[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 20116-20120]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION, AFG, AND SAFER PROGRAM 
                      REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4661) to reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, 
the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program, the Fire Prevention and 
Safety Grants program, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency 
Response grant program, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4661

       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 ``United States Fire 
     Administration, AFG, and SAFER Program Reauthorization Act of 
     2017''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES FIRE 
                   ADMINISTRATION.

       Section 17(g)(1)(M) of the Federal Fire Prevention and 
     Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2216 (g)(1)(M)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``fiscal year 2017'' and inserting ``for 
     each of fiscal years 2017 through 2023''; and

[[Page 20117]]

       (2) by inserting ``for each such fiscal year'' after 
     ``$2,753,672''.

     SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANTS 
                   PROGRAM AND THE FIRE PREVENTION AND SAFETY 
                   GRANTS PROGRAM.

       (a) Sunset.--Section 33(r) of the Federal Fire Prevention 
     and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229(r)) is amended by 
     striking ``the date that is 5 years after the date of the 
     enactment of the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012'' 
     and inserting ``September 30, 2024''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 33(q)(1)(B) 
     of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 
     U.S.C. 2229(q)(1)(B)) is amended, in the matter preceding 
     clause (i), by striking ``2017'' and inserting ``2023''.
       (c) Authorization for Certain Training Under Assistance to 
     Firefighters Grants Program.--Section 33(c)(3) of the Federal 
     Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 
     2229(c)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(N) To provide specialized training to firefighters, 
     paramedics, emergency medical service workers, and other 
     first responders to recognize individuals who have mental 
     illness and how to properly intervene with individuals with 
     mental illness, including strategies for verbal de-escalation 
     of crisis.''.

     SEC. 4. REAUTHORIZATION OF STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND 
                   EMERGENCY RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Sunset.--Section 34(k) of the Federal Fire Prevention 
     and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229a(k)) is amended by 
     striking ``the date that is 5 years after the date of the 
     enactment of the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012'' 
     and inserting ``September 30, 2024''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 34(j)(1)(I) 
     of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 
     U.S.C. 2229a(j)(1)(I)) is amended, in the matter preceding 
     clause (i), by striking ``2017'' and inserting ``2023''.
       (c) Modification of Application Requirements.--Section 
     34(b)(3)(B) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 
     1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229a(b)(3)(B)) is amended by striking ``of 
     subsection (a)(1)(B)(ii) and (F)'' and inserting ``of 
     subsection (a)(1)(F)''.
       (d) Modification of Limitation.--Section 34(c)(2) of the 
     Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 
     2229a(c)(2)) is amended by striking ``prior to the date of 
     enactment of this section'' and inserting ``prior to the date 
     of the application for the grant''.
       (e) Modification of Waiver Authority.--Section 34(d)(1)(B) 
     of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 
     U.S.C. 2229a(d)(1)(B)) is amended by striking ``subsection 
     (a)(1)(E) or subsection (c)(2)'' and inserting ``subsection 
     (a)(1)(E), (c)(2), or (c)(4)''.
       (f) Expansion of Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency 
     Response Grant Program; Repeal of Authority for Certain Use 
     of Grant Amounts Transferred to Assistance to Firefighters 
     Grants Program.--Section 34(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Fire 
     Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229a(a)(1)(B)) 
     is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``or to change the status of part-time or 
     paid-on-call (as defined in section 33(a)) firefighters to 
     full-time firefighters'' after ``firefighters''; and
       (2) by striking ``and to provide'' and all that follows 
     through ``of crises''.

     SEC. 5. TRAINING ON ADMINISTRATION OF FIRE GRANT PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency, acting through the Administrator of the 
     United States Fire Administration, may develop and make 
     widely available an electronic, online training course for 
     members of the fire and emergency response community on 
     matters relating to the administration of grants under 
     sections 33 and 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
     Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229 and 2229a).
       (b) Requirements.--The Administrator of the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency shall ensure that any training 
     developed and made available under subsection (a) is--
       (1) tailored to the financial and time constraints of 
     members of the fire and emergency response community; and
       (2) accessible to all individuals in the career, 
     combination, paid-on-call, and volunteer fire and emergency 
     response community.

