[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 17, 2018)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D823-D826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page D823]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 21 public bills, H.R. 6393-
6413; and 5 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 129; and H. Res. 999-1002 were 
introduced.                                              
  Pages H6462-63
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H6464-65
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 6138, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide 
for ambulatory surgical center representation during the review of 
hospital outpatient payment rates under part B of the Medicare program, 
and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 115-831, Part 1);
  H.R. 4952, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
conduct a study and submit a report on the effects of the inclusion of 
quality increases in the determination of blended benchmark amounts 
under part C of the Medicare program, with an amendment (H. Rept. 115-
832, Part 1);
  H.R. 1482, to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to maintain or 
replace certain facilities and structures for commercial recreation 
services at Smith Gulch in Idaho, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 115-
833); and
  H. Res. 1001, providing for consideration of the concurrent 
resolution (H. Con. Res. 119) expressing the sense of Congress that a 
carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy (H. Rept. 
115-834).                                           
Page H6462 Speaker:
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Byrne to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H6265
Recess: The House recessed at 10:52 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon. 
                                                             Page H6271
Journal: The House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal by 
voice vote.                                                  
  Page H6271
Committee Election: The House agreed to H. Res. 1000, electing a Member 
to a certain standing committee of the House of Representatives. 
                                                             Page H6282
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
  Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act: S. 717, amended, to 
promote pro bono legal services as a critical way in which to empower 
survivors of domestic violence;                          
  Pages H6282-85
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Nation 
now faces a more complex and grave set of threats than at any time 
since the end of World War II, and that the lack of full, on-time 
funding related to defense activities puts servicemen and servicewomen 
at risk, harms national security, and aids the adversaries of the 
United States: H. Res. 995, expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that the Nation now faces a more complex and grave set 
of threats than at any time since the end of World War II, and that the 
lack of full, on-time funding related to defense activities puts 
servicemen and servicewomen at risk, harms national security, and aids 
the adversaries of the United States;                    
  Pages H6285-89
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
States Navy's total readiness remains in a perilous state due to high 
operational demands, increased deployment lengths, shortened training 
periods, and deferred maintenance all while the Navy is asked to ``do 
more with less'' as financial support for critical areas waned in the 
era of sequestration and without consistent Congressional funding: H. 
Res. 998, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
United States Navy's total readiness remains in a perilous state due to 
high operational demands, increased deployment lengths, shortened 
training periods, and deferred maintenance all while the Navy is asked 
to ``do more with less'' as financial support for critical areas waned 
in the era of sequestration and without consistent Congressional 
funding;                                                 
  Pages H6289-93
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
States Marine Corps faces significant readiness challenges and that 
budgetary uncertainty impedes the Corps' ability to meet ongoing and 
unexpected national security threats, putting United States national 
security at risk: H. Res. 994, expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that the United States Marine Corps faces significant 
readiness challenges and that budgetary uncertainty impedes the Corps' 
ability to meet ongoing and unexpected national security threats, 
putting United States national security at risk;         
  Pages H6293-95
  Encouraging Employee Ownership Act: S. 488, amended, to increase the 
threshold for disclosures required by the Securities and Exchange 
Commission relating to compensatory benefit plans, by a \2/3\ yea-and-
nay vote of 406 yeas to 4 nays, Roll No. 333; 
                                            Pages H6295-H6312, H6342-43
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ``To modernize U.S. markets 
and to promote capital formation, investor confidence, and economic 
growth, and for other purposes.''.                       
Pages H6342-43

[[Page D824]]

