![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.489583333333333in"
height="1.15625in"}**Legislative
Bulletin............................................October 9, 2007**

> **Contents:**
>
> **H.R. 1124** --- To extend the District of Columbia College Access
> Act of 1999
>
> **H.R. 3308** --- To designate the facility of the United States
> Postal Service located at 216 East Main Street in Atwood, Indiana, as
> the "Lance Corporal David K. Fribley Post Office"
>
> **H.R. 3518 ---** To designate the facility of the United States
> Postal Service located at 1430 South Highway 29 in Cantonment,
> Florida, as the "Charles H. Hendix Post Office Building"
>
> **H.R. 3530 ---** To designate the facility of the United States
> Postal Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in Inverness, Florida,
> as the "Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post Office Building"
>
> **H.Res. 588 ---** Recognizing Martha Coffin Wright on the 200th
> anniversary of her birth and her induction into the National Women\'s
> Hall of Fame
>
> **H.Res. 630---** Congratulating the Warner Robins Little League
> Baseball Team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2007 Little
> League World Series Championship
>
> **H.Res. 687 ---** Celebrating the 90th birthday of Reverend Theodore
> M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., president emeritus of the University of Notre
> Dame, and honoring his contributions to higher education, the Catholic
> Church, and the advancement of the humanitarian mission
>
> **H.Res. 697** --- Commending Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett
> Favre for establishing a National Football League record for most
> career touchdown passes, and for other purposes
>
> **H.Res. 654** --- Congratulating the Phoenix Mercury for winning the
> 2007 Women\'s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Championship
>
> **H.R. 814** --- Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act
>
> **H.R. 1699** --- Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act
>
> **H.R. 2474** --- To provide for an increased maximum civil penalty
> for violations under the Consumer Product Safety Act
>
> **H.R. 1721** --- Pool and Spa Safety Act
>
> **H.R. 2553** --- Public Diplomacy Resource Centers Act of 2007\
> **H.R. 2185** --- To amend the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of
> 1998 to provide debt relief to developing countries that take action
> to protect forests and coral reefs and associated coastal marine
> ecosystems, to reauthorize such Act through fiscal year 2010, and for
> other purpose
>
> **H.Res. 405 ---** Expressing the strong support of the House of
> Representatives for implementation of the July 8, 2006, United
> Nations-brokered agreement between President of the Republic of Cyprus
> Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat
> relating to the reunification of Cyprus
>
> **H.Res. 651 ---** Recognizing the warm friendship and expanding
> strategic relationship between the United States and Brazil,
> commending Brazil on successfully reducing its dependence on oil by
> finding alternative ways to satisfy its energy needs, and recognizing
> the importance of the March 9, 2007, United States-Brazil Memorandum
> of Understanding (MOU) on biofuels cooperation
>
> **H.Res. 32 ---** Denouncing the practices of female genital
> mutilation, domestic violence, 'honor' killings, acid burning, dowry
> deaths, and other gender-based persecutions and expressing the sense
> of the House of Representatives that participation, protection,
> recognition, and independence of women is crucial to achieving a just,
> moral, and honorable society
>
> **H.R. 400** --- War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2007

**H.R. 1124 --- To extend the District of Columbia College Access Act of
1999 (Davis, R-VA)**

**[Order of Business]{.underline}:** H.R. 1124 scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 1124 would reauthorize, at "such sums"
as necessary, the District of Columbia Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG)
for five years. The bill would prohibit students from families making
more than \$1 million annually from participation in the program.

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: According to committee Report
[110 --
112](http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp110:FLD010:@1(hr112)),
the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 authorizes funding
for D.C. high school graduates who attend college in other states. The
Act was initially proposed and adopted in order to address D.C.'s lack
of a state university system. The Committee Report states that because
D.C. has no university system, residents would be likely to move to
surrounding states in order to take advantage of lower tuition rates.

The program, which expired on September 30, 2007, gives grants to DC
residents attending the following schools:

-   any public colleges outside of DC;

-   any private colleges in DC, Maryland or VA; or

-   any historically black college or university.

Scholarships to students attending public schools are capped at \$10,000
per student per year, and at a \$50,000 lifetime limit per person.
Private school students receive a \$2,500 maximum annual grant, with a
lifetime limit of \$12,500. According to CBO, since its creation, the
program has grown significantly, and D.C. has doubled the total number
of high school graduates attending college.

The bill was also amended (a Coburn amendment) in the Senate to prohibit
funds from going to a family that earns **more than \$1 million
annually.** The unamended version of the bill was passed in the House on
May 14, 2007, by a vote of [268 ---
100](http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll342.xml).

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 1124 was introduced on February
16, 2007, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform. The Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the
District of Columbia, held a hearing on the bill on March 22, 2007. On
March 27, 2007, the subcommittee held a markup forwarded the bill to the
full committee, which held a markup on March 29, 2007, and reported the
bill by voice vote. On May 14, 2007, the House passed the bill by a roll
call vote of [268 --- 100](http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll342.xml).
The bill was received in the Senate on May 15, 2007, and was passed,
with an amendment, by a vote of [96 ---
0](http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00338)
on September 18, 2007.

**[Possible Conservative Concern]{.underline}**: **Some conservatives
may be concerned that this federally-funded program provides tuition
assistance grants [only]{.underline} to D.C students, and that a local
effort such as this should be funded by the DC government, and not
taxpayers across the country.  In addition, some conservatives may be
concerned that the legislation authorizes \$208 million and is being
considered on the suspension calendar, and is therefore not open to
amendments.**

**[RSC Bonus Fact]{.underline}**: According to the U.S. Census Bureau,
47.9 percent of D.C. residents have bachelor's degrees or higher, which
is more than any state.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: According to a CBO estimate, H.R.
1124 would authorize \$30 million in FY08, and \$208 million over a five
year period. However, CBO also states that costs may very well exceed
this amount.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: Committee Report [110 --
112](http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp110:FLD010:@1(hr112))
cites Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the Constitution, which gives
Congress the authority to "exercise exclusive legislation" over the
District of Columbia.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.R. 3308 --- To designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 216 East Main Street in Atwood, Indiana, as the
"Lance Corporal David K. Fribley Post Office" (Souder, R-IN)**

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: The bill is scheduled for
consideration on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 3308 would designate the facility of the
United States Postal Service located at 216 East Main Street in Atwood,
Indiana, as the "Lance Corporal David K. Fribley Post Office.

