BILIRAKIS, GUS M. (a Representative from Florida)
Appointments
Conferee: H.R. 1540, Dept. of Defense appropriations for military activities, prescribing personnel strengths, and military construction, H8208 [7DE]
NATO Parliamentary Assembly, H500 [26JA]
Bills and resolutions cosponsored
Abortion: ensure that women seeking an abortion receive an ultrasound and the opportunity to review the ultrasound before giving informed consent to receive an abortion (see H.R. 3130), H6671 [6OC]
———prohibit taxpayer funded abortions and provide for conscience protections (see H.R. 3), H393 [20JA]
———protect lives of born and unborn persons (see H.R. 374), H1621 [8MR]
Alto Lee Adams, Sr., U.S. Courthouse, Fort Pierce, FL: designate (see H.R. 1791), H3109 [5MY]
American Legion: provide for an additional power under its Federal charter to provide guidance and leadership to individual departments and posts, but not control of activities of such entities (see H.R. 2369), H4795 [8JY]
Arlington National Cemetery: provide a memorial marker on Chaplains Hill to honor the memory of Jewish chaplains who died while on active duty in the Armed Forces (see H. Con. Res. 12), H1770 [11MR]
Armed Forces: appropriate funds necessary to ensure that members continue to receive pay when a funding gap caused by the failure to enact interim or full-year appropriations for the Armed Forces occurs (see H.R. 1297), H2293 [4AP]
———provide for expedited security screenings for members (see H.R. 1801), H6273 [20SE]
———tribute to members for service in Iraq and Afghanistan (see H. Con. Res. 45), H2913 [15AP]
Budget: constitutional amendment to require balanced (see H.J. Res. 1), H204 [12JA] (see H.J. Res. 2), H40 [5JA]
Capitol Building and Grounds: designate a room of the Capitol Visitor Center as the ``Gabriel Zimmerman Meeting Room'' (see H. Res. 364), H7929 [29NO]
China: condemn discrimination, harassment, imprisonment, torture, and execution of prisoners of conscience and support Tuidang movement renouncing ties to the Communist Party (see H. Res. 416), H6456 [23SE]
Committee on POW and MIA Affairs (House, Select): establish (see H. Res. 111), H5966 [7SE]
Congress: prohibit securities and commodities trading based on nonpublic information relating to Congress and require additional reporting of securities transaction by Members and employees (see H.R. 1148), H8125 [2DE]
Contraceptives: prohibit Federal family planning grants from being awarded to any entity that performs abortions (see H.R. 217), H134 [7JA]
Contracts: preserve open competition and neutrality towards the labor relations of Federal contractors on Federal and federally funded construction projects (see H.R. 735), H6467 [29SE]
Credit: require lender or servicer of a home mortgage, upon a request by the homeowner for a short sale, to make a prompt decision whether to allow the sale (see H.R. 1498), H3304 [13MY]
Crime: prohibit taking minors across State lines to avoid State laws requiring parental notification of abortions (see H.R. 2299), H4456 [22JN]
Cuba: exclude from admission to the U.S. aliens who contribute to Cuba's development of petroleum resources and impose sanctions on and prohibit such development (see H.R. 2047), H5901 [9AU]
Cyprus: allow for certain property claims against Turkey arising out of exclusion of U.S. nationals from property such nationals own in Turkish-occupied territory (see H.R. 2597), H5284 [20JY]
Dept. of HHS: establish and implement a Pancreatic Cancer Initiative (see H.R. 733), H10016 [20DE]
Dept. of Homeland Security: authorize certain programs (see H.R. 3116), H6671 [6OC]
———maintain flight manifest information sharing standards required under the Passenger Name Record Agreement between the U.S. and the European Union (see H. Res. 255), H3160 [10MY]
———prohibit delegation of vessel inspection and certification to a foreign classification society that provides such services to Iran, North Korea, North Sudan, or Syria (see H.R. 2998), H6342 [21SE]
Dept. of Justice: classify human trafficking as a violent crime for purposes of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) Program (see H.R. 2982), H6341 [21SE]
Dept. of State: establish Special Envoy To Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia (see H.R. 440), H2535 [7AP]
———remove People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) from list of foreign terrorist organizations (see H. Res. 60), H1525 [2MR]
———support efforts to strengthen bilateral relationship with Greece (see H.R. 1337), H2266 [1AP]
Dept. of the Navy: redesignate as the Dept. of the Navy and Marine Corps (see H.R. 24), H1252 (see H.R. 24), H1364 [18FE]
Dept. of Veterans Affairs: assess skills of certain employees and managers of the Veterans Benefits Administration (see H.R. 2349), H6273 [20SE]
———establish an ophthalmologic service and Director of Ophthalmologic Services in the Veterans Health Administration (see H.R. 3216), H6976 [14OC]
