For the relief of Michael Janssen and Steven Passantino.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3239) to make improvements in the enactment of title 41, United States Code, into a positive law title and to improve the Code.

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

Mr. Speaker, keeping track of the new laws Congress passes every session is a formidable challenge, but it is an essential part of maintaining the rule of law in our country and it is a duty we take seriously in the House.

The body of Federal law is so large and complex at this point that it would be almost completely unmanageable without the United States Code. Currently consisting of 54 titles, the Code compiles the general and permanent laws of the United States into coherent subject areas. The Code makes our Federal laws accessible, both to the government officials who work to fairly administer them and to the private citizens who seek the benefits or relief the laws provide them.

The Code did not appear magically out of thin air. Congress created it in 1926. And since that time, it has been painstakingly constructed and updated by expert lawyers working under the supervision of the House. We all owe a great debt to the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, whose attorneys ably carry out this statutory mandate ``to develop and keep current an official and positive codification of the laws of the United States,'' while maintaining strict impartiality as to legislative policy.

Pursuant to the law governing their work, the Office of the Law Revision Counsel has submitted this legislation containing amendments related to title 41, which Congress recently enacted into positive law. It contains purely technical changes that update the U.S. Code to reflect the new status of these titles.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make it very clear that this bill does not change the meaning or effect of existing laws in any way. It is part of an ongoing effort to maintain the Code as an authoritative, accurate source of Federal law.

I thank Mr. Fitzgerald for introducing this important legislation, and I urge all Members to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass the bill, and 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 H.R. 3239 introduced by my friend from Wisconsin, Representative Fitzgerald.

Public Law 111-350, which was signed into law on January 4, 2011, enacted title 41 of the United States Code by restating existing laws relating to public contracts. H.R. 3239 makes clarifying and technical improvements by updating statutory references to title 41. Article I, Clause 18 of the Constitution tasks Congress with making all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution its vested powers.

The clarity of legislation is imperative for the other branches to implement and the citizen to follow. The Office of the Law Revision Counsel prepares the titles of the U.S. Code and other technical updates to the Code by combining enacted laws by the same subject matter.

H.R. 3239 is a product of that effort. Providing clarity in the Federal Government public contracting process allows for transparency and lowers potential barriers to entry, which will give more businesses the opportunity to compete in the bidding process.

I appreciate the work of OLRC and Representative Fitzgerald on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 11 of House Resolution 486, I move to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 482, H.R. 704, H.R. 961,

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.