[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8168-8176]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 WOUNDED WARRIOR ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2007

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 274 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the further consideration of the bill, 
H.R. 1538.

                              {time}  1532


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 1538) to amend title 10, United States Code, to improve 
the management of medical care, personnel actions, and quality of life 
issues for members of the Armed Forces who are receiving medical care 
in an outpatient status, and for other purposes, with Mr. Ross (Acting 
Chairman) in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. When the Committee of the Whole rose earlier 
today, amendment No. 7 printed in House Report 110-78 by the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sestak) had been disposed of.
  Pursuant to the order of the House of today, amendments may be 
considered in any sequence.


     Amendment No. 6 Offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 6 
printed in House Report 110-78.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 6 offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of 
     Texas:
       In section 107(a), in the first sentence, strike 
     ``modification of the training'' and insert ``improvement of 
     the training''.
       In section 107(a), strike the second sentence and insert 
     the following: ``The recommendations shall include, at a 
     minimum, specific recommendations to ensure that such health 
     care professionals, medical care case managers, and service 
     member advocates are adequately trained and able to detect 
     early warning signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 
     suicidal tendencies, and other mental health conditions among 
     recovering service members.''.

 Amendment No. 6, As Modified, Offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of 
                                 Texas

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous 
consent that my amendment be modified with the text that I have at the 
desk that proposes text changes in section 107 of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will report the modification.
  The Clerk read as follows:
  Modification to amendment No. 6 offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson 
of Texas:

       The amendment, as modified, is as follows:
       In section 107(a), in the first sentence, strike 
     ``modification of the training'' and insert ``improvement of 
     the training''.

       In section 107(a), strike the second sentence and insert 
     the following: ``The recommendations shall include, at a 
     minimum, specific recommendations to ensure that such health 
     care professionals, medical care case managers, and service 
     member advocates are adequately trained and able to detect 
     early warning signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 
     suicidal tendencies, and other mental health conditions among 
     recovering service members and make prompt notification to 
     the appropriate health care professionals.''.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the amendment is modified.
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 274, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) and a Member opposed 
each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this amendment 
proposes text changes to section 107 of the bill, the section that 
deals with improved training for health care professionals, medical 
care case managers and servicemember advocates on particular conditions 
of recovering servicemembers.
  As of March 1 of this year, over 24,000 servicemembers have been 
wounded in action since the onset of Operation Enduring Freedom and 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the Department of Defense. The 
Government Accountability Office has found that servicemembers injured 
in combat face an array of medical and financial challenges as they 
begin their recovery

[[Page 8169]]

