III. MEASURES ENACTED INTO LAW A. 1985 1. To Provide That the Chairmanship of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Shall Rotate Between Members Appointed from the House of Representatives and Members Appointed from the Senate, and for Other Purposes-S. 592 (by Senator Dole, for himself, and Senators Byrd and Pell) S. 592 pertained to the structure of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, in providing for the Chairmanship of the Commission to rotate between the House and the Senate, and for the Commission to function basically in the same manner as Joint Committees of the Congress. When the Commission was created in 1976, the legislation called for the Chairman of the Commission to come from the majority party of the House of Representatives. During the past few years, however, since the majority in the other body has been of the opposite party from the majority in the House, the Senate has urged that the Chairmanship rotate between the two bodies. On March 6, 1985, the Senate passed S. 592 by voice vote, and the measure was subsequently referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The House passed the measures, under suspension of the rules, on March 19, 1985. On March 27, 1985, the President approvd the measure, designating it as Public Law 99-7. Legislative history: Mar. 6, 1985-Passed Senate by voice vote. Mar. 6, 1985-Referred to Committee on Foreign Affairs. Mar. 19, 1985-Passed House by voice vote under suspension of the rules. 2. African Famine Relief and Recovery Act of 1985-H.R. 1096 (by Mr. Weiss, for himself, and Representatives Wolpe, Conte, Leland, Roukema, Fascell, Broomfield, Hamilton, Yatron, Solarz, Bonker, Studds, Mica, Barnes, Crockett, Gejdenson, Dymally, Lantos, Kostmayer, Torricelli, Smith of Florida, Berman, Reid, Levine of California, Feighan, Ackerman, MacKay, Udall, Garcia, Gilman, Lagomarsino, Leach of Iowa, Snowe, Hyde, Bereuter, De Wine, and Zschau)-S. 689 (by Senator Lugar, for himself, and Senator Pell) The purpose of H.R. 1096 was to authorize $175 million in supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 1985 for assistance to the African countries which have suffered food shortages from drought and other calamities. Of this total, $137.5 million was for disaster assistance for famine relief, rehabilitation and recovery in Africa; and $37.5 million was for assistance for refugees and displaced persons in these countries. On the first day of the 99th Congress, measures were introduced to make available supplemental assistance for famine relief and recovery for Africa. These measures were referred jointly to the committee and the Committee on Appropriations. On February 6, Executive Communication 484, which authorized $25 million in disaster assistance, was received by the Speaker and referred to the committee. Because of the urgent need for legislation to meet the situation in sub-Saharan Africa, the committee held a special briefing on January 29, 1985, prior to the time when all Members had been officially appointed to the Committee by House action. On February 19, 1985, the committee met to markup a draft bill. H.R. 1096 was ordered reported by the committee by voice vote. The House passed the measure on February 26, 1985, by a recorded vote of 391 yeas to 25 nays under suspension of the rules. On February 27, 1985, the Senate passed H.R. 1096 after striking all after the enacting clause and substituting in lieu the text of S. 457, FMHA Emergency Agricultural Credit Assistance Act, as amended, after agreeing to a committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. The Senate insisted on its amendments, requested a conference, and appointed as conferees Senators Lugar, Helms, Mathias, Pell and Zorinsky. On February 28, 1985, the House Rules Committee met and agreed to House Resolution 92, providing for agreeing to the Senate amendment; subsequently on March 5, 1985, the House agreed to the Senate amendment by a recorded vote of 255 yeas to 168 nays. The President vetoed H.R. 1096 on March 6, 1985, based on objections to the farm credit provisions adopted by the Senate and incorporated into the measure. On March 19, 1985 the Senate passed S. 689, a measure that in essence was the same as H.R. 1096 but without the controversial farm credit provisions, by voice vote. The House passed S. 689, by voice vote, on March 21, 1985, thus clearing the measure for the President, who signed it into law on April 2, 1985, designating S. 689 as Public Law 99-8. Legislative history: Feb. 19, 1985-H.R. 1096: Considered in markup session by full committee and ordered favorably reported by voice vote. Feb. 25, 1985-Reported. House Report 99-3. Feb. 26, 1985-Passed House by vote of 391 yeas to 25 nays, under suspension of the rules. Feb. 27, 1985-Passed Senate by vote of 62 yeas to 35 nays, after striking all after the enacting clause and substituting in lieu the text of S. 457, as amended, after agreeing to committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. Senate insisted on its amendments, requested conference, and appointed as conferees Senators Lugar, Helms, Mathias, Pell and Zorinsky. (Senate Floor amendments added farm credit provisions.) Feb. 28, 1985-Rules Committee met and agreed to H.Res. 92, providing for agreeing to the Senate amendment. House Report 99-15. Mar. 5, 1985-House agreed to Senate amendment by a vote of 255 yeas to 168 nays. Mar. 6, 1985-Vetoed. Mar. 7, 1985-Veto message received in House and referred to Committees on Foreign Affairs and Agriculture. House Document 99-37. Mar. 19, 1985-S. 689: Passed Senate, amended, by voice vote. Mar. 21, 1985-Passed House by voice vote under unanimous consent. 