Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 233, I call up the bill (H.R. 1620) to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

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Mr. NADLER. 1620.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes.

Madam Speaker, the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, was signed into law in 1994 to help ensure that women in America are free from violence and free from fear. At the time that VAWA was enacted, it was all too common for violent crimes against women to go without appropriate response and to remain unaddressed by the criminal justice system.

But through programs implemented under VAWA, Congress began to help provide communities in America the assistance they need to combat the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Building on this success, H.R. 1620 is bipartisan legislation that reauthorizes and strengthens the Violence Against Women Act so that it can continue delivering vital services to those in need.

VAWA, which is not gender-exclusive, addresses the needs of men and women, children, persons with disabilities, homeless persons, and LGBTQ individuals, among others.

This reauthorization would also increase access to grant programs for culturally specific organizations and ensure that such organizations are included in the development and implementation of service, education, training, and other grants. The range of individuals VAWA helps is broad and should be as diverse as our communities around the country. I am pleased that this reauthorization continues our commitment to this principle.

VAWA has had, and continues to have, a positive impact on people who rely on its assistance, whether directly or indirectly.

Through grants to State and local governments, the Office on Violence Against Women in the Department of Justice funds the work of thousands of advocates in preventing and addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and in assisting and training law enforcement and victim advocates.

In addition, grants administered through the Department of Health and Human Services provide funds for shelters, rape prevention and education, programs to address and reduce the sexual abuse of runaway and homeless youth, and programs to educate the community on domestic violence. The reach of the work carried out under VAWA is vast, and we must continue to support it.

This legislation expands services for older survivors of abuse and for programs targeting rural areas. It also expands the jurisdiction of some Tribal authorities over non-Indians who commit certain crimes on Tribal lands to ensure that they are held accountable.

Like the legislation the House passed last Congress, it also includes provisions protecting transgender individuals, and it bans individuals convicted of domestic abuse from purchasing firearms.

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act is comprehensive and inclusive legislation that I hope will earn further bipartisan support in the long tradition of this vital law.

I want to thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the chair of the Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee and the sponsor of this legislation, and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for their outstanding leadership in the effort to reauthorize VAWA.

I also want to thank the advocates, many of whom are survivors themselves, for the countless hours they have put into improving this legislation.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself an additional 15 seconds.

Their efforts, and those of many other Members, have produced this important bill that will not only continue the progress enabled by VAWA as originally enacted but will also make the act an even more effective tool in addressing the horrible scourge of domestic violence.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, DC, March 10, 2021. Hon. Jerrold Nadler, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Nadler: I write concerning H.R. 1620, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021. This bill was primarily referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and additionally to the Committee on Education and Labor and other committees. As a result of Leadership and the Committee on the Judiciary having consulted with me concerning this bill generally, I agree to forgo formal consideration of the bill so the bill may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.

The Committee on Education and Labor takes this action with our mutual understanding that by forgoing formal consideration of H.R. 1620, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and we will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so we may address any remaining issues within our Rule X jurisdiction. I also request that you support my request to name members of the Committee on Education and Labor to any conference committee to consider such provisions.

Finally, I would appreciate a response confirming this understanding and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 1620. Very truly yours, Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, March 15, 2021.

Dear Chairman Scott: I am in receipt of your March 10, 2021, letter regarding H.R. 1620, the ``Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021.''

I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and Labor. I acknowledge that your Committee will not formally consider H.R. 1620 and agree that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in H.R. 1620 which fall within your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction.

I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Jerrold Nadler, Chairman.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership.

Madam Speaker, I stand today in a moment of history where we cannot go back. Have we heard that before? Women cannot go back. Women cannot continue in an intimidated fashion to tragically be subjected to men who violently attack them.

The LGBT community cannot go back and be subjected to those who would be violent against them.

Native American women cannot go back. They cannot go back. They cannot go back to pueblos and reservations and not have any protection for those who violate those sacred places, rape them, and then rush to jurisdictions outside and think they are protected.

Immigrant women cannot go back.

That is what this legislation is about. It is a product borne of meticulous and thoughtful research and countless engagement with those on the ground working ultimately and intimately on these very important issues daily.

We began this long journey and hard-fought battle under the leadership of Republicans--I wrote the bill in 2018--who at the time refused to engage in putting forward their own version of VAWA when it expired in 2018 while they held the majority. The President, the Senate, the House, they did nothing. The Judiciary Committee would not even take the bill up, and it was supported by over 200 groups.

But we continue to push forward on behalf of all victims and survivors to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, first led by the President of the United States, then-Senator Joe Biden.

