House Daily Digest — Wednesday, 7/26/2023
The House met at 10 a.m., adjourned at 8:33 p.m.
Wednesday, 7/26/2023 — Activities: 99 – On the Floor: 4 – Votes: 12
Committee — Meetings: 17 (House.gov) • Legislation: Action: 22, Markup: 19, Reported: 1
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D792-D795]
House of Representatives
Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 88 public bills, H.R. 4895-
4952; and 7 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 60; and H. Res. 615-620, were
introduced.
Pages H4028-31
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages H4033-34
[[Page D793]]
Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows: H. Res. 614,
providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4366) making
appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans
Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2024, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the joint
resolution (S.J. Res. 9) providing for congressional disapproval under
chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to `Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened
Status With Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population
Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population
Segment'; and providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J.
Res. 24) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of
title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service relating to “Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Northern Long-Eared
Bat” (H. Rept. 118-158).
Pages H4027-28
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed
Representative Ezell to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H3955
Recess: The House recessed at 11:13 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
Page H3964
Recess: The House recessed at 1:16 p.m. and reconvened at 1:30 p.m.
Page H3974
Suspension--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules
and pass the following measure. Consideration began Tuesday, July 25th.
Soo Locks Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023: H.R. 3399, to
study the security of the Soo Locks and effects on the supply chain
resulting from a malfunction or failure of the Soo Locks.
Page H3976
Recess: The House recessed at 5:17 p.m. and reconvened at 5:45 p.m.
Pages H4007-08
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2024: The House considered H.R. 4366, making
appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans
Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2024. Consideration is expected to resume tomorrow, July 27th.
Pages H3966-76, H3976-H4007, H4008-15
Proceedings postponed on the Wasserman Schultz motion to recommit the
bill to the Committee on Appropriations.
Page H4015
Agreed to:
Carter (TX) en bloc amendment No. 1 consisting of the following
amendments printed in H. Rept. 118-158: Pettersen (No. 4) that
increases and decreases funding for child development centers to
underscore the need for increased investment; Caraveo (No. 5) that
increases and decreases funding for the Veterans Housing Benefit
Program by $2,000,000 to encourage the VA to provide outreach about
housing loans and grants to veterans living in states with high housing
costs; Ogles (No. 6) that increases and decreases funding for the
Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund for the development of improved
informational materials regarding the relative benefits of a VA home
loan versus other types of housing loans for different homebuyer
profiles; Gottheimer (No. 7) that increases and decreases funding for
General Operating Expenses by $1 million to provide support for the
Department of Veterans Affairs' implementation of the U.S. National
Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, including efforts to develop an
education program to highlight contributions of Jewish veterans,
incorporate training on combating antisemitism and other forms of bias,
and ensure VA hospitals accommodate kosher meal requests for inpatient
residents; Gottheimer (No. 8) that increases and decreases funding for
General Operating Expenses by $1 million to provide additional support
for the VA Transition Assistance Program to provide information,
resources, and tools to service members and their families to help
prepare for the move from military to civilian life; Norton (No. 9)
that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for the Veterans
Benefits Administration to provide support to law school clinical
programs that assist veterans with legal matters; Ross (No. 10) that
increases and decreases funding by $10 million for the VA Education
Benefits Program to provide support and resources to veterans
interested in pursuing undergraduate degrees in STEM fields; Arrington
(No. 11) that increases and decreases funding in the VA administrative
account “Purchased Long-Term Services and Supports,” in order to
emphasize the prioritization of resources and reduce improper payments;
Boebert (No. 12) that increases and decreases funding for the Veterans
Health Administration to redirect more resources to the Staff Sergeant
Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, suicide prevention,
veteran's telehealth, and rural health; Caraveo (No. 13) that increases
and decreases funding for the VA Office of Rural Health by $10,000,000