process in the health care systems of the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veteran Affairs. A GAO report was recently released on 
March 5 and entitled ``DoD and Va Health Care, Challenges Encountered 
By Injured Service Members During Their Recovery Process.''
  According to the report, Mr. Chairman, the Department of Defense 
screens servicemembers for post-traumatic stress disorder, but it does 
not ensure that further mental health evaluations occur.
  DoD health care providers review questionnaires, interview 
servicemembers, and use clinical judgment in determining the need for 
further mental health evaluation. Sadly, DoD found that only 22 percent 
of the service members who may have been at risk for developing post-
traumatic stress syndrome were actually referred by the Defense 
Department health care providers for further evaluation. In addition, 
the Defense Department never identified the factors as health care 
actually used to determine which servicemembers needed the referrals.
  Although our wounded warriors may obtain mental health evaluations 
for treatment for post-traumatic stress through the VA, and the VA may 
face a challenge in meeting the demand for these services, VA officials 
estimated that follow-ups for veterans to get treatment for this stress 
syndrome may be delayed up to 90 days.
  Now, Mr. Chairman, I spent my professional career as a psychiatric 
nurse with the Veterans Administration. I can tell you that we could 
save time and money if we had the proper people in place to diagnose 
early, or at least get a referral. We miss a lot of early symptoms that 
later causes long-term unemployment, long-term financial stress and 
long-term hospitalization simply because we have not put the well-
trained people in place, professional social workers, professional 
nurses that would diagnose and know that something needs to be done to 
prevent further deterioration, and that is my reason for bringing this.
  My 15 years of hands-on inpatient program care were specialized in 
mental health. And I have my credentials to show that. And my amendment 
strengthens this section because I feel that more emphasis needs to be 
made on adequate training by health care professionals to recognize 
these signs, including suicidal tendencies, so that the early 
intervention can come, and it will shorten the recovery period.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I ask to claim the time 
allotted for debate of the amendment offered by Ms. Johnson, although I 
do not oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I certainly support 
this and so many other amendments on this bill which are so very, very 
important not only to our veterans, but it serves as a model, as do so 
many veterans programs, of something we could be doing for other 
Americans.
  Let me speak first to the point of what these do when we manage and 
coordinate patient care. We had an issue recently in the Energy and 
Commerce Committee which I serve on doing this, another aspect, and it 
was a very lively discussion. But recognize that someone who is 
wounded, as well as someone who has other medical illnesses, a single 
diagnosis is usually not something that stands loan. For example, a 
person with diabetes may have several other endocrine problems, 
problems with their kidneys, with their diet, their circulation, their 
limbs, their mobility, and of course there are emotions, too, all of 
which can be very, very complex to deal with.
  When the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center did a study on 
coordinating the care of people with diabetes, for example, they found 
when they assign people to work on these cases, they reduce 
rehospitalization by 75 percent. Washington Hospital in Washington, 
Pennsylvania reduced rehospitalization of folks with heart disease by 
50 percent. These are extremely important aspects. And we have to look 
upon these as things that not only save money, but they save lives and 
they save a lot of care.
  Let me also point to an amendment offered by my dear friend, Mr. 
Kennedy of Rhode Island, when he talked about mental illness. When we 
are talking about the wounds of war or the wounds of life, not all of 
these wounds are visible. They are not necessarily scars one can see, 
they are not something you can put a bandage on, but they are very 
real. The psychological wounds of war are such that they can break up a 
family, keep someone from holding a job, perhaps lead someone to try to 
self-medicate their problems away with drugs or alcohol, all too common 
problems among our veterans.
  And then when they are not dealt with, we find people who become more 
dependent upon others, that with difficulties with their families, with 
their children, perhaps become hopeless, have trouble holding a job. 
And all of those continued effects of wounds of war go on.
  It is extremely important that we recognize in Mr. Kennedy's 
amendment, as well as Ms. Johnson's amendment and other aspects of this 
whole bill that what is vitally important is we treat the whole person.
  The time is long past due in this country where we look at medical 
symptoms and medical disease as something that shows up on an x-ray or 
a blood test or some other sophisticated test. Indeed, the wounds of 
war are not always visible, nor are they things that appear soon after 
the battle. Post traumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders can 
remain latent for years and suddenly reappear. I remember meeting a 
veteran at a VA hospital who ended up with some problems after 20 or 30 
years after the Vietnam War. He had recently had a liver transplant.
  Under the medications and other aspects, he suddenly began having 
nightmares that he never had before. He had all this psychological 
trauma that was never showing up before.
  What is so important is that we work to train people to understand 
these issues, which the gentlelady's amendment talks about, that we 
work to deal with the mental illness issues, which Mr. Kennedy's 
amendment talks about, and we work as a unit, as a whole, as a 
Congress, as a Nation to recognize that many times the illnesses and 
wounds of war are things that may not be there now, may not be visible, 
but are aspects we have to treat in the long run.
  I call on all of my colleagues to enthusiastically support these 
amendments.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield 1 minute to Mr. Andrews 
from New Jersey.
  Mr. ANDREWS. I thank my friend. With the authority of the chairman of 
the full committee, I would like to indicate the committee 
enthusiastically supports this well-thought-out amendment and thanks 
the gentlelady for offering it.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have no further 
requests for speakers. I want to thank both sides for their support, 
and I urge adoption.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), as modified.
  The amendment, as modified, was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 8 Offered by Ms. Hooley

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 8 
printed in House Report 110-78.
  Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 8 offered by Ms. Hooley:
       At the end of title I, add the following new section (and 
     conform the table of contents accordingly):

[[Page 8170]]



     SEC. 113. OPTION FOR MEMBERS OF RESERVE COMPONENTS TO USE 
                   MILITARY MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITIES CLOSEST 
                   TO HOME FOR CERTAIN INJURIES.