**[Additional Background]{.underline}**: According to the Department of
Defense, Lance Corporal David Fribley was killed in action in Iraq, on
March 23, 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Corporal Fribley
and nine other Marines were killed when a group of Iraqi soldiers
pretended to surrender and then began firing on American soldiers near
An Nasiriyah, Iraq. He was 26 years old.

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 3308 was introduced on July 31,
2007, and was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, which held a mark-up and reported the bill by unanimous consent
on September 20, 2007.

[**Cost to Taxpayers**:]{.underline} A CBO score of H.R. 3308 is
unavailable, but the only costs associated with a U.S. post office
renaming are those for sign and map changes, none of which significantly
affect the federal budget.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: Although no committee report
citing constitutional authority is available, Article I, Section 8,
Clause 7 of the Constitution grants Congress the authority to establish
Post Offices and post roads.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.R. 3518 --- To designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1430 South Highway 29 in Cantonment, Florida, as the
"Charles H. Hendix Post Office Building" (Miller, Jeff, R-FL)**

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: The bill is scheduled for
consideration on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 3518 would designate the facility of the
United States Postal Service located at 1430 South Highway 29 in
Cantonment, Florida, as the "Charles H. Hendix Post Office Building."

**[Additional Background]{.underline}**: According to Congressional
Quarterly, Charles Hendix was born, raised, and lived his entire life in
Cantonment, Florida, where he worked for the post office and served as
the president of the Cantonment Rotary Club. Hendix began as a mail
carrier for the Cantonment post office and over his 37 year career
attained the position of postmaster.

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 3518 was introduced on
September 10, 2007, and was referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, which reported the bill by unanimous consent on
September 20, 2007.

[**Cost to Taxpayers**:]{.underline} A CBO score of H.R. 3518 is
unavailable, but the only costs associated with a U.S. post office
renaming are those for sign and map changes, none of which significantly
affect the federal budget.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: Although no committee report
citing constitutional authority is available, Article I, Section 8,
Clause 7 of the Constitution grants Congress the authority to establish
Post Offices and post roads.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.R. 3530 --- To designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in Inverness, Florida, as the
"Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post Office Building"**

**(Brown-Waite, R-FL)**

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: The bill is scheduled for
consideration on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 3530 would designate the facility of the
United States Postal Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in
Inverness, Florida, as the "Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post
Office Building."

**[Additional Background]{.underline}**: According to the Department of
Defense, 32 year old Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver was killed
during Operation Iraqi Freedom near Fallujah. On January 8, 2004, Chief
Warrant Office Weaver was killed when insurgents shot down his UH-60
Black Hawk helicopter.

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 3530 was introduced on
September 14, 2007, and was referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, which reported the bill by unanimous consent on
September 20, 2007.

[**Cost to Taxpayers**:]{.underline} A CBO score of H.R. 3530 is
unavailable, but the only costs associated with a U.S. post office
renaming are those for sign and map changes, none of which significantly
affect the federal budget.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: Although no committee report
citing constitutional authority is available, Article I, Section 8,
Clause 7 of the Constitution grants Congress the authority to establish
Post Offices and post roads.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.Res. 588 --- Recognizing Martha Coffin Wright on the 200th
anniversary of her birth and her induction into the National Women\'s
Hall of Fame *(Arcuri, D-NY)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.Res. 588 is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 588 would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

-   "recognizes the 200th birthday of Martha Coffin Wright;

-   "recognizes the induction of Martha Coffin Wright into the National
    Women\'s Hall of Fame; and

-   "honors the accomplishments of Martha Coffin Wright in her fight for
    equal rights for all Americans."

The resolution lists several findings, including:

-   "Martha Coffin Wright, sister of Lucretia Coffin Mott, was one of
    five organizers of the First Woman's Rights Convention in Seneca
    Falls, New York, in 1848;

-   "from this convention came the 'Declaration of Sentiments', an
    appeal for basic rights for women, modeled on the Declaration of
    Independence;

-   "when Martha Wright helped to plan the Seneca Falls Convention, she
    was six months pregnant with her seventh child, epitomizing the
    personal strength and dedication of the participants of the women\'s
    rights movement;

-   "Wright's home in Auburn, New York, was part of the Underground
    Railroad; and

-   "slavery was abolished in 1865 with the ratification of the
    Thirteenth Amendment, and women\'s suffrage was achieved in 1920
    with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.Res. 588 was introduced on July
21, 2007, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, which held a mark-up on October 4, and reported the resolution,
as amended, by unanimous consent.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: The resolution authorizes no
expenditure.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.Res. 630--- Congratulating the Warner Robins Little League Baseball
Team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2007 Little League
World Series Championship *(Marshall, D-GA)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.Res. 630 is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 630 would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

-   "congratulates the Warner Robins Little League Baseball Team from
    Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2007 Little League World
    Series Championship; and

-   "respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House transmit an
    enrolled copy of this resolution to the City of Warner Robins and
    each player, manager, and coach of the Warner Robins Little League
    Baseball Team."

The resolution lists several findings, including:

-   "on Sunday, August 26, 2007, the Warner Robins Little League
    Baseball Team from Warner Robins, Georgia, defeated the Tokyo
    Kitasuna Little League Team by a score of 3-2 to win the 2007 Little
    League World Series Championship at Williamsport, Pennsylvania;

-   "this is the second straight year that a team from the State of
    Georgia has won the world title;

-   "the championship victory of the Warner Robins Little League
    Baseball Team sets an example of sportsmanship, dedication, and a
    \`never give up\' spirit for men and women all across the country;
    and

-   "the achievement of the Warner Robins Little League Baseball Team is
    the cause of enormous pride for the Nation, the State of Georgia,
    and the city of Warner Robins."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.Res. 630 was introduced on
September 4, 2007, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, which held a mark-up on October 4, and reported the
resolution, as amended, by unanimous consent.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: The resolution authorizes no
expenditure.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.Res. 687 --- Celebrating the 90th birthday of Reverend Theodore M.
Hesburgh, C.S.C., president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame,
and honoring his contributions to higher education, the Catholic Church,
and the advancement of the humanitarian mission**

***(Donnelly, D-IN)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.Res. 687 is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 687 would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

-   "celebrates the 90th birthday of Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh,
    C.S.C.; and

-   "honors Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., for a lifetime of
    selfless dedication to the Catholic Church, the United States, and
    the University of Notre Dame."

