Automated systems to notify supervisors when the end of an individuals probationary period is imminent. Agencies have these systems. They just need to use them. My amendment requires supervisors to be net fi notified as a series of regular intervals in advance of the expiration of a probationary period. Notifications occur at one year, six months, and three months before the scheduled completion of a probationary period. This will remind supervisors of their responsibilities to observe employees and provide feedback throughout the probationary period. It will also remind supervisors to decide whether the employee is fit for federal service. I urge members to support this amendment and i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman reserves. Does any member seek time for opposition . The chair for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia seek recognition . Mr. Connolly i have no speakers on this side. I do rise in opposition to the amendment. The chair the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Connolly mr. Chairman as the chairman indicated, i appreciate the intent of my friend from montana, but this is a bad bill. We ought to be studying the effect of the existing Pilot Program at the department of defense to see how it works and we ought to be adopting the g. A. O. Recommendation of better training for supervisors who the g. A. O. Found were ill equipped to evaluate employees during one or two year pro beagsary periods. My friend my may agree with this, our committee is the locust for governmentwide initiatives such as this. We have had not had a single hearing on this bill or frankly on the subject. And i think thats a huge mistake. We are putting the cart before the horse. I think we ought to return to a more empiricalbased policy making especially when it is a policy that will affect every future federal employee and those numbers are huge given the baby boom bulge ready to retire. Thats 40 of the work force and has to be replaced. While i appreciate the intent of my friend from montana, it is in that context i rise in opposition, and i yield back. The chair the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from montana. Mr. Gianforte i urge adoption of this amendment and the underlying bill and i yield back. The chair the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The question is on the amendment as modified offered by the gentleman from montana. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, the amendment as modified is agreed to. It is now in order to consider amendment number 4 printed in house report 115430. For what purpose does the gentleman from virginia seek recognition . Mr. Connolly i have an amendment at the desk. The clerk amendment number 4 printed in house report 115430 offered by mr. Connolly of virginia. The chair the gentleman from virginia, mr. Connolly and a member opposed each will control five minutes. Mr. Connolly i yield myself such time as i may consume. Under h. R. 4182 the pro beagsary period for all federal employees is extended for an additional year. All new employees are punished equally and supervisors are given no new tools to improve their use. In february of 2016 as i have mentioned before, the g. A. O. Report studying the rules to dismiss employees for poor performance suggest that the office of Personnel Management look there are some jobs that could be extended for one year or not. We heard testimony from a number f colleagues who represent areas with big federalized concentrations, such as the Weather Service in oklahoma and c. D. C. With a twoyear probation area period may impede the ability to hire the skilled workers. It is something to be looked into. It does not call for the extension. I filed this amendment to require the g. A. O. To conduct a study on the department of defense that have used this tool, a two year pro beagsary period. A twoyear pro beagsary period was enacted in 2016 and as the largest federal agency, this extension would provide a good case study on the potential impacts, good, bad and indifferent on the legislation before us. Its a study we ought to do before we adopt a bill. Since extending the period has been working out so well, it ought to be extended across the entire federal government. This policy only affected those ho are hired after november 25 15. The former secretary of defense as i mentioned in earlier statements testified before the Armed Services committee that the department has done little to take advantage of that legislation. Thats his testimony. Therefore, there are only a small number of employees who have completed the two year pro beagsary ped and too soon to declare it a success or failure. My amendment would have the g. A. O. Give us guidance, how does it work, has it helped, does it hurt, are there some things we havent anticipated . The study would look into whether the period has the aeffect of an ability to recruit or retain. 