———improve certain laws relative to employment and training of veterans (see H.R. 2433), H4795 [8JY]
———improve provision of rehabilitative services for veterans with traumatic brain injury (see H.R. 1855), H3218 [11MY]
———repeal requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation (see H.R. 178), H1180 (see H.R. 178), H1199 [17FE]
———require a policy on reporting and tracking sexual assaults and other safety incidents occurring at departmental medical facilities (see H.R. 2074), H4188 [14JN]
Depts. of Defense and Veterans Affairs: make payments for certain treatments of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (see H.R. 396), H8881 [13DE]
District of Columbia: restore right to keep and bear arms (see H.R. 645), H1908 [16MR]
Drugs: ban the sale of certain synthetic drugs (see H.R. 1571), H2909 [15AP]
Economy: provide growth through small business tax relief, research and innovation, veterans' business incentives, regulatory relief, support for high-skilled workers, and counterfeiting enforcement (see H.R. 3476), H7929 [29NO]
EPA: prohibit certain exports of electronic waste (see H.R. 2284), H9432 [15DE]
European Union: urge to maintain arms embargo against China (see H. Res. 356), H7627 [15NO]
Export Administration Act: renew (see H.R. 2122), H7830 [17NO]
Federal agencies and departments: provide that major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law (see H.R. 10), H7399 [4NO]
FEMA: extend authorization of National Flood Insurance Program to achieve reforms to improve financial integrity of program and increase role of private markets in management of flood insurance risk (see H.R. 1309), H3304 [13MY]
Financial institutions: provide certain credit unions with the authority to make additional member business loans (see H.R. 1418), H3987 [2JN]
Firearms: establish national standard to allow State concealed handgun carrying licenses to be valid in other States (see H.R. 822), H1770 [11MR]
———update certain procedures applicable to commerce in firearms and remove certain Federal restrictions on interstate firearms transactions (see H.R. 58), H2039 [29MR]
Fish and fishing: permit eligible fishermen to approve certain limited access privilege programs (see H.R. 2772), H7009 [24OC]
Foreign policy: ensure that U.S. policy reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity on human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide (see H. Res. 304), H5127 [15JY]
———establish guidelines for U.S. foreign assistance programs (see H.R. 3159), H6853 [12OC]
FRS: require an audit of the Board of Governors and Federal reserve banks (see H.R. 459), H507 [26JA]
Government: provide that the public debt limit shall not affect timely payment of certain Social Security, public debt, defense, veterans, and Medicare obligations (see H.R. 2534), H5782 [29JY]
Great Britain: encourage return of Parthenon Marbles to Greece (see H. Con. Res. 54), H3409 [24MY]
Greece: recognize and appreciate significance, heroism, and sacrifice of the people of Crete during World War II and commend the PanCretan Association of America (see H. Res. 179), H1985 [17MR]
Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund: ensure that amounts credited are used for harbor maintenance (see H.R. 104), H5897 [5AU]
Harry T. and Harriette Moore Post Office, Cocoa, FL: designate (see H.R. 2338), H4527 [23JN]
Health: prohibit misleading and deceptive advertising or representation in the provision of health care services and require identification of the license of health care professionals (see H.R. 451), H1580 [4MR]
———repeal mandate that employers provide health insurance for employees (see H.R. 1744), H7399 [4NO]
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act: repeal health-care related provisions (see H.R. 2), H33 [5JA]
Holder, Attorney General: express no confidence due to lack of monitoring and actions during investigation into whistleblower allegations relative to operations transferring firearms to drug cartels (see H. Res. 490), H8727 [12DE]
Horne, Lena Calhoun: award Congressional Gold Medal posthumously (see H.R. 1815), H9946 [19DE]
Immigration: gain operational control of the border, reaffirm State and local law enforcement authority to enforce Federal immigration laws, and strengthen visa security (see H.R. 1274), H2935 [2MY]
———refuse or revoke visas to aliens if in U.S. security or foreign policy interests, review all visa applications before adjudication, and disseminate visa revocation information (see H.R. 1741), H3106 [5MY]
Insurance: provide for cooperative governing of individual health insurance coverage offered in interstate commerce (see H.R. 371), H5019 [13JY]
Iran: condemn persecution of Baha'is and continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights, impose sanctions for such violations, and call for release of religious prisoners (see H. Res. 134), H4460 [22JN]
