[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 94 (Thursday, June 7, 2018)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D637-D642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 43 public bills, H.R. 6026-
6048; and 2 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 122; and H. Res. 927, were 
introduced.                                              
  Pages H4977-78
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H4981-82
Reports Filed: There were no reports filed today.
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Fitzpatrick to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H4851
Recess: The House recessed at 11:02 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon. 
                                                             Page H4857

[[Page D638]]

Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Pastor 
Eddie Bevill, Parkridge Church, Coral Springs, Florida.      
  Page H4857
Journal: The House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal by a 
yea-and-nay vote of 213 yeas to 197 nays with one answering 
``present'', Roll No. 242.                        
  Pages H4857, H4869-70
Whistleblower Protection Coordination Act: The House agreed to take 
from the Speaker's table and pass S. 1869, to reauthorize and rename 
the position of Whistleblower Ombudsman to be the Whistleblower 
Protection Coordinator.                                  
  Pages H4870-71
Department of Veterans Affairs Senior Executive Accountability Act of 
2018: The House agreed to take from the Speaker's table and concur in 
the Senate amendment to H.R. 2772, to amend title 38, United States 
Code, to provide for requirements relating to the reassignment of 
Department of Veterans Affairs senior executive employees.   
  Page H4871
Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act: The House passed 
H.R. 3, to rescind certain budget authority proposed to be rescinded in 
special messages transmitted to the Congress by the President on May 8, 
2018, in accordance with title X of the Congressional Budget and 
Impoundment Control Act 1974, by a yea-and-nay vote of 210 yeas to 206 
nays, Roll No. 243.                               
  Pages H4871-84, H4957
  Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment printed in part C of H. Rept. 
115-712 shall be considered as adopted.                      
Page H4871
  H. Res. 923, the rule providing for further consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 5895) and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3) was 
agreed to by a recorded vote of 225 ayes to 187 noes, Roll No. 241, 
after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 227 
yeas to 185 nays, Roll No. 240.                          
Pages H4862-69
Designating the health care center of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs in Tallahassee, Florida, as the Sergeant Ernest I. ``Boots'' 
Thomas VA Clinic: The House agreed to discharge from committee and pass 
S. 2246, to designate the health care center of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in Tallahassee, Florida, as the Sergeant Ernest I. 
``Boots'' Thomas VA Clinic.                                  
  Page H4964
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
2019: The House considered H.R. 5895, making appropriations for energy 
and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2019. Consideration is expected to resume tomorrow, June 
8th.          
  Pages H4884-H4938, H4938-56, H4956-57, H4957-64, H4964-77
  Pursuant to H. Res. 918, an amendment in the nature of a substitute 
consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-71 shall be 
considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. 
                                                             Page H4905
  Pursuant to H. Res. 923, the further amendment printed in Part A of 
H. Rept. 115-712 shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the 
Committee of the Whole.                                      
Page H4956
Agreed to:
  Collins (NY) amendment (No. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that increases funding for Army Corps Investigations account by $1.2 
million, for a total of $129.2 million, offset by a reduction of $1.2 
million in the Army Corps Expenses account;                  
Page H4925
  Keating amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
ensures funds for additionally considering the historic and national 
significance of dredging projects in allocating Army Corps additional 
funding;                                                     
Page H4926
  Ruiz amendment (No. 5 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
redirects $2 million within the Water and Related Resources Account 
toward projects with a public health benefit;            
Pages H4928-29
  Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM) amendment (No. 6 printed in part B of H. 
Rept. 115-711) that prioritizes funding for Bureau of Reclamation 
research and development projects;                           
Page H4929
  DeSaulnier amendment (No. 7 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that increase the Anadromous Fish Screen Program by $5 million for the 
purposes of making repairs to existing equipment;            
Page H4929
  Cohen amendment (No. 9 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
increases funding for the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 
account by $2 million for the SuperTruck II program;     
Pages H4929-30
  Soto amendment (No. 14 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
increases funding to the Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency 
Response program by $1,000,000 to further facilitate the Department of 
Energy's effort to secure the nation's energy infrastructure against 
all hazards, reduce the risks of and impacts from cyber events, and 
assist with restoration activities;                          
Page H4933
  Soto amendment (No. 15 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
increases funding to the Electricity Delivery program by $1,000,000 to 
further facilitate the programs aim to develop a modern power grid by 
advancing resilient power distribution systems, intelligent and high-
efficiency grid components, and energy storage systems;      
Page H4933
  Esty amendment (No. 17 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
increases and decrease funding to Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by $20 
million;                                                     
Page H4934

