[Congressional Record: July 29, 2008 (House)]
[Page H7186-H7189]
IMPROVING PUBLIC ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS ACT OF 2008
Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 6193) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to
develop and administer policies, procedures, and programs to promote
the implementation of the Controlled Unclassified Information Framework
applicable to unclassified information that is homeland security
information, terrorism information, weapons of mass destruction
information and other information within the scope of the information
sharing environment established under section 1016 of the Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (6 U.S.C. 485), and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6193
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Public Access to
Documents Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The proliferation and widespread use of ``sensitive but
unclassified'' (SBU) control markings by the Federal
Government interferes with accurate, actionable, and timely
homeland security information sharing, increases the cost of
information security, and needlessly limits public access to
information.
(2) The control markings problem, which has worsened since
the 9/11 attacks, causes considerable confusion about what
information can be shared with whom both internally at the
Department of Homeland Security and with its external
partners. This problem negatively impacts the dissemination
of homeland security information to the Department's State,
local, tribal, and territorial homeland security and law
enforcement partners, private sector customers, and the
public.
(3) Overuse of ``sensitive but unclassified'' markings
stands in the way of a safer and more secure homeland. This
trend is antithetical to the creation and operation of the
information sharing environment established under section
1016 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act
of 2004 (6 U.S.C. 485), and must be halted and reversed.
(4) To do so, the Department should start with the
understanding that all departmental information that is not
properly classified, or marked as controlled unclassified
information and otherwise exempt from disclosure, should be
made available to members of the public pursuant to section
552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as
the ``Freedom of Information Act'').
(5) The Department should also develop and administer
policies, procedures, and programs that promote compliance
with applicable laws, executive orders, and other authorities
pertaining to the proper use of controlled unclassified
information markings and the National Archives and Records
Administration policies implementing them.
SEC. 3. CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION FRAMEWORK
IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY.
Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 210F. CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION FRAMEWORK
IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall develop and
administer policies, procedures, and programs within the
Department to implement the controlled unclassified
information framework to standardize the use of controlled
unclassified markings on, and to maximize the disclosure to
the public of, homeland security information, terrorism
information, weapons of mass destruction information, and
other information within the scope of the information sharing
environment established under section 1016 of the
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (6
U.S.C. 485) that must be disseminated to prevent and to
collectively respond to acts of terrorism. The Secretary
shall coordinate with the Archivist of the United States and
consult with representatives of State, local, tribal, and
territorial government and law enforcement, organizations
with expertise in civil rights, civil liberties, and
government oversight, and the private sector, as appropriate,
to develop such policies, procedures, and programs.
``(b) Requirements.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of the Improving Public Access to Documents
Act of 2008, the Secretary, in administering the policies,
procedures, and programs required under subsection (a),
shall--
``(1) create, in consultation with the Archivist of the
United States, a standard format for unclassified finished
intelligence products created by the Department that have
been designated as controlled unclassified information,
consistent with any government-wide standards, practices or
procedures for similar products;
``(2) require that all unclassified finished intelligence
products created by the Department that have been designated
as controlled unclassified information be prepared in the
standard format;
``(3) ensure that such policies, procedures, and programs
protect the national security as well as the information
privacy rights and legal rights of United States persons
pursuant to all applicable law and policy, including the
privacy guidelines for the information sharing environment
established pursuant to section 1016 of the Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (6 U.S.C. 485),
as appropriate;
``(4) establish an ongoing auditing mechanism administered
by the Inspector General of the Department or other
appropriate senior Department official that randomly selects,
on a periodic basis, controlled unclassified information from
each component of the Department, including all Department
components that generate unclassified finished intelligence
products, to--
``(A) assess whether applicable controlled unclassified
information policies, procedures, rules, and regulations have
been followed;
``(B) describe any problems with the administration of the
applicable controlled unclassified information policies,
procedures, rules and regulations, including specific non-
compliance issues;
``(C) recommend improvements in awareness and training to
address any problems identified in subparagraph (B); and
``(D) report at least annually to the Committee on Homeland
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and
the public on the findings of the Inspector General's audits
under this section;
``(5) establish a process whereby employees may challenge
the use of controlled unclassified information markings by
Department employees or contractors and be rewarded
[[Page H7187]]
with specific incentives for successful challenges resulting
in--
``(A) the removal of controlled unclassified information
markings; or
``(B) the correct application of appropriate controlled
unclassified information markings;
``(6) inform employees and contractors that failure to
comply with the policies, procedures, and programs
established under this section could subject them to a series
of penalties;
``(7) institute a series of penalties for employees and
contractors who repeatedly fail to comply with the policies,
procedures, and programs established under this section after
having received both notice of their noncompliance and
appropriate training or re-training to address such
noncompliance;
``(8) maintain a publicly available list of all documents
designated, in whole or in part, as controlled unclassified
information by Department employees or contractors that--
``(A) have been withheld in response to a request made
pursuant to section 552 of title 5, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the `Freedom of Information Act');
and
``(B) includes for each such withheld document a summary of
the request and a statement that identifies the exemption
under section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code (commonly
referred to as the `Freedom of Information Act') that
justified the withholding; and
``(9) create a process through which the public can notify
the Inspector General of the Department of any concerns
regarding the implementation of the controlled unclassified
information framework, including the withholding of
controlled unclassified information pursuant to section
552(b) of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to
as the `Freedom of Information Act'), which shall be
considered as part of the audit described in paragraph (4).
