[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 19509-19511]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 19509]]

         NATIONAL HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION ACT OF 2000

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4613) to amend the National Historic Preservation Act for 
purposes of


establishing a national historic lighthouse preservation program, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4613

       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 Historic Lighthouse 
     Preservation Act of 2000''.

     SEC. 2. PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC LIGHT STATIONS.

       Title III of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 
     U.S.C. 470w, 470w-6) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``SEC. 308. HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION.

       ``(a) In General.--In order to provide a national historic 
     light station program, the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) collect and disseminate information concerning 
     historic light stations, including historic lighthouses and 
     associated structures;
       ``(2) foster educational programs relating to the history, 
     practice, and contribution to society of historic light 
     stations;
       ``(3) sponsor or conduct research and study into the 
     history of light stations;
       ``(4) maintain a listing of historic light stations; and
       ``(5) assess the effectiveness of the program established 
     by this section regarding the conveyance of historic light 
     stations.
       ``(b) Conveyance of Historic Light Stations.--
       ``(1) Process and policy.--Not later than one year after 
     the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary and 
     the Administrator shall establish a process and policies for 
     identifying, and selecting, an eligible entity to which a 
     historic light station could be conveyed for education, park, 
     recreation, cultural, or historic preservation purposes, and 
     to monitor the use of such light station by the eligible 
     entity.
       ``(2) Application review.--The Secretary shall review all 
     applications for the conveyance of a historic light station, 
     when the agency with administrative jurisdiction over the 
     historic light station has determined the property to be 
     `excess property' as that term is defined in the Federal 
     Property Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 
     472(e)), and forward to the Administrator a single approved 
     application for the conveyance of the historic light station. 
     When selecting an eligible entity, the Secretary shall 
     consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer of the 
     state in which the historic light station is located.
       ``(3) Conveyance of historic light stations.--(A) Except as 
     provided in subparagraph (B), the Administrator shall convey, 
     by quitclaim deed, without consideration, all right, title, 
     and interest of the United States in and to the historic 
     light station, subject to the conditions set forth in 
     subsection (c) after the Secretary's selection of an eligible 
     entity. The conveyance of a historic light station under this 
     section shall not be subject to the provisions of the Stewart 
     B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.) 
     or section 416(d) of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 
     1998 (Public Law 105-383).
       ``(B)(i) Historic light stations located within the 
     exterior boundaries of a unit of the National Park System or 
     a refuge within the National Wildlife Refuge System shall be 
     conveyed or sold only with the approval of the Secretary.
       ``(ii) If the Secretary approves the conveyance of a 
     historic light station referenced in this paragraph, such 
     conveyance shall be subject to the conditions set forth in 
     subsection (c) and any other terms or conditions the 
     Secretary considers necessary to protect the resources of the 
     park unit or wildlife refuge.
       ``(iii) If the Secretary approves the sale of a historic 
     light station referenced in this paragraph, such sale shall 
     be subject to the conditions set forth in subparagraphs (A) 
     through (D) and (H) of subsection (c)(1) and subsection 
     (c)(2) and any other terms or conditions the Secretary 
     considers necessary to protect the resources of the park unit 
     or wildlife refuge.
       ``(iv) For those historic light stations referenced in this 
     paragraph, the Secretary is encouraged to enter into 
     cooperative agreements with appropriate eligible entities, as 
     provided in this Act, to the extent such cooperative 
     agreements are consistent with the Secretary's 
     responsibilities to manage and administer the park unit or 
     wildlife refuge, as appropriate.
       ``(c) Terms of Conveyance.--
       ``(1) In general.--The conveyance of a historic light 
     station shall be made subject to any conditions, including 
     the reservation of easements and other rights on behalf of 
     the United States, the Administrator considers necessary to 
     ensure that--
       ``(A) the Federal aids to navigation located at the 
     historic light station in operation on the date of conveyance 
     remain the personal property of the United States and 
     continue to be operated and maintained by the United States 
     for as long as needed for navigational purposes;
       ``(B) there is reserved to the United States the right to 
     remove, replace, or install any Federal aid to navigation 
     located at the historic light station as may be necessary for 
     navigational purposes;
       ``(C) the eligible entity to which the historic light 
     station is conveyed under this section shall not interfere or 
     allow interference in any manner with any Federal aid to 
     navigation, nor hinder activities required for the operation 
     and maintenance of any Federal aid to navigation, without the 
     express written permission of the head of the agency 
