[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 194 (Monday, November 16, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5741-H5744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2020

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 910) to reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College 
Program Act, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 910

       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 ``National Sea Grant College 
     Program Amendments Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM 
                   ACT.

       Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this 
     Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an 
     amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the 
     reference shall be considered to be made to a section or 
     other provision of the National Sea Grant College Program Act 
     (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.).

     SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE POLICY 
                   FELLOWSHIP.

       (a) In General.--Section 208(b) (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)) is 
     amended by striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall''.
       (b) Placements in Congress.--Such section is further 
     amended--
       (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``The Secretary'' 
     and inserting the following:

[[Page H5742]]

       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
       (2) in paragraph (1), as designated by paragraph (1), in 
     the second sentence, by striking ``A fellowship'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(2) Placement priorities.--
       ``(A) In general.--In each year in which the Secretary 
     awards a legislative fellowship under this subsection, when 
     considering the placement of fellows, the Secretary shall 
     prioritize placement of fellows in the following:
       ``(i) Positions in offices of, or with Members on, 
     committees of Congress that have jurisdiction over the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       ``(ii) Positions in offices of Members of Congress that 
     have a demonstrated interest in ocean, coastal, or Great 
     Lakes resources.
       ``(B) Equitable distribution.--In placing fellows in 
     offices described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
     ensure that placements are equitably distributed among the 
     political parties.
       ``(3) Duration.--A fellowship''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to the first calendar year beginning 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (d) Sense of Congress Concerning Federal Hiring of Former 
     Fellows.--It is the sense of Congress that in recognition of 
     the competitive nature of the fellowship under section 208(b) 
     of the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 
     1127(b)), and of the exceptional qualifications of fellowship 
     awardees, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under 
     Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, should 
     encourage participating Federal agencies to consider 
     opportunities for fellowship awardees at the conclusion of 
     their fellowships for workforce positions appropriate for 
     their education and experience.

     SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF COMMERCE TO 
                   ACCEPT DONATIONS FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 204(c)(4)(E) (33 U.S.C. 
     1123(c)(4)(E)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(E) accept donations of money and, notwithstanding 
     section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, of voluntary 
     and uncompensated services;''.
       (b) Priorities.--The Secretary of Commerce, acting through 
     the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, 
     shall establish priorities for the use of donations accepted 
     under section 204(c)(4)(E) of the National Sea Grant College 
     Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)), and shall consider 
     among those priorities the possibility of expanding the Dean 
     John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship's placement of 
     additional fellows in relevant legislative offices under 
     section 208(b) of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), in accordance 
     with the recommendations under subsection (c) of this 
     section.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Sea Grant 
     College Program, in consultation with the National Sea Grant 
     Advisory Board and the Sea Grant Association, shall--
       (1) develop recommendations for the optimal use of any 
     donations accepted under section 204(c)(4)(E) of the National 
     Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)); and
       (2) submit to Congress a report on the recommendations 
     developed under paragraph (1).
       (d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to limit or otherwise affect any other amounts 
     available for marine policy fellowships under section 208(b) 
     of the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 
     1127(b)), including amounts--
       (1) accepted under section 204(c)(4)(F) of that Act (33 
     U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(F)); or
       (2) appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
     appropriations under section 212 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 
     1131).

     SEC. 5. REDUCTION IN FREQUENCY REQUIRED FOR NATIONAL SEA 
                   GRANT ADVISORY BOARD REPORT.

       Section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)) is amended--
       (1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Biennial'' and 
     inserting ``Periodic'';
       (2) by striking the first sentence and inserting the 
     following: ``The Board shall report to Congress at least once 
     every four years on the state of the national sea grant 
     college program and shall notify Congress of any significant 
     changes to the state of the program not later than two years 
     after the submission of such a report.''; and
       (3) in the second sentence, by adding before the end period 
     the following: ``and provide a summary of research conducted 
     under the program''.