     SEC. 6. FRAMEWORK FOR OVERSIGHT AND MONITORING OF THE 
                   ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANTS PROGRAM, THE 
                   FIRE PREVENTION AND SAFETY GRANTS PROGRAM, AND 
                   THE STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY 
                   RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Framework.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency, acting through the Administrator 
     of the United States Fire Administration, shall develop and 
     implement a grant monitoring and oversight framework to 
     mitigate and minimize risks of fraud, waste, abuse, and 
     mismanagement relating to the grants programs under sections 
     33 and 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 
     1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229 and 2229a).
       (b) Elements.--The framework required under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following:
       (1) Developing standardized guidance and training for all 
     participants in the grant programs described in subsection 
     (a).
       (2) Conducting regular risk assessments.
       (3) Conducting desk reviews and site visits.
       (4) Enforcement actions to recoup potential questionable 
     costs of grant recipients.
       (5) Such other oversight and monitoring tools as the 
     Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
     considers necessary to mitigate and minimize fraud, waste, 
     abuse, and mismanagement relating to the grant programs 
     described in subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Virginia (Mrs. Comstock) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie 
Bernice Johnson) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 4661, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States Fire Administration, AFG, and SAFER 
Program Reauthorization Act of 2017 reflects a bipartisan, bicameral 
agreement reached between the House and the Senate authorizing 
committees.
  I want to particularly thank our chairman and ranking member and my 
friend, Senator McCain, for his leadership on this bill in the Senate, 
in helping us get this agreement today. I note we all appreciate his 
service as well as his commitment to the service of all those here whom 
we are working for today.
  Fire prevention and safety is literally a matter of life and death. 
In 2015, there were 1.34 million fires reported in the United States, 
causing more than 3,000 civilian deaths and 15,000 injuries. In 
addition to this devastating human loss, fires cost $14.3 billion in 
property damage.
  As I travel throughout my district and visit with firefighters and 
paramedics, I am constantly reminded of the sacrifices they make to 
protect our neighbors. Certainly, as we have seen the raging fires in 
California, that is brought to mind also.
  One thing I consistently hear from our volunteer and professional 
firefighters is how critical these grants are to their stations. 
Whether they help by providing training for additional firefighters or 
providing upgraded respirators to ensure their safety, towns and 
communities around the district are safer as a result of these grants.
  Sadly, last year, 69 of our firefighters across the country lost 
their lives in the line of duty.
  Fire prevention has improved dramatically since Congress passed the 
Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act in 1974, which created the U.S. 
Fire Administration and the National Fire Academy. This has certainly 
professionalized all of this work, but there are still areas for 
improvement.
  Firefighting activities and funding are primarily the responsibility 
of States and local communities. The USFA and NFA, however, are 
responsible for national data collection, public education, and 
research and training programs to reduce fire deaths and make our 
communities and residents safer, as well as make our firefighters 
safer.
  For the last 15 years, the Federal Government has also awarded 
competitive grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated 
emergency medical services, or EMS, organizations to help with a 
variety of equipment, training, and other needs.
  FIRE Act awards provide funding and equipment training to ensure the 
safety of our Nation's first responders.
  SAFER Act awards help local departments to recruit, hire, and retain 
trained firefighters. Many firefighting departments in my district rely 
on these grants in order to maintain high-quality fire and emergency 
services for their communities.
  Loudoun County, in particular, received $2 million through this grant