     responsible for maintaining the Federal aid to navigation;
       ``(D) the eligible entity to which the historic light 
     station is conveyed under this section shall, at its own cost 
     and expense, use and maintain the historic light station in 
     accordance with this Act, the Secretary of the Interior's 
     Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, 36 CFR 
     part 68, and other applicable laws, and any proposed changes 
     to the historic light station shall be reviewed and approved 
     by the Secretary in consultation with the State Historic 
     Preservation Officer of the state in which the historic light 
     station is located, for consistency with 36 CFR part 
     800.5(a)(2)(vii), and the Secretary of the Interior's 
     Standards for Rehabilitation, 36 CFR part 67.7;
       ``(E) the eligible entity to which the historic light 
     station is conveyed under this section shall make the 
     historic light station available for education, park, 
     recreation, cultural or historic preservation purposes for 
     the general public at reasonable times and under reasonable 
     conditions;
       ``(F) the eligible entity to which the historic light 
     station is conveyed shall not sell, convey, assign, exchange, 
     or encumber the historic light station, any part thereof, or 
     any associated historic artifact conveyed to the eligible 
     entity in conjunction with the historic light station 
     conveyance, including but not limited to any lens or 
     lanterns, unless such sale, conveyance, assignment, exchange 
     or encumbrance is approved by the Secretary;
       ``(G) the eligible entity to which the historic light 
     station is conveyed shall not conduct any commercial 
     activities at the historic light station, any part thereof, 
     or in connection with any associated historic artifact 
     conveyed to the eligible entity in conjunction with the 
     historic light station conveyance, in any manner, unless such 
     commercial activities are approved by the Secretary; and
       ``(H) the United States shall have the right, at any time, 
     to enter the historic light station conveyed under this 
     section without notice, for purposes of operating, 
     maintaining, and inspecting any aid to navigation and for the 
     purpose of ensuring compliance with this subsection, to the 
     extent that it is not possible to provide advance notice.
       ``(2) Maintenance of aid to navigation.--Any eligible 
     entity to which a historic light station is conveyed under 
     this section shall not be required to maintain any Federal 
     aid to navigation associated with a historic light station, 
     except any private aids to navigation permitted under section 
     83 of title 14, United States Code, to the eligible entity.
       ``(3) Reversion.--In addition to any term or condition 
     established pursuant to this subsection, the conveyance of a 
     historic light station shall include a condition that the 
     historic light station, or any associated historic artifact 
     conveyed to the eligible entity in conjunction with the 
     historic light station conveyance, including but not limited 
     to any lens or lanterns, at the option of the Administrator, 
     shall revert to the United States and be placed under the 
     administrative control of the Administrator, if--
       ``(A) the historic light station, any part thereof, or any 
     associated historic artifact ceases to be available for 
     education, park, recreation, cultural, or historic 
     preservation purposes for the general public at reasonable 
     times and under reasonable conditions which shall be set 
     forth in the eligible entity's application;
       ``(B) the historic light station or any part thereof ceases 
     to be maintained in a manner that ensures its present or 
     future use as a site for a Federal aid to navigation;
       ``(C) the historic light station, any part thereof, or any 
     associated historic artifact ceases to be maintained in 
     compliance with this Act, the Secretary of the Interior's 
     Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, 36 CFR 
     part 68, and other applicable laws;
       ``(D) the eligible entity to which the historic light 
     station is conveyed, sells, conveys, assigns, exchanges, or 
     encumbers the historic light station, any part thereof, or 
     any associated historic artifact, without approval of the 
     Secretary;
       ``(E) the eligible entity to which the historic light 
     station is conveyed, conducts any commercial activities at 
     the historic light station, any part thereof, or in 
     conjunction with any associated historic artifact, without 
     approval of the Secretary; or
       ``(F) at least 30 days before the reversion, the 
     Administrator provides written notice to the owner that the 
     historic light station or any part thereof is needed for 
     national security purposes.
       ``(d) Description of Property.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall prepare the 
     legal description of any historic light station conveyed 
     under this section. The Administrator, in consultation with 
     the Commandant, United States Coast Guard, and the Secretary, 
     may retain all right, title, and interest of the United 
     States in and to any historical artifact, including any lens 
     or lantern, that is associated with the historic light 
     station and located at the light station at the time of 
     conveyance. Wherever possible, such historical artifacts 
     should be used in interpreting that station. In cases where 
     there is no method for preserving lenses and other artifacts 
     and equipment in situ, priority should be given to 
     preservation or museum entities most closely associated with 
     the station, if they meet loan requirements.
       ``(2) Artifacts.--Artifacts associated with, but not 
     located at, the historic light station at the time of 
     conveyance shall remain the personal property of the United 
     States under the administrative control of the Commandant, 
     United States Coast Guard.