     SEC. 6. MODIFICATION OF ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL SEA GRANT 
                   COLLEGE PROGRAM.

       Section 204(b) (33 U.S.C. 1123(b)) is amended, in the 
     matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting ``for research, 
     education, extension, training, technology transfer, and 
     public service'' after ``financial assistance''.

     SEC. 7. DESIGNATION OF NEW NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGES AND 
                   SEA GRANT INSTITUTES.

       Section 207(b) (33 U.S.C. 1126(b)) is amended--
       (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Existing 
     Designees'' and inserting ``Additional Designations''; and
       (2) by striking ``Any institution'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) Notification to congress of designations.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not less than 30 days before designating 
     an institution, or an association or alliance of two or more 
     such institutions, as a sea grant college or sea grant 
     institute under subsection (a), the Secretary shall notify 
     Congress in writing of the proposed designation. The 
     notification shall include an evaluation and justification 
     for the designation.
       ``(B) Effect of joint resolution of disapproval.--The 
     Secretary may not designate an institution, or an association 
     or alliance of two or more such institutions, as a sea grant 
     college or sea grant institute under subsection (a) if, 
     before the end of the 30-day period described in subparagraph 
     (A), a joint resolution disapproving the designation is 
     enacted.
       ``(2) Existing designees.--Any institution''.

     SEC. 8. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY; DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE 
                   POLICY FELLOWSHIP.

       (a) In General.--During fiscal year 2021 and any fiscal 
     year thereafter, the head of any Federal agency may appoint, 
     without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 
     33 of title 5, United States Code, other than sections 3303 
     and 3328 of that title, a qualified candidate described in 
     subsection (b) directly to a position with the Federal agency 
     for which the candidate meets Office of Personnel Management 
     qualification standards.
       (b) Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship.--
     Subsection (a) applies with respect to a former recipient of 
     a Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship under section 
     208(b) of the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 
     U.S.C. 1127(b)) who--
       (1) earned a graduate or post-graduate degree in a field 
     related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources or 
     policy from an accredited institution of higher education; 
     and
       (2) successfully fulfilled the requirements of the 
     fellowship within the executive or legislative branch of the 
     United States Government.
       (c) Limitation.--The direct hire authority under this 
     section shall be exercised with respect to a specific 
     qualified candidate not later than 2 years after the date 
     that the candidate completed the fellowship described in 
     subsection (b).

     SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NATIONAL SEA 
                   GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 212(a) (33 U.S.C. 1131(a)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     to the Secretary to carry out this title--
       ``(A) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2021;
       ``(B) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2022;
       ``(C) $96,500,000 for fiscal year 2023;
       ``(D) $101,325,000 for fiscal year 2024; and
       ``(E) $105,700,000 for fiscal year 2025.''; and
       (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
       ``(2) Priority activities for fiscal years 2021 through 
     2025.--In addition to the amounts authorized to be 
     appropriated under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be 
     appropriated $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
     2025 for competitive grants for the following:
       ``(A) University research on the biology, prevention, and 
     control of aquatic nonnative species.
       ``(B) University research on oyster diseases, oyster 
     restoration, and oyster-related human health risks.
       ``(C) University research on the biology, prevention, and 
     forecasting of harmful algal blooms.
       ``(D) University research, education, training, and 
     extension services and activities focused on coastal 
     resilience and United States working waterfronts and other 
     regional or national priority issues identified in the 
     strategic plan under section 204(c)(1).
       ``(E) University research and extension on sustainable 
     aquaculture techniques and technologies.
       ``(F) Fishery research and extension activities conducted 
     by sea grant colleges or sea grant institutes to enhance, and 
     not supplant, existing core program funding.''.
       (b) Modification of Limitations on Amounts for 
     Administration.--Paragraph (1) of section 212(b) (33 U.S.C. 
     1131(b)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(1) Administration.--
       ``(A) In general.--There may not be used for administration 
     of programs under this title in a fiscal year more than 5.5 
     percent of the lesser of--
       ``(i) the amount authorized to be appropriated under this 
     title for the fiscal year; or
       ``(ii) the amount appropriated under this title for the 
     fiscal year.
       ``(B) Critical staffing requirements.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Director shall use the authority 
     under subchapter VI of chapter 33 of title 5, United States 
     Code, and under section 210 of this title, to meet any 
     critical staffing requirement while carrying out the 
     activities authorized under this title.
       ``(ii) Exception from cap.--For purposes of subparagraph 
     (A), any costs incurred as a result of an exercise of 
     authority as described in clause (i) shall not be considered 
     an amount used for administration of programs under this 
     title in a fiscal year.''.
       (c) Allocation of Funding.--
       (1) In general.--Section 204(d)(3) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)) 
     is amended--
       (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``With respect to sea grant