``(c) Implementation.--In carrying out subsections (a) and
(b), the Secretary shall ensure that--
``(1) information is designated as controlled unclassified
information and includes an authorized controlled
unclassified information marking only if--
``(A) a statute or executive order requires or authorizes
such a designation and marking; or
``(B) the Secretary, through regulations, directives, or
other specific guidance to the agency that have been
submitted to and approved by the Archivist of the United
States, determines that the information is controlled
unclassified information based on mission requirements,
business prudence, legal privilege, the protection of
personal or commercial rights, safety, or security;
``(2) notwithstanding paragraph (1), information is not to
be designated as controlled unclassified information--
``(A) to conceal violations of law, inefficiency, or
administrative error;
``(B) to prevent embarrassment to Federal, State, local,
tribal, or territorial governments or any official, agency,
or organization thereof; any agency; or any organization;
``(C) to improperly or unlawfully interfere with
competition in the private sector;
``(D) to prevent or delay the release of information that
does not require such protection;
``(E) if it is required to be made available to the public;
or
``(F) if it has already been released to the public under
proper authority; and
``(3) the controlled unclassified information framework is
administered in a manner that ensures that--
``(A) information can be shared within the Department and
with State, local, tribal, and territorial governments, the
private sector, and the public, as appropriate;
``(B) all policies and standards for the designation,
marking, safeguarding, and dissemination of controlled
unclassified information are consistent with the controlled
unclassified information framework and any other policies,
guidelines, procedures, instructions, or standards
established by the President, including in any relevant
future executive memoranda or executive orders;
``(C) the number of Department employees and contractors
with controlled unclassified information designation
authority is limited appropriately as determined in
consultation with the parties referred to in subsection (a);
``(D) controlled unclassified information markings are not
a determinant of public disclosure pursuant to section 552 of
title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the
`Freedom of Information Act');
``(E) controlled unclassified information markings are
placed on archived or legacy material whenever circulated,
consistent with the controlled unclassified information
framework and any other policies, guidelines, procedures,
instructions, or standards established by the President,
including in any relevant future executive memoranda or
executive orders;
``(F) all controlled unclassified information portions of
classified documents are marked as controlled unclassified
information; and
``(G) it supersedes any pre-existing policies and
procedures relating to the creation, control, and sharing of
sensitive but unclassified information generated by the
Department, except where otherwise provided by law.
``(d) Public Access to Unclassified Information.--The
Secretary shall make available to members of the public all
controlled unclassified information and other unclassified
information in its possession that is releasable pursuant to
an appropriate request under section 552 of title 5, United
States Code (commonly referred to as the `Freedom of
Information Act').
``(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall
be construed to prevent or discourage the Department from
voluntarily releasing to the public any unclassified
information that is not exempt from disclosure under section
552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as
the `Freedom of Information Act').''.
SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT OF CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION
FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 210G. ENFORCEMENT OF CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED
INFORMATION FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMS.