[[Page 20118]]

program. According to Fire Chief Brower: ``These programs greatly 
assist localities in the areas of firefighter safety, fire and life 
safety education, and improved resourcing for tactical fire 
operations.''
  More than 80 people lost their lives in the horrific Grenfell Tower 
fire in London that occurred earlier this year.
  Closer to home, it was just 2 years ago that a Metro fire injured 70 
and killed a Virginia resident who was a grandmother of three, who was 
on her way to work.
  California's huge wildfires are in today's headlines and remind us 
that, as communities continue to expand into wildland areas, wildfires 
pose growing risk for human life, home and property losses, and entire 
communities.
  When fires occur, first responders run toward the flames and put 
themselves in danger in order to prevent lives from being lost.
  This bill will reauthorize the USFA and the FIRE and SAFER programs 
for 6 years and ensure that our Nation's firefighters and paramedics 
have the tools and training they need to fight and prevent devastating 
fires.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill today, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                Washington, DC, December 18, 2017.
     Hon. Lamar Smith,
     Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House 
         of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Smith: I am writing to you concerning the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Homeland Security 
     in H.R. 4661, the ``United States Fire Administration, AFG, 
     and SAFER Program Reauthorization Act of 2017.'' The bill 
     contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Homeland Security.
       I recognize and appreciate the desire to bring this 
     legislation before the House of Representatives in an 
     expeditious manner, and accordingly, the Committee on 
     Homeland Security will not assert its jurisdictional claim 
     over this bill by seeking a sequential referral. The 
     Committee takes this action with the mutual understanding 
     that by foregoing action at this time we do not waive any 
     jurisdiction over subject matter contained in this or similar 
     legislation.
       This waiver is also given with the understanding that the 
     Committee on Homeland Security expressly reserves its 
     authority to seek conferees on any provision within its 
     jurisdiction during any House-Senate conference on this or 
     any similar legislation, and requests your support for such a 
     request.
       I ask that a copy of this letter and your response be 
     included in the Congressional Record during consideration of 
     this bill on the House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                                Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                  Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,

                                Washington, DC, December 18, 2017.
     Hon. Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman, Committee on Home Security, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the 
     Committee on Homeland Security's jurisdictional interest in 
     H.R. 4661, the ``United States Fire Administration, AFG, and 
     SAFER Program Reauthorization Act of 2017,'' and your 
     willingness to forego consideration of H.R. 4661 by your 
     committee.
       I agree that the Committee on Homeland Security has a valid 
     jurisdictional interest in certain provisions of H.R. 4661 
     and that the Committee's jurisdiction will not be adversely 
     affected by your decision to not request a sequential 
     referral of H.R. 4661. As you have requested, I will support 
     your request for an appropriate appointment of outside 
     conferees from your Committee in the event of a House-Senate 
     conference on this or similar legislation should such a 
     conference be convened.
       Thank you again for your cooperation.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Lamar Smith,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


               Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

                                Washington, DC, December 18, 2017.
     Hon. Lamar Smith,
     Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House 
         of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Smith: I write concerning H.R. 4661, the 
     United States Fire Administration, AFG, and SAFER Program 
     Reauthorization Act of 2017. This legislation includes 
     matters that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
       I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this 
     legislation before the House of Representatives in an 
     expeditious manner, and accordingly, the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure will forego action on the 
     bill. However, this is conditional on our mutual 
     understanding that foregoing consideration of the bill does 
     not prejudice the Committee with respect to the appointment 
     of conferees or to any future jurisdictional claim over the 
     subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation 
     that fall within the Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. Lastly, 
     should a conference on the bill be necessary, I request your 
     support for the appointment of conferees from the Committee 
     on Transportation and Infrastructure during any House-Senate 
     conference convened on this or related legislation.
       I would ask that a copy of this letter and your response 
     acknowledging our jurisdictional interest as well as the 
     mutually agreed upon changes to be incorporated into the bill 
     be included in the Congressional Record during consideration 
     of the measure on the House floor, to memorialize our 
     understanding.
       I look forward to working with the Committee on Science, 
     Space, and Technology as the bill moves through the 
     legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Bill Shuster,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                  Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,