       The Secretary of Defense shall provide that, in the case of 
     members of the reserve components returning from a combat 
     theater, if a member requires treatment on an outpatient 
     basis for injuries or wounds sustained in theater, the member 
     may be provided treatment at the military medical treatment 
     facility closest to the member's home rather than closest to 
     the base from which the member was deployed.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 274, the 
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley) and a Member opposed each will 
control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
  Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, with four in 10 members of the military in 
Iraq and Afghanistan serving in the Reserve component, it is clear that 
our National Guard is no longer a strategic reserve, but an operational 
reserve. And as such, we must change the way we treat the Guard if we 
want to maintain recruitment and retention because it is the right and 
fair thing to do.
  After 5 years of mobilization, both involuntary and voluntary, our 
National Guardsmen are still navigating the system that was intended 
for use by the active duty rather than our current nearly even blend of 
Reserve and active components.
  My amendment to H.R. 1538, the Wounded Warriors Act, is simple. It 
allows members of the National Guard and Reserve who are returning from 
theater with minor injuries or other outpatient care needs the option 
to seek treatment at the military medical treatment facility closest to 
the member's home rather than closest to the base from which the member 
was deployed.

                              {time}  1545

  When an active duty soldier with certain injuries comes back to the 
United States, he gets treated at the medical facility closest at his 
home base where his family lives. But for Oregon Guardsmen and 
Reservists and soldiers from about a dozen other States that have no 
bases, our troops must remain for weeks at the base they deployed from 
for follow-up care. These can be hundreds or even thousands of miles 
away from home and family.
  In 2004, I spoke with Monica Davey of the New York Times about the 
problem as she covered the issues in a series of front-page news 
stories. She quoted one spouse as saying, ``Having him in Iraq was hard 
enough. When he got hurt, I said, `Well, at least he can come home now 
and get better here with us.' But it is a strange thing. He came home, 
but he is not home at all.''
  This problem is old news and no longer on the front page, but it 
still goes on. Here are a couple examples of what happens when these 
Guard troops request treatment upon demobilization:
  An Oregon Guardsman who returned months ago is still on the east 
coast base with medical issues. He and his wife have several young 
children; and, as can happen with lengthy deployments, the separation 
has strained their relationship to the breaking point. He has seen his 
family only once in the last 3 months. That soldier should have the 
option of seeking treatment at Fort Lewis in Washington State, much 
closer to his home.
  Another story involves an enlisted man with a wife and young children 
who has seen his young family stateside only three times in the last 3 
months, once because the Army sent him home for convalescent leave, and 
the other two times over the holidays because his wife drove their 
children out to the east coast military treatment facility where he was 
awaiting care because they couldn't afford to fly.
  These stories are heartbreaking; and, despite years of work on trying 
to get the problem fixed, little progress has been made. Since the 
start of the Iraq war in 2003, tens of thousands of Reservists and 
Guardsmen have been placed on medical hold.
  As the New York Times reporter Ms. Davey aptly put it 3 years ago, 
``Unlike the most gravely injured soldiers receiving around-the-clock 
treatment at the finest military hospitals, these are ordinary soldiers 
with more ordinary wounds. The loneliest and the impatient can elect to 
go home even if they still need medical attention, but that could be a 
very expensive trade-off. Military rules dictate that they lose their 
active duty salaries, even though they may still be too injured or ill 
to return to their civilian jobs.''
  Today, four out of 10 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are Guard or 
Reserve, and it is long past time for the DOD to adjust their policies 
and make improvements to the demobilization process for Guard members 
in States like mine that have no military treatment facilities. I ask 
for your support of this amendment so we can finally give soldiers from 
the Reserve component the flexibility to be treated for certain 
injuries at military medical treatment facilities nearest their homes 
and families just like the active component.
  I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. ANDREWS. Very briefly on behalf of the committee, we thank the 
gentlelady for offering this well-thought-out amendment and, on behalf 
of the chairman, indicate our strong support for the amendment.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say we support the 
gentlewoman's amendment and have no opposition to it here on our side.
  Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley).
  The amendment was agreed to.


   Demand for Recorded Vote on Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Sestak

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that I may be 
permitted to request a recorded vote on amendment No. 7 at this point, 
notwithstanding the passage of time since its adoption by voice vote.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Rhode Island?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote is requested. Pursuant to clause 
6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment numbered 7 
offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania will be postponed.


               Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Hensarling

  The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Altmire). It is now in order to consider 
amendment No. 9 printed in House Report 110-78.
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 9 offered by Mr. Hensarling:
       At the end of title II, add the following new section (and 
     conform the table of contents accordingly):

     SEC. 207. STUDY AND REPORT ON WAITING PERIODS FOR 
                   APPOINTMENTS AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
                   MEDICAL FACILITIES.