[[Page D639]]


  Keating amendment (No. 20 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
allocates funding to support research and grants to further innovation 
in the safe and secure storage, treatment, transportation, and disposal 
of spent nuclear fuel from civilian nuclear reactors;    
Pages H4936-37
  Langevin amendment (No. 22 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that increases funding by $3 million to be used for divertor test 
tokamak research and development;                            
Page H4937
  Jackson Lee amendment (No. 25 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that increases Administration account by $1 million to address 
environmental concerns in both urban and rural settings; 
                                                         Pages H4940-41
  O'Halleran amendment (No. 28 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that provides funding to expedite the work of the Department of 
Energy's Defense-Related Uranium Mines Program's work on Native 
American Reservations in the west;                       
Pages H4945-46
  Keating amendment (No. 30 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
provides resources for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ensure safe 
and effective decommissioning of nuclear power plants;       
Page H4947
  Newhouse amendment (No. 33 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that prohibits the use of funds to sell the transmission assets of 
three Power Marketing Administrations and the Tennessee Valley 
Authority;                                                   
Page H4950
  Jackson Lee amendment (No. 35 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that allocates an additional $3 million for post-disaster watershed 
assessment studies;                                      
Pages H4952-53
  Jackson Lee amendment (No. 36 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that prohibits use of funds in contravention of the Department of 
Energy Organization Act and addresses the need to increase programs 
that educate minorities in science, technology, engineering and math; 
                                                         Pages H4953-54
  DeSantis amendment (No. 38 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that prohibits funds from being used to purchase heavy water from Iran;
                                                         Pages H4954-55
  Nolan amendment (No. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
boosts the Army Corps' Aquatic Nuisance Species Research Program by $1 
million;                                                 
Pages H4956-57
  Eshoo amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
increases funding for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy by $1,000,000, with the increase intended to support the 
development and deployment of high-efficiency linear generator power 
plant technology which, for purposes of stationary electric power 
production, is equivalent to fuel cell power plant technology; 
decreases funding for Departmental Administration by $1,000,000; 
                                                             Page H4964
  Hastings amendment (No. 5 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
increases funding for cybersecurity of the electric power grid, offset 
by funding for fossil energy research and development;   
Pages H4965-66
  Rogers (AL) amendment (No. 7 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) 
that provides $24 million for construction of critical infrastructure 
in NNSA, with an offset from NNSA Federal Salaries and Expenses; 
                                                             Page H4966
  Jackson Lee amendment (No. 8 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) 
that allocates an additional $100 million for Army Corps of Engineers 
construction projects related to flood control;              
Page H4966
  LaMalfa amendment (No. 9 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
prohibits the use of funds for enforcing the EPA's abandonment criteria 
for prior converted cropland;                            
Pages H4966-68
  Kildee amendment (No. 12 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
increases funding by $250,000 for the U.S. House of Representatives' 
Wounded Warrior Program, which provides employment opportunities within 
the U.S. House for veterans with service-connected disabilities; 
decreases funding for the Architect of the Capitol, Capital 
Construction and Operations account by an equivalent amount; 
                                                             Page H4969
  Esty amendment (No. 13 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
increases funding by $500,000 for the Office of Employee Assistance 
under the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of 
Representatives to be pulled from the Architect of the Capitol, Capitol 
Grounds;                                                     
Page H4969
  Cohen amendment (No. 17 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
prohibits the use of funds to purchase plastic drinking straws; 
                                                             Page H4972
  Torres amendment (No. 20 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
directs the Secretary to use the DOD Base Closure Account to make 
funding available for the purposes of demolishing facilities closed by 
prior BRAC rounds;                                           
Page H4973
  Ruiz amendment (No. 22 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
increases funding to VA Medical Services account from VA Medical 
Services account to conduct educational outreach to veterans to enroll 
in the burn pits registry, additional research using the registry, and 
other activities concerning the maintenance of registry; 
                                                         Pages H4974-75
  Johnson (OH) amendment (No. 23 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) 
that calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop a 
standard