                                Washington, DC, December 18, 2017.
     Hon. Bill Shuster,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's 
     jurisdictional interest in H.R. 4661, the ``United States 
     Fire Administration, AFG, and SAFER Program Reauthorization 
     Act of 2017,'' and your willingness to forego consideration 
     of H.R. 4661 by your committee.
       I agree that the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure has a valid jurisdictional interest in certain 
     provisions of H.R. 4661 and that the Committee's jurisdiction 
     will not be adversely affected by your decision to not 
     request a sequential referral of H.R. 4661. As you have 
     requested, I will support your request for an appropriate 
     appointment of outside conferees from your Committee in the 
     event of a House-Senate conference on this or similar 
     legislation should such a conference be convened.
       Thank you again for your cooperation.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Lamar Smith,
                                                         Chairman.

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the United States Fire 
Administration, AFG, and SAFER Program Reauthorization Act of 2017.
  I hope we can all agree on the urgency of reauthorizing this program 
before the sunset in current law would terminate this program in 
January. We heard from the local, State, and Federal experts at our 
hearing in July just how essential these programs are to ensuring both 
firefighter and community safety in all of our districts across the 
Nation.
  This bill authorizes funding at the 2017 levels for the U.S. Fire 
Administration, Assistance to Firefighters Grants, Staffing for 
Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants.

                              {time}  1730

  It also directs establishment of a grant monitoring and oversight 
framework. It makes important technical fixes to current law. It 
ensures lesser resourced fire departments have the tools to 
successfully apply for grants. These are critical programs to ensure 
the safety and security of all Americans, and they must be 
reauthorized.
  Unfortunately, I must also express my disappointment and frustration 
with the majority's insistence on including a new sunset clause in this 
bill. The sunset currently in law is putting these programs at risk as 
we speak. Congress shouldn't need sunsets to do a job properly. In this 
case, arbitrary program sunsets puts lives at risk. Every single 
firefighting organization wants this sunset out. On a bipartisan basis, 
the Senate has voted to remove this sunset, yet here we are today 
running up a program termination that

[[Page 20119]]

