DIAZ-BALART, MARIO (a Representative from Florida)
Amendments
Bridges: improve safety of Federal-aid highway bridges, strengthen inspection standards and processes, and increase investment in the reconstruction of structurally deficient bridges (H.R. 3999), H7029 [23JY]
Appointments
Conferee: S. 294, Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, H6802 [22JY]
Bills and resolutions cosponsored
Abbas, Mahmoud: urge Palestinian Authority President to abrogate anti-Israel articles in the Fatah Constitution (see H. Res. 758), H6826 [22JY]
Agriculture: provide emergency financial assistance to producers and first handlers of fresh tomatoes for losses incurred as a result of the FDA public health advisory regarding tomatoes (see H.R. 6581), H7789 [31JY]
Appropriations: making emergency supplemental appropriations for war on terror, international affairs, and national defense matters (see H.R. 6026), H4061 [15MY]
Armed Forces: anniversary of integration (see H. Con. Res. 297), H994 [14FE]
———ensure fair treatment of members discharged early due to being the only surviving child in a family in which an immediate family member was killed, MIA, or disabled in the line of duty (see H.R. 5825), H2442 [16AP]
———establish a program of educational assistance for members who have served after September 11, 2001 (see H.R. 5740), H2150 [9AP]
———improve educational assistance for members and veterans to enhance recruitment and retention for the Armed Forces (see H.R. 5944), H4061 [15MY]
———mint coins in commemoration of the establishment of the U.S. Army and direct proceeds from sales of such coins to the establishment of the National Museum of the U.S. Army (see H.R. 5714), H10132 [26SE]
———reduce the age for receipt of military retired pay for non-regular service (see H.R. 690), H6472 [14JY]
———restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services (see H.R. 1222), H1539 [11MR]
———retain certain active members otherwise retired or separated for a combat-related disability, but still medically able to perform noncombat-related specialties or duties (see H.R. 5868), H2854 [29AP]
———tribute to the 28th Infantry Division (see H. Con. Res. 390), H7308 [29JY]
Army SPC Daniel Agami Post Office Building, Coconut Creek, FL: designate (see H.R. 6338), H5796 [20JN]
Azorean Refugee Act: anniversary (see H. Res. 1401), H8128 [15SE] (see H. Res. 1438), H8277 [16SE]
Berkeley, CA: condemn resolution impugning integrity of the Marine Corps, rescind funds appropriated for certain local entities, and commend the service and efforts of Marine Corps members (see H. Res. 958), H815 [7FE]
Bhutto, Benazir: condemn assassination and reaffirm U.S. commitment to assist the people of Pakistan in combating terrorist activity and promoting a free and democratic Pakistan (see H. Res. 912), H296 [16JA]
Biscet, Oscar E.: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 5627), H1701 [13MR]
Borderline Personality Awareness Month: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 1005), H1446 [10MR]
Boy Scouts: mint coins in commemoration of centennial of establishment (see H.R. 5872), H2552 [22AP]
Bruce W. Carter Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL: designate (see H.R. 4918), H5482 [17JN]
Bulgaria: independence anniversary (see H. Res. 1383), H7307 [29JY]
Carter Center, Inc.: prohibit assistance (see H.R. 5816), H2854 [29AP]
CeeCee Ross Lyles Post Office Building, Fort Pierce, FL: designate (see H.R. 6772), H7854 [8SE]
Celebrate Safe Communities Week: designate (see H. Con. Res. 411), H8579 [22SE]
Child Protection and Safety Act: reauthorize (see H.R. 5760), H5111 [9JN]
Children and youth: support the We Don't Serve Teens campaign (see H. Res. 1042), H8276 [16SE]
China, People's Republic of: condemn manufacture and export of unsafe products, disregard for environment, and exploitation of workers and encourage U.S. suspension of importation and purchase of goods (see H. Res. 925), H1889 [1AP]
China, Republic of: elections (see H. Con. Res. 278), H457 [23JA]
Cody Grater Post Office Building, Brooksville, FL: designate (see H.R. 5168), H555 [29JA]
Colombia: congratulate on successful rescue mission that freed 15 hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) (see H. Con. Res. 389), H6578 [15JY]
Committee on Earmark Reform (Joint, Select): establish (see H. Con. Res. 263), H814 [7FE]
Congress: condition adjournment on enactment of comprehensive energy legislation (see H. Con. Res. 417), H8478 [18SE]
Constitution—U.S.: anniversary of signing (see H. Res. 1356), H6826 [22JY]
Crime: ensure sex offenders who travel between States must register with appropriate State and local authorities (see H.R. 5475), H1002 [19FE]
———prohibit certain forms of interference with military recruiting (see H.R. 6023), H8276 [16SE]
———provide penalties for sex offenders who access social networking websites (see H.R. 3144), H5215 [10JN]