       (a) Study Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall conduct a study on the average length of time between 
     the desired date for which a veteran seeks to schedule an 
     appointment for health care at a Department of Veterans 
     Affairs medical facility and the date on which such 
     appointment is completed.
       (b) Focus of Study.--In conducting the study under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall focus on appointments 
     scheduled and completed at Department medical facilities 
     located in both rural and urban areas.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to 
     Congress containing the findings of the study under 
     subsection (a) and recommendations for decreasing the waiting 
     time between the desired date of an appointment and the 
     completion of the appointment to a maximum of 15 days.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 274, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Hensarling) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, first, I want to thank the chairman of the committee, 
and I want to thank all those who contributed to this underlying 
legislation. I

[[Page 8171]]

thank them for their good work on behalf of our Nation's veterans.
  I myself am not a veteran. I did not serve my Nation in uniform. My 
grandfather did. He served during World War II. My father did. He 
served during Korea. My brother did. He served during the Cold War. So 
I have the highest respect for the men and women who serve our Nation 
in uniform.
  Mr. Chairman, as we approach the annual debate on our budget, one 
thing that I think that we hold in common, although there are many 
differences in our parties, is that we all believe that our veterans 
and especially our veterans health care ought to be one of the most 
important priorities that we have as a Nation. And as we continue to 
fight this war on terror, we know we are creating more veterans with 
more health care needs.
  During the last congressional recess, I spent a lot of time visiting 
with the veterans of the Fifth Congressional District in Texas that I 
have the honor and pleasure of representing. I heard many good 
comments, frankly, about VA health care and some complaints. And I 
suppose, Mr. Chairman, that one of the most important complaints I 
heard was the complaint on the waiting time in order to actually get 
the appointment that the veteran has requested.
  Now, I know that great strides have been made in reducing these 
waiting times. I know that the veterans health care system is serving 
entire new populations that they didn't serve years ago. And this is a 
good thing. But I still would hope that, number one, we could 
understand exactly the challenges that our veterans are facing and see 
if there are not some commonsense solutions, as earlier the gentlelady 
from Texas, my colleague, said, that essentially we can save time and 
save money and still help our veterans.
  This amendment is a very simple amendment. I hope it is a very 
noncontroversial amendment. It simply directs the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to study the average length of time between the desired date 
for which a veteran seeks a scheduled medical appointment and the date 
in which the appointment is actually completed.
  Now, I know that the vast majority of appointments are completed 
within this 30-day window, but I don't believe this body knows if that 
means the bulk of them happened on day 29 or the bulk of them may 
happen on day six. This is important information we ought to have.
  I represent a district that is urban, suburban, and rural; and this 
study would not just concentrate on our urban areas but our rural areas 
as well, where a number of our veterans go to retire.
  Additionally, this amendment would ask for the Secretary's 
recommendations on what we might do to shorten the length of time to 15 
days and provide recommendations to our body to do that. Not only 
veterans in the Fifth Congressional District of Texas, but if you look 
at the independent budget supported by numerous of our veterans service 
organizations, they speak to the need to see what we can do to reduce, 
in many cases, excess waiting times, something they flagged as a strong 
concern.
  So I know the VA has made great strides, but there is still work that 
we can do to serve these people who serve us and protect freedom, the 
greatest commodity that we have in our land. And by supporting this 
amendment, Congress can make just one more small step in the direction 
of supporting our veterans.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that I may claim 
the time in opposition, although I do not, in fact, oppose the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from New Jersey 
is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the chairman of the 
committee, we thank the gentleman from Texas for offering this well-
thought-out amendment. We support his efforts to try to reduce waiting 
time for our deserving veterans, and the majority will support the 
amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman for his 
support. I know when to take ``yes'' for an answer.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling).
  The amendment was agreed to.


               Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. Bilirakis

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 10 
printed in House Report 110-78.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 10 offered by Mr. Bilirakis:
       After section 101, insert the following new section (and 
     conform the table of contents accordingly):