[[Page H5743]]

     colleges and sea grant institutes'' and inserting ``With 
     respect to sea grant colleges, sea grant institutes, sea 
     grant programs, and sea grant projects''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause 
     (i), by striking ``funding among sea grant colleges and sea 
     grant institutes'' and inserting ``funding among sea grant 
     colleges, sea grant institutes, sea grant programs, and sea 
     grant projects''.
       (2) Repeal of requirements concerning distribution of 
     excess amounts.--Section 212 (33 U.S.C. 1131) is amended--
       (A) by striking subsection (c); and
       (B) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
     (c) and (d), respectively.

     SEC. 10. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT ON COORDINATION OF 
                   OCEANS AND COASTAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.

       Section 9 of the National Sea Grant College Program Act 
     Amendments of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 857-20) is repealed.

     SEC. 11. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

       The National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 
     et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 204(d)(3)(B) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)(B)), by 
     moving clause (vi) 2 ems to the right; and
       (2) in section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)), as amended 
     by section 5, in the third sentence, by striking ``The 
     Secretary shall'' and inserting the following:
       ``(3) Availability of resources of department of 
     commerce.--The Secretary shall''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Huffman) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a proud supporter of the Sea Grant College Program. 
In fact, I am the lead author of H.R. 2405 to reauthorize Sea Grant in 
the House. Today, I am proud of the bipartisanship this bill has 
garnered, and I am happy to stand in support of S. 910, the National 
Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act championed by the chair of the 
Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Wicker. The Senate passed this bill 
by unanimous consent in September. The Senate overwhelmingly supports 
this bill on both sides of the aisle.
  The House passed my legislation as part of the Coastal and Great 
Lakes Communities Enhancement Act back in December 2019, again, a great 
piece of legislation that for some reason didn't include the Great Salt 
Lake, but we can keep working on that. My hope is that we, once again, 
vote in support of this legislation today. This is an exciting day, as 
we have never been this close to getting the Sea Grant College Program 
reauthorized.
  The Sea Grant College Program supports our oceans, coasts, and Great 
Lakes through grants and contracts with 33 State-level programs. These 
programs support research, education, and advisory services that are 
crucial for our coastal communities. Sea Grant is incredibly efficient, 
too. For every Federal dollar appropriated, Sea Grant leverages nearly 
$3 from partnerships among State universities, State and local 
governments, and coastal communities and businesses.
  In 2017 alone, after being appropriated $63 million, it is estimated 
that Sea Grant Programs helped regenerate $579 million in economic 
impacts, created or supported 12,500 jobs, assisted 462 communities to 
improve their resilience, restored or protected over 700,000 acres of 
coastal ecosystems, worked with 1,300 industry and private sector, 
local, State, and regional partners and supported the education and 
training of over 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students.
  In addition to reauthorizing and updating the Sea Grant College 
Program, this bill also makes important updates to the program's Knauss 
Marine Policy Fellowship, which fosters our next generation of ocean 
and coastal policy managers.
  The legislation also identifies Sea Grant spending priorities for the 
next 5 years, which include aquatic invasive species, oyster disease 
and restoration, harmful algal blooms, coastal resilience, sustainable 
aquaculture, and fishery research and extension.
  My colleague on the other side of the aisle will likely have one main 
complaint about Sea Grant, and that is the decades-old fellowship 
program. Somehow I think my colleague across the aisle may believe the 
fellowship is a handout to Democratic offices. The truth is that Sea 
Grant, which has been around since 1979, focuses on training the next 
generation of ocean scientists and policy makers, and fellows end up in 
the offices where they can best prepare for future careers in marine 
science and policy. Sea Grant fellows have gone on to prominent 
positions in both Democratic and Republican administrations. In fact, 
the Trump administration's former Chief of Staff at NOAA is a 
fellowship alumni.
  Further, this legislation will actually help level the playing field 
for Republican and Democratic offices vying for fellows by directing 
that NOAA ensure equitable distribution among political parties.

