[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 10, 1995)]
[Daily Digest]
[Page D575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Wednesday, May 10, 1995 [[Page D574]] 

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed Product Liability Fairness Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S6369-S6470
Measures Introduced: Four bills were introduced, as follows: S. 786-
789.
  Page S6462
Measures Passed:
  Product Liability Fairness Act: By 61 yeas to 37 nays (Vote No. 161), 
Senate passed H.R. 956, to establish legal standards and procedures for 
product liability litigation, after taking action on amendments 
proposed thereto, as follows:
  Pages S6369-S6412
Adopted:
  (1) Gorton Amendment No. 596, in the nature of a substitute.
Pages S6369, S6406
  (2) Coverdell/Dole Amendment No. 690 (to Amendment No. 596), in the 
nature of a substitute.
Pages S6369, S6393-95, S6406
  (3) Shelby/Heflin Modified Amendment No. 693 (to Amendment No. 690), 
to provide that a defendant may be liable for certain damages if the 
alleged harm to a claimant is death and certain damages are provided 
for under State law.
Pages S6369-70
Rejected:
  (1) Harkin Amendment No. 749 (to Amendment No. 690), to adjust the 
limitation on punitive damages that may be awarded against certain 
defendants. (By 78 yeas to 20 nays (Vote No. 159), Senate tabled the 
amendment.)
Pages S6369-70
  (2) Dorgan Amendment No. 629 (to Amendment No. 690), to eliminate 
caps on punitive damage awards. (By 54 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. 160), 
Senate tabled the amendment.)
Pages S6370-72, S6393
Solid Waste Disposal Act: Senate began consideration of S. 534, to 
amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to provide authority for States to 
limit the interstate transportation of municipal solid waste, with a 
committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, taking action on 
amendments proposed thereto, as follows:
  Pages S6414-23, S6426-33, S6435, S6443-53
Adopted:
  (1) Wellstone Amendment No. 750, to clarify the continuation of flow 
control authority where such authority was imposed prior to May 15, 
1994.
Pages S6432-33
  (2) Smith (for Kempthorne) Amendment No. 751, of a technical nature.
Page S6435
  (3) Graham Amendment No. 752, to revise the provision relating to 
State-mandated disposal services.
Page S6443
  (4) Graham Amendment No. 753, to provide that a law providing for 
State-mandated disposal services shall be considered to be a reasonable 
regulation of commerce.
Page S6443
Pending:
  (1) Specter Amendment No. 754, to express the sense of the Senate on 
taking all possible steps to combat domestic terrorism in the United 
States.
Pages S6448-49
  (2) Hatch Amendment No. 755 (to Amendment No. 754), to express the 
sense of the Senate concerning the scheduling of hearings on Waco and 
Ruby Ridge in the near future.
Pages S6449-52
  A motion was entered to close further debate on the committee 
amendment in the nature of a substitute to the bill and, in accordance 
with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a 
vote on the cloture motion will occur on Friday, May 12, 1995.
Pages S6452-53
  Senate will continue consideration of the bill on Thursday, May 11, 
1995.
Appointments:
  Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Group: The Chair, on behalf 
of the Vice President, pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 276h-276k, as amended, 
appointed the following Senators as members of the Senate Delegation to 
the Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Group during the First 
Session of the 104th Congress, to be held in Tucson, Arizona, May 12-
14, 1995: Senators Grassley, Murkowski, and Gorton.
  Page S6470 [[Page D575]] 
Messages From the President: Senate received the following messages 
from the President of the United States:
  Transmitting the report on the continuation of the emergency with 
respect to the Serbia and Montenegro and the Bosnian Serbs; referred to 
the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (PM-46).
Page S6459
  Transmitting, a draft of proposed legislation entitled ``The Gun-Free 
School Zones Amendments Act of 1995''; to the Committee on the 
Judiciary. (PM-47).
Page S6459
Messages From the President:
  Page S6459
Messages From the House:
  Page S6460
Measures Referred:
  Page S6460
Petitions:
  Pages S6460-62
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S6462
Statements on Introduced Bills:
  Pages S6462-65
Additional Cosponsors:
  Page S6465
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S6465-66
Authority for Committees:
  Pages S6466-67
Additional Statements:
  Pages S6467-70
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--161)
  Pages S6370, S6393, S6407
Recess: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and recessed at 7:08 p.m., until 
9:30 a.m., on Thursday, May 11, 1995. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S6470.)