The resolution lists several findings, including:

-   "Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., was born on May 25, 1917, in
    Syracuse, New York;

-   "on June 24, 1943, Father Hesburgh began his service to the Catholic
    Church as an ordained priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross;

-   "from 1952 to 1987, Father Hesburgh served as the president of the
    University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana;

-   "Father Hesburgh served as ambassador to the 1979 United Nations
    Conference on Science and Technology for Development, the first
    Catholic priest to perform a formal diplomatic role for the United
    States Government;

-   "in 2000, Father Hesburgh became the first person in higher
    education to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal; and

-   "Father Hesburgh has led a life of distinguished public service and
    deep faith."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.Res. 687 was introduced on
September 27, 2007, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, which held a mark-up on October 4, and reported the
resolution, as amended, by unanimous consent.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: The resolution authorizes no
expenditure.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.Res. 697 --- Commending Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre
for establishing a National Football League record for most career
touchdown passes, and for other purposes**

***(Kagen, D-WI)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.Res. 697 is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 697 would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

-   "commends Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for establishing
    a National Football League record for most career touchdown passes;

-   "recognizes Brett Favre for his outstanding community service in
    Wisconsin and Mississippi and his 16 consecutive years of dedicated
    service with the Green Bay Packers, a community-owned organization;
    and

-   "directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transmit a
    copy of this resolution to Brett Favre, to the Green Bay Packers
    organization, and to the Commissioner of the National Football
    League."

The resolution lists several findings, including:

-   "on September 30, 2007, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre
    established a National Football League (NFL) record by throwing his
    421st touchdown pass;

-   "in addition to the career touchdown mark, Brett Favre also holds
    the NFL record for greatest number of wins by a starting quarterback
    and the NFL record for playing in the most consecutive games as a
    starting quarterback;

-   "Brett Favre is the only 3-time winner of the NFL\'s Most Valuable
    Player Award;

-   "Brett Favre and his wife, Deanna Favre, co-founded the Deanna Favre
    Hope Foundation, which provides assistance to women in need affected
    by breast cancer; and

-   "Brett Favre has demonstrated that hard work and single-mindedness
    of purpose can bring success, and epitomizes the words of NFL Hall
    of Fame Coach Vince Lombardi: 'People who work together will win,
    whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of
    modern society.'"

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.Res. 697 was introduced on October
1, 2007, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, which held a mark-up on October 4, and reported the resolution,
as amended, by unanimous consent.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: The resolution authorizes no
expenditure.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.Res. 654 --- Congratulating the Phoenix Mercury for winning the 2007
Women\'s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Championship**

***(Pastor, D-AZ)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.Res. 654 is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 654 would resolve that the House of
Representatives "congratulates the Phoenix Mercury and Coach Paul
Westhead for winning the 2007 Women\'s National Basketball Association
Championship."

The resolution lists several findings, including:

-   "on September 16, 2007, the Phoenix Mercury won the 2007 Women's
    National Basketball Association (WNBA) Championship after cruising
    to victory over the defending champion Detroit Shock with a strong
    final score of 108 to 92 in the fifth and deciding game of the
    series;

-   "this is the Mercury's first WNBA Championship since the team\'s
    formation in 1997 as one of the WNBA's original 8 teams;

-   "the Mercury is the first team to win the WNBA Championship on the
    road;

-   "the city of Phoenix joins the Phoenix Mercury owner, Robert Sarver,
    in taking enormous pride in the accomplishment of this outstanding
    team."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.Res. 654 was introduced on
September 17, 2007, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, which held a mark-up on October 4, and reported the
resolution, as amended, by unanimous consent.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: The resolution authorizes no
expenditure.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.R. 814 --- Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act *(Moore, D-KS)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}:** H.R. 814 scheduled to be considered
on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the rules and
pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 814 would require the Consumer Product
Safety Commission to promulgate child-resistance standards for closures
on all portable gasoline containers. The requirement, which would go
into effect six months after the enactment of the bill, would be
considered a product safety rule issued by the Consumer Product Safety
Commission.

The bill would also require the commission to provide a report to
Congress within two on the degree of industry compliance to the new
standard, and enforcement actions brought to enforce the standard, and
any incidents involving children interacting with portable gasoline
containers.

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: According to their website,
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is "charged with
protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death
from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's
jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product
incidents cost the nation more than \$700 billion annually. The CPSC is
committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a
fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children.
The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products -- such as
toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals --
contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of
deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30
years."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 814 was introduced on February
5, 2007, and referred to the Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection,
which held hearings on the bill on June 6. On July 31 the bill was
forwarded to the full committee, as amended, by voice vote. On September
27 a mark-up was held in the full committee and the bill was reported,
as amended, by voice vote.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: A CBO cost estimate for H.R. 814 is
unavailable.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** A CBO score for is unavailable.
However, H.R. 814 would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission
to create standards for gasoline containers that would be considered a
consumer product safety rule and, therefore, would impose a mandate on
gasoline container manufacturers.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable. However, House Rule XIII,
Section 3(d)(1), requires that all committee reports contain "a
statement citing the *specific* powers granted to Congress in the
Constitution to enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution."
*\[emphasis added\]*

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

H.R. 1699 --- Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act
*(Schakowsky, D-IL)*

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.R. 1699 is expected to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9 2007, on a motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 1699 would direct the Consumer Product
Safety Commission to require manufacturers of infant and toddler
products to provide consumer product registration forms to assist in
providing recall information of such products. The United States
Consumer Product Safety Commission is an [independent
agency](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Agencies_of_the_United_States_Government)
of the federal government created through the Consumer Product Safety
Act created in [1972](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972) to protect
"against unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer
products".