As we all know, VAWA is a landmark piece of legislation first enacted in 1994. At that time, the President was Bill Clinton. This legislation was enacted in response to the prevalence of domestic and sexual violence and the significant impact of such violence on the lives of women.

Statistics have revealed that this form of violence impacts us all. In the United States, an estimated 10 million people experience domestic violence every year. More than 15 million children are exposed to violence annually. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, about 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. About one in four women and one in nine men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, and a partner stalking injury.

Today, in Texas, 35 percent of women and 34 percent of men are subjected to domestic violence. When discussing VAWA, we cannot forget the victims of domestic violence like Ms. Fontenot, who was murdered in Harris County by her husband just 1 day after Christmas last year while she was trying to escape her relationship, and he shot at her son.

Nor can we forget Debora Seidenfaden, who was murdered by her husband in Houston after an argument.

There are countless stories like this throughout the country. That is why it is imperative that we reauthorize this bill. Enough is enough. We must pass H.R. 1620 now.

Madam Speaker, I thank all the women, including Representative Slaughter, who started this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1620, the ``Violence Against Women Act of 2021.''

H.R. 1620 is a product born of meticulous and thoughtful research and countless engagement with those on the ground, working intimately on these very important issues daily.

We began this long journey, and hard-fought battle under the leadership of Republicans, who at the time refused to engage or put forward their own version of VAWA when it expired in 2018 while they held the majority.

But we continued to push forward on behalf of all victims and survivors to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994.

As we all know, VAWA is a landmark piece of legislation first enacted in 1994 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

This legislation was enacted in response to the prevalence of domestic and sexual violence, and the significant impact of such violence on the lives of women.

Statistics have revealed that these form of violence impact us all.

In the United States, an estimated 10 million people experience domestic violence every year, and more than 15 million children are exposed to this violence annually. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, about 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. About 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, and/ or partner stalking with injury.

Today, in Texas, 35.10 percent of women and 34.5 percent of men are subjected to domestic violence.

When discussing VAWA, we cannot forget the victims of domestic violence like Yashica Fontenot, who was murdered in Harris County, Texas by her husband just one day after Christmas last year while she was trying to escape her relationship.

Nor can we forget Debra Seidenfaden, who was murdered by her husband in Houston after an argument.

There are countless stories like this throughout this country.

That is why it is imperative to reauthorize this law by passing H.R. 1620 now. Because enough is enough.

Congress has reauthorized VAWA three times--in 2000, 2005, and 2013-- with strong bipartisan approval and overwhelming support from Congress, States, and local communities.

During each reauthorization, VAWA would make various meaningful improvements to the Act to meet the varied and changing needs of survivors.

H.R. 1620 continues that tradition, and therefore, is intended to make modifications, as Congress has done in the past to all previous reauthorizations of VAWA.

H.R. 1620 is a bipartisan bill, reflecting a reasonable and compromise approach to reauthorize grant programs under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

These moderate enhancements will address the many growing and unmet needs of victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

H.R. 1620 addresses the needs of sex trafficking victims while creating a demonstration program on trauma-informed training for law enforcement.

It increases access to grant programs for culturally specific organizations and ensure culturally specific organizations are included in the development and implementation of service, education, training, and other grants.

It adds a purpose area to assist communities in developing alternatives to housing ordinances that punish survivors for seeking law enforcement intervention.

H.R. 1620 expands protections for vulnerable populations such as youth, survivors without shelter, Native American women, and LGBTQ persons.

It ensures Deaf people are included in grants relating to people with disabilities.

H.R. 1620 is supported by the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women, a coalition of more than 200 domestic violence groups.

VAWA expired since September 30, 2018, and we as a body are called upon by survivors to reauthorize it now.

As a tribute to our dearly departed Rep. Slaughter, who started this journey with then, Senator Biden in 1994, I respectfully urge my colleagues to join me, and the Chairman of Judiciary, along with our Republican partners--Mr. Fitzpatrick and Mr. McCaul in passing H.R. 1620, a much needed thoughtful and bipartisan response to the needs of all victims and survivors.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Escobar).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lois Frankel).

Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, consider this: Your spouse or partner calls you names, he insults you, puts you down.

He discourages you from going to work or school or seeing family members or friends.

He tries to control how you spend your money, where you go, or who you can see, what medicines you take.

He acts possessive, gets angry when drinking alcohol.

He tries to control when you can see a doctor; threatens you with violence; and may hit, kick, shove, slap, choke, or otherwise hurt you, your children, your pets.

He forces you to have sex against your will. He blames you for his violent behavior and tells you that you deserve it.

And this comes from someone you love.

You are in pain and embarrassed to ask for help. You are one in four women. The Violence Against Women Act is critical for your safety and economic independence.

