[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 23350-23351]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2910, NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION 
                  SAFETY BOARD AMENDMENTS ACT OF 1999

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, 
I call up House Resolution 312 and ask for its immediate consideration.

  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 312

       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule 
     XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 2910) to amend title 49, United States Code, 
     to authorize appropriations for the National Transportation 
     Safety Board for fiscal years 2000, 2001, and 2002, and for 
     other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be 
     dispensed with. General debate shall be confined to the bill 
     and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled 
     by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
     on Transportation and Infrastructure. After general debate 
     the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-
     minute rule. It shall be in order to consider as an original 
     bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule 
     the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by 
     the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure now 
     printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in the 
     report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this 
     resolution. Each section of that amendment in the nature of a 
     substitute shall be considered as read. During consideration 
     of the bill for amendment, the Chairman of the Committee of 
     the Whole may accord priority in recognition on the basis of 
     whether the Member offering an amendment has caused it to be 
     printed in the portion of the Congressional Record designated 
     for the purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII. Amendments so 
     printed shall be considered as read. The Chairman of the 
     Committee of the Whole may: (1) postpone until a time during 
     further consideration in the Committee of the Whole a request 
     for a recorded vote on any amendment; and (2) reduce to five 
     minutes the minimum time for electronic voting on any 
     postponed question that follows another electronic vote 
     without intervening business, provided that the minimum time 
     for electronic voting on the first in any series of questions 
     shall be 15 minutes. At the conclusion of consideration of 
     the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report 
     the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been 
     adopted. Any Member may demand a separate vote in the House 
     on any amendment adopted in the Committee of the Whole to the 
     bill or to the amendment in the nature of a substitute made 
     in order as original text. The previous question shall be 
     considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to 
     final passage without intervening motion except one motion to 
     recommit with or without instructions.


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) 
is recognized for 1 hour.

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I 
yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Slaughter); pending which I yield myself such time as I 
may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded 
is for purposes of debate only.

  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 312 is an open rule, and I am proud to 
be part of the Committee on Rules under the leadership of the gentleman 
from California (Chairman Dreier) who is pursuing and succeeding in a 
policy of bringing forward an almost unprecedented percentage of open 
rules.

                              {time}  1045

  This one provides for the consideration of H.R. 2910, the National 
Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, Amendments Act of 1999. The purpose 
of the legislation is to reauthorize the NTSB for fiscal years 2000, 
2001 and 2002.

  House Resolution 312 provides for 1 hour of general debate to be 
equally divided between the chairman and the ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

  The rule also makes in order the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure amendment in the nature of a substitute as an original 
bill for the purpose of amendment, modified by the amendment printed in 
the Committee on Rules report accompanying the resolution. The bill 
will be open for amendment by section.

  Further, the Chair is authorized to grant priority recognition to 
Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Congressional 
Record, if otherwise consistent with House rules.

  In addition, the rule allows for the Chairman of the Committee of the 
Whole to postpone votes during consideration of the bill, and to reduce 
votes to 5 minutes on a postponed question, if a vote follows a 15-
minute vote.

  Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions.

  Mr. Speaker, the NTSB, which was last authorized in 1996, is an 
independent agency that is charged with determining the probable causes 
of transportation accidents and with promoting transportation safety.

  Many of my distinguished colleagues will recall the NTSB's 
involvement in the investigation of the tragic ValuJet crash in the 
Everglades and the TWA Flight 800 tragedy.

  And in addition to investigating aviation, marine and major highway 
accidents, the NTSB conducts safety studies, evaluates the 
effectiveness of other government agencies' programs for prevention of 
transportation accidents, and coordinates all Federal assistance for 
families of victims of catastrophic accidents. It is truly an 
important, a fundamental, and indispensable Federal agency.

  So, Mr. Speaker, this Resolution 312, this rule, is a fair rule. It 
is a completely open rule and permits any Member of the body to bring 
forth any germane amendment, and I certainly would urge its adoption.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Diaz-Balart) for yielding me this time, and I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.

