BAKER, RICHARD H. (a Representative from Louisiana)

Amendments

Depts. of Veterans Affairs and HUD, and sundry independent agencies: making appropriations (H.R. 4635), H4675 [19JN]

Foreign operations, export financing, and related programs: making appropriations (H.R. 4811), H5956 [12JY]

Analyses

Housing-Related Government-Sponsored Enterprises Regulation Consolidation and Improvement (H.R. 3703), E198 [29FE]

Bills and resolutions cosponsored

Abortion: provide grants for State programs to provide pregnant women with alternatives to abortion (see H.R. 2901), H50 [27JA]

———provide that the inferior courts do not have jurisdiction to hear partial-birth abortion-related cases (see H.R. 3691), H510 [16FE]

Armed Forces: declare the American GI as the ``Person of the Century'' for the 20th century (see H. Con. Res. 282), H2013 [10AP]

———improve Montgomery GI Bill benefits by improving and expanding educational assistance programs (see H.R. 4268), H2336 [13AP]

Boy Scouts: tribute (see H. Con. Res. 384), H7723 [18SE]

Census: limit penalties for refusing or neglecting to answer decennial census questions beyond those necessary for enumeration of the population (see H.R. 4154), H2239 [12AP]

China, Republic of: accession to the World Trade Organization (see H. Con. Res. 262), H1629 [30MR]

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

———elections (see H. Con. Res. 272), H921 [9MR]

———U.N. participation (see H. Con. Res. 390), H8201 [26SE]

Computers: prevent the use of certain bank instruments for Internet gambling (see H.R. 4419), H2905 [10MY]

———require schools and libraries to install and use Internet filtering or blocking technology to be eligible for Federal funds for computers (see H.R. 4600), H4120 [8JN]

Consumers: require disclosure of terms of rental-purchase agreements (see H.R. 1634), H3925 [6JN]

Courts: establish legal standards and procedures for the fair, prompt, inexpensive, and efficient resolution of asbestos exposure personal injury claims (see H.R. 1283), H511 [16FE]

———provide for equitable treatment of governmental and private plaintiffs in certain civil actions (see H.R. 2597), H4817 [21JN]

Dept. of Defense: deny educational assistance funds to local educational agencies that deny access to secondary school students for military recruiting purposes (see H.R. 4660), H5169 [26JN]

Dept. of Justice: appointment of an independent counsel to investigate whether officials from the People's Republic of China tried to illegally influence the 1996 Presidential election (see H.R. 5161), H7871 [19SE]

Dept. of Transportation: prohibit action to finalize, implement, or enforce a rule relative to the hours of service of drivers for motor carriers (see H.R. 4511), H4675 [19JN]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: establish presumption of service connection for certain chronic symptoms of Persian Gulf Conflict veterans (see H.R. 2697), H50 [27JA]

———reaffirm and clarify duty of the Secretary to administer laws which assist claimants for benefits (see H.R. 4864), H6471 [18JY]

Diseases: address problems associated with polycystic kidney disease (see H. Res. 537), H11195 [25OC]

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

Drugs: clarify application of Federal controlled substances laws in States that authorize medical use of marijuana and other drugs (see H.R. 4802), H5655 [29JN]

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

Education: increase amount of loan forgiveness for teachers (see H.R. 3880), H3813 [24MY]

———support teachers (see H. Res. 492), H2655 [8MY]

———tribute to Catholic schools (see H. Res. 409), H90 [31JA]

EPA: ensure changes to the rule on water quality standards total maximum daily load program are subjected to public and congressional review (see H.R. 4922), H7212 [27JY]

———repeal rule on water quality standards total maximum daily load program (see H.J. Res. 105), H6470 [18JY]

Fair Housing Act: amend (see H.R. 2836), H922 [9MR]

Fair Labor Standards Act: prohibit issuance of a certificate for subminimum wages for individuals with impaired vision (see H.R. 3540), H5436 [28JN]

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]

FDA: establish restrictions relative to the qualifications of physicians prescribing the abortion drug known as RU-486 (see H.R. 5385), H8799 [4OC]

Federal Water Pollution Control Act: improve implementation (see H.R. 4502), H5241 [27JN]

FHA: require partial rebates of mortgage insurance premiums to certain mortgagors upon payment of their FHA-insured mortgages (see H.R. 4795), H7212 [27JY]

Financial institutions: repeal authority of the FDIC and the FRS Board of Governors to impose examination fees on State depository institutions (see H.R. 3900), H921 [9MR]