to encourage the Office to increase efforts to improve transportation
for veterans living in rural areas who need consistent access to health
care services; Carbajal (No. 14) that increases and decreases funding
for VA Medical Services by $5,000,000 to express the intent that
additional funding could be used to improve telephone services at
Community Based Outpatient Clinics;
[[Page D794]]
Gluesenkamp Perez (No. 15) that increases and decreases funding by $1
million for the Veterans Health Administration for the purposes of
submitting a report to Congress on the efforts of the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to ensure access to health care for veterans residing
in geographic proximity to a Department of Veterans Affairs community-
based outpatient clinic subject to closure; Hudson (No. 16) that
increases funding for the Department of Veteran Affairs Veterans Crisis
Line by $10,000,000, and reduces the General Administration account by
the corresponding amount; Molinaro (No. 17) that increases and
decreases funding for the Veterans Health Administration by $2m to
emphasize the importance of assisting veterans with disabilities and
those with mental health and substance abuse challenges; Ogles (No. 18)
that increases and decreases funding for medical services at the
Veterans Health Administration for the treatment of post-traumatic
stress disorder in veterans; Pettersen (No. 19) that increases and
decreases the Medical Services Account by $10,000,000 to emphasize the
importance of medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders
beyond alcoholism; Ross (No. 20) that increases and decreases by $1
million the budget for the VA Center for Women Veterans to support
research on postpartum depression among veterans who served in active
duty combat and to develop recommendations and services to address
postpartum depression in this population; Ogles (No. 22) that increases
and decreases funding for the Veterans Health Administration's medical
community care account to increase accessibility for in-home health
care services for veterans; Gluesenkamp Perez (No. 23) that increases
and decreases funding for Department of Veterans Affairs medical
support and compliance for the purpose of requiring the Secretary of
the Department of Veterans Affairs to update Patient Experience Compare
Data published on a public website to ensure that the data is broken
down and displayed by county; Boebert (No. 25) that redirects funds
from the General Administration account to increase resources for
medical and prosthetic research for veterans; Boebert (No. 26) that
redirects funds from the General Administration fund to the National
Cemetery Administration to increase burial access for veterans; Boebert
(No. 27) that redirects resources from the General Administration fund
to provide more resources for the Board of Veterans' Appeals to help
reduce its backlog and process veterans' claims more quickly; Boebert
(No. 28) that redirects funds from the General Administration fund to
the Grants for Construction of Veterans Cemeteries program to assists
states, territories, and tribal governments in providing gravesites for
veterans in areas where a veteran cannot be buried in a VA national
cemetery; Boebert (No. 29) that redirects resources from the General
Administration fund to provide grants and more resources for
construction of state extended care facilities for veterans; Gottheimer
(No. 30) that increases and decreases funding for Departmental
Administration by $1 million to provide support for the Veterans
Experience Office to better inform separating service members and
veterans about their benefits; Tlaib (No. 31) that reduces the General
Administration account by $5 million and increases the VA State Home
Construction Grant Program by $5 million; Zinke (No. 32) that reduces
funding for VA IT personnel by $5 million and increases funding for
Grants for Construction of State Extended Care Facilities by $5
million; Molinaro (No. 33) that increases and decreases funding for the
VA electronic health record by $1m to emphasize the importance of
modernizing its system to help transitioning veterans access and
receive quality care at VA facilities;
Pages H3994-96
Bergman amendment (No. 24 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that increases
and decreases the Medical and Prosthetic Research account at the
Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure the VA conducts large-scale
studies into the efficacy of drugs that have FDA-designated
Breakthrough Therapy status to treat post-traumatic stress disorder
through VA-administered drug assisted therapy trials;
Page H3996
Mast amendment (No. 36 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prevents the
VA from interfering with a veteran's ability to participate in a legal
state medical cannabis program, deny service to such a veteran, or
limit health care providers' ability to make appropriate
recommendations of this treatment option for veterans;
Pages H4000-02
Ryan amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that increases and
decreases funding $103 million to Army Military Construction in an
effort to address flooding damage at the United States Military Academy
at West Point (by a recorded vote of 394 ayes to 19 noes, Roll No.
