RAMSTAD, JIM (a Representative from Minnesota)

Amendments

Appropriations: making emergency supplemental appropriations (H.R. 3908), H1478 [28MR], H1552 [29MR]

Appointments

Bruce F. Vento funeral attendees, H9861 [12OC]

Bills and resolutions cosponsored

American Folklife Center: collect video and audio recordings of personal histories and testimonials of U.S. war veterans (see H.R. 5212), H7870 [19SE]

Belarus: human rights violations and democracy efforts (see H. Con. Res. 304), H2341 [13AP]

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: designate a portion as the Bruce F. Vento Unit (see H.R. 5582), H11206 [26OC]

Budget: provide for reconciliation of the concurrent resolution to reduce the public debt and to decrease the statutory debt limit (see H.R. 4601), H4120 [8JN] (see H.R. 4866), H6354 [17JY] (see H.R. 5173), H7650 [14SE]

Children and youth: improve health and safety of children receiving child care outside the home (see H.R. 4750), H5657 [29JN]

———promote in-school personal safety programs for children (see H. Con. Res. 309), H2412 [2MY]

———provide for a national media campaign to reduce and prevent underage drinking (see H.R. 5137), H7365 [7SE]

China, Republic of: accession to the World Trade Organization (see H. Con. Res. 262), H641 [2MR]

———congratulations on elections and reaffirmation of U.S. commitment to security and democracy (see H. Con. Res. 292), H1407 [23MR]

———U.N. participation (see H. Con. Res. 390), H7872 [19SE]

Clinton, President: address issues of neighborhood crime prevention, community policing and reduction of school crime (see H. Res. 561), H6718 [20JY]

Comprehensive AIDS Resources Act: revise and extend programs to provide access to health care and support services to individuals and families with HIV and AIDS (see H.R. 4807), H6471 [18JY]

Crime: prevent the entry by false pretenses to certain restricted areas and prevent misuse of genuine and counterfeit police badges (see H.R. 4827), H5954 [12JY]

Cuba: lift travel restrictions (see H.R. 4471), H3926 [6JN]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: conduct Stand Down events and establish a pilot program that will provide for an annual Stand Down event in each State (see H.R. 566), H757 [8MR]

Diseases: increased support and funding to combat juvenile diabetes (see H. Con. Res. 321), H4036 [7JN]

———issue special postage stamps to fund prostate cancer research (see H.R. 2562), H4121 [8JN]

Drugs: combat manufacture, traffic, import, and export of methamphetamine (see H.R. 4248), H2238 [12AP]

———establish grants for drug treatment alternatives to prison programs administered by State or local prosecutors (see H.R. 4493), H8200 [26SE]

Education: establish and expand programs relating to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (see H.R. 4271, 4272), H6777 [24JY]

Education for All Handicapped Children Act: anniversary (see H. Con. Res. 399), H7577 [13SE]

FCC: clarify service obligations of noncommercial educational broadcast stations (see H.R. 4201), H2607 [4MY]

———follow normal rulemaking procedures in establishing additional requirements for noncommercial educational television broadcasters (see H.R. 3525), H48 [27JA]

———prohibit from establishing rules authorizing the operation of new, low power FM radio stations (see H.R. 3439), H48 [27JA]

FDA: restrict authority to issue clinical holds on investigational drugs or to deny patients expanded access to such drugs (see H.R. 3677), H7932 [20SE]

Federal employees: payment of compensation to the families of those killed in the crash of an Air Force CT-43A aircraft on April 3, 1996, near Dubrovnik, Croatia (see H.R. 3295), H1958 [6AP]

Financial institutions: promote openness, transparency, and efficiency in international government procurement through capacity building and third-party procurement monitoring (see H.R. 3116), H455 [15FE]

Fish and fishing: eliminate the wasteful and unsportsmanlike practice of shark finning (see H.R. 3535), H2411 [2MY]

Gambling: prohibit gambling on high school and college sports and the Olympic games (see H.R. 3575), H1120 [16MR]

Great Lakes: moratorium on export of bulk fresh water until certain conditions are met (see H.R. 2973), H1477 [28MR]

Health: emphasize the importance of organ, tissue, bone marrow, and blood donation, and support National Donor Day (see H. Con. Res. 247), H254 [8FE]

———issue special postage stamps to fund organ and tissue donation awareness (see H.R. 3809), H7281 [6SE]

Health Care Financing Administration: revise performance standards and certification process for organ procurement organizations (see H.R. 4152), H2013 [10AP] (see H.R. 4592), H4175 [9JN]

