Rep. Gordon did it by bringing the bill back to the floor and requesting that the original “Motion to Recommit” language (which gutted the bill the first time around) be subject to a “division of the question” – essentially asking that the MTR be reconsidered in parts, rather than as one up or down vote. After a brief back and forth with Rep. Hall (R-TX), who introduced the MTR, it was decided that the motion should be divided into nine separate pieces. The Democrats opposed all of them except the anti-porn language and the provision that prohibits federal funding for Higher Ed institutions that don’t allow military recruiting on their campuses. All the other “problematic” language – ie, language that would eliminate programs created by the original bill or freeze authorization levels at the current amount – was defeated. Having dispensed with the MTR, the Dems passed the final bill 262-150, with 17 Republicans joining them.

It was sort of a sneak attack by Gordon, who apparently caught the S&T Committee Republicans by surprise with the maneuver. I have to say, it’s not very common in S&T legislation. I think the last time it was deployed (according to the committee) was ’93. Though it’s been used on other occasions in the House, as recently as March of this year.

Anyway, quite an interesting bit of maneuvering to get this bill passed. Now we’ll see what happens in the Senate…

-Peter Harsha
Computing Research Association