COMBEST, LARRY (a Representative from Texas)

Appointments

Conferee: H.R. 2559, Risk Management for the 21st Century Act, H1621 [30MR]

Bills and resolutions cosponsored

Abortion: prohibit partial-birth abortions (see H.R. 3660), H632 [1MR]

Animals: increase the availability of drugs for minor species and rare diseases in all animals (see H.R. 4780), H5435 [28JN]

Armed Forces: improve access to treatment facilities, provide Medicare reimbursement, and permit enrollment in Federal Employees Health Benefits Program for veterans and their dependents (see H.R. 4124), H1764 [4AP]

———revise rules on retirement payments to former spouses (see H.R. 72), H7280 [6SE]

Boy Scouts: tribute (see H. Con. Res. 384), H7503 [12SE]

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 (see H.R. 5660), H12094 [14DE]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: reaffirm and clarify duty of the Secretary to administer laws which assist claimants for benefits (see H.R. 4864), H6719 [20JY]

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), H6776 [24JY]

Fair Labor Standards Act: amend (see H.R. 5026), H7871 [19SE]

FBI: provide a temporary alternative to fingerprint-based background checks to allow time to implement a national fingerprint-based system accessible by youth serving organizations (see H.R. 4424), H6599 [19JY]

FCC: 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]

Federal Deposit Insurance Act: require periodic cost-of-living adjustments to the maximum amount of deposit insurance available (see H.R. 4467), H5169 [26JN]

Federal Prison Industries: eliminate Federal agency requirement to purchase products and require commercial competition for Federal contracts (see H.R. 2551), H511 [16FE]

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), H3926 [6JN]

Foreign aid: authorize assistance for stockpiling and rapid transportation and distribution of shelf stable prepackaged foods (see H.R. 5224), H7932 [20SE]

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

Health: assure coverage of emergency services under group health plans and health insurance (see H.R. 904), H1119 [16MR]

Immigration: establish a system of registries for temporary agricultural workers and streamline the procedures for the admission, and extension of stay, for nonimmigrant agricultural workers (see H.R. 4548), H6355 [17JY]

Medicaid: establish a new prospective payment system for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics (see H.R. 2341), H2122 [11AP]

———State funding for disproportionate share hospitals (see H.R. 3698), H2013 [10AP]

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

Medicare: increase access to health care for beneficiaries through telehealth services (see H.R. 4841), H8469 [28SE]

———preserve essential rural hospitals (see H.R. 5220), H8617 [2OC]

———revise inflation update factor used in making payments to prospective payment system hospitals (see H.R. 3576), H3926 [6JN] (see H.R. 3580), H7365 [7SE]

Medicare/Medicaid: waive certain nurse aide training requirements (see H.R. 4547), H6777 [24JY]

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering: establish (see H.R. 1795), H2905 [10MY]

National School Lunch Act: ensure an adequate level of commodity purchases under the school lunch program (see H.R. 3614), H339 [10FE]

OSHA: require public comment, and a sound scientific basis, for proposed ergonomics regulations (see H. Con. Res. 260), H631 [1MR]

Power resources: enhance use of renewable energy resources, conserve energy resources, improve energy efficiency, and increase domestic energy supplies (see H.R. 4805), H5655 [29JN]

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

Railroads: modernize financing of railroad retirement system and provide enhanced benefits to employees and beneficiaries (see H.R. 4844), H7003 [25JY]

Reagan, Ronald and Nancy: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 3591), H757 [8MR]

Rural areas: promote and improve access to health care services (see H.R. 4677), H6471 [18JY]

Social Security: eliminate earnings test for retirement age individuals (see H.R. 5), H510 [16FE]

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

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

———exclude from self-employment earnings certain payments under the Conservation Reserve Program (see H.R. 4064), H2239 [12AP]

———make permanent the moratorium on the taxation of Internet and interactive computer service commerce (see H.R. 3252), H50 [27JA]

———provide relief for payment of asbestos-related claims (see H.R. 4543), H6052 [13JY]

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

———terminate Internal Revenue Code (see H.R. 1041), H1284 [22MR] (see H.R. 4199), H1956 [6AP]

———treatment of adoption expenses (see H.R. 531), H7211 [27JY]

———treatment of certain farmland sold with a principal residence (see H.R. 4421), H3413 [18MY]

———treatment of certain franchise operation property (see H.R. 2451), H3869 [25MY]

———treatment of charitable donation of food by businesses and farmers (see H.R. 1325), H255 [8FE]

———treatment of self-employment tax relative to certain farm rental income (see H.R. 1044), H757 [8MR]

Veterans: permit concurrent receipt of military retired pay with service-connected disability benefits (see H.R. 303), H2122 [11AP]

Voting: prohibit States from determining that a ballot submitted by an absent uniformed services voter was improperly or fraudulently cast unless the State finds clear and convincing evidence of fraud (see H.R. 5642), H12021 [6DE]