———provide penalties for the destruction of memorials, headstones, markers, and graves commemorating persons serving in the Armed Forces on private property (see H.R. 5131), H2553 [22AP]
Dept. of Justice: convey a parcel of land held by the Bureau of Prisons in Miami-Dade County, FL, to facilitate construction of a new educational facility that includes a secure parking area for the Bureau (see H.R. 7301), H10856 [20NO]
———establish a State grant program to establish ``Silver Alert'' notification systems to locate missing individuals suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related illnesses (see H.R. 5898), H3020 [1MY]
Dept. of the Interior: establish an environmentally sound oil and gas leasing program for exploration, development, and production of resources of the Coastal Plain of Alaska (see H.R. 6107), H6343 [9JY]
———establish oil and gas leasing program for public lands within the Coastal Plain of Alaska (see H.R. 6758), H7787 [31JY]
Dept. of the Treasury: impose limits on the exercise of certain actions under any law that authorizes the purchase of troubled assets (see H.R. 7119), H10700 [2OC]
———permit transfer of funds to restore the Highway Trust Fund (see H.R. 6532), H6726 [17JY]
Dept. of Veterans Affairs: repeal offset from surviving spouse annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan for amounts paid as dependency and indemnity compensation and annuity authority for certain dependents (see H.R. 1589), H6825 [22JY]
District of Columbia: restore right to keep and bear arms (see H.R. 6691), H8050 [11SE]
Employment: direct the Depts. of Veterans Affairs and Labor to conduct a joint study on fields of employment for which the greatest need for employees exists in various geographic areas (see H.R. 3646), H390 [22JA]
Family and Medical Leave Act: clarify eligibility requirements relative to airline flight crews (see H.R. 2744), H622 [6FE]
FBI: establish the Nationwide Mortgage Fraud Task Force (see H.R. 6853), H8276 [16SE]
Federal agencies and departments: repeal requirement on the procurement and acquisition of alternative fuels (see H.R. 5656), H6177 [26JN]
Federal employees: establish certain protections for preference eligibles selected for involuntary geographic reassignment (see H.R. 728), H813 [7FE]
———provide lump-sum payments to certain employees who retire with a substantial amount of unused sick leave (see H.R. 5573), H2948 [30AP]
Flag Day: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 1219), H5046 [5JN]
Foreign aid: prohibit funding for U.N. Durban Review Conference or any planning, preparation, or implementation of a follow-up meeting to the Durban I Conference in Durban, South Africa (see H.R. 5847), H3020 [1MY]
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: establish a procedure for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence (see H.R. 5440), H2553 [22AP]
Foreign policy: support international diplomatic initiative to limit inefficient speculation on international energy exchanges through adoption of standards for energy futures trading margin requirements (see H. Res. 1278), H5481 [17JN]
Foreign Service: permit members rest and recuperation travel to U.S. territories (see H.R. 3658), H2854 [29AP]
Frank Sinatra Day: designate (see H. Res. 1144), H3187 [7MY]
Gerald R. Ford Post Office Building, Rancho Mirage, CA: designate (see H.R. 6085), H5045 [5JN]
Hamas: condemn as a foreign terrorist organization responsible for the murders of U.S. citizens (see H. Res. 1110), H2554 [22AP]
Health care professionals: provide relief for the shortage of nurses (see H.R. 5924), H6230 [8JY]
Heston, Charlton: tribute (see H. Res. 1091), H2356 [15AP]
House of Representatives: prohibit adjournment until approval of a bill to establish a comprehensive national energy plan addressing energy conservation and expansion of renewable and conventional energy sources (see H. Res. 1391), H7629 [30JY]
Housing: provide needed housing reform (see H.R. 5857), H2551 [22AP]
Hurricanes: anniversary of Okeechobee Hurricane (see H. Res. 1376), H7164 [24JY]
Insurance: provide for cooperative governing of individual health insurance coverage offered in interstate commerce (see H.R. 4460), H1702 [13MR]
———provide parity under group health plans and insurance coverage in the provision of benefits for prosthetic devices and components and benefits for other medical and surgical services (see H.R. 5615), H1701 [13MR]
Iran: respond to threat posed to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and the vital national security interests of the U.S. by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional hegemony (see H. Con. Res. 362), H6010 [24JN]
Israel: recognize independence anniversary and reaffirm bonds of close friendship and cooperation with the U.S. (see H. Con. Res. 322), H2554 [22AP]
Law enforcement: reform the ATF, modernize firearms laws and regulations, and protect the community from criminals (see H.R. 4900), H3404 [8MY]