nobody wants, and senselessly adding a future program termination date 
that nobody wants.
  Legislating by self-created emergency is bad for Congress and bad for 
our country. Here we are in December desperately trying to avoid 
terminating assistance to firefighters. At the same time, we are 
desperately trying to keep the Federal Government from shutting down 
and we are desperately trying to provide disaster assistance to 
Americans who are suffering. Of course, we have already missed the 
deadline on CHIP, and now 9 million children all across our country are 
in danger of losing health coverage. This is no way to run a country.
  So we will vote on this bill today and, in 7 years, probably be right 
back in the same boat we are today. We can and should do better than 
this.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Mimi Walters).
  Mrs. MIMI WALTERS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of 
H.R. 4661, the United States Fire Administration, AFG, and SAFER 
Program Reauthorization Act of 2017.
  Mr. Speaker, 2017 has been the most devastating year in California 
wildfire history. Thousands of California residents were displaced, 
over 1 million acres burned, and thousands of homes and businesses were 
destroyed by this year's fires.
  Now, more than ever, it is critical that California's fire 
departments are fully staffed. SAFER grants provide resources for fire 
departments that struggle to meet their staffing needs, including 
Orange County Fire Authority in my district.
  SAFER grants will undoubtedly help fire departments across the 
country meet the needs of their communities, while ensuring 
firefighters are ready and able to assist with wildfire suppression 
efforts.
  Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to offer my 
sincerest condolences to CAL FIRE and the family of Cory Iverson, who 
tragically lost his life this past week battling the Thomas fire.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests 
for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Abraham).
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the reauthorization of 
the United States Fire Administration, the Assistance to Firefighters 
Grant Program, the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Program, and the 
SAFER grant program.
  These programs are vital to protect the public and the Nation's 
firefighters. Recent trends have shown that fire safety and prevention 
remains a serious national concern. Data from the U.S. Fire 
Administration shows that, while there are fewer fires and fire-related 
deaths overall, fires are becoming more severe and costly in both lives 
lost and property damage per fire. The best-trained, best-equipped 
firefighters cannot always overcome the dangers associated with today's 
severe fires.
  This alarming trend jeopardizes the economic health of our 
communities and our national goal of increased resilience to fire. 
Adequate funding for the brave men and women who fight fires is 
essential, but we must also be effective in reducing these trends by 
preventing the fire's ignition and growth, in the first place, through 
robust fire prevention.
  I will work with the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to 
request that the U.S. First Administration and FEMA investigate the 
upward trend in fatalities and property damage per fire.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank both Chairman Smith and subcommittee Chairwoman 
Comstock for their leadership and hard work on the reauthorization 
bill, and I hope to work with them to address these issues moving 
forward.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 
the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to note that the 
International Association of Fire Chiefs has endorsed this bill.
  I appreciate, again, the bicameral, bipartisan support we were able 
to bring together for the sixth year reauthorization--actually, the 
seventh year, also, for extra room there.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
United States Fire Administration, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant 
(AFG) program, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response 
(SAFER) Grant program, and the Fire Prevention and Safety programs.
  As an original author of these critical grant programs, I understand 
their importance to the firefighting community. It is often local 
firefighters who are the first on the scene before help from elsewhere 
can arrive. Our first responders provide immediate assistance to those 
in need; and these grants enable local firefighters across our nation 
to receive the training and equipment necessary to fulfill this 
important mission.
  The proper training and equipment provided to local firefighters by 
the AFG and SAFER grant programs and Fire Prevention and Safety 
programs can often mean the difference between life and death.
  It is unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, that it took so long for the House to 
act on reauthorizing these important federal grants. We have had nearly 
an entire year for the Majority to introduce a bill, have it considered 
in committee, and see action on the House floor. Or simply, we could 
have just considered S. 829, which passed the Senate by unanimous 
consent on August 2, 2017.
  I even introduced H.R. 3881, a House version of the Senate-passed 
legislation and co-led a letter with 153 members of this House to show 
support for reauthorizing these grant programs. However, no action was 
taken to reauthorize these critical grant programs until today.
  The bill before us today makes meaningful and technical changes to 
the administration of these grant programs. One important change this 
bill makes, that I know is significant to my home state of New Jersey 
and fire departments across the nation, is permitting the use of these 
grants to permit the use of grants to change the status of part-time or 
paid-on-call firefighters to full-time firefighters.
  However, unlike the Senate bill, the bill before us today continues 
to have a dreadful sunset clause. Typically, the Congress sunsets 
programs to ensure there is an opportunity to review the importance of 
a program's continuation and that there is no waste, fraud, or abuse. 
Since the establishment of these fire programs, there have been no 
major issues with waste, fraud, or abuse--and we certainly cannot 
dispute the major benefits these programs provide. So it is a wonder 
why some are insisting on sunsetting these critical grant programs in 
this bill.
  This sunset causes needless anxiety, which many have been feeling 
this year as the House is only now reauthorizing these programs just 
two weeks before they're set to expire. This is a situation where 
states and localities and tens of thousands of fire departments across 
our nation are left wondering about the future of critical funding they 
rely on to keep their communities safe. This sunset is unnecessary and 
we should eliminate it.
  It is not an understatement to say that the funding provided by these 
programs has saved countless lives. The federal resources these grants 
have provided fire departments with the equipment, training and 
staffing needed to swiftly respond to over 30 million calls annually. 
These programs also have improved firefighters' response capabilities 
and prevented numerous fires through safety programs targeted toward 
high-risk populations.
  Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues Congressman Peter King, 
Steny Hoyer and Dave Reichert as co-chairs of the Congressional Fire 
Services Caucus and for their tireless work on behalf of our nation's 
fire service.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues in this Chamber 
to support the reauthorization of these critical grant programs.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4661.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

[[Page 20120]]



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