Madam Speaker, I urge its passage.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Mrs. Fletcher).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Bowman).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Strickland).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished Speaker of the House (Ms. Pelosi).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

VAWA established critical infrastructure that responds to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

For far too long, this vital update collected dust in the Senate graveyard. Thankfully, with a Democratic Senate majority and President Biden, we finally have real partners to secure justice, safety, and dignity for American women, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

The statistics remain deplorable: One in four American women are victims of domestic violence; one in six will be a sexual assault victim in their lifetime. The pandemic only exacerbated the need for services to comprehensively respond to these egregious crimes.

Now is no time to retreat from the vital work of improving the Federal response to gender-based violence. For Women's History Month, let's reaffirm our commitment to survivors everywhere, and make this world safer for all our mothers, sisters, and daughters.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this urgent legislation.
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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, every year approximately 7.9 million women are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner. An average of three women are killed every day by a current or former intimate partner. These grim statistics underscore the crucial need for us to act without delay to reauthorize VAWA, and to enhance and expand the Act so that it is even more effective.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join with me in voting for this critical bipartisan legislation today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, today I will vote to approve the Violence Against Women Extension Act (VAWA) of 2021--historic landmark legislation with a proven track record of assisting abused and battered women--authored by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York.

As a matter of fact, I was the prime author of the law that provided for the first reauthorization of the VAWA in 2000--a five-year $3.3 billion comprehensive program that was part of my anti-trafficking law, the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act (PL 106-386/ TVPA).

Important VAWA programs include: legal assistance for victims; addressing housing needs for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking; grants to combat violent crimes on campuses; grants to encourage arrest policies and enforcement of protection orders; grants for enhanced training and services to end abuse later in life; the critical STOP grants to educate and train law enforcement personnel to address sexual assault; the CHOOSE grants, i.e. Creating Hope Through Outreach, Options, Service, and Education for Children and Youth; training and services to end violence against people with disabilities; the sexual assault services program; rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and child abuse enforcement assistance; and grants for strengthening the healthcare system's response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; as well as extending other key programs.

This is consistent with my long record of support for VAWA.

I strongly supported passage of VAWA when it was first introduced in 1993, and again in 1994, when this crucial legislation was signed into law for the first time. I have supported multiple reauthorizations of VAWA, and I continue to strongly support this law as it was originally intended.

As I said earlier, I was the prime author of the law that provided for the first reauthorization of the VAWA in 2000 when I included the five-year $3.3 billion comprehensive program in my Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act (PL 106-386/TVPA).

I also cosponsored the 2005 reauthorization, fought to ensure these programs are fully funded to assist the maximum number of victims, and voted for seven of the first seven VAWA reauthorization bills offered through 2012.

Two versions of VAWA reauthorization are under consideration by the House today. As I noted, the version I will support extends the VAWA until 2022. The other--H.R. 1620--weakens several carefully crafted protections for women and girls.

By granting biological men--who self-identify as women--access to women's shelters, H.R. 1620 removes the hard-fought gains to protect women and girls from abuse and to provide them with physical, emotional and psychological security.

Under H.R. 1620, women will no longer have a safe place of their own as they flee from male-inflicted physical and emotional abuse and intimidation.

Rather, these heroic women will now have to share their place of refuge--a shelter previously reserved for women seeking protection from male abusers--with biological men who self-identify as women.

These brave women and children deserve a place where they can feel protected and secure, so they can begin the difficult process of healing as they deal with post-traumatic stress. Forcing them to share a shelter and its facilities, including showers and sleeping areas, with biological men who self-identify as women will cause these women and children to experience insecurity, discomfort, confusion, and fear of additional assault.

VAWA has always prioritized the challenges and unique needs of battered women and children but this version, if passed, no longer will.

These women's shelters--there are about 1,500 nationwide--offer a safe space where a woman does not have to fear or worry about violence and intimidation and instead allows her to take steps toward rebuilding her life.

We must first and foremost protect victims of violence.

I oppose this provision of H.R. 1620 out of genuine concern for the women and children who are forced to flee to domestic abuse shelters and base my concern on evidence from California.

In late 2018, nine female victims residing in a women's shelter in Fresno, California--Naomi's House, operated by Poverello House--filed a lawsuit against the shelter for admitting a biological man because he had self-identified as a woman. These victims stated that they had been sexually harassed by this biological man. They said that he had made ``sexual advances'' on them and would ``stare and leer'' and make ``sexually harassing comments about their bodies'' while they were forced to undress in the same room with him.

After repeatedly confronting the staff of Naomi's House--both verbally and in writing--with their extreme discomfort, these women were told that they would be expelled from the shelter if they refused to comply.