Firearms: prohibit funding to give or withhold a preference to a seller of firearms or ammunition relative to an agreement on enhanced safety of handguns and pistols (see H.R. 4257), H5037 [22JN]

Gonzalez, Henry B.: tribute (see H. Con. Res. 445), H12095 [14DE]

Government: separation of powers between Congress and the President (see H.R. 2655), H50 [27JA]

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

Higgins, Andrew Jackson and family: award Congressional Gold Medals (see H.R. 4384), H2605 [4MY]

Higgins Industries: award Congressional Gold Medal to World War II-era employees (see H.R. 4384), H2605 [4MY]

Investments: establish regulatory framework for over-the-counter derivative instruments operating under Federal banking agencies and clarify legality of certain transactions involving such derivatives (see H.R. 4203), H1956 [6AP]

Korean War: anniversary (see H.J. Res. 86), H165 [1FE]

Korean War Veterans Association, Inc.: grant Federal charter (see H.R. 1671), H7723 [18SE]

Law enforcement officers: clarify procedures and conditions for the award of matching grants for the purchase of armor vests (see H.R. 4033), H1407 [23MR]

———ensure confidentiality of personnel records or personal information (see H.R. 3694), H3926 [6JN]

Medicaid: establish a new prospective payment system for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics (see H.R. 2341), H6470 [18JY]

———waive disproportionate share hospital designation for certain rural hospitals relative to obstetrician requirements (see H.R. 4793), H5654 [29JN]

Medicare: designate certain diabetes educators as certified providers for purposes of outpatient diabetes education services (see H.R. 3003), H575 [29FE]

———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. 3576), H632 [1MR] (see H.R. 3580), H2905 [10MY]

———waive waiting period for coverage and provide coverage of drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (see H.R. 353), H5084 [23JN]

Middle East: condemn current level of violence between Israelis and Palestinians (see H. Con. Res. 426), H10257 [18OC]

———prohibit U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority if a Palestinian state is declared unilaterally (see H.R. 4976), H7933 [20SE]

National Apprenticeship Act: ensure that applications relating to apprenticeship programs are processed in a fair and timely manner (see H.R. 4781), H5435 [28JN]

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering: establish (see H.R. 1795), H4817 [21JN]

Occupational Safety and Health Act: require changes in the bloodborne pathogens standard (see H.R. 5178), H7992 [21SE]

———waive applicability to employment performed in an employee's residence (see H.R. 3518), H2239 [12AP]

Olympic games: mint commemorative coins to support the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games and U.S. Olympic Committee programs (see H.R. 3679), H509 [16FE]

Pensions: reform (see H.R. 1102), H6354 [17JY]

Pope John Paul II: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 3544), H1120 [16MR]

Postal Service: issue a semipostal in order to afford the public a convenient way to contribute to funding for the establishment of the World War II Memorial (see H.R. 4492), H3813 [24MY]

Power resources: establish a commission to review and explore ways for the U.S. to become energy self-sufficient (see H.R. 4035), H1675 [3AP]

———establish and implement competitive, environmentally sound, and job creating oil and gas leasing program for the Coastal Plain (see H.R. 2250), H2340 [13AP]

Racial relations: recognize the significant contribution the Birmingham Pledge has made in fostering racial harmony and reconciliation (see H.J. Res. 102), H4784 [20JN]

Railroads: enhance competition between rail carriers (see H.R. 2784), H2239 [12AP]

———modernize financing of railroad retirement system and provide enhanced benefits to employees and beneficiaries (see H.R. 4844), H6600 [19JY]

———protection of train employees (see H.R. 3091), H455 [15FE]

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

Rural areas: provide funds for automatic external defibrillators and the training of individuals in advanced cardiac life support (see H.R. 4953), H7002 [25JY]

Small business: establish minimum standards of fair conduct in franchise sales and franchise business relationships (see H.R. 3308), H255 [8FE]

Smithsonian Institution: mint coins in commemoration of the National Museum of the American Indian (see H.R. 4259), H4121 [8JN]

Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act: rename as the ``McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act'' (see H.R. 5417), H9504 [6OC]

Tariff: prevent circumvention of the sugar tariff-rate quotas (see H.R. 5423), H9504 [6OC]

Taxation: allow a refundable credit for health insurance costs (see H.R. 4113), H5656 [29JN]

———allow certain deductions for school bus owner-operators (see H.R. 4050), H1163 [21MR]

———allow credit for elementary and secondary school teachers who provide classroom materials (see H.R. 4025), H1477 [28MR]

———allow credit to businesses who employ military reservists and a comparable credit to self-employed military reservists, and restore deductions for services performed by military reservists (see H.R. 3915), H5656 [29JN]