Housing: expand protections for especially vulnerable consumers against abusive mortgage lending practices and streamline the framework regulating mortgage originations (see H.R. 4213), H7211 [27JY]

Human rights: condemn use of children as soldiers (see H. Con. Res. 209), H758 [8MR]

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act: authorizing appropriations (see H.R. 4055), H2411 [2MY] (see H.R. 5180), H8799 [4OC]

Insurance: coverage of long-term care services (see H. Con. Res. 412), H8406 [27SE]

Kenya: condemn assassination of John Kaiser and others who worked to promote human rights and justice (see H. Con. Res. 410), H8469 [28SE]

Law enforcement officers: clarify procedures and conditions for the award of matching grants for the purchase of armor vests (see H.R. 4033), H1675 [3AP]

———exempt from State laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed handguns (see H.R. 218), H1077 [15MR]

Lumber industry: promote open and competitive trade of softwood lumber between the U.S. and Canada (see H. Con. Res. 252), H510 [16FE]

Medicaid: provide families and disabled children with the opportunity to purchase coverage (see H.R. 4825), H5954 [12JY]

Medicare: coverage of medical nutrition therapy services (see H.R. 1187), H1406 [23MR]

———ensure reimbursement for certain ambulance services, apply reasonable standard to determination of medical necessity for ambulance services, and recognize additional costs of ambulance services in rural areas (see H.R. 5153), H7652 [14SE]

———improve geographic fairness in Medicare+Choice payments and hospital payments (see H.R. 5070), H8201 [26SE]

———improve methodology for the calculation of Medicare+Choice program payment rates (see H.R. 4951), H7002 [25JY]

———revise inflation update factor used in making payments to prospective payment system hospitals (see H.R. 3580), H3926 [6JN]

Mental health: issue commemorative postage stamp to raise autism awareness (see H. Res. 458), H7723 [18SE]

Middle East: condemn current level of violence between Israelis and Palestinians (see H. Con. Res. 426), H10037 [17OC]

———prohibit U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority if a Palestinian state is declared unilaterally (see H.R. 4976), H8062 [25SE]

Motor vehicles: prohibit operation with drugs or alcohol in the body of the driver at a land border port of entry (see H.R. 4329), H2339 [13AP]

National Center for Rural Law Enforcement: funding (see H.R. 2564), H50 [27JA]

National Law Enforcement Museum: establish (see H.R. 2710), H7002 [25JY]

Natural resources: establish a fund to meet the outdoor conservation and recreation needs of the American people (see H.R. 701), H574 [29FE]

Olympic games: mint commemorative coins to support the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games and U.S. Olympic Committee programs (see H.R. 3679), H2905 [10MY]

OSHA: require public comment, and a sound scientific basis, for proposed ergonomics regulations (see H. Con. Res. 260), H758 [8MR]

Petroleum: prohibit use of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), provide flexibility within the EPA's oxygenate requirements, and promote the use of renewable ethanol (see H.R. 4011), H1118 [16MR]

Political campaigns: require sponsors of certain election-related communications to provide information regarding their identities and sources of funds (see H.R. 4621), H4173 [9JN]

Pope John Paul II: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 3544), H998 [14MR]

Product safety: promote new and revised toxicological tests that protect human, animal, and environmental health while reducing need for animal testing (see H.R. 4281), H2412 [2MY]

Public debt: allow individuals to designate a portion of their income tax liability for deficit reduction (see H.R. 4626), H4173 [9JN]

Public utilities: facilitate competition in electric power industry (see H.R. 4971), H7128 [26JY]

Public welfare programs: repeal certain restrictions on food stamp eligibility and increase Federal support for emergency food assistance programs (see H.R. 3192), H1852 [5AP]

Radio: ensure the availability of spectrum to amateur radio operators (see H.R. 783), H3869 [25MY]

Railroads: modernize financing of railroad retirement system and provide enhanced benefits to employees and beneficiaries (see H.R. 4844), H6471 [18JY]

Reagan, Ronald and Nancy: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 3591), H253 [8FE]

Rivers: reduce sediment and nutrient loss in the Upper Mississippi River Basin (see H.R. 4013), H4036 [7JN]

Schulz, Charles M.: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 3642), H341 [10FE]

Smithsonian Institution: mint coins in commemoration of the National Museum of the American Indian (see H.R. 4259), H7723 [18SE]