     SEC. 102. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-WIDE 
                   OMBUDSMAN OFFICE.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     establish a Department of Defense-wide Ombudsman Office (in 
     this section referred to as the ``Ombudsman Office'') within 
     the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
       (b) Functions.--
       (1) In general.--The functions of the Ombudsman Office are 
     to provide policy guidance to, and oversight of, the 
     ombudsman offices in the military departments.
       (2) Policy guidance.--The Ombudsman Office shall develop 
     policy guidance with respect to the following:
       (A) Providing assistance to and answering questions from 
     recovering service members and their families regarding--
       (i) administrative processes, financial matters, and non-
     military related services available to the members and their 
     families throughout the member's evaluation, treatment, and 
     recovery;
       (ii) transfer to the care of the Veterans Administration; 
     and
       (iii) support services available upon the member's return 
     home.
       (B) Accountability standards, including--
       (i) creating and maintaining case files for individual 
     specific questions received, and initiating inquiries and 
     tracking responses for all such questions;
       (ii) setting standards for timeliness of responses; and
       (iii) setting standards for accountability to recovering 
     service members and their families, including requirements 
     for daily updates to the members and their families about 
     steps being taken to alleviate problems and concerns until 
     problems are addressed
       (c) Status Reports.--The ombudsman office in each military 
     department shall submit status reports of actions taken to 
     address individual concerns to the Ombudsman Office, at such 
     times as the Ombudsman Office considers appropriate.
       (d) Responses From Other Offices.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall ensure that all other offices within the Department of 
     Defense and the military departments respond in a timely 
     manner to resolve questions and requests from the Ombudsman 
     Office on behalf of recovering service members and their 
     families, including offices responsible for medical matters 
     (including medical holdover processes), financial and 
     accounting matters, legal matters, human resources matters, 
     reserve component matters, installation and management 
     matters, and physical disability matters.
       (e) Staff of the Office.--The staff of the Ombudsman Office 
     shall include representatives from each military department, 
     including persons with experience in medical holdover 
     processes and other medical matters.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 274, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Andrews) each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Like all of my colleagues, I was greatly disturbed by the conditions 
at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center which were depicted in The 
Washington Post. Last week, I introduced H.R. 1580, the Wounded 
Warriors Joint Health Care Ombudsman Act. My legislation is intended to 
create a single point of reference for recovering servicemembers and 
their families to ensure they are receiving prompt responses and 
information to their questions.
  The amendment that I am offering today is a modified version of my 
legislation, and it creates a Department of

[[Page 8172]]

Defense-wide ombudsman office within the Office of the Secretary of 
Defense. The functions of the office are to provide policy guidance and 
oversight to each military department. Specifically, the office would 
develop policy guidance with respect to providing assistance to and 
answering questions from recovering servicemembers and their families 
on a variety of important issues.
  The policy guidance developed by the ombudsman office should allow 
recovering servicemembers to get information on administrative 
processes, financial assistance, the transition to care from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs and the support services available upon 
the member's return home. Very important.
  The office would also establish accountability standards for the 
military departments. These standards would cover issues such as 
creating and maintaining case files for specific questions received, as 
well as tracking the response for all such questions. The office would 
also set timeliness standards for responses.
  Under my amendment, the office can also require each military 
department to submit status reports of actions taken to address 
individual concerns raised by the recovering servicemembers and their 
families.
  In closing, Mr. Chairman, everyone agrees that our military 
servicemembers should receive the highest quality of care and services 
possible. As they recover from their injuries, our wounded warriors 
should not have to battle bureaucracy to get the care and benefits they 
have earned. It is important that the ombudsman office be an advocate 
for servicemembers during every phase of treatment and the evaluation 
process as well.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment. I would 
also like to thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member Duncan Hunter 
for their assistance.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. ANDREWS. On behalf of the chairman, we thank the gentleman for 
his carefully crafted amendment. We think it is important that there be 
a department-wide ombudsman as well as in the services. The majority 
will support the amendment.
  Mr. HUNTER. Would the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. HUNTER. I want to join in thanking the gentleman for an excellent 
amendment, and thank him for his very thoughtful addition to this 
important bill.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Buchanan

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 11 
printed in House Report 110-78.
  Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 11 offered by Mr. Buchanan:
       At the end of title II, add the following new section:

     SEC. 207. STUDY AND REPORT ON STANDARD SOLDIER PATIENT 
                   TRACKING SYSTEM.

