[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 26, 2023)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D792-D795]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 88 public bills, H.R. 4895-
4952; and 7 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 60; and H. Res. 615-620, were 
introduced.                                              
  Pages H4028-31
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H4033-34

[[Page D793]]

Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows: H. Res. 614, 
providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4366) making 
appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2024, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the joint 
resolution (S.J. Res. 9) providing for congressional disapproval under 
chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to `Endangered and 
Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened 
Status With Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population 
Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population 
Segment'; and providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. 
Res. 24) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of 
title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service relating to ``Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Northern Long-Eared 
Bat'' (H. Rept. 118-158).                                
  Pages H4027-28
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Ezell to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H3955
Recess: The House recessed at 11:13 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m. 
                                                             Page H3964
Recess: The House recessed at 1:16 p.m. and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. 
                                                             Page H3974
Suspension--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and pass the following measure. Consideration began Tuesday, July 25th.
  Soo Locks Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023: H.R. 3399, to 
study the security of the Soo Locks and effects on the supply chain 
resulting from a malfunction or failure of the Soo Locks.    
  Page H3976
Recess: The House recessed at 5:17 p.m. and reconvened at 5:45 p.m. 
                                                         Pages H4007-08
  Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2024: The House considered H.R. 4366, making 
appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2024. Consideration is expected to resume tomorrow, July 27th. 
                                  Pages H3966-76, H3976-H4007, H4008-15
  Proceedings postponed on the Wasserman Schultz motion to recommit the 
bill to the Committee on Appropriations.                     
Page H4015
Agreed to:
  Carter (TX) en bloc amendment No. 1 consisting of the following 
amendments printed in H. Rept. 118-158: Pettersen (No. 4) that 
increases and decreases funding for child development centers to 
underscore the need for increased investment; Caraveo (No. 5) that 
increases and decreases funding for the Veterans Housing Benefit 
Program by $2,000,000 to encourage the VA to provide outreach about 
housing loans and grants to veterans living in states with high housing 
costs; Ogles (No. 6) that increases and decreases funding for the 
Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund for the development of improved 
informational materials regarding the relative benefits of a VA home 
loan versus other types of housing loans for different homebuyer 
profiles; Gottheimer (No. 7) that increases and decreases funding for 
General Operating Expenses by $1 million to provide support for the 
Department of Veterans Affairs' implementation of the U.S. National 
Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, including efforts to develop an 
education program to highlight contributions of Jewish veterans, 
incorporate training on combating antisemitism and other forms of bias, 
and ensure VA hospitals accommodate kosher meal requests for inpatient 
residents; Gottheimer (No. 8) that increases and decreases funding for 
General Operating Expenses by $1 million to provide additional support 
for the VA Transition Assistance Program to provide information, 
resources, and tools to service members and their families to help 
prepare for the move from military to civilian life; Norton (No. 9) 
that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for the Veterans 
Benefits Administration to provide support to law school clinical 
programs that assist veterans with legal matters; Ross (No. 10) that 
increases and decreases funding by $10 million for the VA Education 
Benefits Program to provide support and resources to veterans 
interested in pursuing undergraduate degrees in STEM fields; Arrington 
(No. 11) that increases and decreases funding in the VA administrative 
account ``Purchased Long-Term Services and Supports,'' in order to 
emphasize the prioritization of resources and reduce improper payments; 
Boebert (No. 12) that increases and decreases funding for the Veterans 
Health Administration to redirect more resources to the Staff Sergeant 
Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, suicide prevention, 
veteran's telehealth, and rural health; Caraveo (No. 13) that increases 
and decreases funding for the VA Office of Rural Health by $10,000,000 
to encourage the Office to increase efforts to improve transportation 
for veterans living in rural areas who need consistent access to health 
care services; Carbajal (No. 14) that increases and decreases funding 
for VA Medical Services by $5,000,000 to express the intent that 
additional funding could be used to improve telephone services at 
Community Based Outpatient Clinics;

[[Page D794]]