  Defending Economic Livelihoods and Threatened Animals Act: H.R. 4819, 
amended, to promote inclusive economic growth through conservation and 
biodiversity programs that facilitate transboundary cooperation, 
improve natural resource management, and build local capacity to 
protect and preserve threatened wildlife species in the greater 
Okavango River Basin of southern Africa;                 
  Pages H6312-15
  Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act: H.R. 3030, 
amended, to help prevent acts of genocide and other atrocity crimes, 
which threaten national and international security, by enhancing United 
States Government capacities to prevent, mitigate, and respond to such 
crises, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 406 yeas to 5 nays, Roll No. 
334;                                           
  Pages H6315-19, H6343-44
  Protecting Diplomats from Surveillance Through Consumer Devices Act: 
H.R. 4989, to require the Department of State to establish a policy 
regarding the use of location-tracking consumer devices by employees at 
diplomatic and consular facilities, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 412 
yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 335;      
  Pages H6319-20, H6344
  Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act of 2018: 
H.R. 5105, amended, to establish the United States International 
Development Finance Corporation;                         
  Pages H6320-33
  Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018: H.R. 
5480, amended, to improve programs and activities relating to women's 
entrepreneurship and economic empowerment that are carried out by the 
United States Agency for International Development;      
  Pages H6333-37
  East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act: H.R. 4645, to amend the Wild 
and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of East Rosebud 
Creek in Carbon County, Montana, as components of the Wild and Scenic 
Rivers System;                                           
  Pages H6337-38
  Juab County Conveyance Act of 2018: H.R. 3777, amended, to direct the 
Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain National Forest System land 
containing the Nephi Work Center in Juab County, Utah, to Juab County; 
and                                                      
  Pages H6339-40
  Gila River Indian Community Federal Rights-of-Way, Easements and 
Boundary Clarification Act: H.R. 4032, amended, to confirm undocumented 
Federal rights-of-way or easements on the Gila River Indian 
Reservation, clarify the northern boundary of the Gila River Indian 
Community's Reservation, to take certain land located in Maricopa 
County and Pinal County, Arizona, into trust for the benefit of the 
Gila River Indian Community.                             
  Pages H6340-42
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2019: The House considered H.R. 6147, making 
appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019. 
Consideration is expected to resume tomorrow, July 18th. 
                                            Pages H6274-82, H6344-H6461
  Pursuant to the Rule, an amendment in the nature of a substitute 
consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-81 shall be 
considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. 
                                                             Page H6274
Agreed to:
  Soto amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System by $500,000 for the 
Wildlife and Habitat Management of invasive species;     
Pages H6434-35
  Lance amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
funding for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program by $1 million;
                                                         Pages H6435-36
  Courtney amendment (No. 5 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that 
designates $300,000 within the Operation of the National Park System 
for the New England Scenic Trail;                            
Page H6436
  Courtney amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
the Historic Preservation Fund by $5 million to restore level funding 
with FY 2018;                                            
Pages H6436-37
  Sewell amendment (No. 7 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
funding for competitive grants to preserve the sites and stories of the 
Civil Rights Movement by $2,500,000, and reduces departmental 
operations for the Office of the Secretary of Interior by the same 
amount;                                                      
Page H6437
  Jackson Lee amendment (No. 8 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that 
increases by $500,000 the amount of funds provided for the Historic 
Preservation Fund to be used for competitive grants for the survey and 
nomination of properties to the National Register of Historic Places 
and as National Historic Landmarks associated with communities 
currently under-represented;                             
Pages H6437-38
  Clyburn amendment (No. 9 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
funding by $2 million for Historic Preservation Fund grants to 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities;            
Pages H6438-39
  Jackson Lee amendment (No. 10 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that 
states that of the funds provided for the Historic Preservation Fund, 
increase by $1,000,000 those funds allocated for grants to Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities;                         
Pages H6439-40

[[Page D825]]


  Olson amendment (No. 11 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that reduces by 
$20,000,000 and then increases by the same amount the National 
Recreation and Preservation account with intent to use the funds for 
the National Maritime Heritage grant program;                
Page H6440
   Dingell amendment (No. 12 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that 
increases USGS funding by $250,000 for fisheries assessment to continue 
and expand advanced technologies research in the Ecosystem Fisheries 
Program in accordance with Congressional direction that mission areas 
and accounts would be maintained at the enacted level;   
Pages H6440-41
  Courtney amendment (No. 13 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that provides 
funding for the U.S. Geological Survey to develop a map showing 
pyrrhotite occurrences across the United States;             
Page H6441
  Gabbard amendment (No. 14 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
the USGS Surveys, Investigations and Research account by $4,798,500, 
intended to be used for the Volcano Hazards Program to ameliorate 
impacts caused by volcanic eruptions;                    
Pages H6441-42
  Kildee amendment (No. 15 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
funding to USGS to eradicate grass carp by $1 million; reduces funding 
from the Office of the Interior Secretary by the same amount; 
                                                         Pages H6442-43
  Johnson (OH) amendments printed in H. Rept. 115-830: (No. 16) that 
provides for a balanced distribution of funds among Appalachian states 
for reclamation of abandoned mine lands in conjunction with economic 
and community development, offset by funds from the Environmental 
Programs and Management account; and (No. 17) that restores the number 
of Appalachian states eligible for grants for the reclamation of 
abandoned mine lands to be used for economic and community development 
from 3 to 6;                                                 
Page H6443
  O'Halleran amendment (No. 18 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that 
reduces and increases by $36,000,000 the amount of funding appropriated 
to the Bureau of Indian Affairs construction account for public safety 
and justice facility construction;                           
Page H6444
  Plaskett amendment (No. 20 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that 
strengthens necessary support for insular territories of the United 
States (to equal Senate levels);                         
Pages H6445-46
  Moore amendment (No. 21 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that boosts 
funding for the Smithsonian by $500,000 to better support efforts, 
including the creation of temporary or permanent exhibits, that better 
tell and increase understanding and education about the history, 
voices, and narratives of underrepresented communities, including 
African-Americans and tribal Communities;                
Pages H6446-47
  Welch amendment (No. 22 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
funding for the Lake Champlain Basin Program by $4 million to the FY18 
enacted level; decreases the Office of the Secretary of Interior 
account by the same amount;                                  
Page H6447
  Esty amendment (No. 24 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that helps cities 
and towns clean up brownfield sites in their local communities by 
increasing funding to ``brownfields projects'' within the State and 
Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) by $7 million by pulling $7 million 
from the Office of the Secretary;                            
Page H6448
  Denham amendment (No. 26 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
the WIFIA administrative expenses account by $2 million and decreases 
the DOI Office of the Secretary account by the same amount; 
                                                         Pages H6449-50
  Heck amendment (No. 28 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that directs EPA 
to fund the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey;                   
Page H6451
  Soto amendment (No. 30 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
funding for the National Estuary Program by $468,000;    
Pages H6452-53
  LaMalfa amendment (No. 34 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
funding to the National Forest System account for purposes of 
eradicating, enforcing, and remediating illegal marijuana grow 
operations on National Forest System land;               
Pages H6454-55
  Welch amendment (No. 35 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
and decreases the State and Private Forestry Account account by $5 
million to indicate that the amount should be used to help mitigate the 
spread of and the Emerald Ash Borer;                         
Page H6455
  Ruiz amendment (No. 36 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that increases 
state and forestry private account by $2 million to add funding for 
Volunteer Fire Assistance grant program, and decreases Wildland Fire 
Management account by the same amount; and               
Pages H6455-56
  Carbajal amendment (No. 37 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that 
increases funds for hazardous fuels management activities by $10 
million, decreases funds provided for forest products by the same 
amount.                                                  
Pages H6456-57
Rejected:
  O'Halleran amendment (No. 19 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that 
reduces Interior operations funds and increase BIA construction funds 
by 10 million dollars;                                   
Pages H6444-45
  Vargas amendment (No. 23 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that sought to 
increase funding for the