``(a) Personal Identifiers.--The Secretary shall--
``(1) assess the technologies available or in use at the
Department by which an electronic personal identification
number or other electronic identifying marker can be assigned
to each Department employee and contractor with controlled
unclassified information designation authority in order to--
``(A) track which documents have been designated as
controlled unclassified information by a particular employee
or contractor;
``(B) determine the circumstances when such documents have
been shared;
``(C) identify and address misuse of controlled
unclassified information markings, including the
misapplication of controlled unclassified information
markings to documents that do not merit such markings; and
``(D) assess the information sharing impact of any such
problems or misuse;
``(2) develop an implementation plan for a Department
standard for such technology with appropriate benchmarks, a
timetable for its completion, and cost estimate for the
creation and implementation of a system of electronic
personal identification numbers or other electronic
identifying markers for all relevant Department employees and
contractors; and
``(3) upon completion of the implementation plan described
in paragraph (2), or not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of the Improving Public Access to Documents
Act of 2008, whichever is earlier, the Secretary shall
provide a copy of the plan to the Committee on Homeland
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
``(b) Training.--The Secretary, in coordination with the
Archivist of the United States, shall--
``(1) require annual training for each Department employee
and contractor with controlled unclassified information
designation authority or those responsible for analysis,
dissemination, preparation, production, receiving,
publishing, or otherwise communicating written controlled
unclassified information. Such training shall--
``(A) educate each employee and contractor about--
``(i) the Department's requirement that all unclassified
finished intelligence products that they create that have
been designated as controlled unclassified information be
prepared in a standard format prescribed by the Department;
``(ii) the proper use of controlled unclassified
information markings, including portion markings; and
``(iii) the consequences of improperly using controlled
unclassified information markings, including the
misapplication of controlled unclassified information
markings to documents that do not merit such markings, and of
failing to comply with the Department's policies and
procedures established under or pursuant to this section,
including the negative consequences for the individual's
personnel evaluation, homeland security, information sharing,
and the overall success of the Department's missions;
``(B) serve as a prerequisite, once completed successfully,
as evidenced by an appropriate certificate, for--
``(i) obtaining controlled unclassified information
designation authority; and
``(ii) renewing such authority annually; and
``(C) count as a positive factor, once completed
successfully, in the Department's employment, evaluation, and
promotion decisions; and
``(2) ensure that such program is conducted efficiently, in
conjunction with any other security, intelligence, or other
training programs required by the Department to reduce the
costs and administrative burdens associated with the
additional training required by this section.
``(c) Detailee Program.--The Secretary shall--
``(1) implement a Departmental detailee program to detail
Departmental personnel to the National Archives and Records
Administration for one year, for the purpose of--
``(A) training and educational benefit for the Department
personnel assigned so that they may better understand the
policies, procedures, and laws governing the controlled
unclassified information framework;
[[Page H7188]]
``(B) bolstering the ability of the National Archives and
Records Administration to conduct its oversight authorities
over the Department and other Departments and agencies; and
``(C) ensuring that the policies and procedures established
by the Secretary remain consistent with those established by
the Archivist of the United States; and
``(2) in coordination with the Archivist of the United
States, report to Congress not later than 90 days after the
conclusion of the first year of the program established under
paragraph (1), on--
``(A) the advisability of expanding the program on a
government-wide basis, whereby other departments and agencies
would send detailees to the National Archives and Records
Administration; and
``(B) the administrative and monetary costs of full
compliance with this section.
``(d) Termination of Detailee Program.--Except as otherwise
provided by law, subsection (c) shall cease to have effect on
December 31, 2012.''.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is further amended by adding at the
end the following new section:
``SEC. 210H. DEFINITIONS.
``In this Act:
``(1) Controlled unclassified information.--The term
`controlled unclassified information' means a categorical
designation that refers to unclassified information,
including unclassified information within the scope of the
information sharing environment established under section
1016 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act
of 2004 (6 U.S.C. 485), including unclassified homeland
security information, terrorism information, and weapons of
mass destruction information (as defined in such section) and
unclassified national intelligence (as defined in section
3(5) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
401a(5))), that does not meet the standards of National
Security Classification under Executive Order 12958, as
amended, but is (i) pertinent to the national interests of
the United States or to the important interests of entities
outside the Federal Government, and (ii) under law or
National Archives and Records Administration policy requires
safeguarding from unauthorized disclosure, special handling
safeguards, or prescribed limits on exchanges or
dissemination.