Gluesenkamp Perez (No. 15) that increases and decreases funding by $1 
million for the Veterans Health Administration for the purposes of 
submitting a report to Congress on the efforts of the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to ensure access to health care for veterans residing 
in geographic proximity to a Department of Veterans Affairs community-
based outpatient clinic subject to closure; Hudson (No. 16) that 
increases funding for the Department of Veteran Affairs Veterans Crisis 
Line by $10,000,000, and reduces the General Administration account by 
the corresponding amount; Molinaro (No. 17) that increases and 
decreases funding for the Veterans Health Administration by $2m to 
emphasize the importance of assisting veterans with disabilities and 
those with mental health and substance abuse challenges; Ogles (No. 18) 
that increases and decreases funding for medical services at the 
Veterans Health Administration for the treatment of post-traumatic 
stress disorder in veterans; Pettersen (No. 19) that increases and 
decreases the Medical Services Account by $10,000,000 to emphasize the 
importance of medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders 
beyond alcoholism; Ross (No. 20) that increases and decreases by $1 
million the budget for the VA Center for Women Veterans to support 
research on postpartum depression among veterans who served in active 
duty combat and to develop recommendations and services to address 
postpartum depression in this population; Ogles (No. 22) that increases 
and decreases funding for the Veterans Health Administration's medical 
community care account to increase accessibility for in-home health 
care services for veterans; Gluesenkamp Perez (No. 23) that increases 
and decreases funding for Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
support and compliance for the purpose of requiring the Secretary of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs to update Patient Experience Compare 
Data published on a public website to ensure that the data is broken 
down and displayed by county; Boebert (No. 25) that redirects funds 
from the General Administration account to increase resources for 
medical and prosthetic research for veterans; Boebert (No. 26) that 
redirects funds from the General Administration fund to the National 
Cemetery Administration to increase burial access for veterans; Boebert 
(No. 27) that redirects resources from the General Administration fund 
to provide more resources for the Board of Veterans' Appeals to help 
reduce its backlog and process veterans' claims more quickly; Boebert 
(No. 28) that redirects funds from the General Administration fund to 
the Grants for Construction of Veterans Cemeteries program to assists 
states, territories, and tribal governments in providing gravesites for 
veterans in areas where a veteran cannot be buried in a VA national 
cemetery; Boebert (No. 29) that redirects resources from the General 
Administration fund to provide grants and more resources for 
construction of state extended care facilities for veterans; Gottheimer 
(No. 30) that increases and decreases funding for Departmental 
Administration by $1 million to provide support for the Veterans 
Experience Office to better inform separating service members and 
veterans about their benefits; Tlaib (No. 31) that reduces the General 
Administration account by $5 million and increases the VA State Home 
Construction Grant Program by $5 million; Zinke (No. 32) that reduces 
funding for VA IT personnel by $5 million and increases funding for 
Grants for Construction of State Extended Care Facilities by $5 
million; Molinaro (No. 33) that increases and decreases funding for the 
VA electronic health record by $1m to emphasize the importance of 
modernizing its system to help transitioning veterans access and 
receive quality care at VA facilities;                   
Pages H3994-96
  Bergman amendment (No. 24 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that increases 
and decreases the Medical and Prosthetic Research account at the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure the VA conducts large-scale 
studies into the efficacy of drugs that have FDA-designated 
Breakthrough Therapy status to treat post-traumatic stress disorder 
through VA-administered drug assisted therapy trials;        
Page H3996
  Mast amendment (No. 36 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prevents the 
VA from interfering with a veteran's ability to participate in a legal 
state medical cannabis program, deny service to such a veteran, or 
limit health care providers' ability to make appropriate 
recommendations of this treatment option for veterans;   
Pages H4000-02
  Ryan amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that increases and 
decreases funding $103 million to Army Military Construction in an 
effort to address flooding damage at the United States Military Academy 
at West Point (by a recorded vote of 394 ayes to 19 noes, Roll No. 
369);                                                
Pages H3992, H4008
  Bost amendment (No. 35 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prohibits 
the VA from using funds to submit a beneficiary's name to the NICS list 
based on VA's appointment of a fiduciary (by a recorded vote of 228 
ayes to 206 noes, Roll No. 373);               
Pages H3997-H4000, H4011
  Rosendale amendment (No. 37 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that 
prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act from enforcing 
any COVID-19 mask mandates (by a recorded vote of 223 ayes to 211 noes, 
Roll No. 374);                                 
Pages H4002-03, H4011-12
  Roy amendment (No. 38 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prohibits 
funds made available by

[[Page D795]]

this Act from being used to carry out VHA Directive 1193.01, 
``Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination Program for Veterans Health 
Administration Health Care Personnel'' (by a recorded vote of 224 ayes 
to 210 noes, Roll No. 375);                    
Pages H4003-04, H4012-13
  Roy amendment (No. 39 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) none of the funds 
appropriated by this Act may be used to modify or remove any VA display 
of the mission statement, ``To fulfill President Lincoln's promise `to 
care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and 
his orphan' by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's 
veterans.'' (by a recorded vote of 221 ayes to 212 noes, Roll No. 376);
                                                  Pages H4004-05, H4013
  Roy amendment (No. 40 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prohibits 
funds in this act from being used to carry out Biden's climate change 
executive orders (by a recorded vote of 220 ayes to 214 noes, Roll No. 
377); and                                      
Pages H4005-07, H4013-14
  Zinke amendment (No. 41 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prohibits 
funding for administering, implementing, or enforcing Executive Order 
14057 (Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal 
Sustainability) (by a recorded vote of 222 ayes to 212 noes, Roll No. 
378).                                                
Pages H4007, H4014
Rejected:
  Ogles amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that sought to 
transfer $3 million from NATO's Security Investment Program to the 
Spending Reduction Account at the end of the bill (by a recorded vote 
of 99 ayes to 327 noes, Roll No. 370);            
Pages H3992-93, H4009
  Greene (GA) amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that sought 
to cut the $73 million increase in funding for the NATO Security 
Investment Program (by a recorded vote of 83 ayes to 347 noes, Roll No. 
371); and                                      
Pages H3993-94, H4009-10
  Greene (GA) amendment (No. 34 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that 
sought to strike funding for the Office of Resolution Management, 
Diversity and Inclusion (by a recorded vote of 204 ayes to 227 noes, 
Roll No. 372).                                 
Pages H3996-97, H4010-11
  H. Res. 614, amended, the rule providing for consideration of the 
bill (H.R. 4366) and the joint resolutions (S.J. Res. 9) and (S.J. Res. 
24) was agreed to by a recorded vote of 217 ayes to 206 noes, Roll No. 
368, after the previous question was ordered on the resolution and the 
amendment by a yea-and-nay vote of 208 yeas to 191 nays, Roll No. 367. 
                                               Pages H3974-75, H3975-76
Quorum Calls--Votes: One yea-and-nay vote and twelve recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H3974, 
H3974-75, H3975, H4008, H4009, H4009-10, H4010, H4011, H4011-12, H4012, 
H4013, H4013-14, and H4014.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 8:33 p.m.