H.R. 1699 would require that manufacturers of infant and toddle
products:

-   "provide consumers with a postage-paid consumer registration form
    with each such product;

-   "maintain a record of the names, addresses, email addresses, and
    other contact information of consumers who register their ownership
    of such products with the manufacturer in order to improve the
    effectiveness of manufacturer campaigns to recall such products; and

-   "permanently place the manufacturer name and contact information,
    model name and number, and the date of manufacture on each durable
    infant or toddler product."

Such products covered under H.R. 1699 include, but are not limited to:
cribs, toddler beds, high chairs, booster chairs, bath seats, gates,
play yards, stationary activity centers, infant carriers, and strollers.

H.R. 1699 requires that each product manufactured contain a registration
form which contains space for the consumer to provide their name,
address, telephone number, and email address. The bill requires that
this form be attached to the surface of each product so that the
consumer must notice and handle the form after purchasing the product.
H.R. 1699 requires that each form must include the manufacturer's name,
model name and number for the product, and the date of manufacture,
include a message explaining the purpose of the registration and
designed to encourage consumers to complete the registration, include an
option for consumers to register through the Internet, and requires that
a statement provided by the consumer shall not be used for any purpose
other than to facilitate a recall of or safety alert regarding that
product. In addition, H.R. 1699 determines that the Commission may
prescribe the exact text and format of the required registration form.

H.R. 1699 lists a number of findings, including:

-   "Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among
    children, and for every such injury that is fatal, approximately 18
    children are hospitalized and 1,250 are treated by emergency
    departments for such injuries that are nonfatal;

-   "According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of
    50 children under the age of 5 die each year in incidents associated
    with nursery products, and about 16 of these deaths each year are
    associated with cribs,

-   "In 2003, an estimated 60,700 children under the age of 5 were
    treated in United States hospital emergency rooms for injuries
    associated with nursery products, and there were 10,700 injuries to
    children under the age of 5 years associated with strollers alone,

-   "Of the 397 recalls issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
    in fiscal year 2005, 109 (or 28 percent) were children's products.
    Children's products were recalled, on average, over 2 times per
    week, and accounted for 19,635,627 individual units."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 1699 was introduced on March
26, 2007, and was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. On
September 27, 2007, the Committee on Energy and Commerce reported the
bill, as amended, by a voice vote.

**[Cost to Taxpayer]{.underline}**: No CBO score available at press
time.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** Yes, it sets new federal mandates on private
business.

[]{.mark}

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** Yes, H.R. 1699 would impose
private-sector mandates by requiring labeling on infant and toddler
products.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable. However, House Rule XIII,
Section 3(d)(1), requires that all committee reports contain "a
statement citing the *specific* powers granted to Congress in the
Constitution to enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution."
*\[emphasis added\]*

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Sarah Makin;
<sarah.makin@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-0718.

H.R. 2474 --- To provide for an increased maximum civil penalty for
violations under the Consumer Product Safety Act *(Rush, D-IL)*

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.R. 2474 is expected to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9 2007, on a motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 2474 would provide for an increased
maximum civil penalty for violations under the Consumer Product Safety
Act from \$1.25 million to \$20 million.

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: The Consumer Product Safety
Act (CPSA), enacted in 1972, established the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CSPC). The CPSC is given the task of "protecting the public
from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000
types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction" by
developing standards to reduce risks associated with consumer products.
Additionally, the CSPC has the authority to ban products which do not
follow appropriate standards, and/or authorize recalls for products that
pose a risk to the public.

For more information on the CSPC, visit:
<http://www.cpsc.gov/index.html>

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 2474 was introduced on May 25,
2007, and was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. On
September 27, 2007, the Committee on Energy and Commerce reported the
bill, as amended, by a voice vote.

**[Cost to Taxpayer]{.underline}**: No CBO score available at press
time.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

[]{.mark}

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable. However, House Rule XIII,
Section 3(d)(1), requires that all committee reports contain "a
statement citing the *specific* powers granted to Congress in the
Constitution to enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution."
*\[emphasis added\]*

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Sarah Makin;
<sarah.makin@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-0718.

H.R. 1721 --- Pool and Spa Safety Act *(Wasserman Schultz D-FL)*

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.R. 1721 is expected to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9 2007, on a motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 1721 would establish a swimming pool
safety grant program (to be administered by the Consumer Product Safety
Commission) to encourage states to improve pool and spa safety laws.
H.R. 1721 would also *require* the use of anti-entrapment drain covers
and pool and spa drainage systems.

The bill lists the following findings:

-   "of injury-related deaths, drowning is the second leading cause of
    death in children aged 1 to 14 in the United States;

-   "many children die due to pool and spa drowning and entrapment, such
    as Virginia Graeme Baker, who at age 7 drowned by entrapment in a
    residential spa, and Preston de Ibern, who at age 5 nearly drowned
    and was left permanently brain damaged, finally succumbing to his
    catastrophic healthcare issues when he was 12 years old;

-   "in 2003, 782 children ages 14 and under died as a result of
    unintentional drowning;

-   "adult supervision at all aquatic venues is a critical safety factor
    in preventing children from drowning; and

-   "research studies show that the installation and proper use of
    barriers or fencing, as well as additional layers of protection,
    could substantially reduce the number of childhood residential
    swimming pool drownings and near drownings."

H.R. 1721 requires that the Product Safety Commission set a federal
drain cover standard, to be effective 1 year after the date of
enactment, that would require that "each swimming pool or spa drain
cover manufactured, distributed, or entered into commerce in the United
States shall conform to the entrapment protection standards of the
ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 performance standard, or any successor standard
regulating the same."

