Page H4269
  Naming the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient 
clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the ``Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic'': 
H.R. 3946, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based 
outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the ``Ray Hendrix Veterans 
Clinic'';                                                
  Pages H4251-53
  Veterans' Electronic Health Record Modernization Oversight Act: H.R. 
4245, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress 
certain documents relating to the Electronic Health Record 
Modernization Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
                                                         Pages H4253-54
  Servicemembers Improved Transition through Reforms for Ensuring 
Progress Act: H.R. 4830, amended, to amend title 38, United States 
Code, to provide for the disapproval of any course of education for 
purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs unless the educational institution providing the 
course permits individuals to attend or participate in courses pending 
payment by Department, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 382 yeas with 
none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 207;                
  Pages H4254-56, H4267
  Veterans Affairs Purchase Card Misuse Mitigation Act: H.R. 5215, to 
amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to prohibit employees found to have knowingly misused 
Department of Veterans Affairs purchase cards from serving as purchase 
card holders or approving officials;                     
  Pages H4256-57
  Veterans Affairs Medical-Surgical Purchasing Stabilization Act: H.R. 
5418, amended, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program using multiple prime vendors;
                                                         Pages H4257-58
  Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2018: H.R. 
4958, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2018, the rates of 
compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the 
rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of 
certain disabled veterans;                               
  Pages H4258-59
  Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act: H.R. 5044, 
to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the treatment of 
certain surviving spouses under the contracting goals

[[Page D559]]

and preferences of the Department of Veterans Affairs;   
  Pages H4259-60
  Redesignating certain clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
located in Montana: S. 1282, to redesignate certain clinics of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs located in Montana;       
  Pages H4260-61
  CEO Accountability and Responsibility Act: H.R. 3663, to designate 
the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Huntington, 
West Virginia, as the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams VA Medical Center; 
                                                         Pages H4261-63
  Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act: H.R. 
4451 amended, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a 
five-year extension to the homeless veterans reintegration programs and 
to provide clarification regarding eligibility for services under such 
programs, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 377 yeas to 1 nay, Roll No. 
208; and                                          
  Pages H4263-65, H4268
  Improving Oversight of Women Veterans' Care Act: H.R. 4334, amended, 
to provide for certain reporting requirements relating to medical care 
for women veterans provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
through contracts entered into by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
with non-Department medical providers.                   
  Pages H4265-67
Recess: The House recessed at 5 p.m. and reconvened at 6:30 p.m. 
                                                             Page H4267
Meeting Hour: Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns 
today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow, May 22nd for Morning 
Hour debate.                                                 
  Page H4269
Permission to File Report: Agreed by unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Armed Services be authorized to file a supplemental report 
on H.R. 5515, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal 
year.                                                        
  Page H4269
Presidential Message: Read a message from the President wherein he 
notified Congress that he issued an Executive Order that takes 
additional steps with regard to the national emergency with respect to 
Venezuela that was declared in Executive Order 13692 of March 8, 2015, 
and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13808 of 
August 24, 2017, and Executive Order 13827 of March 19, 2018--referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 
115-129).                                                
  Pages H4271-72
Senate Referrals: S. 346 was held at the desk. S.J. Res. 60 was 
referred to the Committee on House Administration.           
  Page H4282
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate by the Clerk and 
subsequently presented to the House today appears on page H4246.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes developed during the 
proceedings of today and appear on pages H4267, H4268, H4268-69. There 
were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 12 noon and adjourned at 9:32 p.m.