VELA, FILEMON (a Representative from Texas)

Appointments

Conferee: H.R. 2642, Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act, H6557 [12OC]

Bills and resolutions cosponsored

American Fighter Aces: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 685), H7253 [19NO]

Armed Forces: appropriate funds necessary to ensure that civilian and contractor personnel, Coast Guard, and Reserve components continue to receive pay during a Government shutdown (see H.R. 3232), H6290 [4OC]

——— award Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the Borinqueneers (see H.R. 1726), H7188 [18NO]

——— exempt retired pay of certain disabled veterans from full working-age military retiree cost-of-living adjustment and prevent adverse impact of such adjustment on Survivor Benefit Plan annuities (see H.R. 3789), H8125 [19DE]

——— restore full working-age military retiree cost-of-living adjustment (see H.R. 3790), H8125 [19DE]

——— restore full working-age military retiree cost-of-living adjustment by closing tax loopholes for offshore corporations (see H.R. 3793), H8125 [19DE]

Aviation: require individuals seeking training in the operation of certain aircraft be checked against the terrorist watchlist (see H.R. 1245), H2299 [24AP]

Budget: eliminate sequestration (see H.R. 900), H2535 [8MY]

C.W. Bill Young Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bay Pines, FL: designate (see H.R. 3302), H6674 [22OC]

Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund: establish (see H.R. 853), H3096 [4JN]

Civil rights: award a Congressional Gold Medal to Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley honoring the 50th anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing (see H.R. 360), H455 [12FE]

——— improve remedies for discrimination in the payment of wages based on sex (see H.R. 377), H1993 [12AP]

——— prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity (see H.R. 1755), H2571 [9MY]

Coast Guard: mint coins in commemoration (see H.R. 2932), H6545 [11OC]

Credit: improve definitions of points and fees in connection with a mortgage transaction (see H.R. 1077), H3654 [14JN]

Crime: remove knowledge of age as an element of the offense for sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud, or coercion (see H.R. 1690), H2571 [9MY]

Dept. of Agriculture: expand coverage under crop insurance plans to include losses to an insured commodity that must be destroyed due to a federally-imposed quarantine (see H.R. 1319), H3688 [17JN]

——— extend period during which Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are temporarily increased (see H.R. 3108), H6493 [10OC]

——— oppose any legislation or Committee on Agriculture (House) proposal to reduce Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (see H. Res. 90), H2840 [21MY]

——— repeal a duplicative inspection and grading program for catfish (see H.R. 1313), H3097 [4JN]

——— require Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits be calculated with reference to the cost of the low-cost food plan as determined by the Dept. (see H.R. 2384), H3652 [14JN]

Dept. of Defense: declare the attack at Fort Hood, TX, a terrorist attack and ensure victims of such attack and their families receive the same honors and benefits as those killed or wounded in overseas combat zones (see H.R. 3111), H5587 [17SE]

——— provide certain TRICARE beneficiaries with opportunity to retain access to TRICARE Prime (see H.R. 1971), H3016 [3JN]

Dept. of Education: extend the reduced interest rate for Federal Direct Stafford Loans (see H.R. 1433), H1857 [9AP] (see H.R. 1595), H2123 [17AP]

——— require certain institutions of higher education to provide notice of tuition levels for students (see H.R. 2020), H2914 [22MY]

Dept. of HHS: authorize grants to provide treatment for diabetes within minority communities (see H.R. 3591), H7353 [21NO]

——— establish Frontline Providers Loan Repayment Program (see H.R. 702), H2396 [26AP]

——— increase number of permanent faculty in palliative care at allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools, and other programs, and promote education in palliative care and hospice (see H.R. 1339), H4370 [10JY]

——— provide for the participation of physical therapists in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (see H.R. 1252), H7394 [2DE]

——— provide liability protections for volunteer practitioners at health centers (see H.R. 2703), H4597 [17JY]

——— revise and extend projects relating to children and violence to provide access to school-based comprehensive mental health programs (see H.R. 628), H499 [13FE]

Dept. of Homeland Security: provide emergency funding for port of entry personnel and infrastructure (see H.R. 3753), H8108 [12DE]

Dept. of Labor: list employers that relocate call centers overseas, make such companies ineligible for Federal grants and loans, and require call center employees to disclose their physical location (see H.R. 2909), H6902 [29OC]

Dept. of the Interior: provide technical or financial assistance to Hispanic-serving institutions for the establishment of historic preservation training and degree programs (see H.R. 3178), H6053 [30SE]

Dept. of the Treasury: use a portion of civil fines collected for Bank Secrecy Act violations to make grants to community financial institutions to improve compliance with such Act (see H.R. 3700), H7687 [11DE]

Dept. of Transportation: modify minimum levels of financial responsibility for the transportation of property (see H.R. 2730), H4827 [19JY]

——— set separate performance measures for motorized and non-motorized safety and allow States to set their own safety targets and to choose the best methods to meet them (see H.R. 3494), H7508 [4DE]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: clarify presumptions relating to exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of Vietnam (see H.R. 543), H3253 [6JN]