                              {time}  1645

  I would hope that my colleagues on the Committee on Natural Resources 
would take a step back and listen to the many Republicans representing 
coastal areas who strongly support this legislation. I thank Senator 
Wicker and all the cosponsors of my bill in the House for their support 
and their work on this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this program and vote in 
favor of the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon) on this particular bill.
  Miss GONZALEZ-COLON of Puerto Rico. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking 
Member Bishop.
  Mr. Speaker, I express my support for S. 910 to reauthorize the 
National Sea Grant College Program, which is a network of 34 
university-based programs that support coastal States and territories, 
as well.
  In 2019, the Sea Grant program generated over $400 million in 
economic benefits and supported more than 10,000 jobs. In my district, 
the program, based at the University of Puerto Rico, has produced vital 
research to address erosion, has developed strategies for the 
sustainable use of fisheries, and has contributed to the island's 
tourism-based economy through its coral reef restoration efforts.
  Puerto Rico's Sea Grant is also a critical source of funding for 
research projects that provide data for the development of sound 
management plans for our marine resources.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe it is crucial that we reauthorize and support 
the Sea Grant program, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of it.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Zeldin).
  Mr. ZELDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 910, the 
National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2020, which would 
authorize roughly $513 million over 5 years for NOAA's National Sea 
Grant College Program.
  Mr. Speaker, representing a district almost completely surrounded by 
water in New York's First Congressional District, Sea Grant has worked 
to support our local fishermen and oyster growers, protect our beaches, 
and support marine science research that is essential for our local 
economy and environment.
  Leading some of the largest bipartisan coalitions of lawmakers to 
ever support Sea Grant, with my Democratic colleague, Congressman   Joe 
Courtney from Connecticut, we have helped secure critical funding over 
the years for Sea Grant through the appropriations process.
  With imported seafood making up the vast majority of American's 
seafood consumption, this critical program will help strengthen local 
seafood businesses on Long Island and across the country.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume, as now we come to some of the

[[Page H5744]]

