Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers joined with members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Tuesday in supporting the introduction of legislation to implement the Bush administration’s America’s Opportunity Scholarships program to give children who are trapped in under-performing schools more choices and opportunities to improve their educational experience.

On Monday, the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Suspensions (18 bills):

(Bills on suspension are generally considered non-controversial and have reduced debate time, but require a two-thirds majority vote to be passed.)

1. H.R. 854 - To provide for certain lands to be held in trust for the Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe
2. H.R. 1307 - Musconetcong Wild and Scenic Rivers Act: Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate specified segments of the Musconetcong River, New Jersey, as scenic and recreational rivers. Prohibits such designated river segments from being administered as part of the National Park System.
3. H.R. 4947 - Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act: Expands the boundaries of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County, Alabama.
4. H.R. 5057 - To authorize the Marion Park Project and Committee of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia, and its environs to honor Brigadier General Francis Marion: Authorizes the Marion Park Project and Committee of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation to establish a commemorative work on federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor Brigadier General Francis Marion. Prohibits the use of federal funds to pay any expense of its establishment.
5. S. 310 - Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility Transfer Act: Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District in Nevada real property within the Newlands Project, Nevada, known as 2666 Harrigan Road, Fallon, Nevada, after: (1) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and applicable cultural resources requirements have been complied with; and (2) any required environmental site assessment, remediation, or removal has been completed.
6. H.R. 3603 - Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act: Requires the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to convey specified parcels of federal land to certain counties and cities in central Idaho. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the State of Idaho a specified parcel of BLM land for a motorized recreation park.
7. H.R. 5025 - Mount Hood Stewardship Legacy Act: Designates specified wilderness areas in Mount Hood National Forest (Mount Hood), Oregon, as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Designates specified rivers in Mount Hood as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system.
8. S.Con.Res. 60 - A concurrent resolution designating the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as America’s National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
9. S. 1496 - Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2005: Directs the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with state management agencies, to conduct a three-year pilot program under which up to 15 states may issue electronic migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps.
10. S. 203 - National Heritage Areas Act of 2005: Consolidates the following bills - Soda Ash Royalty Reduction Act of 2005 - Lowers, for a five-year period, the royalty rate on the quantity or gross value of the output of sodium compounds and related products at the point of shipment to market from federal land to two percent; Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area Act (NM); Atchafalaya National Heritage Area Act (LA); Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Act (GA); Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area Act (UT); Bleeding Kansas National Heritage Area Act (KS); Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area Act (CT & MA); Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership Act of 2005 (VT & NY); Great Basin National Heritage Route Act (NV); Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Act (NC, SC, GA & FL); Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area Act of 2005 (NJ); and others.
11. H.R. 3817 - Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005: Withdraws the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest (New Mexico) from: (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under mining laws; and (3) operation of laws pertaining to mineral leasing, geothermal leasing, and mineral materials.
12. H.R. 4301 - Blunt Reservoir and Pierre Canal Land Conveyance Act of 2005: Deauthorizes the Blunt Reservoir feature of the Oahe Irrigation Project authorized as part of the Pick-Sloan Missouri River Basin Program.
13. H.R. 233 - Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act: Designates specified areas in Mendocino and Six Rivers National Forests and in Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa Counties in the State of California as wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
14. H.R. 5534 - To establish a grant program whereby moneys collected from violations of the corporate average fuel economy program are used to expand infrastructure necessary to increase the availability of alternative fuels: Establishes in the Treasury a Fuel Economy Fund to be: (1) funded by fines, penalties, and other moneys obtained through certain enforcement actions; and (2) used by the Secretary of Energy to implement a grant program for the construction or expansion of infrastructure necessary to increase the availability to consumers of alternative fuels.
15. H.Res. 892 - Recognizing the dedication of the employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration`s Michoud Assembly Facility: Commends the dedication of the 37 members of the "Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team" who stayed behind at the Michoud Assembly Facility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and protected vital program assets, which enabled the facility to resume production of the Space Shuttle external tank within five weeks of Hurricane Katrina's landfall.
16. H.R. 3082 - Veteran-Owned Small Business Promotion Act of 2005: Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to award not less than nine percent of the total value of all prime contract and subcontract awards for each fiscal year to small businesses owned and controlled by veterans. Requires at least one-third of those awards to go to small businesses owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities.
17. H.Con.Res. 347 - Honoring the National Association of State Veterans Homes and the 119 State veterans homes providing long term care to veterans that are represented by that association for their contributions to the health care of veterans and the health-care system of the Nation: Commends all individuals who work in, or on behalf of, state veterans homes for their contributions in caring for elderly and disabled veterans. Recognizes the importance of the partnership between the states and the Department of Veterans Affairs in providing long-term care to veterans. Affirms the support of Congress for continuation of the state homes program to address the known and anticipated needs of veterans for institutional long-term care services.
18. H.Con.Res. 125 - Expressing support for the designation and goals of "Hire a Veteran Week" and encouraging the President to issue a proclamation supporting those goals.