H.R. 1721 would establish a **new grant program** for states to "hire
and train enforcement personnel for implementation and enforcement of
standards under the State swimming pool and spa safety law, to educate
pool construction and installation companies and pool service companies
about the standards, to educate pool owners, pool operators, and other
members of the public about the standards under the swimming pool and
spa safety law and about the prevention of drowning or entrapment of
children using swimming pools and spas, and to defray administrative
costs associated with such training and education programs." The amount
given to the states will be determined by the population and enforcement
needs of each state.

H.R. 1721 authorizes \$5 million annually for FY2008 through FY2012 for
this new grant program (total of **\$25 million**). This decrease from
original authorization amount of \$10 million annually is due to a
manager's amendment accepted in committee.

H.R. 1721 *requires* the following new minimum safety standards for
states:

-   "the enclosure of all residential pools and spas by barriers to
    entry that will effectively prevent small children from gaining
    unsupervised and unfettered access to the pool or spa;

-   "that all pools and spas be equipped with devices and systems
    designed to prevent entrapment by pool or spa drains;

-   "that pools and spas built more than 1 year after the date of
    enactment of such statute have:

```{=html}
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```
-   "more than 1 drain per circulation pump;

-   "1 or more unblockable drains per circulation pump; or

-   "no main drain; and

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   "every swimming pool and spa that has a main drain, other than an
    unblockable drain, be equipped with a drain cover that meets the
    consumer product safety standard established by section 3."

H.R. 1721 also states that the Commission requires a minimum requirement
for all pools constructed with a main drain and requires that any device
used to meet this requirement must meet the requirements of any
applicable consumer product safety standard.

H.R. 1721 also authorizes \$5 million annually for FY2008 through FY2012
(total **\$25 million**) for the Commission to establish and carry out
an education program to inform the public of methods to prevent drowning
and entrapment in swimming pools and spas. The bill also requires that
the Commission submit a report to Congress evaluating the effectiveness
of the pool and spa safety grant program.

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: Similar legislation, S. 3718,
was introduced by Senator Allen in the 109^th^ Congress. This
legislation differs in numerous ways, for example, S. 3718 recommended
state minimum requirements as opposed to requiring them (as H.R. 1721
does). The House **failed to pass** S. 3718 on December 9, 2006 under
suspension of the rules.

**[Conservative Concerns]{.underline}: This legislation authorizes \$50
million for two new grant and education programs to the states for pool
and spa safety.**

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 1721 was introduced on March
27, 2007, and was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. On
September 27, 2007, the Committee on Energy and Commerce reported the
bill, as amended, by a voice vote.

**[Cost to Taxpayer]{.underline}**: No CBO score available at press
time.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** Yes, H.R. 1721 establishes **two new grant
programs** and **authorizes \$50 million** in new spending. In addition,
this bill sets new federal standards and minimum state standard
requirements on pools and spas.

[]{.mark}

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable. However, House Rule XIII,
Section 3(d)(1), requires that all committee reports contain "a
statement citing the *specific* powers granted to Congress in the
Constitution to enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution."
*\[emphasis added\]*

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Sarah Makin;
<sarah.makin@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-0718.

H.R. 2553 --- Public Diplomacy Resource Centers Act of 2007

*(Watson, D-CA)*

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.R. 2553 is expected to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9 2007, on a motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 2553 would amend the State Department
Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to provide for the establishment and
maintenance of existing libraries and resource centers at United States
diplomatic and consular missions.

In addition, H.R. 2553 requires that such libraries and resource centers
schedule public showings of American films that showcase American
culture, society, values, and history. H.R. 2553 also states that
donations may be accepted for the maintenance of libraries and that the
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy must submit to Congress a report
containing an evaluation of the functions and effectiveness of the
libraries and resource centers that are authorized under H.R. 2553.

This bill authorizes such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
Act.

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 2474 was introduced on May 24,
2007, and was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. No further
action was taken.

**[Cost to Taxpayer]{.underline}**: No CBO score available at press
time.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No.

[]{.mark}

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable. However, House Rule XIII,
Section 3(d)(1), requires that all committee reports contain "a
statement citing the *specific* powers granted to Congress in the
Constitution to enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution."
*\[emphasis added\]*

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Sarah Makin;
<sarah.makin@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-0718.

H.R. 2185 --- To amend the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 to
provide debt relief to developing countries that take action to protect
forests and coral reefs and associated coastal marine ecosystems, to
reauthorize such Act through fiscal year 2010, and for other purpose
(Kirk, R-IL)

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.R. 2185 is expected to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, on a motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 2185 would rename, expand and
reauthorize debt reduction-for-nature provisions under the Tropical
Forest Conservation Act of 1998. The bill would authorize \$30 million
annually through FY 2010 to carry out debt reduction agreements with
qualified developing countries that agree to participate in conservancy
programs.

In addition, the bill would expand the program to provide debt reduction
for nations which use the funds to protect coral reefs and similar
coastal marine ecosystems as well as tropical forests. H.R. 2185 would
also rename the "Tropical Forest Facility" as the "Conservation
Facility" and "Tropical Forest Agreement" as a "Conservation Agreement,"
in order to reflect the expansion.

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: In 1991, President George H.W.
Bush established the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative (EAI), to
create environmental trust funds for debt-for-nature swaps in the
Western Hemisphere. In 1998, Congress passed the Tropical Forest
Conservation Act, which expanded the Secretary of State's authority make
debt reduction grants to developing nations that agreed to use the funds
for conserving tropical forests. The program was reauthorized in 2004.

According to the Department of State, the original legislation was
enacted to "offer eligible developing countries options to relieve
certain official debt owed the U.S. while at the same time generating
funds to support local tropical forest conservation activities." Current
participating countries include Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Colombia,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the
Philippines. According to USAID, these agreements will generate \$135
million for tropical forest conservation over the next 10 -- 25 years.
To date, U.S. government expenditures for debt reduction have totaled
nearly \$83 million since 1998.

For more information on the EAI and the Tropical Forest Conservation
Act, [click