3. To Designate May 7, 1985, as "Helsinki Human Rights Day"Senate Joint Resolution 15 (by Senator DeConcini, for himself, committee was changed on March 19, 1975, by a resolution (H. Res. 163) sponsored by 22 members of the committee to the Committee on International Relations. The change resulted from the extensive discussions by the members that were undertaken in relation to the reorganization of the subcommittee structure of the committee. It was the consensus that the change in the name of the full committee would more accurately reflect the organization of the committee as it had been agreed upon by its own members at that time. Subsequently, at the beginning of the 96th Congress, the committee again reorganized its subcommittee structure and agreed to the introduction of House Resolution 89, sponsored by 30 Members, to return to the committee's original name "The Committee on Foreign Affairs." The resolution was agreed to on February 5, 1979. Throughout its history, the committee has been composed of some of America's most able legislators and statesmen. Two American Presidents have served on it: James K. Polk, from 1827 to 1831, and John Quincy Adams, who became chairman in 1842 after he returned to the House following his term as the Chief Executive. Many former chairmen of the committee have written their names into the history books. Among them was Edward Everett of Masssachusetts, chairman in the 20th Congress, who also served as Secretary of State, was a Whig Vice Presidential candidate in 1860, and is remembered as one of America's greatest orators. Francis W. Pickens, who chaired the committee from 1839 to 1841, later became Governor of South Carolina and authorized the firing on Fort Sumter which precipitated the Civil War. Serving as chairman in the aftermath of World War I, Stephen G. Porter of Pennsylvania came to be one of the most influential figures in the determination of American foreign policy in the early 1920's. In more recent times, Chairman Sol Bloom of New York and James P. Richards of South Carolina have been recognized for their contributions to America's leadership in the immediate post-World War II period. The longest tenure as chairman in the history of the committee was that of Hon. Thomas E. Morgan of Pennsylvania, who served in that position from 1959 until the end of the 94th Congress. Other former members of the Committee on Foreign Affairsmen like Tom Connally of Texas, Champ Clark of Iowa, and J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, Mike Mansfield of Montana, and Jacob Javits of New York, Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, and Abraham Ribicoff of Connecticut-went to the U.S. Senate where they established reputations for their work on international affairs legislation. Moreover, committee experience has provided a beginnning for numerous men who have gone on to distinguish themselves in the diplomatic service of the country. Among them was Perry Belmont, chairman in the 49th and 50th Congresses, who was U.Š. Minister to Spain in 1888-89 and a noted author of work on international policies. His successor as chairman in the 51th Congress was Robert R. Hitt of Ohio who was chief of the U.S. Legislation in Paris from 1874 to 1881 and subsequently was appointed Assistant Secretary of State. Christian A. Herter, who served as Secretary of State during the Eisenhower administration, was a committee member in the 82d Congress. More recent examples are: Chester Bowles, former Under Secretary of State; James W. Wadsworth, former U.S. Representative of the United Nations; F. Bradford Morse, United Nations Development Program; E. Ross Adair, former Ambassador to Ethiopia; and William S. Mailliard, former Ambassador to the Organization of American States. B. Power of the Purse The Committee on Foreign Affairs has virtually the same jurisdiction as the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, with the exception of consideration of treaties and Presidential appointments of Ambassadors and certain other officers, which constitutionally lie only with the Senate. The House of Representatives, however, through its power over the disbursal of funds had traditionally initiated appropriations. The Committee of Foreign Affairs, therefore, bears the primary responsibility of authorizing appropriations affecting relations of the United States with foreign countries. C. Committee Jurisdiction (1) Scope.