On Tuesday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for morning hour and 10 a.m. for legislative business.

Suspensions (13 bills):

1. S. 3525 - Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006: Amends the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to reserve a specified portion of any appropriation for the promoting safe and stable families (PSSF) programs during FY2007-FY2011 for grants for regional partnerships to increase the well-being of, improve the permanency outcomes for, and enhance the safety of children affected by methamphetamine abuse and addiction.
2. H.R. 4804 - FHA Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act of 2006: Amends the National Housing Act with respect to Federal Housing Administration (FHA) housing loan insurance for manufactured homes (or lots for such homes) to: (1) exempt such loans from certain financial institution portfolio limits; (2) establish loan-to-value ratio and downpayment requirements; (3) provide that any such contract shall be conclusive evidence of an institution's insurance eligibility; (4) increase loan limits; (5) set forth borrower premium charges; and (6) direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish underwriting criteria that will ensure the manufactured housing program's financial soundness.
3. H.R. 5024 - Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act of 2006: Requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to provide oral testimony by their respective Chairpersons (or a designee), beginning in 2007, and annually for five years, to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives on their efforts to reduce the complexity in financial reporting to provide more accurate and clear financial information to investors.
4. H.R. 5068 - Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2006: Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States through FY2011.
5. H.R. 5121 - Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2006: Amends the National Housing Act to: (1) modify guidelines governing the maximum principal loan obligation; (2) extend the mortgage term; and (3) revise requirements for cash payment by the mortgagor in the eligibility criteria for mortgage insurance. Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Secretary) to establish a mortgage insurance premium structure involving a single premium payment collected prior to the insurance of the mortgage that may vary during the mortgage term as long as the basis for determining the variable rate is established before the execution of the mortgage.
6. H.R. 5852 - The 21st Century Emergency Communications Act of 2006: Mandates a National Emergency Communications Report to recommend goals and timeframes for the achievement of redundant, sustainable, and interoperable emergency communications systems; requires a baseline assessment of current emergency communications capabilities and periodic assessments on progress in filling in existing gaps; accelerates the development of national standards for emergency communications equipment; requires state and local governments to establish effective Statewide Interoperable Communications Plans before being able to use DHS grant funds for emergency communications; facilitates coordination on emergency communications by establishing regional working groups comprised of federal, state and local officials, first responders, and other relevant stakeholders; and elevates the importance of emergency communications within the Department of Homeland Security, enhancing accountability and resources to ensure first responders on the ground can communicate with one another. 
7. H.Con.Res. 384 - Recognizing and honoring the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans
8. H.R. 5074 - Railroad Retirement Technical Improvement Act of 2006: Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to repeal a provision requiring the Railroad Retirement Board to enter into an arrangement with a nongovernmental financial institution to serve as disbursing agent for annuity and death benefits. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to serve as the disbursing agent for such benefits.
9. H.R. 5013 - Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act of 2006: Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to prohibit any U.S. officer or employee, or person operating under color of federal law, under control of a federal official, or providing services to such person, while acting in support of relief from a major disaster or emergency, from: (1) seizing or authorizing seizure of any firearm the possession of which is not prohibited under federal or state law, other than for forfeiture in compliance with federal law or as evidence in a criminal investigation; (2) requiring registration of any firearm for which registration is not required by federal or state law; (3) prohibiting possession of any firearm in any place or by any person where such possession is not otherwise prohibited; or (4) prohibiting the carrying of firearms by any person otherwise authorized to carry firearms, solely because such person is operating under the direction, control, or supervision of a federal agency in support of relief from a major disaster or emergency.
10. H.Con.Res. 145 - Expressing the sense of Congress in support of a national bike month and in appreciation of cyclists and others for promoting bicycle safety and the benefits of cycling
11. H.R. 5187 - To amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act to authorize additional appropriations for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for fiscal year 2007: Authorizes additional appropriations for FY2007 to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for: (1) maintenance, repair, and security; and (2) capital projects.
12. H.Con.Res. 235 - Expressing the sense of the Congress that States should require candidates for driver’s licenses to demonstrate an ability to exercise greatly increased caution when driving in the proximity of a potentially visually impaired individual
13. H.Con.Res. 449 - Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the historic 1946 season of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame member Bob Feller and his return from military service to the United States