———strengthen sanctions to compel Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and other threatening activities (see H.R. 1905), H4530 [23JN]
Labor unions: protect the free choice of individual employees relative to participation in labor organizations (see H.R. 2040), H7399 [4NO]
Languages: repeal Executive order on providing access to Federal programs and activities for persons with limited English proficiency (see H.R. 1307), H2265 [1AP]
Law enforcement: grant limited immunity for reports of suspected terrorist activity or suspicious behavior and response (see H.R. 495), H508 [26JA]
———reform the ATF, modernize firearms laws and regulations, and protect the community from criminals (see H.R. 1093), H3111 [5MY]
Libya: disapprove U.S. intervention (see H. Con. Res. 58), H3985 [2JN]
Medicare: ensure continued access of beneficiaries to diagnostic imaging services (see H.R. 3269), H8077 [1DE]
———repeal competitive acquisition program for durable medical equipment and prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) in a budget neutral manner (see H.R. 1041), H2109 [30MR]
Members of Congress: prevent payment if the public debt limit is reached and clarify pay would not be recouped retroactively (see H.R. 2653), H5782 [29JY]
Mexico: apply counterinsurgency tactics under a coordinated and targeted strategy to combat terrorist insurgency waged by transnational criminal organizations (see H.R. 3401), H8728 [12DE]
Middle East: reaffirm support for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and oppose a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state (see H. Res. 268), H4076 [13JN]
National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record: provide an amnesty period during which veterans and their families can register certain firearms (see H.R. 420), H1797 [14MR]
National Mediation Board: apply the same procedures, including voting standards, to direct decertification of a labor organization as is applied to elections to certify a representative (see H.R. 3538), H8075 [1DE]
National security: improve border security (see H.R. 1299), H2214 [31MR]
———improve efforts to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from an attack with a weapon of mass destruction (see H.R. 2356), H4573 [24JN]
New Zealand: express condolences to those affected by earthquake and pledge support in rescue and recovery efforts (see H. Res. 139), H1727 [10MR]
NLRB: repeal rule requiring employers to post notices relative to the National Labor Relations Act (see H.R. 2854), H6183 [14SE]
OAS: withhold a percentage of U.S. contributions for every permanent council meeting held where provisions of the Inter-American Democratic Charter are not invoked relative to Venezuelan constitutional reforms (see H.R. 2542), H8728 [12DE]
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: constitutionality (see H. Res. 475), H7928 [29NO]
———modify special rules relating to coverage of abortion services (see H.R. 358), H394 [20JA]
———repeal (see H.R. 2), H33 [5JA]
———repeal certain limitations on health care benefits (see H.R. 605), H1040 (see H.R. 605), H1071 [16FE]
———repeal provisions providing for the Independent Payment Advisory Board (see H.R. 452), H8262 [7DE]
Public debt: disapprove the President's exercise of authority to increase the debt limit (see H.J. Res. 77), H5964 [7SE]
Public welfare programs: provide information on total spending on means-tested welfare programs, provide additional work requirements, and provide overall spending limit on means-tested welfare programs (see H.R. 1167), H7830 [17NO]
Radioactive substances: apply measures to foreign persons who transfer to Iran, Syria, or North Korea goods, services, or technology that could aid such countries in extracting or milling domestic sources of uranium (see H.R. 2105), H7257 [2NO]
Reverend Abe Brown Post Office Building, Tampa, FL: designate (see H.R. 3276), H9432 [15DE]
Roy Schallern Rood Post Office Building, Jupiter, FL: designate (see H.R. 3637), H8727 [12DE]
Safe Drinking Water Act: amend relative to consumer confidence reports by community water systems (see H.R. 1340), H2266 [1AP]
Schneier, Arthur: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 3252), H7007 [24OC]
Senior citizens: encourage, enhance, and integrate Silver Alert plans throughout the U.S. (see H.R. 112), H2917 [15AP]
Small business: repeal expansion of information reporting requirements for certain payments to corporations (see H.R. 4), H200 [12JA] (see H.R. 144), H38 [5JA]
Social Security: exclude from creditable wages income earned by aliens for services illegally performed in the U.S. or derived from an illegal trade or business (see H.R. 787), H4329 [16JN]
States: provide special standing for State government officials to challenge proposed regulations issued in conjunction with the implementation of Federal laws (see H.R. 455), H506 [26JA]