  Mr. Speaker, I support the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 2910, 
the National Transportation Safety Board Amendments Act of 1999.

  This is an open rule, providing for 1 hour of debate equally divided 
between the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure. We thank the members of the 
committee who bring this bill before us this morning for their very 
important work.

  The bill authorizes the National Transportation Safety Board at 
slightly increased levels for the next three fiscal years, increases 
which are necessary for the NTSB to continue its important work.

  This is a Nation on the move. Whether in the skies, on the ground, or 
across our waterways, the lifeblood of our economy pulses through our 
transportation system. That same system helps people bridge the miles 
which separate friends and family.

  But, tragically, accidents which claim lives and threaten public 
safety are a part of that equation. The NTSB has, since 1974, worked 
diligently to analyze and investigate the causes of such tragedies, and 
that knowledge which has been gained and applied has helped us to make 
travel for business and for pleasure more safe.

  When the question is public safety, there is no room for complacency, 
which is why this bill is so important. This bill was forwarded to the 
House by a voice vote, and no opposition to its consideration has been 
noticed on either side of the aisle. Therefore, I am pleased to support 
the rule and the bill.

  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, 
and I move the previous question on the resolution.

  The previous question was ordered.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of Nebraska). The question is on 
the resolution.

  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that 
a

[[Page 23351]]

quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.

  The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.

  This will be a 15-minute vote, followed by a 5-minute vote on 
agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 420, 
nays 0, not voting 13, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 460]

                               YEAS--420

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Andrews
     Archer
     Armey
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldacci
     Baldwin
     Ballenger
     Barcia
     Barr
     Barrett (NE)
     Barrett (WI)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Bateman
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Bliley
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonior
     Bono
     Borski
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Bryant
     Burr
     Burton
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canady
     Cannon
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardin
     Carson
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Coburn
     Collins
     Combest
     Condit
     Conyers
     Cook
     Cooksey
     Costello
     Cox
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crowley
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (VA)
     Deal
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     DeLay
     DeMint
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dickey
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Dixon
     Doggett
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     English
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Everett
     Ewing
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Fletcher
     Foley
     Forbes
     Ford
     Fossella
     Fowler
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (NJ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gejdenson
     Gekas
     Gephardt
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Gordon
     Goss
     Graham
     Granger
     Green (TX)
     Green (WI)
     Greenwood
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall (OH)
     Hall (TX)
     Hansen
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Herger
     Hill (IN)
     Hill (MT)
     Hilleary
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hoeffel
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Inslee
     Isakson
     Istook
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jenkins
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kasich
     Kelly
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kleczka
     Klink
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     Kuykendall
     LaFalce
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Lantos
     Largent
     Larson
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lazio
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Lucas (KY)
     Lucas (OK)
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Martinez
     Mascara
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McIntyre
     McKinney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Menendez
     Metcalf
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (FL)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Minge
     Mink
     Moakley
     Mollohan
     Moore
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Morella
     Murtha
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nethercutt
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Ose
     Owens
     Oxley
     Packard
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pease
     Pelosi
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Phelps
     Pickering
     Pickett
     Pitts
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Portman
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Riley
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Roemer
     Rogan
     Rogers
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Rothman
     Roukema
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Ryan (WI)
     Ryun (KS)
     Sabo
     Salmon
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Schaffer
     Schakowsky
     Scott
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shows
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sisisky
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Souder
     Spence
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Stump
     Stupak
     Sununu
     Sweeney
     Talent
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Terry
     Thomas
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Thune
     Thurman
     Tiahrt
     Tierney
     Toomey
     Towns
     Traficant
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Visclosky
     Vitter
     Walden
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Waters
     Watkins
     Watt (NC)
     Watts (OK)
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Weygand
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson
     Wise
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--13

     Becerra
     Chenoweth
     Cubin
     Danner
     Engel
     Hooley
     Houghton
     Jefferson
     McKeon
     Meeks (NY)
     Scarborough
     Weldon (PA)
     Wu

                              {time}  1114

  So the resolution was agreed to.

  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.

  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________