``(2) Controlled unclassified information framework.--The
term `controlled unclassified information framework' means
the single set of policies and procedures governing the
designation, marking, safeguarding, and dissemination of
terrorism-related controlled unclassified information that
originates in departments and agencies, regardless of the
medium used for the display, storage, or transmittal of such
information, as set forth in the President's May 7, 2008
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments Regarding
Designation and Sharing of controlled unclassified
information (CUI), and in any relevant future executive
memoranda, executive orders, or legislation.
``(3) Finished intelligence product.--The term `finished
intelligence product' means a document in which an
intelligence analyst has evaluated, interpreted, integrated,
or placed into context raw intelligence or information.''.
SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.
The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101(b)) is amended by adding
after the item relating to section 210E the following new
items:
``Sec. 210F. Controlled unclassified information framework
implementation program.
``Sec. 210G. Enforcement of controlled unclassified information
framework implementation programs.
``Sec. 210H. Definitions.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Harman) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis)
will each control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislation days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I would like to include for the Record an exchange of letters
between the distinguished chairmen of the Committees on Homeland
Security and Oversight and Government Reform.
House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform,
Washington, DC, July 25, 2008.
Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Ford House Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson:
I am writing about H.R. 6193, the Improving Public Access
to Documents Act of 2008, which the Homeland Security
Committee ordered reported to the House on June 26, 2008.
I appreciate your effort to consult with the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform regarding H.R. 6193. In
particular, I appreciate your willingness to work with me to
move a govenunentwide pseudo-classification bill, H.R. 6576,
to the House floor so that H.R. 6193 and H.R. 6576 can be
considered during the same week.
In the interest of expediting consideration of H.R. 6193,
the Oversight Committee will not request a sequential
referral of this bill. I would, however, request your support
for the appointment of conferees from the Oversight Committee
should H.R. 6193 or a similar Senate bill be considered in
conference with the Senate.
Moreover, although the Oversight Committee has agreed to
forgo a sequential referral of this measure, I believe it is
important to reiterate my general concern about H.R. 6193 as
it applies to the Department of Homeland Security.
H.R. 6193 creates procedures for the Department to follow
in order to reduce the proliferation of unnecessary
information classification. This is a commendable goal,
however, investigations by the Oversight Committee have
demonstrated that there has been a proliferation of pseudo-
classification designations such as ``sensitive but
unclassified'' or ``for official use only.'' In my view, any
legislation addressing information control designations
should be implemented on a government-wide basis.
Again, thank you for considering my concerns about H.R.
6193. I look forward to working with you to reduce the
serious problem of pseudo-classification of information
throughout the federal government.
This letter should not be construed as a waiver of the
Oversight Committee's legislative jurisdiction over subjects
addressed in H.R. 6193 that fall within the jurisdiction of
the Oversight Committee.
Please include our exchange of letters on this matter in
the Homeland Security Report on H.R. 6193 and in the
Congressional Record during consideration of this legislation
on the House floor.
Sincerely,
Henry A. Waxman,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC, July 28, 2008.
Hon. Henry A. Waxman.
Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House
of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Waxman:
Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 6193, the
``Improving Public Access to Documents Act of 2008,''
introduced by Congresswoman Jane Harman on June 5, 2008.
I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this
legislation. I acknowledge that H.R. 6193 contains provisions
that fall under the jurisdictional interests of the Committee
on Oversight and Government Reform. I appreciate your
agreement to not seek a sequential referral of this
legislation and acknowledge that your decision to forgo a
sequential referral does not waive, alter, or otherwise
affect the jurisdiction of the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform.
Further, I recognize that your Committee reserves the right
to seek appointment of conferees on the bill for the portions
of the bill that are within your jurisdiction, and I agree to
support such a request.
I will ensure that this exchange of letters is included in
the Committee's report on H.R. 6193 and in the Congressional
Record during floor consideration of H.R. 6193. I look
forward to working with you on this legislation and other
matters of great importance to this nation.
Sincerely,
Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, much like the overclassification problem which we have
just discussed in the prior debate, so-called sensitive but
unclassified markings, which are supposed to manage how sensitive
unclassified information is handled internally at Federal departments
and agencies, have instead hindered information-sharing with America's
first preventers. At the same time, these markings have been used as
tools to deny the public access to information to which it is entitled.