Taiwan: express concerns relative to impact of China on freedom, security, and stability (see H. Con. Res. 39), H5020 [13JY]
———strengthen and clarify commercial, cultural, and other relations between the U.S. and Taiwan (see H.R. 2918), H6674 [6OC]
Taxation: exempt certain shipping from harbor maintenance tax (see H.R. 1533), H6233 [15SE]
———increase limitation on expensing of certain depreciable assets for certain businesses that hire veterans (see H.R. 2443), H7166 [31OC]
———permanently extend the 15-year recovery period for qualified leasehold improvement property, restaurant property, and retail improvement property (see H.R. 1265), H6043 [9SE]
———prevent further restriction of Federal income tax deduction for interest paid on debt secured by a first or second home (see H. Res. 25), H6140 [13SE]
———promote charitable donations of qualified vehicles (see H.R. 860), H4037 [3JN]
———reduce excise tax rate on beer produced domestically by certain small producers (see H.R. 1236), H4076 [13JN]
———repeal excise tax on medical devices (see H.R. 436), H4459 [22JN]
———repeal income tax, abolish the IRS, and institute a national retail sales tax (see H.R. 25), H33 [5JA]
———repeal withholding tax on Federal, State, and local government contracts (see H.R. 674), H6506 [3OC]
———temporarily provide the work opportunity credit to small businesses which hire unemployed individuals (see H.R. 1663), H4076 [13JN]
Technology: improve laws relative to cybersecurity (see H.R. 3674), H9430 [15DE]
Terrorism: award Congressional Gold Medals in honor of the men and women who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001 (see H.R. 3421), H8262 [7DE]
———award Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Congressional Medal to memorials established at 3 sites honoring individuals killed in terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 (see H.R. 2864), H6140 [13SE]
———include Western Hemisphere in the National Strategy for Counterterrorism's areas of focus with attention on Iran's growing presence and activity (see H. Res. 429), H7009 [24OC]
Tobacco products: clarify FDA jurisdiction over certain tobacco products and protect jobs and small businesses involved in the sale, manufacturing, and distribution of cigars (see H.R. 1639), H4076 [13JN]
Transportation Security Administration: require compliance with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (see H.R. 3670), H8966 [14DE]
Turkey: disapprove issuance of a letter of offer relative to a certain proposed sale of defense articles and services to Turkey (see H.J. Res. 83), H7331 [3NO]
———end religious discrimination, safeguard Christian heritage, and return confiscated church properties (see H. Res. 306), H4277 [15JN]
———urge respect for the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (see H. Res. 180), H1985 [17MR]
Twain, Mark: mint commemorative coins (see H.R. 2453), H8881 [13DE]
U.N.: prohibit funding for the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) (see H.R. 2059), H6626 [5OC]
———promote transparency, accountability, and reform (see H.R. 2829), H6458 [23SE]
U.S. Marshals Service: mint coins in commemoration of anniversary (see H.R. 886), H3870 (see H.R. 886), H3911 [1JN]
Unemployment: require substance abuse risk assessment and targeted drug testing as a condition for receipt of unemployment compensation (see H.R. 3601), H8881 [13DE]
Water pollution: impose penalties and provide for the recovery of removal costs and damages in connection with certain discharges of oil from foreign offshore units (see H.R. 3393), H8320 [8DE]
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day: establish (see H. Res. 184), H1985 [17MR]
World War II: award Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Civil Air Patrol (see H.R. 719), H1844 [15MR]
———award Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines (see H.R. 2447), H6552 [4OC]
———ensure that U.S. courts provide a forum for claims brought against any railroad arising from the deportation of individuals to Nazi concentration camps (see H.R. 1193), H8881 [13DE]
Bills and resolutions introduced
Dept. of Homeland Security: modernize the integrated public alert and warning system to disseminate homeland security and other information (see H.R. 3563), H8186 [6DE]
———strengthen student visa background checks and improve monitoring of foreign students in the U.S. (see H.R. 1211), H2036 [29MR]
Dept. of State: report on whether participants in recent Gaza flotilla attempt should be designated as a terrorist organization and express gratitude to Greece for preventing Gaza flotilla (see H.R. 3131), H6671 [6OC]
Dept. of Veterans Affairs: reinstate criminal penalties for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees (see H.R. 1826), H3217 [11MY]
Depts. of Defense and Veterans Affairs: submit to Congress annual reports on the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program (see H.R. 2274), H4455 [22JN]