[[Page D640]]

of hospice care tailored to the unique needs of combat veterans, 
including Vietnam-era veterans;                              
Page H4975
  Carbajal amendment (No. 24 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) 
that directs the Secretary to change the phone system to have local 
Community Based Outpatient Center answer calls rather than having all 
calls routed to the major VA Medical Centers in an effort to reduce 
wait times for veterans on the phone and to provide more timely health 
services;                                                
Pages H4975-76
  McSally amendment (No. 25 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
mandates that no less than $225,000,000 may be appropriated for VA 
mental health and suicide prevention programs;               
Page H4976
  Welch amendment (No. 26 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
provides $5 million to better assist veterans exposed to burn pits by 
improving the existing registry and increasing clinical research on 
burn pit exposure; decreases the Community Care account by the same 
amount; and                                              
Pages H4976-77
  Barr amendment (No. 27 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
transfer $5 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs Health 
Administration's (VHA) Medical Community Care Account to the Medical 
Services Account for the explicit use for the VA's Adaptive Sports 
Grant (ASG) program, equine assisted therapy.                
Page H4977
Rejected:
  Beyer amendment (No. 4 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to strike Sec. 107, which prohibits funds from being used to 
require a permit for the discharge of dredged or fill material under 
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act;                 
Pages H4926-28
  Kihuen amendment (No. 23 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to strike $190 million for the licensing of the nuclear waste 
depository at Yucca Mountain;                            
Pages H4937-38
  Kihuen amendment (No. 32 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to strike language that would prohibit closure of the Yucca 
Mountain project;                                        
Pages H4949-50
  Tsongas amendment (No. 13 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to increase funding to the Office of Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy for the purposes of offshore wind job training grants 
(by a recorded vote of 201 ayes to 217 noes, Roll No. 244); 
                                                  Pages H4931-33, H4958
  Beyer amendment (No. 18 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to increase ARPA-E to its FY18 enacted level and reduces Fossil 
Energy R&D by the same amount (by a recorded vote of 204 ayes to 214 
noes, Roll No. 245);                           
Pages H4934-36, H4958-59
  Gosar amendment (No. 24 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to eliminate funding for the ARPA-E program as recommended by 
the administration (by a recorded vote of 123 ayes to 295 noes, Roll 
No. 246);                                      
Pages H4938-40, H4959-60
  Lee amendment (No. 26 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to strike $65 million for the W76-2 warhead and transfers it to 
Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account (by a recorded vote of 177 
ayes to 241 noes, Roll No. 247);                  
Pages H4941-44, H4960
  Connolly amendment (No. 27 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that sought to restore the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account to 
the FY2018 funding level by giving the Weapons Activities account a 
$404 million increase instead of the current $550 million increase (by 
a recorded vote of 179 ayes to 239 noes, Roll No. 248); 
                                               Pages H4944-45, H4960-61
  Gosar amendment (No. 29 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to use the Holman Rule to reduce the salary of Mark Gabriel, the 
Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration, to $1 (by a 
recorded vote of 139 ayes to 276 noes with two answering ``present'', 
Roll No. 249);                                 
Pages H4946-47, H4961-62
  Lowenthal amendment (No. 31 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that sought to strike Sec. 505, which prohibits funds from being used 
for further implementation of the coastal and marine spatial planning 
and ecosystem-based management components of the National Ocean Policy 
(by a recorded vote of 195 ayes to 223 noes, Roll No. 250); 
                                                  Pages H4947-49, H4962
  Blackburn amendment (No. 34 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that sought to provide for a one percent across the board cut to the 
discretionary spending levels in Division A of the bill (by a recorded 
vote of 155 ayes to 262 noes, Roll No. 251);   
Pages H4950-52, H4962-63
  Norman amendment (No. 39 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
sought to reduce the total amount of appropriations made available by 
$1.5 billion to match the fiscal year 2018 enacted level (by a recorded 
vote of 128 ayes to 289 noes, Roll No. 252); and 
                                               Pages H4955-56, H4963-64
  Perlmutter amendment (No. 4 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) 
that sought to increase funding for EERE's Facilities and 
Infrastructure account by $5 million offset by a $5 million reduction 
to DOE's Departmental Administration account.            
Pages H4964-65
Withdrawn:
  Abraham amendment (No. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have increased Corps