369);
Pages H3992, H4008
Bost amendment (No. 35 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prohibits
the VA from using funds to submit a beneficiary's name to the NICS list
based on VA's appointment of a fiduciary (by a recorded vote of 228
ayes to 206 noes, Roll No. 373);
Pages H3997-H4000, H4011
Rosendale amendment (No. 37 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that
prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act from enforcing
any COVID-19 mask mandates (by a recorded vote of 223 ayes to 211 noes,
Roll No. 374);
Pages H4002-03, H4011-12
Roy amendment (No. 38 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prohibits
funds made available by
[[Page D795]]
this Act from being used to carry out VHA Directive 1193.01,
“Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination Program for Veterans Health
Administration Health Care Personnel” (by a recorded vote of 224 ayes
to 210 noes, Roll No. 375);
Pages H4003-04, H4012-13
Roy amendment (No. 39 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) none of the funds
appropriated by this Act may be used to modify or remove any VA display
of the mission statement, “To fulfill President Lincoln's promise `to
care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and
his orphan' by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's
veterans.” (by a recorded vote of 221 ayes to 212 noes, Roll No. 376);
Pages H4004-05, H4013
Roy amendment (No. 40 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prohibits
funds in this act from being used to carry out Biden's climate change
executive orders (by a recorded vote of 220 ayes to 214 noes, Roll No.
377); and
Pages H4005-07, H4013-14
Zinke amendment (No. 41 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that prohibits
funding for administering, implementing, or enforcing Executive Order
14057 (Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal
Sustainability) (by a recorded vote of 222 ayes to 212 noes, Roll No.
378).
Pages H4007, H4014
Rejected:
Ogles amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that sought to
transfer $3 million from NATO's Security Investment Program to the
Spending Reduction Account at the end of the bill (by a recorded vote
of 99 ayes to 327 noes, Roll No. 370);
Pages H3992-93, H4009
Greene (GA) amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that sought
to cut the $73 million increase in funding for the NATO Security
Investment Program (by a recorded vote of 83 ayes to 347 noes, Roll No.
371); and
Pages H3993-94, H4009-10
Greene (GA) amendment (No. 34 printed in H. Rept. 118-158) that
sought to strike funding for the Office of Resolution Management,
Diversity and Inclusion (by a recorded vote of 204 ayes to 227 noes,
Roll No. 372).
Pages H3996-97, H4010-11
H. Res. 614, amended, the rule providing for consideration of the
bill (H.R. 4366) and the joint resolutions (S.J. Res. 9) and (S.J. Res.
24) was agreed to by a recorded vote of 217 ayes to 206 noes, Roll No.
368, after the previous question was ordered on the resolution and the
amendment by a yea-and-nay vote of 208 yeas to 191 nays, Roll No. 367.
Pages H3974-75, H3975-76
Quorum Calls--Votes: One yea-and-nay vote and twelve recorded votes
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H3974,
H3974-75, H3975, H4008, H4009, H4009-10, H4010, H4011, H4011-12, H4012,
H4013, H4013-14, and H4014.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 8:33 p.m. Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue
HOUSE
Blunt Rochester, Lisa, Del., E725
Cammack, Kat, Fla., E729
Castro, Joaquin, Tex., E721
Courtney, Joe, Conn., E723
Crockett, Jasmine, Tex., E722
Davis, Danny K., Ill., E722, E727
Escobar, Veronica, Tex., E726
Fitzpatrick, Brian K., Pa., E730
Garamendi, John, Calif., E726
Garcia Robert, Calif., E724
Hudson, Richard, N.C., E729
Huffman, Jared, Calif., E724
Jayapal, Pramila, Wash., E725
Kaptur, Marcy, Ohio, E724
Kean, Thomas M., N.J., E728
Kim, Andy, N.J., E721
Luttrell, Morgan, Tex., E728
McCaul, Michael T., Tex., E728
McHenry, Patrick T., N.C., E726
Nunn, Zachary, Iowa, E725
Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman, American Samoa, E724
Schiff, Adam B., Calif., E721, E722, E723, E725, E726, E727, E729, E730
Sewell, Terri A., Ala., E722
Wenstrup, Brad R., Ohio, E727
Wilson, Frederica S., Fla., E721, E729
Wittman, Robert J., Va., E728
Yakym, Rudy III, Ind., E728