District of Columbia: support an appropriate site at the former Navy Dive School at the Washington Navy Yard for a memorial to honor Armed Forces members who have served as divers (see H. Con. Res. 87), H7406 [10NO]
FEMA: ensure continuation of the Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (see H.R. 1411), H2533 [7AP]
National parks and recreation areas: make the National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass available at a discount to members of the Armed Forces and veterans (see H.R. 3335), H7329 [3NO]
Taxation: allow tax credit to businesses who employ members of the National Guard or Ready Reserve for the value of service not performed during active military duty (see H.R. 1570), H2909 [15AP]
———provide a credit for hurricane and tornado mitigation expenditures (see H.R. 2067), H3868 (see H.R. 2067), H3909 [1JN]
Turkey: urge reopening of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Theological School of Halki without condition or further delay (see H. Res. 506), H10015 [20DE]
Unemployment: prevent the payment of unemployment compensation to indviduals discharged for drug or alcohol use (see H.R. 2001), H3753 [26MY]
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), H254 [18JA]
Constitutional authority statements
Dept. of Homeland Security: modernize the integrated public alert and warning system to disseminate homeland security and other information (H.R. 3563), H8187 [6DE]
———strengthen student visa background checks and improve monitoring of foreign students in the U.S. (H.R. 1211), H2037 [29MR]
Dept. of State: report on whether participants in recent Gaza flotilla attempt should be designated as a terrorist organization and express gratitude to Greece for preventing Gaza flotilla (H.R. 3131), H6673 [6OC]
Dept. of Veterans Affairs: reinstate criminal penalties for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees (H.R. 1826), H3219 [11MY]
Depts. of Defense and Veterans Affairs: submit to Congress annual reports on the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program (H.R. 2274), H4458 [22JN]
FEMA: ensure continuation of the Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (H.R. 1411), H2534 [7AP]
National parks and recreation areas: make the National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass available at a discount to members of the Armed Forces and veterans (H.R. 3335), H7331 [3NO]
Taxation: allow tax credit to businesses who employ members of the National Guard or Ready Reserve for the value of service not performed during active military duty (H.R. 1570), H2913 [15AP]
———provide a credit for hurricane and tornado mitigation expenditures (H.R. 2067), H3869, H3910 [1JN]
Unemployment: prevent the payment of unemployment compensation to indviduals discharged for drug or alcohol use (H.R. 2001), H3756 [26MY]
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 (H.R. 303), H255 [18JA]
Remarks
Air Force Sergeants Association: anniversary, E640
Budget: constitutional amendment to require balanced (H.J. Res. 2), H7592 [15NO]
———cut and cap Federal spending, enact balanced budget constitutional amendment, and increase statutory debt limit (H.R. 2560), H5170 [19JY]
Dept. of Veterans Affairs: assess skills of certain employees and managers of the Veterans Benefits Administration (H.R. 2349), E1819
———improve certain laws relative to employment and training of veterans (H.R. 2433), H6684 [11OC], H7271 [3NO]
———reinstate criminal penalties for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees, E1819
Depts. of Defense and Veterans Affairs: submit to Congress annual reports on the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, H6685 [11OC]
Disasters: emergency preparedness planning, E1010
Economy: importance of job creation, H5976 [8SE]
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act: repeal health-care related provisions (H.R. 2), H260 [19JA]
Hillsborough County, FL: tribute to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office program to conduct honor escorts for fallen soldiers, E2294
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: repeal (H.R. 2), H260 [19JA]
Power resources: national energy policy, H3232 [12MY]
Red Cross Month: observance, E579
Refuse disposal: facilitate recovery and beneficial use, and provide for the proper management and disposal, of materials generated by the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels (H.R. 2273), H6942
Small business: repeal expansion of information reporting requirements for certain payments to corporations (H.R. 4), H1464 [2MR]
Taxation: rates, H6685 [11OC]
Votes: position on missed, H1296
Remarks in House relative to
Leave of absence: granted, H3058 [4MY]
Tributes
Freeman, Ronald D., E831
Gross, Frank, E1366
Hale, William, E74
Lechowich, Ivan D., E2190
Musunuru, S.K. Rao, E125
Nesmith, William, E49
Selmon, Lee Roy, E1579
Stott, Nicole Passonno, E720