If we allow biological men who self-identify as women to receive access to these women-only shelters, abused women and children will lose the `safe space' they so desperately need.

These victims deserve better. They deserve our protection and support. We must work to ensure the safety of women, girls, and children.

Other shelters designed to help victims of diverse sexual orientations and identities who are victims of domestic abuse ought to be considered by separate legislation.

We can, and we must create bipartisan legislation which seeks to protect all women and girls, as this law originally intended.

We can, and must, do better.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 233, I offer amendments en bloc.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crist).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez).

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, in New Mexico, one in three women have experienced domestic violence. We must act swiftly to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The protections in this bill are a matter of life and death.

My State has one of the highest suicide rates. My amendment will help prevent suicide among survivors of sexual assault.

It also recognizes that our diverse communities must receive culturally relevant legal aid and outreach programs.

Let's work to end gender-based violence in all of our communities.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, this has been a long journey, and I think it is important to take note of the many women who have helped us and to do this in the name of so many women who have lost their lives.

I take this moment on the floor to support the en bloc amendment but, as well, to encourage my colleagues on the other side of the aisle of how somber and serious a moment this is that we do not take lightly to the floor because so many of us in our own congressional districts have seen the scourge of domestic violence.

We have seen the rise in domestic violence in a meteoric manner under COVID-19. It is rabid and rampant in all our cities. Our law enforcement officers have told us it is the most dangerous call that they can possibly make.

I am particularly concerned about sex trafficking victims, and I am very glad the manager's amendment has language in there that indicates that sex trafficking victims experience sexual violence and assault, and that the Federal recognition of their recovery is important.

We look at all aspects of this important issue in our country. The en bloc amendment represents Members' concerns for improving the treatment of women and men, the LGBTQ community, Native Americans, and immigrant women who are culturally diverse.

Madam Speaker, to the 200-plus organizations of the coalition, I want to say thank you to you for advocating with us. Writing this bill in 2018 and never giving up has been the challenge that I have taken up.

I am very grateful to the many women who have joined me. Even though it was not passed when there was a Republican President, Republican Senate, and Republican House, and then it was blocked by the Republican Senate, we have now come with a fully robust and comprehensive bill that responds to the concerns of those who cannot help themselves.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an additional 1 minute.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Housing and other aspects of the provisions that are in this bill pointedly speak to needs that have been brought to our attention by victims. This bill deals with victims, Madam Speaker, so when you are fleeing your home because your name is not on the lease or the mortgage, we now have provided an expedited process for you to get housing with your children.

We intervene and have cultural sensitivity training for men and boys. We have a cultural sensitivity office inside the office of domestic violence so that women of different cultural backgrounds can be responded to, along with focusing on culturally sensitive advocacy groups to help those women.

Yes, we do prevent a convicted person who has perpetrated a stalking or sexual assault from getting a gun, but this bill is controlled by due process in the Constitution.

Let's pass this bill. Women are waiting. They can't wait any longer. Men are waiting. Many communities are waiting. We can't wait any longer, and we must pass this bill to be signed by the President of the United States.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, may I ask how much time remains.
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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett).

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, the en bloc amendment includes a number of very important amendments that make significant improvements to the bill. I appreciate all the Members who contributed to this en bloc amendment from both sides of the aisle, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I rise in reluctant opposition to this amendment.

While I believe it is well-intentioned, and we all want to prevent the misuse of Federal funds, I am concerned about the effect that it may have on small service providers that provide crucial services to victims and survivors.

It is also unnecessary since the underlying bill maintains existing accountability measures, which have proven to work very well.

This amendment imposes a mandatory bar on receiving grant funds up to 5 years if the grant recipient is found to have fraudulently misused such grant funds. Smaller providers, many of whom are run on a voluntary basis, are more likely to make financial errors because they lack the accounting, financial, and compliance expertise that larger organizations have.

Many of these small providers are culturally specific, rural, and Tribal programs that play a crucial role in their communities. Banning such groups from receiving funding for 5 years in these circumstances could have an unnecessarily punitive effect and could be detrimental to the victims and survivors who rely on them.

For many small service providers who rely on Federal funds to support their operations, such a severe penalty, or even the threat of one, could make a difference between continuing to serve victims and survivors in need and shutting their doors forever.

Accountability is vital in all forms, and I appreciate the spirit behind this amendment; but, for these providers, I fear it could end up doing more harm than good. It is because of these concerns that this amendment is opposed by the National Network to End Domestic Violence, among other organizations, and I must reluctantly oppose the amendment as well.

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the amount of time remaining?

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Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 233, the previous question is ordered on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner).

The question is on the amendment.

The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appear to have it.

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