here.](http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/forestry/tfca.html)

.

**[Possible Conservative Concerns]{.underline}: Some conservatives may
be concerned that H.R. 2185 would authorize \$90 million over three
years to reauthorize and expand debt reduction authority under the
Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998.**

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 2185 was introduced on May 7,
2007 and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. On July 31, 2007,
a mark-up was held and the bill was reported, as amended, by unanimous
consent.

**[Cost to Taxpayer]{.underline}**: A CBO score for H.R. 2185 is
currently unavailable. However, the bill would authorize \$30 million in
FY 2008 and **\$90 million over the FY 2008 -- FY 2010 period**.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** Yes, the bill would expand debt reduction
authority under the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 to
conservancy programs for coral reefs and similar coastal marine
ecosystems

[]{.mark}

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

[]{.mark}

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable. However, House Rule XIII,
Section 3(d)(1), requires that all committee reports contain "a
statement citing the *specific* powers granted to Congress in the
Constitution to enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution."
*\[emphasis added\]*

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.

**H.Res. 405 --- Expressing the strong support of the House of
Representatives for implementation of the July 8, 2006, United
Nations-brokered agreement between President of the Republic of Cyprus
Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat relating
to the reunification of Cyprus (Bilirakis, R-FL)**

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.Res. 405 is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 405 would express the sense that the
House of Representatives:

-   "expresses its support for the immediate implementation of the July
    8, 2006, agreement as the way forward to prepare for new
    comprehensive negotiations leading to the reunification of Cyprus
    within a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation as set out in the relevant
    United Nations Security Council resolutions; and

-   "calls upon the United States Government to fully support the
    immediate implementation of the July 8, 2006, agreement in its
    entirety and without deviation from that process."

H. Res. 405 lists numerous findings, including the following:

-   "in recognition that any future efforts for a solution of the Cyprus
    problem need to be carefully prepared, President of the Republic of
    Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos and former United Nations
    Secretary-General Kofi Annan met on February 28, 2006, in Paris, and
    reiterated that, 'the resumption of the negotiating process within
    the framework of the Secretary General's Good Offices must be timely
    and based on careful preparation';

-   "on July 8, 2006, President Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader
    Mehmet Ali Talat, agreed, under the auspices of the United Nations
    Under Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambari, to a set of principles to
    begin a process of bi-communal discussions;

-   "the set of principles agreed to are\--

    -   commitment to the unification of Cyprus based on a bi-zonal,
        bi-communal federation and political equality, as set out in the
        relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions;

    -   recognition of the fact that the status quo is unacceptable and
        that its prolongation would have negative consequences for the
        Turkish and Greek Cypriots;

    -   commitment to the proposition that a comprehensive settlement is
        both desirable and possible, and should not be further delayed;

    -   agreement to begin a process immediately, involving bi-communal
        discussion of issues that affect the day to day life of the
        people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues,
        both of which will contribute to a comprehensive settlement; and

    -   commitment to ensure that the 'right atmosphere' prevails for
        this process to be successful; in that connection,
        confidence-building measures are essential, both in terms of
        improving the atmosphere and improving the life of all Turkish
        and Greek Cypriots; and also in that connection, an end must be
        put to the so-called 'blame game';

-   "according to the agreement, technical committees and working groups
    would be set up to examine and discuss issues that affect day-to-day
    life of the people of Cyprus and concurrently those that concern
    substantive issues, thus contributing to a comprehensive settlement
    of the Cyprus problem;

-   "on March 27, 2007, the United Nations Security Council in a
    statement on Cyprus indicated that, 'the members of the Security
    Council urge both communities to work with the United Nations to
    implement the 8 July 2006 agreement, in particular through the
    immediate creation of bi-communal working groups and technical
    committees in order to prepare the ground for full-fledged
    negotiations leading to a comprehensive and durable settlement';

-   "the United States has long supported fostering the reunification of
    Cyprus within a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, and within a
    process that is led by the United Nations, thereby consistent with
    the intended aim of the July 8, 2006, agreement, and as set out in
    the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions;

-   "although the Government of the Republic of Cyprus committed itself
    to the immediate implementation of the July 8, 2006, agreement,
    recent statements made by the Turkish Cypriot leadership indicate an
    unwillingness to proceed with the agreement."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.Res. 405 was introduced on May 15,
2007, and was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which held a
mark-up and reported the bill, as amended, by unanimous consent on
September 27, 2007.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: The resolution does not authorize
expenditures.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Sarah Makin;
<sarah.makin@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-0718.

**H.Res. 651 --- Recognizing the warm friendship and expanding strategic
relationship between the United States and Brazil, commending Brazil on
successfully reducing its dependence on oil by finding alternative ways
to satisfy its energy needs, and recognizing the importance of the March
9, 2007, United States-Brazil Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on
biofuels cooperation *(Engel, D-NY)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.Res. 651 is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 651 would express the sense that the
House of Representatives:

-   "recognizes that the United States and Brazil have arrived at the
    point of a strategic confluence of interests and urges President
    George W. Bush to continue to deepen the bilateral relationship
    between the two countries;

-   "recognizes Brazil's role as a leader in the Western Hemisphere and
    commends its leadership of the United Nations Stabilization Mission
    (MINUSTAH) in Haiti;

-   "commends Brazil for successfully diversifying its energy resources
    and reducing its dependence on oil;

-   "recognizes that the United States has arrived at the point of a
    strategic confluence of interests with Brazil and welcomes continued
    development in the bilateral relationship between the two countries;

-   "strongly supports the March 9, 2007, United States-Brazil
    Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on biofuels as a major step
    forward in bilateral relations, hemispheric integration, and energy
    diversification;

-   "commends joint efforts by the United States and Brazil for their
    commitment to use expertise to provide technical assistance for
    biofuels industries in third countries, currently including the
    Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, and St. Kitts and Nevis; and

-   "encourages United States and Brazilian officials to quickly
    identify additional countries in the Western Hemisphere to receive
    technical assistance related to biofuels."

