[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 50 (Thursday, April 18, 1996)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D331-D332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Thursday, April 18, 1996

[[Page D331]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S3503-S3694
Measures Introduced: Six bills and two resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 1682-1687, S.J. Rev. 51, and S. Res. 248.
  Page S3626
Measures Reported: Reports were made as follows:
  S. 811, to authorize research into the desalinization and reclamation 
of water and authorize a program for States, cities, or qualifying 
agencies desiring to own and operate a water desalinization or 
reclamation facility to develop such facilities, with an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 104-254)
Page S3626
Measures Passed:
  Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act: Senate passed 
H.R. 3034, to amend the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act to extend for two months the authority for promulgating 
regulations under the Act, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                             Page S3691
Health Insurance Reform Act: Senate concluded consideration of S. 1028, 
to provide increased access to health care benefits, to provide 
increased portability of health care benefits, to provide increased 
security of health care benefits, and to increase the purchasing power 
of individuals and small employers, after agreeing to a committee 
amendment in the nature of a substitute, and taking action on 
amendments proposed thereto, as follows:
  Pages S3503-75, S3578-S3613
  Adopted:
  (1) Kassebaum Amendment No. 3675, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                               Pages S3552-75, S3578-83
  (2) By 52 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. 72), Kassebaum Amendment No. 3677 
(to Amendment No. 3676), to strike medical savings accounts. 
                                                         Pages S3557-68
  (3) By a unanimous vote of 98 yeas to (Vote No. 73), Dole Modified 
Amendment No. 3676 (to Amendment No. 3675), to amend the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 to improve health and long-term care coverage in 
the group and individual markets by making health and long-term care 
insurance more accessible and affordable.
Pages S3552-70
  (4) Jeffords Amendment No. 3680 (to Amendment No. 3679), to reduce 
delinquencies and to improve debt-collection activities government-
wide. (Subsequently, the amendment fell after having been incorporated 
into Amendment No. 3679, listed below, which was tabled.)
Page S3587
  (5) Domenici/Wellstone Amendment No. 3681, to ensure that parity is 
provided under health plans for severe mental illness services. (By 30 
yeas to 68 nays (Vote No. 75), Senate failed to table the amendment.) 
                                                         Pages S3588-92
  (6) Conrad Amendment No. 3684, to extend State requested waivers of 
the foreign country residence requirement with respect to international 
medical graduates.
Pages S3597-98
  (7) Coats Amendment No. 3685, to encourage the provision of medical 
services in medically underserved communities by extending Federal 
liability coverage to medical volunteers. (By 47 yeas to 51 nays (Vote 
No. 77), Senate failed to table the amendment.) 
                                               Pages S3598-S3600, S3605
  (8) Boxer Modified Amendment No. 3686, to express the sense of the 
Senate that Congress should examine treatments available to patients 
and if doctors receive bonuses for withholding treatment from patients.
                                           Pages S3600-01, S3604, S3606
  (9) Simon Modified Amendment No. 3687, to express the sense of the 
Senate regarding the need to ensure adequate health care coverage for 
all children and pregnant women.
Pages S3601-02, S3605
  (10) Kennedy (for Dorgan/Frist) Amendment No. 3688, to encourage 
organ and tissue donation through the inclusion of an organ and tissue 
donation card with individual income refund payments.
Page S3602
  (11) Kennedy (for Wellstone) Amendment No. 3689, to prohibit the 
establishment of certain health plan requirements based on information 
relating to domestic violence.
Pages S3602-03
  (12) Kassebaum (for Helms) Amendment No. 3690, to provide for a 
three-part study on the evaluation of access and choice of health care 
providers.
Page S3603

[[Page D332]]


  (13) Burns/Harkin Amendment No. 3691, to direct the Health Care 
Financing Administration to determine reimbursement rates for 
telemedicine services.
Pages S3603-04
Rejected:
  (1) Jeffords Amendment No. 3679, to establish a minimum amount that 
may be applied as an aggregate lifetime limit with respect to coverage 
under an employee health benefit plan or a group health plan. (By 56 
yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 74), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                         Pages S3583-87
  (2) Harkin/Baucus Amendment No. 3683, to reduce health care fraud, 
waste and abuse. (By 62 yeas to 36 nays (Vote No. 76), Senate tabled 
the amendment.)
Pages S3593-97, S3604-05
Withdrawn:
  Brown Amendment No. 3678 (to Amendment No. 3675), to provide 
equitable relief for the generic drug industry. 
                                               Pages S3573-75, S3578-83
  Specter Amendment No. 3682, to reauthorize and expand the healthy 
start program to target areas in need and to implement community driven 
strategies to reduce infant mortality.
Pages S3592-93, S3604
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for a vote on 
final passage of H.R. 3103, House companion measure, to occur on 
Tuesday, April 23, 1996.
Page S3605
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Arthur Gajarsa, of Maryland, to be United States Circuit Judge for 
the Federal Circuit.
  Lawrence E. Kahn, of New York, to be United States District Judge for 
the Northern District of New York.
  Walker D. Miller, of Colorado, to be United States District Judge for 
the District of Colorado.
Page S3694
Messages From the House:
  Page S3625
Measures Referred:
  Page S3625
Communications:
  Pages S3625-26
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S3626
Statements on Introduced Bills:
  Pages S3626-33
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S3633-34
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S3634-79
Notices of Hearings:
  Page S3679
Authority for Committees:
  Pages S3679-80
Additional Statements:
  Pages S3680-91
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total-77) 
                             Pages S3568, S3570, S3587, S3592, S3604-05
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 11:15 p.m., 
until 10 a.m., on Friday, April 19, 1996. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S3691.)