Social Security: computation system for benefits relative to spouses' and surviving spouses' Government pensions (see H.R. 1217), H2512 [3MY]

———improve the payment system for representation of claimants (see H.R. 4633), H6599 [19JY]

———protect Social Security and Medicare surpluses through strengthened budgetary enforcement mechanisms (see H.R. 3859), H756 [8MR]

———provide for more equitable distribution of block grant funds under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (see H.R. 5281), H8061 [25SE]

SSA: prepare for the needs of the 21st century (see H.R. 5447), H12045 [7DE]

States: permit individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles within State borders after meeting minimum standards (see H.R. 3219), H2239 [12AP]

Tariff: steam or other vapor generating boilers used in nuclear facilities (see H.R. 3875), H5656 [29JN]

Taxation: allow a credit against income tax for certain audio or video postproduction equipment (see H.R. 5497), H10256 [18OC]

———allow penalty-free withdrawals from individual retirement plans for adoption expenses and expand and extend permanently the exclusion allowed for employer adoption assistance programs (see H.R. 2282), H4336 [13JN]

———constitutional amendment to require a two-thirds majority on the passage of legislation increasing taxes (see H.J. Res. 94), H1957 [6AP]

———encourage contributions of capital gain real property for conservation purposes and qualified conservation contributions, and modify rules on estate tax exclusion for certain land (see H.R. 2263), H757 [8MR]

———encourage stronger mathematics and science programs at elementary and secondary schools (see H.R. 4273), H6777 [24JY]

———establish individual development accounts to allow those with limited means to accumulate assets, access education, own homes and businesses, and achieve economic self-sufficiency (see H.R. 4106), H4817 [21JN]

———expand incentives for the construction and renovation of public schools (see H.R. 4094), H7211 [27JY]

———extend expensing of environmental remediation costs to contaminated sites located outside of targeted areas (see H.R. 2264), H757 [8MR]

———permit cooperatives to pay dividends on preferred stock without reducing patronage dividends (see H.R. 1914), H7578 [13SE]

———prevent evasion of excise taxes on cigarettes (see H.R. 4598), H4035 [7JN]

———provide a higher purchase price limitation applicable to mortgage subsidy bonds based on median family income (see H.R. 4552), H4337 [13JN]

———provide for increased fairness to taxpayers (see H.R. 4163), H1762 [4AP]

———repeal adjusted gross income limitations on itemized deductions, personal exemption deduction, and child tax credit and repeal the alternative minimum tax on individuals (see H.R. 3612), H339 [10FE]

———repeal excise tax on telephone use and other communications services (see H.R. 3916), H1477 [28MR]

———repeal modification of capital gains tax payments relative to small businesses sold on the installment sales method (see H.R. 3594), H254 [8FE]

———repeal the targeted area limitation on the expense deduction for environmental remediation costs and extend the termination date of such deduction (see H.R. 4003), H1477 [28MR]

———require certain political organizations to report information to the IRS (see H.R. 4717), H5036 [22JN]

———temporarily suspend and permanently repeal increases in motor fuel taxes (see H.R. 4776), H7129 [26JY]

———terminate Internal Revenue Code (see H.R. 4199), H1956 [6AP]

———treatment of adoption expenses (see H.R. 531), H4336 [13JN]

———treatment of certain expenses of rural letter carriers relative to the business use of a personal vehicle (see H.R. 4715), H6052 [13JY]

———treatment of computers provided to employees for personal use (see H.R. 4274), H2967 [11MY]

———treatment of damages and back pay received on account of, and expenses incurred in asserting any claim of employment discrimination (see H.R. 4570), H3868 [25MY]

———treatment of depreciation of wireless telecommunications equipment (see H.R. 5486), H10256 [18OC]

———treatment of flexible spending arrangements relative to long-term care insurance (see H.R. 3872), H3869 [25MY]

———treatment of policyholder dividends of mutual life insurance companies and policyholder surplus accounts (see H.R. 3905), H1958 [6AP]

———treatment of small property and casualty insurance companies (see H.R. 5076), H7209 [27JY]

Veterans: mint coins in commemoration and use proceeds of surcharges imposed on the sale of such coins to fund the transport of veterans to and from Dept. of Veterans Affairs hospitals (see H.R. 5397), H9505 [6OC]

———require employers to give employees who are members of reserve components leave of absence to participate in an honor guard for veterans' funerals (see H.R. 284), H7723 [18SE]

Bills and resolutions introduced

Housing: allow prepayment of loans for rural multifamily housing and preserve such housing as affordable for low-income families (see H.R. 5079), H7209 [27JY]

