[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10395-H10396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CLEAN UP THE CODE ACT OF 2018

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 7093) to eliminate unused sections of the United 
States Code, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7093

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Clean Up the Code Act of 
     2018''.

     SEC. 2. REPEALS.

       The following provisions of title 18, United States Code, 
     are repealed:
       (1) Section 46 relating to transportation of water 
     hyacinths.
       (2) Section 511A relating to unauthorized application of 
     theft prevention decal or device.
       (3) Section 707 relating to 4-H club emblem fraudulently 
     used.
       (4) Section 708 relating to Swiss Confederation coat of 
     arms.
       (5) Section 711 relating to ``Smokey Bear'' character or 
     name.
       (6) Section 711a relating to ``Woodsy Owl'' character, 
     name, or slogan.
       (7) Section 715 relating to ``The Golden Eagle Insignia''.
       (8) Chapter 89--Professions and Occupations.
       (9) Section 1921 relating to receiving Federal employees' 
     compensation after marriage.

     SEC. 3. CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Table of Chapters for Title 18.--The table of chapters 
     for title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking the 
     item relating to chapter 89.
       (b) Table of Sections for Chapter 3.--The table of sections 
     for chapter 3 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
     striking the item relating to section 46.
       (c) Table of Sections for Chapter 25.--The table of 
     sections for chapter 25 of title 18, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking the item relating to section 511A.
       (d) Table of Sections for Chapter 33.--The table of 
     sections for chapter 33 of title 18, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking the item relating to section 707;
       (2) by striking the item relating to section 708;
       (3) by striking the item relating to section 711;
       (4) by striking the item relating to section 711a; and
       (5) by striking the item relating to section 715.
       (e) Table of Sections for Chapter 39.--The table of 
     sections for chapter 93 of title 18, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking the item relating to section 1921.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Collins) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials to H.R. 7093, currently under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is in part a response to the work of the 
current committee's Over-Criminalization Task Force. The Judiciary 
Committee created this task force to look at the growing problems of 
over-criminalization and over-Federalization of criminal law.
  The bill before us adheres to these principles by eliminating several 
sections of the Federal Criminal Code that have either never been 
charged, criminalized conduct that should not land someone in Federal 
prison, such as unauthorized use of the Woodsy Owl image or slogan, or 
both.
  This is a sensible, good-government measure, and I urge my colleagues 
to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Chabot) for his work on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I join with the manager of the bill to support H.R. 
7093, the Clean Up the Code Act, as a measure that takes a small step 
toward addressing the problem of over-criminalization as a result of 
the hard work of the Over-Criminalization Task Force, of which we look 
forward to continuing in the next Congress.
  This bill repeals several criminal penalties for violations that do 
not involve serious wrongdoing, or at least not serious enough to 
warrant criminal prosecution and the consequences of a criminal record. 
For example, this bill repeals laws that make the unauthorized for-
profit use of the Smoky the Bear and Woodsy Owl characters punishable 
by fine and/or imprisonment for up to 6 months.
  The conduct that these laws are designed to deter or punish certainly 
do not merit criminal sanctions.

[[Page H10396]]

  We are grateful for the Clean Up the Code Act, and I ask my 
colleagues to support H.R. 7093.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.R. 7093, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize and thank for 
their efforts Representative  Steve Chabot and Representative Hank 
Johnson for their work on this bill.
  I ask my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7093.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________