In essence, SBU markings have effectively become pseudo-
classifications. Unlike classified records, however, there has been no
monitoring of the use or impact of SBU-controlled markings.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague Mr. Reichert and I introduced H.R. 6193,
the Improving Public Access to Documents Act of 2008, to reform the
sensitive but unclassified control markings regime. Our bill brings
order to this chaos by adopting the CUI information framework developed
by Ambassador Ted McNamara in the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence.
[[Page H7189]]
I want to commend Ambassador McNamara for really courageous work in
trying to manage this chaos, and it is his work that we build on in
this legislation. His CUI framework reduces the number of allowed
information control markings from over 100 to just seven. And to do so,
our bill, following his recommendations, imposes strict requirements
for when CUI control markings may be used. It promotes greater
transparency by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to create
a publicly available list of all department documents marked as CUI
that have been withheld from public disclosure under a valid FOIA
exemption.
After working together on a bipartisan basis for months, and now with
significant input from the privacy, civil liberties, and government
oversight communities, we believe that H.R. 6193 will make DHS the
model to be followed when it comes to adopting and implementing CUI
best practices. And, in June, this legislation was marked up and
approved on a unanimous basis by both our Intelligence Subcommittee and
the full Homeland Security Committee.
Putting the CUI framework into action at DHS will not only improve
information sharing, but will also help decrease the exorbitant
information security costs that the current SBU regime imposes, and
undo misguided SBU practices that needlessly limit public access to
information.
Mr. Speaker, terrorism is intended to terrify. If our first
preventers have the facts on the front lines, we can begin to alleviate
the fear that has paralyzed our homeland security policies and thinking
for far too long. A first step is eliminating the confusion by making
more unclassified information available to DHS partners, including the
public, by ensuring that control markings don't gum up the works. The
potential dividends for the security of our homeland are enormous. Mr.
Speaker, I urge passage of this critical legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 6193, the Improving Public Access to
Documents Act, sponsored by Homeland Security Committee colleague,
Representative Jane Harman, who does such great work.
H.R. 6193 requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and
administer policies, procedures, and programs to implement the
President's controlled unclassified information framework to
standardize the many sensitive but unclassified categories of
information. The bill requires the Secretary to coordinate with the
Archivist of the United States and consult with representatives of
State and local governments, privacy and civil rights advocacy groups,
and the private sector in this effort.
This bill codifies many of the policies and procedures included in a
May 7, 2008 executive memorandum, which directs executive department
heads to begin consolidating the over 100 known sensitive but
unclassified designations.
Information designated as sensitive but unclassified doesn't merit a
security classification under Executive Order 12958 regarding
classified national security information but is still sensitive that
general disclosure is not in the public's best interest. Information
that is law enforcement sensitive or designated for official use only
are two examples of information that will now be marked as controlled
unclassified information under this new construct.
Mr. Speaker, I am confident that H.R. 6193 is a helpful first step in
standardizing the many types of sensitive but unclassified information
so as to improve homeland security information sharing. I urge my
colleagues to support it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers and I am
prepared to close once the minority has closed.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. I thank the gentlelady for the information, and let's
hope that the Senate gets to that authorization bill in September.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, again, I appreciate Mr. Bilirakis' support
and the support of the minority members of the Homeland Security
Committee and my principal cosponsor of this bill, the ranking member,
Mr. Reichert.
It is pretty astounding that there are over 100 ways to block
nonclassified information from moving across the Federal Government.
With passage of this bill, we will, at least at the Department of
Homeland Security, reduce that 100 plus list of poor reasons in many
cases to just seven.
Again, I want the commend Ambassador Ted McNamara for his path-
breaking work at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence,
and I want to commend the Government Reform and Oversight Committee for
a bill that will move under the suspension of rules later today, H.R.
6576, which will take the principles we are debating now with respect
to the Department of Homeland Security and apply them government-wide.
I think that is very good policy, and we start now, I hope, by passage
of this important legislation. I urge an aye vote.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6193, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________
[Congressional Record: July 30, 2008 (House)]
[Page H7596]
IMPROVING PUBLIC ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS ACT OF 2008
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The unfinished business is the question on
suspending the rules and passing the bill, H.R. 6193, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6193, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________