       (a) Study Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct 
     a study on the feasibility of developing a joint soldier 
     tracking system for recovering service members.
       (b) Matters Covered.--The study under subsection (a) shall 
     include the following:
       (1) Review of the feasibility of allowing each recovering 
     service member, each family member of such a member, each 
     commander of a military installation retaining medical 
     holdover patients, each patient navigator, and ombudsman 
     office personnel, at all times, to be able to locate and 
     understand exactly where a recovering service member is in 
     the medical holdover process.
       (2) A determination of whether the tracking system can be 
     designed to ensure that--
       (A) the commander of each military medical facility where 
     recovering service members are located is able to track 
     appointments of such members to ensure they are meeting 
     timeliness and other standards that serve the member; and
       (B) each recovering service member is able to know when his 
     appointments and other medical evaluation board or physical 
     evaluation board deadlines will be and that they have been 
     scheduled in a timely and accurate manner.
       (3) Any other information needed to conduct oversight of 
     care of the member through out the medical holdover process.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
     House of Representatives a report on the results of the 
     study, with such findings and recommendations as the 
     Secretary considers appropriate.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 274, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Buchanan) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, my amendment is a simple one. It requires the Secretary 
of Defense to submit to Congress a report on the feasibility of a 
soldier patient tracking system to improve the medical holdover 
process.
  In the aftermath of the Walter Reed scandal, we heard criticism about 
the medical hold and holdover process, which requires injured soldiers 
to stay in certain facilities until evaluated and treated.
  We heard the story of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant John Shannon who 
testified before the House National Security and Foreign Affairs 
Subcommittee and he said, ``I had been given a couple of weeks' 
appointments and some other paperwork upon leaving ward 58, and I went 
to all of my appointments during that time. After these appointments, I 
sat in my room for another couple of weeks wondering when someone would 
contact me.''
  The Buchanan amendment would require the Department of Defense to 
identify and report to Congress ways of making the medical holdover 
system more responsive and effective for military personnel like Staff 
Sergeant Shannon.
  I believe every servicemember should have complete, on-demand 
information with respect to his or her status as a medical holdover. No 
soldier should sit in their room for weeks wondering about their 
treatment and when their next appointment might be. The Department of 
Defense must closely examine ways to give servicemembers real-time 
information regarding the key milestones in their physical and medical 
evaluation process.
  By requiring a report to Congress, my amendment would make certain 
that we are knowledgeable in considering all available options when it 
comes to improving the medical holdover process for troops and their 
families. I urge my colleagues to support the Buchanan amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I accept and I thank the gentleman from 
Florida for the amendment.
  Mr. HUNTER. I want to support the gentleman's amendment, and thank 
him for his valuable contribution to this process.
  Mr. BUCHANAN. I thank the chairman and the ranking member and the 
House Committee on Armed Services and their staff.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan).
  The amendment was agreed to.


            Amendment No. 12 Offered by Mr. Welch of Vermont

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 12 
printed in House Report 110-78.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 12 offered by Mr. Welch of Vermont:
        Insert at the end of section 1074l(a) of title 10, United 
     States Code, as proposed to be

[[Page 8173]]

     added by section 101 of the bill, the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(6) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that medical 
     care case managers have the resources necessary to ensure 
     that they expeditiously carry out the responsibilities and 
     duties of their position.''
       Insert at the end of section 1074l(b) of title 10, United 
     States Code, as proposed to be added by section 101 of the 
     bill, the following new paragraph:
       ``(7) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that service 
     member advocates have the resources necessary to ensure that 
     they expeditiously carry out the responsibilities and duties 
     of their position.''
       Insert after subsection (b) of section 1074l of title 10, 
     United States Code, as proposed to be added by section 101 of 
     the bill, the following new subsection (and redesignate 
     subsections (c) and (d) of such section as subsections (d) 
     and (e), respectively):
       ``(c) Outreach.--The Secretary of Defense shall make 
     available to each member in an outpatient status at a 
     military medical treatment facility, and to the family 
     members of all such members, information on the availability 
     of services provided by the medical care case managers and 
     service member advocates, including information on how to 
     contact such managers and advocates and how to use their 
     services.''