[[Page D826]]

U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program by $5 million; 
                                                         Pages H6447-48
  Jayapal amendment (No. 32 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that sought to 
reduce then add back $12 million to EPA's Superfund account to 
underscore the importance of Superfund enforcement;          
Page H6453
  Carbajal amendment (No. 37 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that sought 
to increase funds for hazardous fuels management activities by $10 
million, decrease funds provided for forest products by the same 
amount;                                                  
Pages H6456-57
  Beyer amendment (No. 40 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that sought to 
strike section 430, which allows a loophole in Federal water quality 
permitting requirements for pollution discharges; and    
Pages H6458-60
  Beyer amendment (No. 41 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that sought to 
strike section 431, which repeals the Clean Water Rule. 
                                                         Pages H6460-61
Withdrawn:
  Langevin amendment (No. 31 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that was 
offered and subsequently withdrawn that would have provided funding for 
the Southern New England Estuaries Program under EPA Geographic 
Programs.                                                    
Page H6453
Proceedings Postponed:
  Biggs amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that seeks to 
transfer funds from the BLM Land acquisition account to the NPS Parks 
Maintenance Backlog;                                         
Page H6434
  Grijalva amendment (No. 25 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that seeks to 
increase the budget for the Department of the Interior Inspector 
General's Office by $2.5 million;                            
Page H6449
  O'Halleran amendment (No. 27 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that seeks 
to move $3,000,000 from the Office of the Special Trustee to the Office 
of Navajo-Hopi Indian Relocation;                        
Pages H6450-51
  Adams amendment (No. 29 printed in H. Rept. 115-830) that seeks to 
decrease and then increase the EPA Environmental Programs and 
Management account fund by $742,000; this increase is to emphasize the 
need for greater funding for the Environmental Justice program area 
within the account; and                                  
Pages H6451-52
  Grothman amendment (No. 39 printed in H. Rept. 115-830), as modified, 
that seeks to reduce funding for the National Endowment on the Arts and 
the Humanities by 15 percent.                            
Pages H6457-58
  H. Res. 996, the rule providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 
6147) was agreed to by a recorded vote of 229 ayes to 184 noes, Roll 
No. 332, after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote 
of 230 yeas to 183 nays, Roll No. 331.                   
Pages H6274-82
Suspension--Proceedings Postponed: The House debated the following 
measure under suspension of the rules. Further proceedings were 
postponed.
  Authorizing the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial 
Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of 
Columbia and its environs: H.R. 1037, amended, to authorize the 
National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a 
commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs. 
                                                         Pages H6338-39
Quorum Calls Votes--Four yea-and-nay votes and one recorded vote 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H6281, 
H6282, H6342-43, H6343-44, H6344. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 11:35 p.m.