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. 688), H4975 [4JN]
Local Radio Freedom Act: support (see H. Con. Res. 244), H3404 [8MY]
Medicare/Medicaid: reduce cost-sharing for certain dual eligible populations under the prescription drug benefit (see H.R. 5604), H1700 [13MR]
Mental Health Month: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 1134), H3051 [5MY]
Mother's Day: mint coins in commemoration of centennial of establishment (see H.R. 2268), H2853 [29AP]
Motor vehicles: establish a research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program to promote research of technologies for heavy duty plug-in hybrid vehicles (see H.R. 6323), H5729 [19JN]
NASA: anniversary (see H. Res. 1315), H6176 [26JN]
National Autism Awareness Month: designate (see H. Res. 1106), H3021 [1MY]
National Engineers Week: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 917), H559 [29JA]
National Glanzmann's Thrombasthenia Awareness Day: designate (see H. Res. 994), H1540 [11MR]
National Health Care Decisions Day: support goals and ideals (see H. Con. Res. 323), H2444 [16AP]
National Internet Safety Month: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 1260), H5214 [10JN]
National Letter Carriers Appreciation Day: establish (see H. Res. 49), H1418 [6MR]
National Teacher Day: establish (see H. Res. 952), H815 [7FE]
National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program: reauthorize (see H.R. 7159), H10131 [26SE]
Palestinians: condemn ongoing rocket attacks on Israeli civilians (see H. Res. 951), H815 [7FE]
———condemn use of television programming by Hamas to indoctrinate hatred, violence, and anti-Semitism toward Israel in young Palestinian children (see H. Res. 1069), H2855 [29AP]
Palmer, Arnold: tribute (see H. Res. 1152), H3187 [7MY]
Paul, Alice: award Congressional Gold Medal posthumously (see H.R. 406), H1188 [3MR]
Pepper, Claude: tribute (see H. Res. 1116), H2443 [16AP]
Petroleum: expedite construction of new refinery capacity on closed military installations (see H.R. 2279), H5729 [19JN]
Postal Service: discontinue practice of contracting out mail delivery services (see H. Res. 282), H5329 [11JN]
———modify procedures for closure or consolidation of post offices (see H.R. 6217), H9974 [25SE]
———provide for the protection and integrity of mail (see H.R. 4236), H5044 [5JN]
Power resources: promote research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of technologies through a system of grants and prizes on the scale of the Manhattan Project (see H.R. 6260), H7308 [29JY]
POW/MIA: recognize courage and sacrifice of members of the Armed Forces held as POW and call for a full accounting of Americans unaccounted for as a result of the Vietnamese Conflict (see H. Res. 986), H994 [14FE]
Pran, Dith: tribute (see H. Res. 1109), H2444 [16AP]
Race Day in America: designate (see H. Res. 931), H349 [17JA]
Railroads: provide competitive development and operation of high-speed rail corridor projects (see H.R. 5644), H1770 [14MR]
Rivers: provide for a National Research Council study to asssess water management, needs, and conservation of the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama (see H.R. 6294), H6177 [26JN]
Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission: establish (see H.R. 5235), H6407 [10JY]
Social Security: extend funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (see H.R. 6788), H7806 [1AU]
———repeal Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions (see H.R. 82), H5110 [9JN]
Taxation: allow a one-time credit for purchase of an automobile manufactured in the U.S. (see H.R. 7303), H10975 [10DE]
———allow nontaxable employer matching contributions to 529 college savings plans (see H.R. 5591), H8050 [11SE]
———allow taxpayers to make contributions to the Federal Government on their income tax returns (see H.R. 5783), H2265 [14AP]
———allow veterans a deduction for certain travel expenses to Dept. of Veterans Affairs medical centers for examinations or treatments relating to service-connected disabilities (see H.R. 5737), H5730 [19JN]
———establish financial security accounts for the care of family members with disabilities (see H.R. 2370), H1418 [6MR]
———exclude from gross income a portion of lifetime income payments from annuities and similiar payments of life insurance proceeds at dates later than death (see H.R. 2205), H6407 [10JY]
———extend and modify the railroad track maintenance credit (see H.R. 1584), H1772 [14MR]
———increase deduction for the purchase of qualified health care information technology by medical care providers (see H.R. 2377), H2070 [8AP]
———increase the annual contribution limit to Coverdell education savings accounts (see H.R. 2588), H1445 [10MR]
———make permanent the special rule for contributions of qualified conservation contributions (see H.R. 1576), H1822 [31MR]
———modify treatment of qualified restaurant property as 15-year property for purposes of the depreciation deduction (see H.R. 3622), H6674 [16JY]