H. Res. 651 lists numerous findings, including the following:

-   "following the oil shock of the early 1970s, Brazil chose to reduce
    its energy vulnerability by choosing sugar-based ethanol to
    diversify its energy sector and power its automobiles;

-   "with large private and public investments and support from the
    World Bank, Brazil greatly expanded the amount of sugarcane it
    produced and began large-scale construction of alcohol distilleries
    to process sugar into ethanol;

-   "decades of state investment have helped Brazil become the world\'s
    largest consumer and producer of ethanol from sugar cane;

-   "ethanol supplies 40 percent of the motor fuel used in Brazil and is
    extremely competitive with gasoline;

-   "the transition towards biofuels will have a positive impact on the
    environment and will help reduce greenhouse gases;

-   "by the end of 2006, 80 percent of new car sales in Brazil were
    flex-fuel, meaning that they can run on ethanol, gasoline, or any
    mixture of both;

-   "Brazil stands out as the leading example of a country that has
    diversified its energy supply and become a net exporter of energy,
    in large part by increasing its use and production of alternative
    energy sources, including ethanol;

-   "putting the United States on a path toward ending its addiction to
    oil, as Brazil has done, by investing in clean alternative energy
    sources is essential in protecting United States national security,
    the environment, and the stability of the United States economy;

-   "on March 9, 2007, the United States and Brazil\--the world's two
    largest ethanol producing countries\--signed a Memorandum of
    Understanding (MOU) to promote greater cooperation on ethanol and
    biofuels in the Western Hemisphere;

-   "the United States-Brazil MOU involves technology-sharing between
    the United States and Brazil, feasibility studies and technical
    assistance to build domestic biofuels industries in third countries,
    and multilateral efforts to advance the global development of
    biofuels;

-   "United States President George W. Bush and Brazilian President Luiz
    Inacio 'Lula' da Silva have met twice in 2007 as visible examples of
    the expanding warm relations and close ties between the United
    States and Brazil;

-   "Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that the United States
    looks to Brazil as a 'regional leader and a global partner'."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.Res. 651 was introduced on
September 17, 2007, and was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, which held a mark-up and reported the bill, as amended, by
unanimous consent on September 27, 2007.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: The resolution does not authorize
expenditures.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Sarah Makin;
<sarah.makin@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-0718.

**H.Res. 32 --- A resolution denouncing the practices of female genital
mutilation, domestic violence, 'honor' killings, acid burnings, dowry**

**deaths, and other gender- based persecutions, and expressing the sense
of the House of Representatives that participation, protection,
recognition, and equality of women is crucial to achieving a just, moral
and peaceful society *(Jackson-Lee, D-TX)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.Res. 32 is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 32 would express the sense that the
House of Representatives:

-   denounces the barbaric practices of female genital mutilation,
    domestic violence, ''honor'' killings, acid burning, dowry deaths,
    and other gender-based persecutions and crimes;

-   "asserts that women are not chattel, should not be trafficked,
    exploited, or sold for services, and should not be denied the right
    to education, to ownership of property, or to participate in full,
    economic, social and political life;

-   "demands the cessation of these barbaric practices and the
    dismantling of social and institutional mechanisms which perpetuate
    systematic discrimination against women and girls;

-   "calls on all governments to pass enforceable laws banning these
    practices, prosecute any individuals who persecute or violate women
    and girls with these acts, and pass measures to empower women and
    girls and afford them equal access to educational, social, and
    economic opportunities; and

-   "calls on the President and fellow donor countries to promote the
    rights, health, and empowerment of women in every aspect of their
    foreign assistance to developing countries, and discourage continued
    acts of violence against women and the impunity that often
    accompanies these acts; and

-   "it is the sense of the House of Representatives that---

-   participation, protection, recognition,

-   health, and equality of women and girls are crucial to achieving a
    just, moral, and peaceful society; and

-   regardless of religion, geography, or form of government, women
    should not be denied their human rights, and those rights must be
    defended and enforced when they are abridged, challenged, or
    violated.

H. Res. 651 lists the following findings:

-   "human rights violations against women occur around the world and
    are not limited to times of war, and have been committed for
    political gain, personal advantage, ethnic hatred, and in the name
    of deities and fundamentalist religious zeal;

-   "in many parts of the world, there is a culture of violence and
    discrimination which denies women rights equal to those of men and
    which legitimizes the exploitation of women for personal
    gratification, political purposes, and financial gain;

-   "despite the fact that in 1998, the United Nations International
    Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda set a precedent in international law by
    establishing and prosecuting rape and sexual violence in times of
    violent conflict as war crimes and crimes against humanity, the rape
    of women continues to be used as an instrument of armed conflict in
    the 21st century;

-   "former Bangladeshi Prime-Minister Sheikh Hasina acknowledged that
    every year in Bangladesh up to 200 women are horribly disfigured by
    acid attacks by their spurned husbands or suitors, leaving many of
    them blind, deaf, or dead;

-   "according to Amnesty International, 6,000 women are subjected to
    genital mutilation each day in North Africa, and 135,000,000 women,
    in at least 46 other countries, have undergone female genital
    mutilation worldwide;

-   "Time Magazine reports that about 25,000 women in India each year
    are doused with gasoline, set on fire, and burned to death because
    their marriage dowries are deemed too small, and four out of five of
    these attacks are not reported to or recorded by law enforcement
    agencies;

-   "in many societies baby girls are denied food, drowned, suffocated,
    abandoned, or their spines are broken simply because they are born
    girls;

-   "in China, where the male-child is traditionally prized above the
    female, the "one-child" state policy has multiplied the rate of
    abandonment, sex-selective and forced abortion and female
    infanticide, and yielded a skewed population demographic;

-   "Chinese demographics have exacerbated the abduction, trafficking,
    and sale of Asian women and girls for the purposes of sex slavery
    and forced marriage;

-   "Amnesty International estimates that this year, more than 15,000
    women will be sold as sexual slaves in China;

-   "according to World Bank figures, at least one in five women and
    girls around the world has been beaten or sexually abused in her
    lifetime;

-   "the 2002 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe estimates
    that the leading cause of death worldwide among women ages 14
    through 44 is the violence to which they are subjected in their own
    homes, and in the Russian Federation alone, every day 36,000 women
    are beaten by their husbands or partners;

-   "in the United States, every day four women die as a result of
    domestic violence, every year more than half a million women are
    battered, every year 4,000,000 women are physically abused by their
    husbands or domestic partners, one-third of American women report
    physical or sexual abuse by a husband or boyfriend at some point in