Law enforcement officers: ensure accountability, guarantee due process, establish standards for internal investigations and hearings, and require enactment of relevant State laws (see H.R. 3896), H921 [9MR]

———honor and recognize officers killed in the line of duty and daily risks and sacrifices of officers (see H. Res. 501), H3049 [15MY]

Medicare: extend community nursing organization demonstration projects (see H.R. 5080), H7209 [27JY]

———improve the manner in which new medical technologies are made available to beneficiaries (see H.R. 4395), H2654 [8MY]

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month: support goals and ideas (see H. Con. Res. 371), H6052 [13JY]

Tariff: 4-hexylresorcinol (see H.R. 3746), H573 [29FE]

———organic pigments and dyes (see H.R. 3748), H573 [29FE]

———sensitizing dyes (see H.R. 3747), H573 [29FE]

Taxation: clarify the child credit allowance, the personal exemptions deduction, and the earned income credit for missing children (see H.R. 5117), H7280 [6SE]

———restore deductions for expenses relative to services performed by military reservists (see H.R. 4328), H2339 [13AP]

———treatment of gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene (see H.R. 3749), H573 [29FE]

Declarations

Bill of Nights—Improving Sleep Habits: National Sleep Foundation, E565 [13AP]

Remarks

Appropriations: making emergency supplemental appropriations (H.R. 3908), H1552, H1553, H1554 [29MR]

Brooklyn Center, MN: anniversary of Lions Club, E2014 [28OC]

China, People's Republic of: permanent normal trade relations upon accession to the World Trade Organization (H.R. 4444), H3599 [23MY]

Colombia: authorize urgent support to secure peace and the rule of law, and to enhance the effectiveness of anti-drug efforts, H1062 [15MR], H1141 [21MR], H1248 [22MR], H1552, H1553, H1554 [29MR]

Dept. of Defense: authorizing appropriations for military activities, prescribing personnel strengths, and military construction (H.R. 4205), H3273 [17MY]

Dept. of the Interior and related agencies: making appropriations (H.R. 4578), H4538 [15JN]

Depts. of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies: making appropriations (H.R. 4690), H4970 [22JN]

Drug abuse: international narcotics control funding, H1552, H1553, H1554 [29MR]

———national drug control policy, H1062 [15MR]

Drugs: substance abuse prevention and treatment programs funding, H1141 [21MR]

Edina, MN: National Sleep Foundation recognition of the Edina School District as the ``2000 Sleep Capital of the Nation'', E564 [13AP]

ERISA: preempt State law in certain cases relative to certain church plans (S. 1309), H5101 [26JN]

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act: authorizing appropriations (H.R. 4055), H2457 [3MY]

Insurance: provide nondiscriminatory coverage of substance abuse treatment services under private group and individual health coverage (H.R. 1977), H1062 [15MR]

Law enforcement officers: honor and recognize officers killed in the line of duty and daily risks and sacrifices of officers (H. Res. 501), H3026 [15MY]

LSC: funding, H4970 [22JN]

Medicare: make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), H5356 [28JN]

Minnesota: emergency fuel assistance for low-income families and senior citizens, H9 [27JA]

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month: support goals and ideas (H. Con. Res. 371), H6734 [24JY]

National Endowment for the Arts: funding, H4538 [15JN]

National Endowment for the Humanities: funding, H4538 [15JN]

National Sleep Awareness Week: observance, E564 [13AP]

Social Security: eliminate earnings test for retirement age individuals (H.R. 5), H591 [1MR]

Taxation: clarify the child credit allowance, the personal exemptions deduction, and the earned income credit for missing children (H.R. 5117), H8068, H8070, H8071 [26SE]

———eliminate marriage tax penalty by adjusting income tax rate brackets and standard deduction amounts (H.R. 6), H314 [10FE]

———phase-out and repeal estate and gift taxes (H.R. 8), consideration (H. Res. 519), H4085 [8JN]

Vento, Bruce F.: tribute (H. Res. 618), H9577 [10OC]

Votes: position on missed, H3495 [22MY]

Weapons: terminate production of Trident II missiles, H3273 [17MY]

Remarks in House relative to

Special order: granted, H983 [14MR], H1161 [21MR], H7498 [12SE]

Tributes

Hayes, Thomas G. (Jerry), E1553 [21SE]

Pillsbury, Robert K., E1754 [12OC]

Rascop, Robert P., E1529 [19SE]