[[Page 19510]]

       ``(3) Covenants.--All conditions placed with the quitclaim 
     deed of title to the historic light station shall be 
     construed as covenants running with the land.
       ``(4) Submerged lands.--No submerged lands shall be 
     conveyed under this section.
       ``(e) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
       ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' shall mean 
     the Administrator of General Services.
       ``(2) Historic light station.--The term `historic light 
     station' includes the light tower, lighthouse, keepers 
     dwelling, garages, storage sheds, oil house, fog signal 
     building, boat house, barn, pumphouse, tramhouse support 
     structures, piers, walkways, underlying and appurtenant land 
     and related real property and improvements associated 
     therewith; provided that the `historic light station' shall 
     be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National 
     Register of Historic Places.
       ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' shall 
     mean:
       ``(A) any department or agency of the Federal Government; 
     or
       ``(B) any department or agency of the State in which the 
     historic light station is located, the local government of 
     the community in which the historic light station is located, 
     nonprofit corporation, educational agency, or community 
     development organization that--
       ``(i) has agreed to comply with the conditions set forth in 
     subsection (c) and to have such conditions recorded with the 
     deed of title to the historic light station; and
       ``(ii) is financially able to maintain the historic light 
     station in accordance with the conditions set forth in 
     subsection (c).
       ``(4) Federal aid to navigation.--The term `Federal aid to 
     navigation' shall mean any device, operated and maintained by 
     the United States, external to a vessel or aircraft, intended 
     to assist a navigator to determine position or safe course, 
     or to warn of dangers or obstructions to navigation, and 
     shall include, but not be limited to, a light, lens, lantern, 
     antenna, sound signal, camera, sensor, electronic navigation 
     equipment, power source, or other associated equipment.
       ``(5) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.''.

     SEC. 3. SALE OF HISTORIC LIGHT STATIONS.

       Title III of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 
     U.S.C. 470w, 470w-6), as amended by section 2 of this Act, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 309. HISTORIC LIGHT STATION SALES.

       ``(a) In General.--In the event no applicants are approved 
     for the conveyance of a historic light station pursuant to 
     section 308, the historic light station shall be offered for 
     sale. Terms of such sales shall be developed by the 
     Administrator of General Services and consistent with the 
     requirements of section 308, subparagraphs (A) through (D) 
     and (H) of subsection (c)(1), and subsection (c)(2). 
     Conveyance documents shall include all necessary covenants to 
     protect the historical integrity of the historic light 
     station and ensure that any Federal aid to navigation located 
     at the historic light station is operated and maintained by 
     the United States for as long as needed for that purpose.
       ``(b) Net Sale Proceeds.--Net sale proceeds from the 
     disposal of a historic light station--
       ``(1) located on public domain lands shall be transferred 
     to the National Maritime Heritage Grant Program, established 
     by the National Maritime Heritage Act of 1994 (Public Law 
     103-451) within the Department of the Interior; and
       ``(2) under the administrative control of the Coast Guard 
     shall be credited to the Coast Guard's Operating Expenses 
     appropriation account, and shall be available for obligation 
     and expenditure for the maintenance of light stations 
     remaining under the administrative control of the Coast 
     Guard, such funds to remain available until expended and 
     shall be available in addition to funds available in the 
     Operating Expense appropriation for this purpose.''.

     SEC. 4. FUNDING.