-Since 1822, the Committee on Foreign Affairs has had a broad jurisdiction over foreign relations. It also had authority to report appropriations from 1895 to 1920 (secs. 689 and 690, Rules of the House of Representatives, H. Doc. No. 507, 83d Cong.) In the 99th Congress rule X(i) of the rules of the House of Representatives defined the jurisdiction of the committee as follows: (i) Committee on Foreign Affairs: (1) Relations of the United States with foreign nations generally. (2) Acquisition of land and buildings for embassies and legations in foreign countries. (3) Established of boundary lines between the United States and foreign nations. (4) Foreign loans. (5) International conferences and congresses. (6) Intervention abroad and declarations of war. (7) Measures relating to the diplomatic service. (8) Measures to foster commercial intercourse with foreign nations and to safeguard American business interests abroad. (9) Neutrality. (10) Protection of American citizens abroad and expatriation. (11) The American National Red Cross. (12) United Nations Organizations. (13) Measures relating to international economic policy. (14) Export controls (including nonproliferation of nuclear technology and nuclear hardware].1 (15) International commodity agreements (other than those involving sugar) [including all agreements for cooperation in the export of nuclear technology and nuclear hardware].1 (16) Trading with the enemy. (17) International education. In addition to its legislative jurisdiction under the preceding provisions of this paragraph (and its general oversight function under clause 2(b)(1)), the committee shall have the special oversight functions provided for in clause 3(d) with respect to customs administration, intelligence activities relating to foreign policy, international financial and monetary organizations, and international fishing agreements. The jurisdiction as defined in the rule, with the exception of the references to nuclear technology in sections 14 and 15, was made effective January 3, 1975, following the passage in the 93d Congress 1 Jurisdiction in brackets was added in the 95th Congress. of the Committee Reform Act of 1974, House Resolution 988. The committee's jurisdiction over measures relating to international economic policy and export controls was expanded on January 4, 1977 (H. Res. 5), to include nonproliferation of nuclear technology and nuclear hardware, and jurisdiction over measures relating to international commodity agreements (other than those involving sugar) was expanded to include all agreements of cooperation in the export of nuclear technology and nuclear hardware. D. Oversight Functions The committee, by tradition and precedent, maintains a close watch over the Department of State and other agencies of the Government which are involved in foreign affairs. Under the Rules of the House of Representatives the committee is authorized to exercise continuous surveillance of the execution by the executive branch of the laws within the committee's jurisdiction. Under provisions of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, the committee has the further responsibility of submitting a biennial report to the House on these review activities. The law states: SEC. 136. (a) In order to assist the House in (1) its analysis, appraisal, and evaluation of the applications, administration, and execution of the laws enacted by the Congress, and (2) its formulation, consideration, and enactment of such modifications of or changes in those laws, and of such additional legislation, as may be necessary or appropriate, each standing committee shall review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration, and execution of those laws, or parts of laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of that committee. (b) Each standing government shall submit to the House, not later than January 2 of each odd-numbered year beginning on or after January 1, 1973, a report on the activities of that government under this clause during the Congress ending at noon on January 3 of such year. In compliance with this requirement, the committee filed a report on its legislative review activities on January 2, 1987, covering the work of the 99th Congress. It is House Report 99-1035 and contains a more detailed listing of the committee oversight and review activities than is possible here. E. Study Missions and Participation in International Conferences and Events The committee has kept itself informed of the latest developments in foreign affairs. The usual frequent conferences with high Government officials, both civil and military, have been augmented by special study missions to various parts of the world to obtain firsthand knowledge of the problems of foreign countries and the administration of U.S. programs and operations falling within the purview of the committee. Committee members have also been designated to serve as official delegates to a number of international conferences and events. F. Funding of Investigations and Studies The funding of the committee's investigations and studies is provided for in an annual resolution. For the first session of the 99th Congress it was House Resolution 63: |