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# Legislative Bulletin...........................................January 16, 2007

> **Contents:**
>
> **H. Res. 61**---Observing and celebrating the birthday of Martin
> Luther King, Jr., and encouraging the people of the United States to
> celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and his life and
> legacy
>
> **H.R. 188** - To provide a new effective date for the applicability
> of certain provisions of law to Public Law 105-331
>
> **H.R. 391** - To authorize the Secretary of Housing and Community
> Development to continue to insure and enter into commitments to insure
> home equity conversion mortgages under section 255 of the National
> Housing Act
>
> **H. Res. 39**---Commending the University of Florida Gators for their
> victory in the 2006 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and for winning the
> national college football championship
>
> **H. Con. Res. \_\_**---Honoring the Mare Island Original 21ers for
> their efforts to increase equal employment opportunities in the
> military
>
> **H. Res. \_\_**---Commending the Boise State University Broncos
> football team for winning the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and completing an
> undefeated season

**H. Res. 61---Observing and celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther
King, Jr., and encouraging the people of the United States to celebrate
the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and his life and legacy *(Lewis,
D-GA)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: The resolution is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, January 16, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 61 would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

-   "observes the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.;

-   "pledges to advance the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and

-   "encourages the people of the United States to\--

    -   "observe the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the life
        of Dr. King;

    -   "commemorate the legacy of Dr. King, so that, as Dr. King hoped,
        'one day this Nation will rise up and live out the true meaning
        of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all
        men are created equal;'and

    -   "remember the message of Dr. King and rededicate themselves to
        Dr. King's goal of a free and just United States."

The resolution also lists a number of findings, including the following:

-   "in February of 1948, Dr. King was ordained in the Christian
    ministry at the age of 19 at Ebenezer Baptist Church, in Atlanta,
    Georgia, and became Assistant Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church;

-   "on June 18, 1953, Dr. King and Coretta Scott were married and later
    had two sons and two daughters;

-   "Dr. King led the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott for 381 days to
    protest the arrest of Rosa Parks and the segregation of the bus
    system of Montgomery, during which time Dr. King was arrested and
    the home of Dr. King was bombed;

-   "on August 28, 1963, Dr. King led the March on Washington, D.C., the
    largest rally of the civil rights movement, during which, from the
    steps of the Lincoln Memorial and before a crowd of more than
    200,000 people, Dr. King delivered his famous 'I Have A Dream'
    speech, one of the classic orations in American history;

-   "Dr. King was a champion of nonviolence, fervently advocated
    nonviolent resistance as the strategy to end segregation and racial
    discrimination in America, and in 1964, at age 35, became the
    youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition for
    his efforts;

-   "on the evening of April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated while
    standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee,
    where he was to lead sanitation workers in protest against low wages
    and intolerable working conditions;

-   "in 1968, Representative John Conyers introduced legislation to
    establish the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a Federal
    holiday;

-   "Coretta Scott King, who had been actively engaged in the civil
    rights movement as a politically and socially conscious young woman,
    continued after her husband's death to lead the United States toward
    greater justice and equality, traveling the world on behalf of
    racial and economic justice, peace and non-violence, women's and
    children's rights, **gay rights**, religious freedom, full
    employment, health care, and education until her death on January
    30, 2006; and

-   "the values of faith, compassion, courage, truth, justice, and
    non-violence that guided Dr. and Mrs. King's dream for America will
    be celebrated and preserved by the Martin Luther King, Jr., National
    Memorial on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the
    Jefferson Memorial and in the new National Museum of African
    American History and Culture that will be located in the shadow of
    the Washington Monument" (emphasis added).

To learn more about the MLK Memorial, please click here,
[http://www.mlkmemorial.org](http://www.mlkmemorial.org/).

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: On January 12, 2007, the bill was
introduced and referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, which
took no official action.

**[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}**: Joelle Cannon;
<joelle.cannon@mail.house.gov>, (202) 226-9717

H.R. 188 --- To provide a new effective date for the applicability of
certain provisions of law to Public Law 105-331 --- *as introduced*
(*Pallone, D-NJ*)

**[Order of Business]{.underline}:** The bill is scheduled for
consideration on Tuesday, January 16, 2007, under a motion to suspend
the rules and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}:** H.R. 188 would extend the deadline, from
December 31, 2006 to June 30, 2007, for the Edison Memorial Tower in
Edison, New Jersey to file a specified audited financial statement (P.L.
105-331).