Water pollution: exempt discharges from certain silviculture activities from permit requirements of the national pollutant discharge elimination system (see H.R. 3625), H5241 [27JN]

Bills and resolutions introduced

Federal Water Pollution Control Act: improve implementation (see H.R. 4502), H3474 [19MY]

Conference reports

Agricultural Risk Protection Act (H.R. 2559), H3763-H3804 [24MY]

Letters

Dept. of Agriculture authority on plant protection and quarantine: by, E936 [9JN]

———Representative Archer, Committee on Ways and Means (House), E936 [9JN]

———Representative Don Young, Committee on Resources (House), E937 [9JN]

———Representative Hyde, Committee on the Judiciary (House), E936 [9JN]

Remarks

Agriculture: strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), conference report, H3817, H3818, H3821, H3825, H3826 [25MY], E936 [9JN]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), consideration of conference report (H. Res. 512), H3817 [25MY]

Agriculture, rural development, FDA, and related agencies programs: making appropriations (H.R. 4461), H5575 [29JN]

Amarillo, TX: Amarillo VA Health Care System recipient of Dept. of Veterans Affairs Robert W. Carey Quality Award, E1663 [4OC]

China, People's Republic of: effects of permanent normal trade relations on U.S. agricultural interests, H3733 [24MY]

———permanent normal trade relations upon accession to the World Trade Organization (H.R. 4444), H3147 [16MY], H3733 [24MY], H3826 [25MY]

Coastal zones: use of offshore oil and gas revenues to fund State and local conservation programs of coastal States (H.R. 701), E722 [15MY]

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, H12497 [15DE]

———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), H10412, H10416, H10440 [19OC]

Dept. of Agriculture: authority relative to plant protection and quarantine (H.R. 1504), E936 [9JN]

———Office of Natural Resources and the Environment funding relative to proposed EPA rules on water quality total maximum daily load, H5575 [29JN]

———provide assistance for the rehabilitation of watershed dams built for flood protection and water resource projects, E1917 [25OC]

Depts. of Labor, HHS, and Education, and related agencies: making appropriations (H.R. 4577), conference report, H12484, H12497 [15DE]

Federal Water Pollution Control Act: improve implementation (H.R. 4502), E872 [25MY]

Food stamps: provide for a national standard of interoperability and portability for electronic benefit transfer systems (S. 1733), H62, H63 [31JA]

Foreign aid: authorize assistance for stockpiling and rapid transportation and distribution of shelf stable prepackaged foods (H.R. 5224), H8021 [25SE]

Heath, Brittany: Prudential Insurance Co., of America Spirit of Community Award recipient for Texas, E627 [3MY]

House Rules: allow consideration of motions to suspend rules and consider certain legislation (H. Res. 640), H10412 [19OC]

Lubbock, TX: anniversary of Texas Boys Ranch telethon, E1272 [19JY]

———tribute to ``Team Hope'' for participation in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure 5K walk/run, E1111 [26JN]

Lubbock (TX) Avalanche-Journal: anniversary, E626 [3MY]

National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (organization): anniversary, E1270 [19JY]

National Association of Letter Carriers: tribute to food drive efforts, E628 [3MY]

Point of order, H5690 [10JY]

Political ethics: truthfulness in Presidential campaigns, H9910 [17OC]

Public lands: restore stability to payments made to States and counties containing certain Federal lands used for the benefit of public schools and roads (H.R. 2389), H9614 [10OC], E1818 [17OC]

Rau, David: SAM's Club (business) Teacher of the Year award recipient, E673 [9MY]

U.S. Grain Standards Act: extend authority to collect fees, authorize appropriations, and improve administration (H.R. 4788), H9606 [10OC], E1917 [25OC]

Votes: correction, E722 [15MY]

West Texas A&M University: tribute to men's bowling team, E674 [9MY]

World Trade Organization: withdraw U.S. membership and funding (H.J. Res. 90), H4799 [21JN]

Remarks in House relative to

Special order: granted, H3047 [15MY]

Reports filed

Activities During the 106th Congress: Committee on Agriculture (House) (H. Rept. 106-1042), H12534 [2JA]

Agricultural Risk Protection Act: Committee of Conference (H.R. 2559) (H. Rept. 106-639), H3812 [24MY]

Commodity Futures Modernization Act: Committee on Agriculture (House) (H.R. 4541) (H. Rept. 106-711), H5654 [29JN]

Dept. of Agriculture Rehabilitation Assistance for Watershed Dams Built for Flood Protection and Water Resource Projects: Committee on Agriculture (House) (H.R. 728) (H. Rept. 106-484), H1762 [4AP]

Freedom To E-File Act: Committee on Agriculture (House) (H.R. 852) (H. Rept. 106-565), H2012 [10AP]

Rural Local Broadcast Signal Act: Committee on Agriculture (House) (H.R. 3615) (H. Rept. 106-508), H630 [1MR]

Tributes

Butler, David, E1698 [6OC]

Sisco, Elizabeth C., H1175 [22MR]

Vela, Leonel, E165 [16FE]