       There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the 
     Secretary of the Interior such sums as may be necessary to 
     carry out this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Romero-
Barcelo) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4613 was introduced by the gentleman from Indiana 
(Mr. Souder) and amends the National Historic Preservation Act for 
purposes of establishing a National Historic Lighthouse Preservation 
Program. This legislation has been a long time coming, and the 
gentleman from Indiana is to be congratulated in working hard to get 
all parties to agree to this bill.
  Specifically, H.R. 4613 establishes a process for the conveyance of 
excess historic lighthouses from Federal ownership to eligible entities 
who have agreed to the terms and conditions of the conveyance. Eligible 
entities can include Federal, State or local agencies, along with 
nonprofit corporations and community development organizations.
  The bill also provides for the establishment of a national historic 
light station program to collect information on, foster educational 
programs relating to, and maintaining a listing of historic light 
stations.
  Mr. Speaker, lighthouses and light stations have long played an 
important role in our Nation's history. Today, the United States has 
the largest number of lighthouses, as well as the most diverse 
collection of light stations, in any country in the world. There are 
633 lighthouses built before 1939 and classified as historic. The 
majority of these lighthouses are owned by the Federal Government. A 
number of historic lighthouses have been leased to local communities 
and nonprofit lighthouse friends groups for parks, recreation, and 
educational purposes. The costs associated with maintaining a historic 
lighthouse in compliance with National Historic Preservation standards 
can be significant.
  Federal agencies with direct responsibilities for these lighthouses 
have begun to look for an alternative means for efficient management 
and reducing costs. However, current procedures for disposal of these 
sites do not guarantee that all historic light stations will be 
protected. H.R. 4613 would alleviate these problems by providing a 
mechanism to ensure that light stations will be protected not only for 
their significant historic values but also for architectural 
contributions.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is supported by the minority and the 
administration. It serves a very important purpose, and I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 4613, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record letters to and from the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentleman from Alaska 
(Mr. Young) regarding this bill.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                       Committee on Resources,

                               Washington, DC, September 21, 2000.
     Hon. Bud Shuster,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I ask your help in scheduling H.R. 4613, 
     authored Congressman Mark Souder, for consideration by the 
     House of Representatives as soon as possible.
       H.R. 4613 was referred solely to the Committee on 
     Resources, but I believe that your committee has a 
     jurisdictional interest in the bill. The bill amends the 
     National Historic Preservation Act for purposes of 
     establishing a national historic lighthouse preservation 
     program. The bill was introduced on June 8, 2000, and the 
     Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands held a 
     hearing on the bill on July 13, 2000. The Committee on 
     Resources ordered the bill favorably reported with technical 
     amendments by voice vote on September 13, 2000. My staff has 
     forwarded a copy of the bill report to your staff for review.
       Because the House has less than 3 weeks before the target 
     adjournment, I ask that you not seek a sequential referral of 
     the bill. This action would not be considered as precedent 
     for any future referrals of similar measures or seen as 
     affecting your Committee's jurisdiction over the subject 
     matter of the bill. Moreover, if the bill is conferenced with 
     the Senate, I would support naming Transportation and 
     Infrastructure Committee members to the conference committee.
       I look forward to your response and would be pleased to 
     include it and this letter in the report on H.R. 4613.
           Sincerely,
     Don Young, Chairman.
                                  ____

                                       Committee on Transportation


                                           and Infrastructure,

                               Washington, DC, September 26, 2000.
     Hon. Don Young,
     Chairman, Committee on Resources,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter concerning 
     H.R. 4613, the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act 
     of 2000. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has 
     a jurisdictional interest in this bill, to the extent that it 
     may affect Coast Guard lighthouses and adjacent property that 
     have not been declared excess to the needs of the Coast Guard 
     and transferred to the General Services Administration for 
     disposal. However, we have reviewed H.R. 4613, and agree not 
     to request a sequential referral of this bill.
       I appreciate your acknowledgement that this action will not 
     be considered as precedent for future referrals of similar 
     measures or affect the Transportation and Infrastructure 
     Committee's jurisdiction over the subject matter of the bill. 
     I also appreciate your support for naming Transportation and 
     Infrastructure members to the conference committee on H.R. 
     4613.

[[Page 19511]]