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="1.8680555555555556in"
height="2.5375in"}**[Additional Information]{.underline}:** The Edison
Memorial Tower is formally known as the Thomas Alva Edison Memorial
Tower and Museum, and is a memorial located in the Menlo Park area of
Edison, New Jersey to inventor and businessman Thomas Edison. The
structure was built in 1937 and dedicated on February 11, 1938, on
Edison's 91st birthday. The 131-foot tall tower is at the exact spot
where the Menlo Park laboratory was located. The museum showcases many
of Edison's inventions, including the phonograph and several of his
light bulbs, as well as memorabilia relating to Edison.

**[Committee Action]{.underline}:** H.R. 188 was introduced on January
4, 2007, and referred to the Committee on Financial Services, which took
no official action.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}:** A CBO score of H.R. 188 is
unavailable, but the bill does not authorize new 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.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}:** A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable.

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}:** Derek V. Baker;
[derek.baker@mail.house.gov](mailto:Derek.baker@mail.house.gov);
202-226-8585

H.R. 391 --- To authorize the Secretary of Housing and Community
Development to continue to insure and enter into commitments to insure
home equity conversion mortgages under section 255 of the National
Housing Act --- *as introduced* (*Matheson, D-UT*)

**[Order of Business]{.underline}:** The bill is scheduled for
consideration on Tuesday, January 16, 2007, under a motion to suspend
the rules and pass the bill.

**[Summary]{.underline}:** H.R. 391 would allow the Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to insure and enter into commitments
to insure mortgages under section 255 of the National Housing Act (12
U.S.C. 1715z-20), without regard to the limitations in current law
(section 255(g)). Current law stipulates that the total number of
mortgages insured under section 255 may not exceed 150,000, nor may the
benefits of insurance exceed the maximum dollar amount (section 1709
(b)(2)) for one-family residences in the area. Therefore, this bill
allows HUD to issue mortgages beyond these limitations.

**[Additional Background]{.underline}:** The stated purpose of section
255 of the National Housing Act is to meet the special needs of elderly
homeowners "by reducing the effect of the economic hardship caused by
the increasing costs of meeting health, housing, and subsistence needs
at a time of reduced income," through the insurance of home equity
conversion mortgages to permit the conversion of a portion of
accumulated home equity into liquid assets.

**[Committee Action]{.underline}:** H.R. 391 was introduced on January
10, 2007, and referred to the Committee on Financial Services, which
took no official action.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}:** A CBO score of H.R. 391 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}:** No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}:** A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable.

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}:** Derek V. Baker;
[derek.baker@mail.house.gov](mailto:Derek.baker@mail.house.gov);
202-226-8585

**H. Res. 39---Commending the University of Florida Gators for their
victory in the 2006 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and for winning the
national college football championship -- as introduced *(Wasserman
Schultz, D-FL)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: The resolution is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, January 16, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 39 would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

-   "commends the Florida Gators for their victory in the 2006 Bowl
    Championship Series and for winning the national college football
    championship;

-   "recognizes the achievements of the players, coaches, students, and
    staff whose hard work and dedication helped the University of
    Florida Gators win the championship; and

-   "directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transmit a
    copy of this resolution to University of Florida President J.
    Bernard Machen, football Head Coach Urban Meyer, and Athletic
    Director Jeremy Foley for appropriate display."

The resolution also lists a number of findings, including the following:

-   "on January 8, 2007, the University of Florida Gators won the 2006
    Bowl Championship Series national title with a stunning 41-14 defeat
    over the Ohio State University Buckeyes;

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-   "the University of Florida football program celebrated its 100th
    Anniversary this season;

-   "the University of Florida won the NCAA Championship title in
    basketball in April 2006;

-   "the University of Florida is the first Division I school to hold
    the national championship title in both football and men\'s
    basketball concurrently;

-   "Florida football Head Coach Urban Meyer is only the 7th coach to
    win a national championship in his first two seasons as a Division I
    college football coach;

-   "senior quarterback Chris Leak was the Most Valuable Player of the
    BCS national championship game; and

-   "the University of Florida student athletes are among the most
    talented in the Nation."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: On January 9, 2007, the bill was
introduced and referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor,
which took no official action.