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 274, the gentleman 
from Vermont (Mr. Welch) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Vermont.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, first, I want to thank the Committee on Armed Services 
for this bipartisan legislation that all of us here in Congress are 
eager to support. Mr. Skelton has spent virtually his entire career in 
Congress making certain that the military is prepared and has the 
equipment it needs and it has the services they require when they come 
home; and his colleague who has worked very carefully with him, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter). I thank you for bringing this 
legislation to Congress.
  The underlying bill does two things, as you know. It creates, one, a 
medical case manager. Number two, it creates a servicemember advocate. 
The point of those two positions is to guarantee that what happened at 
Walter Reed won't happen again.
  My amendment is intended to strengthen and intensify the ability of 
those two positions to be effective on the part of the men and women 
who need medical services, and it does it in two ways. One, it makes it 
clear to the Secretary that these two positions must be empowered to do 
whatever is required to work through the bureaucracy and see to it that 
folks get the care they need.
  Secondly, it requires the Secretary to advertise the availability of 
these services to our veterans, but also to their families. As we saw 
at Walter Reed, it was the families who often were the best 
spokesperson for the veterans and our soldiers who were in need of 
service. So the amendment builds on what the committee has done by 
empowering and advertising.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to close by thanking the members of the 
Committee on Armed Services and their staff for working so closely with 
me to help write this amendment in a way that was consistent with the 
underlying objectives of the bill.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton).
  Mr. SKELTON. Let me support this amendment of my friend and 
colleague, Mr. Welch. The gentleman from Vermont has done a service in 
bringing this thoughtful amendment forward.
  In doing so, it specifies the training and reporting requirements for 
medical care case managers and servicemember advocates. More 
importantly, it ensures they have the resources they need to get the 
job done. I will repeat that. That they have the resources to get the 
job done. I appreciate his contribution and thank him for his efforts 
in this regard to make this good bill even better.
  Mr. HUNTER. Would the gentleman yield?
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Yes, I yield.
  Mr. HUNTER. I also want to thank the gentleman for his very 
thoughtful amendment.
  Since this is the last amendment, I thought I would take this 
opportunity to thank my great friend, Ike Skelton, for bringing our 
team to the floor and moving this very important legislation very 
effectively. I thank both gentlemen.
  Mr. SKELTON. Would the gentleman yield?
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. I yield to Chairman Skelton.
  Mr. SKELTON. I must say, it is a thrill to be able to work with my 
friend, Duncan Hunter, in bringing a piece of legislation like this 
forward in a bipartisan manner, and thank him for his cooperation as 
well as all on both sides of the aisle.
  Again, I will mention our wonderful staff that works so well in a 
bipartisan manner. So Mr. Hunter, thank you very much for your solid 
efforts in this regard.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Chairman, apparently I have the last word, 
and I think I will say what any of us would say if they were here, and 
that is thank you to the chairman and thank you to the ranking member. 
You have embodied in this legislation a principle we all know, and that 
is that the cost of the war has to include the cost of caring for the 
warrior. So I know I speak on behalf of all of us in thanking you for 
your excellent work.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 7 offered by Mr. Sestak

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, the 
unfinished business is the request for a recorded vote on amendment No. 
7 offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sestak) on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 434, 
noes 0, not voting 4, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 206]

                               AYES--434

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldwin
     Barrett (SC)
     Barrow
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Bordallo
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boustany
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown, Corrine
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Butterfield
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Campbell (CA)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Carter
     Castle
     Castor
     Chabot
     Chandler
     Christensen
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Cohen
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Lincoln
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     English (PA)
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Everett
     Faleomavaega
     Fallin
     Farr
     Fattah
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Filner
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fortuno
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Giffords
     Gilchrest
     Gillibrand
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hall (NY)
     Hall (TX)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastert
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herseth
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hobson
     Hodes
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt

[[Page 8174]]


     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Inslee
     Israel
     Issa
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jindal
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Jordan
     Kagen
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Klein (FL)
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kucinich
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Lynch
     Mack
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCollum (MN)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Neugebauer
     Norton
     Nunes
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Rodriguez
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Salazar
     Sali
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Saxton
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schmidt
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Sestak
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuler
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Souder
     Space
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stupak
     Sullivan
     Sutton
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Towns
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wamp
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (OH)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--4

     Davis, Jo Ann
     Kanjorski
     Lampson
     Millender-McDonald
       

                              {time}  1635

  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. There being no further amendments, the question 
is on the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as 
amended.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended,was 
agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Under the rule, the Committee rises.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Weiner) having assumed the chair, Mr. Altmire, Acting Chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1538) to 
amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the management of 
medical care, personnel actions, and quality of life issues for members 
of the Armed Forces who are receiving medical care in an outpatient 
status, and for other purposes, pursuant to House Resolution 274, he 
reported the bill back to the House with an amendment adopted by the 
Committee of the Whole.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is 
ordered.
  Is a separate vote demanded on any amendment to the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute reported from the Committee of the Whole?
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I demand a re-vote on the Sestak-
Kennedy amendment.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is a separate vote demanded on any other 
amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute?
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment on which a separate vote has 
been demanded.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 7 offered by Mr. Sestak:
       At the end of title I, add the following new. section (and 
     conform the table of contents accordingly):

     SEC. 113. PLANS AND RESEARCH FOR REDUCING POST TRAUMATIC 
                   STRESS DISORDER.