realities of this particular bill and the procedures.
  Mr. Speaker, it would be nice if we actually dealt with the good of 
the body and recognize that reauthorizations are important so that we 
can reevaluate what kinds of programs actually exist and if they are 
still necessary. We don't do a very good job in Congress of doing that. 
We allow reauthorizations to lapse, and then we simply go on automatic 
pilot, unfortunately.
  This is the situation with this particular program because the Sea 
Grant College Program expired in 2014 and has never been reauthorized 
by Congress since that time. The appropriators still put money into it, 
even though they are not supposed to do it. But once again, when we, as 
a Congress, fail to do the reauthorization investigation and hearings 
and prioritize, then we make major mistakes in what we are attempting 
to do. We certainly don't have the priorities that we should when these 
programs were originally started to make sure that they are doing what 
we originally intended them to do, or if, indeed, there needs to be a 
change, like including the Great Salt Lake in many of its provisions so 
that you actually do something positive for the rest of the world.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress in the last year, fiscal year 2019, even though 
this was not an authorized program, still spent $72 million to do that, 
even though it was eliminated from the administration's budget. The 
House in this fiscal year appropriated in the 2020 bill only $71 
million for this program.
  There is, of course, a glitch in that appropriation, which simply 
means that unlike other Senate bills that are coming here to the floor, 
this one will not go directly to the President's desk. It has to go 
back to the Senate for some kind of a revote and reanalysis with it. 
But this is not simply a reauthorization of a program. This is a 
reauthorization that changes things, including of which is a much 
higher amount with that program.
  So, beginning with this bill, this would change it not only from $70 
million; it would take it to the $87.5 million for fiscal year 2020 and 
add a generous 5 percent increase to each year through 2024. In 
addition, it funds an additional $30 million for six specific research 
and extension activities.
  Now, once again, whether those are justifiable or not--it would be 
nice--that should be part of the discussion in a reauthorization 
program before you actually come up with these kinds of numbers that go 
into that. The increases won't necessarily result in more Sea Grant 
marine research or outreach because it also increases the percentage of 
funds that can be used by program administration.
  Now, the CBO score of this bill is at $513 million. A half-billion 
dollars for any program is simply a big deal if it is not considered in 
the context of the other priorities that this government should have, 
and that is one of the programs and processes that should be done.

  So, this bill, like its House companion bill, goes beyond simple 
reauthorization. It adds new priorities. It adds new programs that 
benefit certain offices more than others. I am not just going to 
contend that this has a disproportionate influence on certain bodies, 
but let's just say this provides for free office work, fellows that are 
placed in offices year after year.
  In the latest list of congressional placements and their 
opportunities, out of 29 total spots in both the House and the Senate, 
only five were put in Republican offices. Maybe there is a reason for 
that. Maybe there is simply a process that we are not looking at in the 
reauthorization and the way this program is managed, which, once again, 
should be considered before you go through the reauthorization approach 
to it.
  The problem is that some of these positions now go in there, and it 
should not be that Congress provides itself its own free staff, but 
that is exactly what this is attempting to do. Those free staffs are 
involved in drafting legislation that benefits the Sea Grant program, 
which is, of course, a built-in conflict of interest.
  With those other conflicts of interests, there is another advantage 
that has now been built-in for these fellows that I don't think is 
appropriate and something we should actually think about properly 
before we even go forward with that and decide if these kinds of 
programs need to be done at taxpayer expense. The Sea Grant bill also 
gives preferential access to Federal jobs. This bill allows the direct 
hire of fellows by any Federal agency, regardless of if there are 
better qualified candidates.
  So, fellows already receive a unique educational professional 
experience that provides advancement in opportunities that others in 
the same field may not have. Yet, they are now being asked to reduce 
the competition to get a job in the Federal workforce to help a select 
few in this program.
  I am sorry, that is a process that is simply not in the best interest 
of good government. It is that process that needs to be revisited, that 
should be revisited.
  Actually, this also eliminates some of the transparency. Right now, 
this program needs to report to Congress on a yearly basis. By this 
bill, the advisory board will have to report every other year to 
Congress.
  I understand that the Sea Grant program is popular among some States, 
especially coastal States. Even as a representative from an inland 
State, I have to applaud the efforts for research and outreach that are 
conducted by Sea Grant universities and institutions, and I also don't 
object to fellows at all who are placed in the executive branch. But I 
have grave concerns regarding the politicized nature of this program, 
the fellowship program. I have problems with the direct-hire incentives 
and authorities that are given in this particular program, also, 
without actually having some rationale for it, just the mandatory 
increase in spending that goes along with this type of program.
  Therefore, I cannot vote for this particular piece of legislation. 
Obviously, for me, I will vote ``no'' and urge the rejection of this.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman has no other 
speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the broad bipartisan support for this 
bill and its House companion bill, and I urge an ``aye'' vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 910, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________