Tuesday, November 19 in the U.S. House of Representatives

• Passed (389-9), a 2/3 Yea-and-Nay On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 8371, Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, [Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ)], To make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.  
  • All 'Nay' votes were cast by Republicans.
  • 34 members did not vote -- 20 Republicans and 14 Democrats.
• Passed (396-6) a 2/3 Yea-and-Nay On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 5658, Vote by Mail Tracking Act [Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA)], This bill requires mail-in ballots to (1) contain a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) barcode that enables tracking of each individual ballot, (2) satisfy USPS requirements for ballot envelope design and machinable letters, and (3) include the official election mail logo.  
  • All 'Nay' votes were cast by Republicans:
    • Hageman [R-WY]
    • Massie [R-KY]
    • Rosendale [R-MT]
    • Roy [R-TX]
    • Self [R-TX]
    • Steube [R-FL]
  • 30 members, 15 from each party, did not vote.

 All these bills were passed by voice vote on motions to suspend the rules and pass, as amended:

• H.R. 825, Banning Operations and Leases with the Illegitimate Venezuelan Authoritarian Regime Act or the BOLIVAR Act, as amended [Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL)], This bill temporarily prohibits an executive agency from entering into a contract for the procurement of goods or services with any person that it determines, with the concurrence of the Department of State, knowingly engages in significant business operations with the Maduro regime in Venezuela. The bill lists exceptions, including where vital to U.S. national security or as necessary for purposes of providing humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and other urgent lifesaving measures, or to carry out noncombatant evacuations. The prohibition shall not apply to contracts that support U.S. government activities in Venezuela or to contracts with international organizations. The State Department may waive the requirements of this bill upon determining that to do so is in the national interest. 
• H.R. 5536, Grant Transparency Act of 2023, as amended [Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC)], This bill establishes transparency requirements for notices of funding opportunity in applications for competitive grants awarded by federal agencies, excluding the Government Accountability Office. Specifically, each notice of funding opportunity issued by an agency for a competitive grant must include (1) a description of any rating system and evaluation and selection criteria the agency uses to assess applications for the grant; (2) a statement of whether the agency uses a weighted scoring method and a description of any such method that it uses for the grant, including the amount by which the agency weighs each criterion; and (3) any other qualitative or quantitative merit-based approach the agency uses to evaluate an application for the grant. 
• H.R. 7653, Veterans Employment Readiness Yield Act of 2024 or the VERY Act of 2024 [Rep. Donald G. Davis (D-NC)], This bill revises terminology used under the Veteran Readiness and Employment program, specifically by replacing the use of employment handicap with employment barrier.  
• S. 3126, Mark Our Place Act [Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN)], This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish a headstone, marker, or medallion signifying the status of a deceased member of the Armed Forces as a Medal of Honor recipient regardless of when the member served. Under current law, only Medal of Honor recipients who served after 1917 are eligible for such markers. 
• S. 2181, Keeping Military Families Together Act of 2024, as amended [Sen. Gary C. Peters (D-MI)], This bill permanently extends certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) burial benefits provided to spouses and dependent children of veterans or active-duty service members. Specifically, the bill permanently requires the VA to furnish, upon request, memorial headstones or markers for spouses or dependent children of veterans or service members who were serving on active duty at the time of the spouse’s or child’s death. Additionally, the bill permanently authorizes burial in any open national cemetery under the control of the National Cemetery Administration for a spouse or dependent child of veterans or service members who were serving on active duty at the time of the spouse’s or child’s death. 

• H.R.10160, Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act [Rep. Laurel M. Lee (R-FL)], To address sexual harassment and sexual assault of Bureau of Prisons staff in prisons, and for other purposes. Requires the Inspector General to conduct a comprehensive statistical review and analysis of the incidence and effects of sexual harassment and sexual assault perpetrated by incarcerated individuals against a correctional officer or other employee of the Bureau of Prisons within 1 year of enactment.
• H.R. 10156, To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to repeal certain provisions relating to the acceptance and use of contributions for public-private partnerships, and for other purposes. [Rep. Harriet M. Hageman (R-WY)]
• H.R.10154, Ballot Box Protection Act [Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY)], To amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to prohibit destroying or damaging ballot boxes, and for other purposes.

• H.R.6951, College Cost Reduction Act [Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-VA), +153 cosponsors], To lower the cost of postsecondary education for students and families.
  • 1/31/24 - Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held 
  • 1/31/24 - Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 22 - 19. 
  • 11/18/24 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 118-739. 
  • 11/18/24 - Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 624. 
• H.R.8449, AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2024 [Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)], To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles, and for other purposes.
  • 9/18/24 - Committee on Energy and Commerce Consideration and Mark-up Session Held 
  • 9/18/24 - Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 45 - 2. 
  • 11/18/24 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 118-740, Part I. 
  • 11/18/24 - Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 625.