       With kind personal regards,
           Sincerely,
                                            Bud Shuster, Chairman.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mr. Speaker I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4613, sponsored by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Souder), would amend the National Historic Preservation Act to create a 
program under which historic lighthouses might be transferred to State, 
local, or private ownership. Such a program is needed as technological 
developments render more and more of these properties outdated. It 
would be a shame, indeed, if historical and educational values of these 
old lighthouses were lost to all Americans simply because they are no 
longer needed by the ship captains.
  Mr. Speaker, we support H.R. 4613, and we urge our colleagues to vote 
for it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder), the author of this legislation.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
Hansen) for moving this bill forward, as well as the ranking minority 
member, the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Romero-Barcelo), and his 
cosponsorship. I very much appreciate the bipartisan effort that we 
have been able to develop on this bill.
  I also want to publicly thank Senator Murkowski of Alaska, who has 
been the leader in passing this in the last Congress in the Senate and 
through the Committee on Resources this time, and I hope we can finally 
get this bill done.
  This bill would amend the National Historic Preservation Act to 
establish a historic lighthouse preservation program within the 
Department of the Interior. It also directs an improved process for 
conveying historic lighthouses. It has not been fair that some 
community organizations have worked to preserve and restore these 
lighthouses only in the conveyance process to have to go through a 
bidding process where first government agencies sometimes get a crack 
at it, other times private entities, and the very groups that worked so 
hard to preserve it get to be last in line. This, I believe, will 
correct that.
  When a historic lighthouse has been deemed excess to the needs of the 
Federal Government, the General Services Administration will convey it, 
for free, so the groups do not get in a bidding war, to a selected 
entity for education, park, recreation, cultural, and historic 
preservation purposes. It is important to note that groups selected for 
conveyance will be obligated to maintain the integrity of these 
historic structures. In fact, lighthouses conveyed pursuant to this act 
would convert back to the Federal Government if the property ceases to 
be used for education, park, recreation, cultural or historic 
preservation purposes; or if it is not maintained in compliance with 
the National Historic Preservation Act.
  Having public access to these lighthouses is extremely important, and 
there are many more lighthouses, more than we have had in the many 
years up to this point that are about to be conveyed into the private 
sector. I have a couple of beautiful models from my office to 
illustrate this point. This is near Stony Brook on Long Island at Old 
Field Lighthouse. Here the local town uses this building for a 
community office and then the public can arrange tours to go through 
the lighthouse. That is a multiple-use purpose where the public can 
still appreciate this beautiful lighthouse.
  I brought this one from my office today, the Spectacle Reef in the 
Great Lakes region, to illustrate another point that I want to make 
sure the legislative language reflects. Some of these are out in the 
middle of the Great Lakes, or off the shore in the ocean, or in 
Chesapeake Bay. Those lighthouses, we need to understand, will not have 
the same public access as would a lighthouse on the shore. While that 
is not in the bill, I think we understand that and it has been a point 
brought to our attention by the Great Lakes lightkeepers.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman again for his leadership, 
and I submit for the Record testimony offered at a hearing held before 
the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands regarding this 
topic:

   Testimony of Richard L. Moehl, President, Great Lakes Lighthouse 
                          Keepers Association

       The Process and Policy process of this Bill (H.R. 4613) 
     will determine the success of the legislation.
       1. Off-shore and remote light stations deserve special 
     considerations.
       a. Seasonal and weather related access limits the practical 
     and productive time at these light stations.
       b. The cost of restoring and preserving these light 
     stations is five to ten times the cost of restoring and 
     preserving a drive-up-to light station.
       c. Sanitation conditions are a challenge. Taking care of 
     human waste is different today than when these light stations 
     were originally operated. This may be THE major problem in 
     restoring offshore lighthouses. A solution MUST be found.
       d. Boat expenses for mooring, insurance, inspections, 
     maintenance and operations can run into the tens of thousands 
     of dollars per year.
       2. The ``open to the public'' portion of the Bill needs 
     some``teeth'' put into the Process and Policy decision. 
     Regulations are needed such as the prohibition of alcohol and 
     tobacco products at the light station. We see too many 
     boaters smoking and with alcohol products in hand visiting 
     the St. Helena Island Light Station. Prohibition of these 
     risky activities would carry more enforcement weight if 
     included in deeds.
       3. The limitation on commercial activities cannot exclude 
     fund raising for restoration, preservation and operational 
     expenses.
       4. Michigan Lighthouse Project: This collaboration of 
     agencies and organizations to facilitate the transfer of 
     historic light stations in the State of Michigan can be a 
     model for other states and regions.
       5. The State of Michigan, and possibly other states, has a 
     law of public trust that prohibits certain uses of 
     bottomlands upon which the off-shore lights in the State of 
     Michigan are built. The interpretation of this ``public 
     trust'' needs to be resolved in order for any of these light 
     stations to be transferred. In the meanwhile long-term leases 
     can transfer control; but there needs to be a little transfer 
     provision for the lessee should the public trust law be 
     resolved.
       6. All eligible entities need to have access to surplus 
     Federal personal property i.e. generators, boats and other 
     needed supplies.
       7. Group insurance, liability and theft/vandalism for 
     valuable historic artifacts, coordinated with these transfers 
     needs to be a consideration.
       8. A National Lighthouse Preservation Fund should be put 
     into place. Upwards of $750,000 can be spent abating, 
     stabilizing, dealing with public health issues, and 
     completing a Historic Structures Report to begin the needed 
     restoration process.

  Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hutchinson). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4613, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________