       (a) Plans for Reducing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.--
       (1) Plan for prevention--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall develop a 
     plan to incorporate evidence-based preventive and early-
     intervention measures, practices, or procedures that reduce 
     the likelihood that personnel in combat will develop post-
     traumatic stress disorder or other stress-related 
     psychopathologies (including substance use conditions) into--
       (i) basic and pre-deployment training for enlisted members 
     of the Armed Forces, noncommissioned officers, and officers;
       (ii) combat theater operations; and
       (iii) post-deployment service.
       (B) Updates.--The Secretary of Defense shall update the 
     plan under subparagraph (A) periodically to incorporate, as 
     the Secretary considers appropriate, the results of relevant 
     research, including research conducted pursuant to subsection 
     (b).
       (2) Research.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of 
     Defense shall develop a plan, in consultation with the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of 
     Health, and the National Academy of Sciences, to conduct such 
     research as is necessary to develop the plan described in 
     paragraph (1).
       (b) Evidence-Based Research and Training.--
       (1) Working group.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct 
     a study, in coordination with the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs, the National Institutes of Health, and the National 
     Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, to determine the 
     feasibility of establishing a working group tasked with 
     researching and developing evidence-based measures, 
     practices, or procedures that reduce the likelihood that 
     personnel in combat will develop post-traumatic stress 
     disorder or other stress-related psychological pathologies 
     (including substance use conditions). The working group shall 
     include personnel with experience in a combat theater, and 
     behavioral health personnel who have experience providing 
     treatment to individuals with experience in a combat theater.
       (2) Peer-reviewed research program.--Not later than 180 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a plan for a 
     peer-reviewed research program within the Defense Health 
     Program's research and development function to research and 
     develop evidence-based preventive and early intervention 
     measures, practices, or procedures that reduce the likelihood 
     that personnel in combat will develop post-traumatic stress 
     disorder or other stress-related psychopathologies (including 
     substance use conditions).
       (c) Report.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
     Congress annually a report on the plans and studies required 
     under this section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that, I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 426, 
nays 0, not voting 7, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 207]

                               YEAS--426

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldwin
     Barrett (SC)
     Barrow
     Barton (TX)
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boustany
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown, Corrine
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Butterfield
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Campbell (CA)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Carter
     Castle
     Castor
     Chabot
     Chandler
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Cohen
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crenshaw
     Crowley

[[Page 8175]]


     Cubin
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Lincoln
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     English (PA)
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Everett
     Fallin
     Farr
     Fattah
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Filner
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Giffords
     Gilchrest
     Gillibrand
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hall (NY)
     Hall (TX)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastert
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herseth
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hobson
     Hodes
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jindal
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Jordan
     Kagen
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Klein (FL)
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kucinich
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Lynch
     Mack
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCollum (MN)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Rodriguez
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Salazar
     Sali
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Saxton
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schmidt
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Sestak
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuler
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Souder
     Space
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stupak
     Sullivan
     Sutton
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Towns
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wamp
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (OH)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--7

     Bartlett (MD)
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Hayes
     Issa
     Kanjorski
     Lampson
     Millender-McDonald


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Weiner) (during the vote). Members are 
advised that there are 2 minutes remaining in this vote.

                              {time}  1654

  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on adoption of the committee 
amendment, as amended.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on engrossment and third 
reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 426, 
nays 0, not voting 7, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 208]

                               YEAS--426

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldwin
     Barrett (SC)
     Barrow
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boustany
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown, Corrine
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Butterfield
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Campbell (CA)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Carter
     Castle
     Castor
     Chabot
     Chandler
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Cohen
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Lincoln
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     English (PA)
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Everett
     Fallin
     Farr
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Filner
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Giffords
     Gilchrest
     Gillibrand
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hall (NY)
     Hall (TX)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastert
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herseth
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hobson
     Hodes
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Inslee
     Israel
     Issa
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jindal
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Jordan
     Kagen
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Klein (FL)
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kucinich
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Lynch
     Mack
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCollum (MN)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Rodriguez
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Salazar
     Sali
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Saxton
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schmidt
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Sestak
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuler
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)

[[Page 8176]]


     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Souder
     Space
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stupak
     Sullivan
     Sutton
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Towns
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wamp
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (OH)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--7

     Davis, Jo Ann
     Fattah
     Kanjorski
     Lampson
     Meek (FL)
     Millender-McDonald
     Rangel


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Weiner) (during the vote). Members are 
advised that 2 minutes remain in this vote.

                              {time}  1711

  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________