To make technical corrections in the enrollment of the bill H.R. 493.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 340) to make technical corrections in the enrollment of the bill H.R. 493.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may insert extraneous material on House Concurrent Resolution 340 into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

This concurrent resolution makes two technical corrections to the GINA legislation just passed. First, with respect to the Department of Defense Labs, in our current bill, section 202(b)(6) and section 205(b)(6) of H.R. 493 provides an exclusion for an employer to conduct DNA analysis for law enforcement purposes as a forensic laboratory, which submits analyses to the Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS, if the employer only uses that analysis of DNA identification markers for quality control to detect sample contamination.

However, we recently learned that the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, AFDIL, of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, which identifies soldiers' remains, would not be included in this exclusion because it does not submit DNA to the CODIS system.

It was not our intent to prevent the Armed Forces, AFDIL, from using DNA analysis for human remains identification. This technical change would allow them to continue their mission.

With respect to NAIC, the other change is a very minor one. Section 104 of the bill, dealing with Medigap, requires the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to modify their regulations to conform to GINA. The deadline for NAIC to make these modifications is June 30, 2008. If NAIC does not make these modifications by this timeframe, HHS would be required to make the modifications by October 1, 2008.

When this bill moved through the House last April, these deadlines were not a problem. However, with today being May 1, NAIC will not be able to meet the June deadline. Thus, the other change to this bill pushes back the NAIC and HHS deadlines until October 30, 2008, and July 1, 2009.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 340. This resolution makes technical corrections to the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, commonly known as GINA, the act that we just passed. Specifically, this resolution will clarify the use of genetic information at forensic laboratories used by law enforcement agencies. This technical correction ensures the Department of Defense will be able to use genetic information to identify the remains of American servicemen and women.

The recent DNA identification of Staff Sergeant Matt Maupin, missing since his capture in Iraq in 2004, offers us a painful reminder of why genetic information may be needed to identify the heroic men and women who give their lives in service to this Nation.

This is a simple, yet necessary change to a bill that enjoys the support of a vast majority of this body. Adoption of this resolution will allow this legislation to move forward.

The GINA bill marks a commitment by this Congress to ensure that the law protects American workers and health care consumers from discrimination on the basis of their genetic makeup. Because that goal is so critical, I support this resolution today, and urge my colleagues to do likewise.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 340, received from the House and at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.