The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“House of Representatives” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the Daily Digest section on pages D1461-D1463 on Nov. 1, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
House of Representatives
Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 29 public bills, H.R. 4039-
4067; 3 private bills, H.R. 4068-4070; and 6 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 245; and H. Res. 788-792, were introduced.
Pages H12453-55
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages H12455-56
Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows: H.R. 2857, to reauthorize and reform the national service laws, with an amendment (H. Rept. 110-420).
Page H12453
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed Representative Weiner to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today.
Page H12387
Journal: The House agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal by a recorded vote of 227 ayes to 187 noes with 1 voting ``present'', Roll No. 1029.
Pages H12396-97
Committee Elections: The House agreed to H. Res. 788, electing the following Member to serve on certain committees of the House of Representatives: Committee on Armed Services: Representative Tsongas
(to rank immediately after Representative Giffords). Committee on the Budget: Representative Tsongas (to rank immediately after Representative McGovern).
Page H12397
Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007: The House passed H.R. 2262, to modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain lands, consistent with the principles of self-initiation of mining claims, by a yea-and-nay vote of 244 yeas to 166 nays, Roll No. 1033.
Pages H12397-H12432
Rejected the Pearce motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Natural Resources with instructions to report the same back to the House promptly with amendments, by a yea-and-nay vote of 170 yeas to 240 nays, Roll No. 1032.
Pages H12430-31
Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule.
Page H12410
Agreed by unanimous consent that during the consideration of H.R. 2262, the Rahall manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 110-
416) is modified by the form placed at the desk.
Pages H12420-21 Accepted:
Rahall modified manager's amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 110-
416) that clarifies that ``valid existing rights'' associated with existing mining claims would be protected under the Act. It clarifies that in addition to paying a 4% royalty, existing operations will still need to come into compliance with the Act within 10 years; clarifies that the claim maintenance and location fees currently allotted to administration of the mining laws will continue to be so allotted, with the balance going to clean-up of abandoned hardrock mines, subject to appropriations; clarifies that user fees assessed by the BLM to process mining permit applications will be used for administration of the mining law program; limits the purview of section 504-citizen suits to permits issued pursuant to title III of the Act; and finally, clarifies that nothing under the Act will affect the sovereign immunity of any Indian Tribe;
Page H12421
Matsui amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that states that river watershed areas may be considered as eligible and as priorities to receive funding from the Abandoned Locatable Minerals Mine Reclamation Fund; and
Pages H12422-23
Heller (NV) amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that redirects 50 percent of the funds deposited into the Hardrock Reclamation Fund to states in proportion to the royalty funds generated there.
Pages H12423-24
Rejected:
Pearce amendment (No. 7 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that sought to establish the Mineral Commodity Information Administration into a role in the Department of the Interior. This administration would have the Minerals Information Team (MIT) to collect, analyze, and disseminate information on the domestic and international supply of, and demand for, minerals and mineral materials critical to the U.S economy and national security. The amendment would have removed the MIT from under the U.S. Geological Survey and established it as a stand-alone agency within the Department of the Interior and would have increased MIT's staff in order to perform the new and expanded functions authorized in the amendment;
Pages H12425-28
Pearce amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that sought to strike the definition of ``undue degradation'' in the legislation (by a recorded vote of 173 ayes to 244 noes, Roll No. 1030); and
Pages H12421-22, H12428
Cannon amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 110-416) that sought to strike section 517--Mineral materials (by a recorded vote of 175 ayes to 240 noes, Roll No. 1031).
Pages H12424-25, H12429
Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical and conforming changes to reflect the actions of the House.
Page H12432
H. Res. 780, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was agreed to by a recorded vote of 224 ayes to 195 noes, Roll No. 1028, after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 221 yeas to 194 nays, Roll No. 1027.
Pages H12389-96
Meeting Hour: Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, November 5th for morning hour debate.
Page H12435
Providing for a recess of the House for a joint meeting to receive His Excellency Nicholas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic: Agreed by unanimous consent that it may be in order at any time on Wednesday, November 7, 2007, for the Speaker to declare a recess, subject to the call of the chair, for the purpose of receiving in joint meeting His Excellency Nicholas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic.
Page H12435
Calendar Wednesday: Agreed by unanimous consent to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday business of Wednesday, November 7th.
Page H12435
Providing for consideration of a Presidential veto: Agreed by unanimous consent that if a message transmitting a Presidential veto is laid before the House on Monday, November 5, 2007, then after the message is read and the objections of the President are spread at large upon the Journal, further consideration of the veto message and the bill shall be postponed until the following day, Tuesday, November 6, 2007.
Page H12435
Presidential Message: Read a message from the President wherein he notified Congress of the continuation of the national emergency declared with respect to Sudan--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered printed (H. Doc. 110-70).
Page H12435
Senate Messages: Message received from the Senate today and message received from the Senate by the Clerk and subsequently presented to the House today appear on page H12387.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes and four recorded votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H12395-
96, H12396, H12397, H12428-29, H12429, H12431 and H12431-32 . There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 5:41 p.m.
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