———provide for the limited continuation of clean energy production incentives and incentives to improve energy efficiency (see H.R. 5984), H3185 [7MY]
———suspend taxation of unemployment compensation for a certain period (see H.R. 6844), H8128 [15SE]
Tay-Sachs Awareness Month: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 1333), H8397 [17SE]
Technology: authorize activities for support of nanotechnology research and development (see H.R. 5940), H3017 [1MY]
Terrorism: restrict diplomatic travel of officials and representatives of state sponsors of terrorism (see H.R. 5886), H3020 [1MY]
Tourist trade: establish a nonprofit corporation to communicate U.S. entry policies and otherwise promote tourist, business, and scholarly travel to the U.S. (see H.R. 3232), H3885 [14MY]
Universal Declaration of Human Rights: anniversary (see H. Con. Res. 332), H3051 [5MY]
Venezuela: designate as a state sponsor of terrorism (see H. Res. 1049), H1702 [13MR]
Veterans: expand eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay or combat-related compensation with service-connected disability benefits and eliminate phase-in period for such benefits (see H.R. 303), H6407 [10JY]
Vietnamese Conflict: amend presumptions of exposure for veterans who served in the vicinity of Vietnam (see H.R. 6562), H7630 [30JY]
Winston E. Arnow Federal Building, Pensacola, FL: designate (see H.R. 5676), H2487 [17AP]
Bills and resolutions introduced
Cuba: anniversary of downing of civilian aircraft by Cuban fighter jets (see H. Res. 995), H1031 [25FE]
Everglades National Park: provide for resolution of several land ownership and related issues relative to parcels of land (see H.R. 6728), H7786 [31JY]
Taxation: provide individuals a deduction for commuting expenses (see H.R. 5905), H2759 [24AP]
———provide temporary housing related tax relief for individuals (see H.R. 5962), H3050 [5MY]
Motions
Developing countries: provide for greater responsibility in lending and expanded cancellation of debts owed to the U.S. and international financial institutions by low-income countries (H.R. 2634), H2391 [16AP]
Remarks
Bridges: improve safety of Federal-aid highway bridges, strengthen inspection standards and processes, and increase investment in the reconstruction of structurally deficient bridges (H.R. 3999), H7029 [23JY]
———provide risk-based priority for the rehabilitation and repair of deficient bridges that serve as emergency evacuation routes, H7029 [23JY]
Budget: allocation of funds, H2432, H2433 [16AP]
———deficit, H2432, H2433 [16AP]
———setting forth the Federal budget for 2008-2013 (H. Con. Res. 312), H1571 [12MR], H1636, H1638, H1640, H1643 [13MR]
———setting forth the Federal budget for 2008-2013 (S. Con. Res. 70), adoption (H. Res. 1190), H3827
Capitol Police: tribute (H. Res. 645), H6840 [23JY]
Colombia: continue support in fight against Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), H6619 [16JY]
Congressional Black Caucus: budget priorities, H1636, H1638, H1640, H1643 [13MR]
Cyprus: anniversary of Turkish occupation, E1559
Dept. of Homeland Security: authorizing appropriations (H.R. 2638), earmark declaration, E2188
Developing countries: provide for greater responsibility in lending and expanded cancellation of debts owed to the U.S. and international financial institutions by low-income countries (H.R. 2634), motion to recommit, H2391, H2392 [16AP]
Economy: extend certain tax relief provisions, H1636, H1643 [13MR]
Foreign countries: deny countries with business relationships with Iran eligibility for debt relief programs, H2391, H2392 [16AP]
Housing: provide needed housing reform, H3141 [7MY]
Hurricanes: urge individuals to prepare for hurricane season, H5221 [11JN]
Intelligence services: authorizing appropriations (H.R. 5959), H6619 [16JY]
Outer Continental Shelf: lift moratorium on oil and gas drilling, leasing, and exploration on certain portions, H3827
Power resources: promote energy independence and security (H.R. 3221), consideration of Senate amendments (H. Res. 1175), H3141 [7MY]
———reduce oil dependency, expand access to Federal resources, revise relationship between energy industry and consumers, end tax subsidies, and facilitate energy efficiency (H.R. 6899), E1971
Shalala, Donna: Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, E1304
Taxation: increase property tax deduction for homeowners, H3141 [7MY]
———provide for the limited continuation of clean energy production incentives and incentives to improve energy efficiency (H.R. 5984), H3827
———rates, H1571 [12MR], H1636, H1640 [13MR]
U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement: ratification, H1947 [2AP]
Votes: position on missed, H329
Remarks in House relative to
Special order: granted, H1971 [2AP]
Tributes
Edwards, Katie, E685
Hartley, Brodes H., Jr., E358
Miller, Threasa, E231
Tate, Stanley and Joanne, E1766
Warren, Roscoe, E1021
Weldon, Representative, E2239