House Floor Summary

UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Barr amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Barr demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Hudson amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Cohen demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

An amendment, offered by Mr. Hudson, numbered 4 printed in House Report 115-179 to allow a physician to apologize to a patient for an unintended outcome without having the apology count against them in the court of law. Requires a plaintiff to provide a notice of intent to the physician 90 days before the lawsuit is filed. The amendment also defers to sundry state laws regarding lawsuits and outlines requirements witnesses must meet for testimony during trial.

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 382, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Barr amendment No. 5.

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 382, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Hudson amendment No. 4.

On agreeing to the Roe (TN) amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 382, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Roe (TN) amendment No. 3.

An amendment, offered by Mr. Roe (TN), numbered 3 printed in House Report 115-179 to limit who qualifies as an expert witness in medical malpractice negligence cases, based on professional qualifications as well as geographic relation to where the case in chief is being litigated.

On agreeing to the Sessions amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 382, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Sessions amendment No. 2.

An amendment, offered by Mr. Sessions, numbered 2 printed in House Report 115-179 to clarify that health care services as defined in H.R. 1215 include safety, professional, and administrative services directly related to health care.

On agreeing to the Sessions amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 382, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Sessions amendment No. 1.

An amendment, offered by Mr. Sessions, numbered 1 printed in House Report 115-179 to begin the tolling of the statute of limitations on the date of the alleged breach or tort, rather than the date of the injury, which is not always a date certain. The statute of limits will be three years after the alleged breach or one year after the claimant discovers the breach, whichever occurs first.

The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h)of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate stating that that body had made a clerical correction to the March 22, 2017 appointment to the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

On approving the Journal Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 232 - 183, 2 Present (Roll no. 333).

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 235 - 190 (Roll no. 332).

On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 235 - 190 (Roll no. 331).

GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1215.