    their lives, over 324,000 pregnant women are victims of intimate
    partner violence annually, the majority of welfare recipients have
    experienced domestic violence as adults, and domestic violence
    causes 100,000 days of hospitalization, 30,000 emergency room
    visits, and 40,000 visits to a doctor each year;

-   "the theme for the 2007 United Nations International Women's Day was
    ''Ending Impunity for Violence Against Women and Girls'';

-   "UNAIDS asserts that the best way to prevent HIV is to raise the
    status of women because a woman's vulnerability to HIV infection is
    in direct proportion to her lack of control over the risks of
    infection;

-   "the inequalities between women and men have persisted and major
    obstacles remain, with serious consequences for the well-being of
    all people;

-   "the situation of women is exacerbated by the extreme poverty that
    affects the lives of the majority of the world's people, in
    particular women and children;

-   "families rely on mothers and wives for emotional support, labor,
    and income needed to raise healthy children and care for other
    relatives;

-   "according to the United Nations, nearly 70 percent of the people
    who live in abject poverty are women and women perform two-thirds of
    the world's work, earn less than five percent of its income, and own
    less than one percent of its property;

-   "democracy, political stability, and economic development are linked
    to the welfare of women and children, yet the United Nations
    estimates that three of every four illiterate adults in the world
    are women and two-thirds of children denied primary education are
    girls;

-   "the exclusion of women from the political process in many countries
    makes them even more vulnerable to abuse;

-   "as long as women and girls are undervalued, overworked, and
    subjected to violence in and out of their homes, the potential of
    the human family to create a peaceful, prosperous world will not be
    realized; and

-   "the leadership of women is strongly linked to social justice,
    economic prosperity, political stability, peaceful relations, and a
    healthy population."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.Res. 651 was introduced on January
5, 2007, and was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which
held a mark-up and reported the bill, as amended, by unanimous consent
on July 31, 2007.

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: **New text of H.Res. 32 was
provided to the RSC on Monday morning by Republican Foreign Affairs
Staff. A previous version of the resolution contained language affirming
the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW).** The language previously available online had language
stating, "the United States should renew consideration of and ratify its
signature on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)." Had this language been
maintained, some conservatives may have been concerned about resolving
to ratify and renew CEDAW for numerous reasons.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW) is seen by many, including the National Right to Life, as
an assault on pro-life laws and a tool used to weaken protections for
unborn children. CEDAW is commonly cited by pro-abortion lobbying groups
as requiring abortion on demand and is cited as legal evidence for
organizations such as the Center for Reproductive Rights in cases
regarding access to abortion services. CEDAW can be used to assert an
international obligation on federal and state governments to provide
public funding for abortion, as well as to advance the pro-abortion
agenda in numerous other capacities.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: The resolution does not authorize
expenditures.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** No

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Sarah Makin;
[[sarah.makin@mail.house.gov]{.underline}](mailto:sarah.makin@mail.house.gov);
202-226-0718.

H.R. 400 --- War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2007

*(Abercrombie, D-HI)*

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: H.R. 400 is expected to be
considered on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, on a motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.R. 400 would increase penalties for any
individual who knowingly defrauds the U.S. Government in any matter
involving contracts for the provision or goods or services for an
overseas mission and increase federal jurisdiction to prosecute such
cases.

The legislation would increase punishments for knowingly defrauding or
overvaluing goods with the intent of defrauding the U.S. to no more than
20 years in prison and a fine of \$1 million. The bill also increases
the maximum penalty for intentionally making false statements in an
attempt to conceal any fraudulent activity to 10 years in prison and a
fine of \$1 million.

In addition, H.R. 400 would create an extraterritorial federal
jurisdiction for U.S. civilian courts to prosecute fraud cases overseas.

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: According to House Report [110
--
353](http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp110:FLD010:@1(hr353):),
war profiteering and reconstruction fraud have become very considerable
problems since U.S. military efforts began in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Contractors have been used and relied upon in these two U.S. missions
more than any other foreign engagements in our nation's history. The
Committee's report states that "the exigencies of war overseas, however,
often make oversight of these contractors more difficult, and
expenditures are often made with fewer audit and other controls than
during normal government procurement." As a result, Inspectors General
have investigated many cases of waste, fraud, and abuse but have
garnered few prosecutions have come about. This, according to the
report, is because no "federal law provides enhanced criminal punishment
for fraudulent acts during times of war, or relief or reconstruction
activities." H.R. 400 would increase penalties for those convicted of
committing such crimes and give federal prosecutors jurisdiction to
pursue such cases.

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: H.R. 400 was introduced on January
11, 2007 and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, which referred
the bill to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
On July 24, 2007, the subcommittee held a mark-up was reported to the
full committee by voice vote. On August 1, 2007, the committee held a
mark-up and reported the bill, as amended, by voice vote.

**[Cost to Taxpayer]{.underline}**: According to CBO, new penalties and
crimes under H.R. 400 would apply to relatively small amount of
offenders; therefore small increased cost for law enforcement would be
insignificant. CBO estimates that the federal government might collect
additional fines, which would be treated as revenues, but the increases
would not be significant.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}** Yes, the bill creates new crimes for
defrauding U.S. overseas operations and creates new standards for
punishment.

[]{.mark}

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** The Judiciary Committee, in
House Report [110 --
353](http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp110:FLD010:@1(hr353):)
asserts that, "In accordance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, H.R. 400 does not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits
as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of Rule XXI."

[]{.mark}

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: House Report [110 --
353](http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp110:FLD010:@1(hr353):)
cites constitutional authority in article 1, section 8, clauses 10, 14,
16, and 18 of the Constitution. (Clause 10 states that Congress has the
power to define and punish felonies at sea and against the Law of
Nations; Clause 14 states that Congress has the power to make rules for
the government and regulation of the land and naval forces; Clause 16
states that the Congress has the power to provide for the organization,
arming, and disciplining of the militia; and Clause 18 states that
Congress has the power to make all laws which are necessary and proper
for carrying into execution all powers vested by the Constitution).

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717.