———allow small business employers a credit for certain expenses for long-term training of employees in highly skilled small business trades (see H.R. 1824), H373 [14FE]

———allow tax-free rollovers of amounts in one qualified State tuition program to another qualified State tuition program for the same beneficiary (see H.R. 3674), H1120 [16MR]

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

———exclude from unrelated business taxable income amounts set aside by a volunteer fire department for purchasing equipment (see H.R. 3168), H3172 [16MY]

———exempt State and local political committees from certain notification and reporting requirements applicable to political organizations (see H.R. 5265), H8406 [27SE]

———expand incentives for the construction and renovation of public schools (see H.R. 1760), H1077 [15MR]

———full deduction of health insurance costs for self-employed individuals (see H.R. 980), H4484 [14JN]

———incentives for education (see H.R. 254), H632 [1MR]

———incentives to ensure timely and equitable access to the Internet over current and future generations of broadband capability (see H.R. 4728), H10036 [17OC]

———increase annual limitation on nondeductible contributions and adjust for inflation the amount of deductible contributions to individual retirement accounts (see H.R. 1322), H255 [8FE]

———increase lifetime learning credit for secondary teachers returning to school for additional training (see H.R. 638), H632 [1MR]

———provide tax credit for elementary and secondary school teachers (see H.R. 937), H165 [1FE]

———provide tax incentives to enhance long-term care and convene a National Summit on Long-Term Care (see H.R. 4498), H3412 [18MY]

———remove mandatory withdrawal requirements for individual retirement accounts (see H.R. 252), H1412 [27MR]

———repeal excise tax on telephone use and other communications services (see H.R. 3916), H2013 [10AP]

———repeal modification of capital gains tax payments relative to small businesses sold on the installment sales method (see H.R. 3594), H758 [8MR]

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

———treatment of adoption expenses (see H.R. 531), H6777 [24JY]

———treatment of computers provided to employees for personal use (see H.R. 4274), H3523 [22MY]

———treatment of depreciation of computers and peripheral equipment (see H.R. 1560), H5036 [22JN]

———treatment of education individual retirement accounts relative to elementary and secondary school expenses (see H.R. 7), H574 [29FE]

———treatment of tax-exempt bond financing of certain electrical output facilities (see H.R. 721), H209 [2FE]

Television: ensure local service to small, rural markets by satellite providers (see H.R. 3615), H339 [10FE]

Terrorism: improve Federal efforts to prepare for, and respond to, terrorist attacks (see H.R. 4210), H4121 [8JN]

Veterans: 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]

Veterans Health Administration: improve personnel system (see H.R. 5109), H7723 [18SE]

Volunteer firefighters: remove civil liability barriers surrounding donating fire equipment to volunteer fire companies (see H.R. 4736), H7281 [6SE]

Water pollution: exempt discharges from certain silviculture activities from permit requirements of the national pollutant discharge elimination system (see H.R. 3625), H1852 [5AP]

Water Resources Research Act: reauthorize grants for water resources research and technology institutes (see H.R. 4132), H2512 [3MY]

Bills and resolutions introduced

Friedman, Milton: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 4672), H4590 [15JN]

Housing: consolidate and improve the regulation of the housing-related Government-sponsored enterprises (see H.R. 3703), H572 [29FE]

Mental health: issue commemorative postage stamp to raise autism awareness (see H. Res. 458), H1763 [4AP]

Taxation: extend filing period for credits or refunds (see H.R. 4204), H1956 [6AP]

Remarks

Angola, LA: Louisiana State Penitentiary hospice program recipient of the American Hospital Association Circle of Life Award, E691 [10MY]

Commodity Exchange Act: reauthorize and amend to promote legal certainty, enhance competition, and reduce systemic risk in markets for futures and over-the-counter derivatives (H.R. 4541), H10447 [19OC]

Foreign operations, export financing, and related programs: making appropriations (H.R. 4811), H6016 [13JY]

Housing: consolidate and improve the regulation of the housing-related Government-sponsored enterprises (H.R. 3703), E197 [29FE]

Louisiana State University: tribute to baseball team, E1164 [30JN]

Mental health: issue commemorative postage stamp to raise autism awareness (H. Res. 458), E514 [6AP]

Panama Canal: negotiate new agreement relative to the presence of U.S. Armed Forces, H6016 [13JY]

Tributes

Jacobsen, Robert, E1166 [30JN]

Morrison, James H., H7071 [26JY]

Reynolds, Aiden and Shelly, E514 [6AP]