**[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}**: Joelle Cannon;
<joelle.cannon@mail.house.gov>, (202) 226-9717

**H. Con. Res. \_\_---Honoring the Mare Island Original 21ers for their
efforts to increase equal employment opportunities in the military -- as
introduced *(Miller, D-CA)***

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: The resolution is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, January 16, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**Note**: Text of the resolution was not available at time of
publication. Therefore, this summary is based on a previously introduced
version, H.Con.Res. 31.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Con.Res. 31 would resolve that Congress
recognizes:

1)  "the historic accomplishments of the Mare Island Original 21ers in
    combating racial discrimination in employment as envisioned in title
    VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and providing equal employment
    opportunities for African-American shipyard workers;

2)  "the importance of the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity as
    a forerunner to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission which
    continues the fight in resolving complaints of racial discrimination
    in employment; and

3)  "the importance of title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as a
    powerful and ongoing tool for eliminating racial discrimination in
    employment."

The resolution also states a number of findings, including the
following:

-   "over 45 years ago African-American workers employed by the Mare
    Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California, despite having work
    experiences and qualifications comparable to their counterparts,
    experienced racial discrimination resulting in the denial of
    opportunities in employment, training, and apprenticeship positions,
    supervisory positions, promotions, and awards;

-   "in March 1961 President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order
    10925 establishing the President\'s Committee on Equal Employment
    Opportunity and reaffirming the prohibition of discrimination
    against any employee of, or applicant for employment by, the Federal
    Government because of race, color, religion, or national origin;

-   "on November 17, 1961, 21 African-American shipyard workers at Mare
    Island Naval Shipyard filed a racial discrimination complaint with
    the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity;

-   "the complaint outlined nine allegations of racial discrimination in
    employment at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and requested that the
    Committee investigate and correct the deplorable conditions at Mare
    Island Naval Shipyard;

-   "the filing of this complaint along with other similar complaints of
    racial discrimination led to an acknowledgment by then Defense
    Secretary Robert McNamara in 1963 that there was employment
    discrimination based on race in the military;

-   "on November 8, 1963, the Original 21ers Club was officially
    recognized with the purpose of elevating qualified minorities in
    every phase of Mare Island employment, creating a better
    relationship between management and employees and better acquainting
    their membership with the working conditions of every occupation;
    and

-   "the actions and persistence of the Original 21ers provided the
    means for overturning racial discrimination in employment at Mare
    Island Naval Shipyard and resulted in new employment opportunities
    for African-American workers at Mare Island Naval Shipyard."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: On January 12, 2007, the bill was
introduced and referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, which
took no official action.

**[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}:** Derek V. Baker;
[derek.baker@mail.house.gov](mailto:Derek.baker@mail.house.gov);
202-226-8585

**H. Res. \_\_---Commending the Boise State University Broncos football
team for winning the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and completing an undefeated
season -- as introduced (Simpson, R-ID)**

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: The resolution is scheduled to be
considered on Tuesday, January 16, 2007, under a motion to suspend the
rules and pass the resolution.

**Note**: Text of the resolution was not available at time of
publication. Therefore, this summary is based on a previously introduced
version, H.Res. 43.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: H.Res. 43 would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

1)  "commends the Boise State University Broncos football team for
    winning the 2007 Fiesta Bowl; and

2)  "congratulates the team for completing an undefeated, 13-0 season."

The resolution also lists a number of findings, including the following:

-   "the Boise State University Broncos football team won the 2007
    Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, defeating the University of Oklahoma Sooners
    by a score of 43-42 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in
    Glendale, Arizona, on January 1, 2007;

-   "the Broncos are the Nation\'s top scoring Division 1-A collegiate
    football team for the last 7 seasons, with an average of over 42
    points per game;

-   "the Broncos are the Nation\'s 4th winningest Division 1-A
    collegiate football team for the last 7 seasons, with a record of
    75-13 and winning percentage of over .850.

-   "the 2007 Fiesta Bowl is widely considered one of the best games in
    the history of college football;

-   "the Broncos are the only Division 1-A collegiate football team to
    complete the 2006-2007 season undefeated;

-   "the entire Broncos team should be commended for its determination,
    work ethic, attitude, and heart; and

-   the Broncos are deserving of an opportunity to play for the National
    Championship."

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: On January 12, 2007, the bill was
introduced and referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, which
took no official action.

**[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}:** Derek V. Baker;
[derek.baker@mail.house.gov](mailto:Derek.baker@mail.house.gov);
202-226-8585

\###