[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 85 (Monday, May 17, 2021)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D525-D527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced:  27 public bills, H.R. 3263-
3289; and 5 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 34; and H. Res. 404-407 were 
introduced.                                              
  Pages H2419-21
Additional Cosponsors:                                       
  Page H2422
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 2788, to amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the 
cap on full-time employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs who 
provide equal employment opportunity counseling (H. Rept. 117-35);
  H.R. 2704, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
equal employment opportunity functions of Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 117-36); and
  H. Res. 403, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1629) to 
amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to 
limitations on exclusive approval or licensure of orphan drugs, and for 
other purposes; providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 
275) condemning the horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 
16, 2021, and reaffirming the House of Representative's commitment to 
combating hate, bigotry, and violence against the Asian-American and 
Pacific Islander community; and for other purposes (H. Rept. 117-37). 
                                                             Page H2419
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed 
Representative Perlmutter to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H2359
Recess: The House recessed at 12:05 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m. 
                                                             Page H2359
Whole Number of the House: The Chair announced to the House that, in 
light of the resignation of the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Stivers, the 
whole number of the House is 430.                            
  Page H2360
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measure:
  VA Transparency Trust & Act of 2021: H.R. 2911, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a plan for 
obligating and expending Coronavirus pandemic funding made available to 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 411 
yeas to 4 nays, Roll No. 144.                  
  Pages H2363-64, H2403-04
Recess: The House recessed at 5:13 p.m. and reconvened at 6:30 p.m. 
                                                             Page H2403
Communication from the Sergeant at Arms: The House received a 
communication from William J. Walker, Sergeant at Arms. Pursuant to 
section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, following consultation with the 
Office of Attending Physician, Mr. Walker notified the House that the 
public health emergency due to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 remains 
in effect.                                                   
  Page H2404
Announcement by the Chair: The Chair announced the extension, pursuant 
to section 3 of House Resolution 8, and effective May 20, 2021, of the 
covered period designated on January 4, 2021.                
  Page H2404
Board of Visitors to the United States Coast Guard Academy--
Appointment: The Chair announces the Speaker's appointment of the 
following Members on the part of the House to the Board of Visitors to 
the United States Coast Guard Academy: Representatives Courtney, 
Barragan, Rutherford, and McClain.                           
  Page H2404
Suspensions--Proceedings Postponed: The House debated the following 
measures under suspension of the rules. Further proceedings were 
postponed.
  Improving VA Accountability To Prevent Sexual Harassment and 
Discrimination Act of 2021: H.R. 2704, to amend title 38, United States 
Code, to improve the equal employment opportunity functions of 
Department of Veterans Affairs;                          
  Pages H2360-62
  VA Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor Modernization Act: H.R. 
2788, to amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the cap on 
full-time employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs who provide 
equal employment opportunity counseling;                 
  Pages H2362-63
  Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Act: H.R. 240, to amend 
title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Labor to 
prioritize the provision of services to homeless veterans with 
dependents in carrying out homeless veterans reintegration programs; 
                                                         Pages H2364-65

[[Page D526]]

  West Los Angeles VA Campus Improvement Act of 2021: H.R. 711, 
amended, to amend the West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016 to authorize 
the use of certain funds received pursuant to leases entered into under 
such Act;                                                
  Pages H2365-66
  GI Bill National Emergency Extended Deadline Act: H.R. 2167, amended, 
to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for extensions of the 
time limitations for use of entitlement under Department of Veterans 
Affairs educational assistance programs by reason of school closures 
due to emergency and other situations;                   
  Pages H2366-69
  Directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a Native 
VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program: H.R. 
2878, amended, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
a Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program; 
                                                         Pages H2369-72
  Directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a 
report on the use of cameras in medical centers of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs: H.R. 1510, amended, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the use of cameras 
in medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
                                                         Pages H2372-73
  Amending title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department 
the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration: H.R. 
2494, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the 
Department the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition 
Administration;                                          
  Pages H2373-75
  Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021: H.R. 2441, to 
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand the Rural Access 
Network for Growth Enhancement Program of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and to direct the Comptroller General of the United States to 
conduct a study to assess certain mental health care resources of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs available to veterans who live in rural 
areas;                                                   
  Pages H2375-78
  Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats Research Act of 
2021: H.R. 1447, amended, to amend the Federal Ocean Acidification 
Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 to establish an Ocean Acidification 
Advisory Board, to expand and improve the research on Ocean 
Acidification and Coastal Acidification, to establish and maintain a 
data archive system for Ocean Acidification data and Coastal 
Acidification data;                                      
  Pages H2378-85
  National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act of 2021: H.R. 2533, 
to provide for a study by the National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine examining the impact of ocean acidification 
and other stressors in estuarine environments;           
  Pages H2385-87
  Rural STEM Education Research Act: H.R. 210, amended, to coordinate 
Federal research and development efforts focused on STEM education and 
workforce development in rural areas, including the development and 
application of new technologies to support and improve rural STEM 
education;                                               
  Pages H2387-90
  Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act: H.R. 144, amended, to 
forestall the loss of research talent by establishing a temporary early 
career research fellowship program;                      
  Pages H2390-92
  STEM Opportunities Act: H.R. 204, amended, to direct the Director of 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy to carry out programs and 
activities to ensure that Federal science agencies and institutions of 
higher education receiving Federal research and development funding are 
fully engaging their entire talent pool;                 
  Pages H2392-98
  MSI STEM Achievement Act: H.R. 2027, to direct Federal science 
agencies and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to undertake 
activities to improve the quality of undergraduate STEM education and 
enhance the research capacity at the Nation's HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; 
and                                                   
  Pages H2398-H2401
  Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act: H.R. 2695, to provide for 
research to better understand the causes and consequences of sexual 
harassment affecting individuals in the scientific, technical, 
engineering, and mathematics workforce and to examine policies to 
reduce the prevalence and negative impact of such harassment. 
                                                         Pages H2401-03
Senate Referral: S. 593 was held at the desk.                
  Page H2405
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate by the Clerk and 
subsequently presented to the House today appears on pages H2404-05.
Quorum Calls--Votes: One yea-and-nay vote developed during the 
proceedings of today and appears on page H2404.
Adjournment: The House met at 12 noon and adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

[[Page D527]]