H.R. 1956 - Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2006: Expands the federal prohibition against state taxation of interstate commerce to: (1) include taxation of out-of-state transactions involving all forms of property, including intangible personal property and services (currently, only sales of tangible personal property are protected); and (2) prohibit state taxation of an out-of-state entity unless such entity has a physical presence in the taxing state. Sets forth criteria for determining that a person has a physical presence in a state.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for legislative business. On Wednesday, the House Floor will be cleared immediately after 10 a.m. in order to provide time for a security sweep of the House Chamber prior to the Iraqi Prime Minister’s arrival. The House will reconvene at 10:40 a.m. in Joint Meeting with the Senate for the purpose of receiving His Excellency Dr. Nouri Al-Maliki, Prime Minister of Iraq. On Friday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business.

H.R. 5682 - United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006: Declares the sense of Congress that: (1) it may be in the U.S. interest to enter into an agreement for nuclear cooperation under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA) with a country that has never been a member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) with respect to civilian nuclear technology if certain criteria have been met; (2) India meets such criteria; and (3) it is in the U.S. national security interest to deepen its relationship with India across a full range of issues, including peaceful nuclear cooperation.

H.R. 5766 - Government Efficiency Act of 2006: Authorizes the establishment of a bipartisan commission to study whether a specific aspect of federal government operations would function more efficiently and effectively if some or all of the relevant federal programs and agencies were reorganized, consolidated, abolished, expanded, or transferred. Any legislative recommendations by the commission would be considered in Congress pursuant to expedited procedures. H.R. 5766 creates a Federal Review Commission to be composed of a bipartisan group of commissioners representing the interest of both the executive branch and the Congress. Specifically, a Commission would be composed of seven voting members, three chosen by the President and four based on recommendations made by the House and Senate majority and minority leaders. Additionally, up to four Members of Congress, two from each chamber, could serve as ex oficio Members of a Commission.

H.R. 3282 - Abolishment of Obsolete Agencies and Federal Sunset Act of 2005: Establishes the Federal Agency Sunset Commission to: (1) submit to Congress a schedule for review by the Commission, at least once every 12 years, of the abolishment or reorganization of each agency; (2) review and evaluate the efficiency and public need for each agency using specified criteria; (3) recommend whether each agency should be abolished or reorganized; and (4) report to Congress on all legislation introduced that would establish a new agency or a new program to be carried out by an existing agency. Requires the abolishment of any agency within one year of the Commission's review, unless the agency is reauthorized by Congress. Authorizes the deadline for abolishing an agency to be extended for an additional two years by legislation enacted by a super majority of the House of Representatives and the Senate. 

• Possible Motions to go to Conference
• Possible Motions to Instruct Conferees