40 of the work force is eligible for retirement. And we have to worry about recruitment. Gathering the data is a necessary first step, not a last step or an afterthought before deciding to change a law which has profound impact on federal agencies. This bill, as i said to my friend from kentucky may yet prove to be a good idea, but we dont know. There remain a lot of questions about the efficacy of this proposal. It is risky and could have negative consequences some of which we havent seen. Two weeks ago, this body adopted a policy of evidencebased policy making, so lets put it into implementation with this bill. Lets look for some evidence, empirical evidence to justify the adoption of such a sweeping bill. So i call for the adoption of my amendment. And i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from ken ducky seek recognition . Mr. Comer i rise to claim time in opposition to the jeas amendment. Extending the pro beagsary period is not a new idea. Federal managed groups have advocated for an extended pro beagsary period. They conducted a study in february of 2015. In that study, chief Human Capital officers told g. A. O. A longer probationary period could help supervisors to make assessments for those occupations that are particularly complex or difficult to assess. G. A. O. Also recommended considering, quote, extending the supervisory probationary period beyond one year to include one full appraisal cycle. In 2005, the merit Systems Protection Board completed a study and recommended longer probationary periods when an agency deems it necessary to fully evaluate a probationner. It is not necessary to wait for more studies. This amendment strikes the entire bill, meaning the current period would remain the same that the problems at g. A. O. And others have identified would persist. This undermines the entire purpose of the bill which is to allow managers who are time to conduct a assessment of probationary federal employees. I urge members to oppose this amendment. And i reserve. The chair the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. The gentleman from virginia is recognized for his one remaining minute. Mr. Connolly i yield one minute to mr. Raskin. Mr. Raskin thank you, mr. Connellly. And i salute as a champion for those of your quints who work in the federal government and in maryland, we have lots of them. Not just there. 85 of the work force lives outside of the washington, mad and virginia area. Kentucky and california and south california. This would apply to all new employees, millions of people coming into the work force would be added doubling the probationary period. Imagine if you were trying to hire for your Small Business and tell people they were going to be on probation for two years with none of the rights that you had vested than if you had gotten hired and been part of the work force. They are willing in this bill to give people a whole extra year and not willing to wait a year for the g. A. O. To do a proper study so we use evidencebased policy making as the gentleman says. That is the very least we can do. The good the gentleman from kentucky said there was a study done 10 years ago the chair the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from kentucky is recognized. Mr. Comer i urge members to vote no on this amendment and i yield back the balance of my time. The chair the question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from virginia. Those in favor say aye. In the opinion of the chair, the noes have it mr. Connolly i request a recorded vote. The chair pursuant to clause 6, rule 18, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from virginia will be postponed. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule 18, proceedings will now resume on those amendments printed in house report 115430 on which further proceedings were postponed in the following order. Amendment number 1, amendment number 4 by mr. Connellly of virginia. The chair will reduce two minutes after the first vote in this series. The request for a recorded vote on amendment number 1 printed in house report 115430 by the gentleman from florida, mr. Hastings on which further proceedings were postponed and the ayes prevailed. The clerk amendment number 1 printed in house report 115430 offered by mr. Hastings of florida. The chair a recorded vote has been requested. Those in support of a recorded vote will rise and be counted. A sufficient number having arisen, a recorded vote is ordered. Members will record their votes by electronic device. This is a 15minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc. , in cooperation with the United States house of representatives. Any use of the closedcaptioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u. S. House of representatives. ] the chair on this vote, the yeas are 195 and the nays are 221. The amendment is not adopted. The Unfinished Business is request for a recorded vote on amendment number 4 printed in house report 115430 on which the noes prevailed by voice vote. The clerk amendment number 4 printed in house report number 115430, offered by mr. Connelly of virginia. The chair a recorded has been requested. Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise. A sufficient number having arisen, a recorded vote is ordered. Members will record their votes by electronic device. This will be a twominute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc. , in cooperation with the United States house of representatives. Any use of the closedcaptioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u. S. House of representatives. ] chris on this vote the nays the chair on this vote the nays are 193. The nays are 223. The amendment is not adopted. Under the rule the committee rises. Mr. Speaker, the committee of the whole house on the state of the union has had under consideration h. R. 4182, and pursuant to House Resolution 685 i report the bill back to the house with an amendment adopted in the committee of the whole. The speaker pro tempore the chair of the committee of the whole house on the state of the Union Reports that the committee has had under consideration the bill h. R. 4132 and pursuant to House Resolution 635 reports the bill back to the house with an amendment adopted in the committee of the whole. The question is on adoption of the amendment. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have it and the amendment is adopted. The question is on engrossment and third reading of the bill. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have it. Third reading. Probationary period with respect to positions within the Competitive Service and the Senior Executive service and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore the question is on passage of the bill. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. For what purpose does the gentleman from virginia seek recognition . Mr. Connolly on this matter id ask for a recorded vote. The speaker pro tempore a recorded vote is requested. Those favoring a recorded vote will rise. A sufficient number having arisen, a recorded vote is ordered. Members will record their votes y electronic device. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, this fiveminute vote on passage of h. R. 4182 will be followed by a fiveminute vote 3017. Sage of h. R. This is a fiveminute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc. , in cooperation with the United States house of representatives. Any use of the closedcaptioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u. S. House of representatives. ] the speaker pro tempore on this vote the yeas are 213. The nays are 204. The bill is passed. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. The Unfinished Business is the vote on passage of h. R. 3017 on which the yeas and nays were ordered. The clerk will report the title of the bill. The clerk Union Calendar number 298. H. R. 3017, a bill to amend the comprehensive Environmental Response compensation and Liability Act of 1980 to reauthorize and improve the Brownfield Program and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore the question is on passage of the bill. Members will record their votes by electronic device. This is a fiveminute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc. , in cooperation with the United States house of representatives. Any use of the closedcaptioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u. S. House of representatives. ] the speaker pro tempore on this vote the yeas are 409, the nays are eight. Without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid on the table. For what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition . Mr. Speaker, by direction of the democratic caucus, i offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration by the chamber. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the resolution. The clerk House Resolution resolved that otherwise provided by the house the authority of the ranking minority member on the committee of the judiciary shall be exercised by the minority member of the committee who, prior to the adoption of this resolution, ranks immediately below the ranking minority member. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the resolution is freed to and the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Mr. Crowley i thank you, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the chair will now entertain requests for oneminute peeches. He house will come to order. The chair will now entertain requests for oneminute speeches. For what purpose does the entleman from new york rise . To address the house for one minute, to revise and extend. The speaker pro tempore without objection. He house will be in order. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, it is with Great Respect and sorrow that i rise today to announce the passing of our former colleague, congressman Maurice Hinchey. Mr. Hinchey passed away in november 22, just before thanksgiving, at the age of 79 in new york. Mr. Faso leaving behind an extraordinary legacy that was marked by fervent patriotism, political courage and forwardthinking leadership. During his 20 years of service in the house of representatives, Maurice Hinchey represented a broad swath of new york state in the Hudson Valley and the cat skills over in the Southern Tier as well. Many of those areas make up what is todays 19th Congressional District, which i currently represent. I also had the honor of working alongside mr. Hinchey for six years in the new York State Assembly. There he developed and honed his legislative skills as chairman of the assemblys Environmental Conservation committee. We proudly note the service of Maurice Hinchey to the nation and im glad to be joined here by my colleagues from the new york delegation and the dean of the delegation, ms. Slaughter, to extend our heartfelt condolences to Maurice Hincheys widow, and to the entire hinchey family. Thank you, mr. Speaker, and i would like to ask ms. Slaughter to address the house. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Ms. Slaughter mr. Speaker, i ask permission to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Ms. Slaughter i rise today to celebrate the life of Maurice Hinchey. He was an extraordinary friend who had courage to take on all of the tough issues. We served four years together in the new York State Assembly and 20 years together in congress. I watched him do what he did best, defend the constituents and the land that he represented. Hes remembered as an environmental hero, for his promotion of Renewable Energy and for signing the alarm on the risk of hydraulic fracturing. Maurice did more to support the Natural Resources of the cat skill mountains and Hudson Valley than anyone else. From his efforts to clean up the hudson river, to the establishment of the Hudson River ValleyNational Heritage area, his legacy will endure. To the millions of visitors who enjoy the catskill mountains or explore the Hudson Valley, you have a champion to thank. His name was Maurice Hinchey. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. The gentleman fr