——— deem certain service in the organized military forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts to have been active service for benefit purposes (see H.R. 1452), H3097 [4JN]

——— ensure South Texas Veterans Affairs Health Care Center in Harlingen, TX, includes a full-service inpatient health care facility (see H.R. 552), H411 [6FE]

——— 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. 32), H3015 [3JN]

Diplomatic Security Act: revise provisions relative to Accountability Review Board personnel recommendations (see H.R. 925), H1993 [12AP]

Discrimination: condemn discrimination, hate crimes, racism, bigotry, bullying and brutal violence perpetrated against Sikh-Americans, and all acts of vandalism against Sikh Gurdwaras in the U.S. (see H. Res. 328), H5399 [2AU]

Diseases: foster more effective implementation and coordination of clinical care for people with pre-diabetes and diabetes (see H.R. 1074), H2604 [14MY]

Doolittle Tokyo Raiders: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 1209), H2125 [17AP]

Education: increase access to adult education to provide for economic growth (see H.R. 3697), H8113 [12DE]

Electric power: provide for an independent assessment of the future resilience and reliability of the electric power transmission and distribution system (see H.R. 2962), H5477 [10SE]

EPA: amend the renewable fuel program to allow domestic alternative fuel to be used to satisfy a portion of the required applicable volume of renewable fuel (see H.R. 1959), H2602 [14MY]

FAA: modify appropriations (see H.R. 1432), H2067 [16AP]

Federal firefighters: provide that hours worked by Federal firefighters under a qualified trade-of-time arrangement shall be excluded for overtime pay (see H.R. 1141), H2604 [14MY]

Federal Interagency Working Group on Reducing Poverty: establish (see H.R. 2182), H2954 [23MY]

FEMA: delay increases in flood insurance premium rates under the National Flood Insurance Program until completion of affordability study, provide certain reimbursements, and accurately determine flood risk (see H.R. 3370), H6901 [29OC]

Financial institutions: improve examination of depository institutions (see H.R. 1553), H3216 [5JN]

Financial literacy: provide incentives to encourage financial institutions and small businesses to provide continuing financial education to customers, borrowers, and employees (see H.R. 1538), H2125 [17AP]

Foreign trade: allow public-private partnerships to fund additional staffing and alternative financing for infrastructure improvements at land border ports of entry (see H.R. 1108), H1394 [13MR]

——— require foreign manufacturers of products imported into the U.S. to establish registered agents in the U.S. who are authorized to accept service of process against such manufacturers (see H.R. 1910), H2567 [9MY]

Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund: ensure that receipts are fully spent on U.S. ports and harbors (see H. Res. 236), H3016 [3JN]

Health: create a patient-centered quality of care initiative for seriously ill patients (see H.R. 1666), H4370 [10JY]

Horse Protection Act: designate additional unlawful acts, strengthen penalties for violations, and improve Dept. of Agriculture enforcement (see H.R. 1518), H5922 [27SE]

House of Representatives: encourage Speaker to immediately request a conference and appoint conferees to complete fiscal year 2014 budget resolution with the Senate (see H. Res. 174), H2536 [8MY]

Housing Act: revise census data and population requirements for areas to be considered rural areas (see H.R. 858), H2164 [19AP]

Human rights: provide protections for sexually exploited and trafficked girls in the U.S. and create criminal or civil penalties for anyone who buys or sells a child through a system of child trafficking (see H. Res. 387), H6675 [22OC]

Immigration: reform (see H.R. 3163), H5801 [20SE]

Iran: impose additional human rights and economic and financial sanctions to compel Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons (see H.R. 850), H1837 [25MR]

Israel: strengthen strategic alliance with the U.S. (see H.R. 938), H1837 [25MR]

Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act: authorize additional projects and activities (see H.R. 832), H659 [26FE]

Mandela, Nelson R.: tribute (see H. Res. 434), H7689 [11DE]

Marine Turtle Conservation Act: reauthorize (see H.R. 1329), H1861 [9AP]

Medicare: distribute additional residency positions (see H.R. 1180), H2775 [17MY]

——— increase diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to improve care and outcomes (see H.R. 1507), H7311 [20NO]

——— reduce incidence of diabetes among beneficiaries (see H.R. 962), H981 [5MR]

——— repeal outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps (see H.R. 713), H7628 [10DE]

Medicare/Medicaid: delay implementation schedule of the reductions of disproportionate share hospital payments (see H.R. 1920), H2840 [21MY]

Mental Health Month: designate (see H. Res. 212), H2574 [13MY]

Mining and mineral resources: protect health care and pension benefits of miners (see H.R. 980), H3096 [4JN]

National Park Service: mint coins in commemoration of anniversary (see H.R. 627), H2125 [17AP]

National Principals Month: designate (see H. Res. 353), H5834 [25SE]

Parks, Rosa: tribute (see H. Res. 54), H371 [5FE]

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: delay implementation of the individual health insurance mandate and penalties for violating such mandate until Federal enrollment website is fully functional (see H.R. 3425), H6953 [30OC]