[[Page D641]]

of Engineers Construction by $17,410,000 and reduces DOE Departmental 
Administration by the same amount;                       
Pages H4925-26
  Keating amendment (No. 10 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have allocated 
funding for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to 
support marine and hydrokinetic energy research and technologies; 
                                                             Page H4930
  Bonamici amendment (No. 11 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have increased 
funding for the EERE Water Power Technologies Office by $10 million; 
                                                         Pages H4930-31
  Esty amendment (No. 12 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have restored $15 
million in funding to the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) within 
the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE);   
Page H4931
  Weber (TX) amendment (No. 16 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have provided 
for $35 million from within funds appropriated to the Office of Nuclear 
Energy to meet the House-passed authorization level for the Versatile 
Neutron Source, a fast test reactor user facility;       
Pages H4933-34
  Smith (TX) amendment (No. 19 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-711) 
that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have provided 
for $126.8 million from within funds appropriated to the Office of 
Science to meet House-passed authorization levels for the LINAC 
Coherent Light Source II High Energy Upgrade, the Proton Power Upgrade 
to the Spallation Neutron Source, the construction of the Spallation 
Neutron Source Second Target Station, and the construction of the 
Facility for Rare Isotope Beams; provides for full funding for the U.S. 
contribution to the construction of the ITER project;        
Page H4936
   Kildee amendment (No. 19 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have increased 
funding in the BRAC account to ensure there is sufficient funding to 
prevent further contamination of PFAS at former-Wurtsmith AFB; and 
                                                         Pages H4972-73
   Kildee amendment (No. 21 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
was offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have created a 
funding carve-out for the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment 
account.                                                 
Pages H4973-74
Proceedings Postponed:
  Gohmert amendment (No. 10 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
seeks to prohibit the use of funds to prepare, propose, or promulgate 
any regulation or guidance related to the social cost of carbon; 
                                                         Pages H4968-69
  Meadows amendment (No. 15 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
seeks to reestablish a semiannual Government Accountability Office 
financial review of obligated expenditures from the Independent Counsel 
permanent indefinite appropriation, and require the report's findings 
to be submitted to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and 
Senate, the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Judiciary 
of the House, and the Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs and Judiciary of the Senate; and                 
Pages H4970-71
  Takano amendment (No. 16 printed in part B of H. Rept. 115-712) that 
seeks to appropriate $2.5 million to re-institute the Office of 
Technology Assessment (OTA) to help Congress understand emerging 
technologies and their policy implications; offset by funds from an 
administrative account within the Architect of the Capitol. 
                                                         Pages H4971-72
  H. Res. 918, the rule providing for consideration of the Senate 
amendment to the bill (H.R. 3249) and providing for consideration of 
the bills (H.R. 8) and (H.R. 5895) was agreed to yesterday, June 6th.
  H. Res. 923, the rule providing for further consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 5895) and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3) was 
agreed to by a recorded vote of 225 ayes to 187 noes, Roll No. 241, 
after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 227 
yeas to 185 nays, Roll No. 240.                          
Pages H4862-69
Senate Referrals: S. 1692 was held at the desk. S. 2857 was referred to 
the Committee on Natural Resources. S. 2377 was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. S. 2734 was referred to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.          
  Page H4977
Senate Messages: Message received from the Senate and message received 
from the Senate by the Clerk and subsequently presented to the House 
today and appear on pages H4862 and H4938.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes and ten recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H4868-69, 
H4869, H4869-70, H4957, H4958, H4958-59, H4959-60, H4960, H4960-61, 
H4961-62, H4962, H4962-63, and H4963-64. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 11:49 p.m.

[[Page D642]]