Paul Brown U.S. Courthouse, Sherman, TX: designate (see H.R. 185), H2485 [7MY]

Postal Service: ensure continuation of 6-day mail delivery service (see H. Res. 30), H504 [13FE]

——— provide for the computation of normal-cost percentage for postal employees as a separate and distinct class and the disposition of certain excess retirement contributions (see H.R. 961), H1861 [9AP]

——— recalculate and restore retirement annuity obligations, eliminate Retiree Health Benefits Fund prefunding requirement, restrict closure of facilities, create innovation incentives, and maintain level of service (see H.R. 630), H1860 [9AP]

——— reinstate overnight delivery standards for market-dominant products (see H.R. 2459), H3988 [20JN]

Power resources: require approval of construction, operation, or maintenance of oil or natural gas pipelines or electric transmission facilities at U.S. borders for import or export (see H.R. 3301), H6674 [22OC]

Privacy: reform Federal authority to require production of business records, conduct surveillance, and certain forms of information gathering for foreign intelligence, counterterrorism, and criminal purposes (see H.R. 3361), H7447 [3DE]

Puerto Rico: set forth the process to be admitted as a State (see H.R. 2000), H5348 [1AU]

Sabin Vaccine Institute: anniversary (see H. Res. 114), H1396 [13MR]

Schools: end discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity in public schools (see H.R. 1652), H2571 [9MY]

——— require local school wellness policies to include a requirement that students receive a certain amount of school nutrition education per school year (see H.R. 1500), H1956 [11AP]

Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building, Burleson, TX: designate (see H.R. 3060), H5399 [2AU]

Social Security: prevent use of chained consumer price index (CPI) to calculate the cost-of-living adjustments in benefits (see H. Con. Res. 34), H2159 [18AP]

Taxation: allow Head Start teachers the same above-the-line deduction for supplies as is allowed to elementary and secondary school teachers (see H.R. 2141), H3097 [4JN]

——— establish ABLE accounts to pay for qualified disability expenses of family members with disabilities (see H.R. 647), H500 [13FE]

——— exclude from gross income the administratively uncontrollable overtime of Border Patrol agents (see H.R. 2755), H4825 [19JY]

——— extend and modify the American Opportunity Tax Credit (see H.R. 1738), H2350 [25AP]

——— extend and modify the railroad track maintenance credit (see H.R. 721), H4309 [9JY]

——— make permanent the deduction of State and local general sales taxes (see H.R. 2854), H5477 [10SE]

Telephones: restrict any State or local jurisdiction from imposing a new discriminatory tax on cell phone services, providers, or property (see H.R. 2309), H7628 [10DE]

Typhoons: express condolences and support to victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (see H. Res. 408), H7153 [15NO]

Veterans: clarify that individuals who attended a military preparatory school but never joined the Armed Forces may not claim veteran status for purposes of contracting preferences and benefits (see H.R. 3469), H7253 [19NO]

——— ensure education and training received by Armed Forces members and veterans better assists them in obtaining civilian certifications and licenses (see H.R. 1796), H2656 [15MY]

——— 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), H3015 [3JN] (see H.R. 333), H4080 [26JN]

Violence Against Women Act: reauthorize (see H.R. 11), H504 [13FE]

World War II: award Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Civil Air Patrol (see H.R. 755), H3654 [14JN]

Bills and resolutions introduced

Dept. of State: require report on water sharing with Mexico (see H.R. 1863), H2484 [7MY] (see H.R. 2307), H3256 [10JN]

National security: enhance safety of U.S. ports of entry (see H.R. 583), H413 [6FE]

Constitutional authority statements

Dept. of State: require report on water sharing with Mexico (H.R. 1863), H2485 [7MY]

——— require report on water sharing with Mexico (H.R. 2307), H3256 [10JN]

National security: enhance safety of U.S. ports of entry (H.R. 583), H416 [6FE]

Remarks

Agriculture: tribute to year’s first bale of cotton, E1135• [25JY]

Brownsville, TX: tribute to Charro Days Fiesta, E193• [26FE]

Foreign aid: assist in economic development and job creation in Mexico and foster trade relationship, H4070 [26JN]

Garcia, Juliet V.: Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas Award of Distinction recipient, E1212• [2AU]

Immigration: reform, H4070, H4074 [26JN]

Kleberg County, TX: anniversary, E1306• [12SE]

Mexico: alleged kidnapping of Armando Torres, E1090• [18JY]

National security: improve border security, H4070, H4074 [26JN]

Raymondville, TX: tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish students for participation in Diocese of Brownsville, TX, Mobile Journalist Project, E568• [26AP]

Vietnamese Conflict: tribute to 26th Marine Regiment, Hotel Company, 2d Platoon, 1st Squad for recovery of Russian SA–2 missile, H6572 [14OC]

Votes: position on missed, H3879• [19JN]

Yanez, Eduardo: Mr. Amigo Association ‘‘Mr. Amigo’’ award recipient, E193• [26FE]

Tributes

Arguelles, Ruben, E1309• [12SE]

Moron, Concepcion, E1869• [12DE]