[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 22, 1996)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D514-D517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                            Wednesday, May 22, 1996

[[Page D514]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S5461-S5505
Measures Introduced: Seven bills were introduced, as follows: S. 1789-
1795.
  Page S5492
Congressional Budget: Senate continued consideration of S. Con. Res. 
57, setting forth the congressional budget for the United States 
Government for fiscal years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, 
taking action on amendments proposed thereto, as follows: 
                                               Pages S5461-90, S5504-05
Adopted:
  Wyden/Kerry Modified Amendment No. 3984, to express the sense of the 
Senate regarding revenue assumptions.
Pages S5463-64
  Wellstone Amendment No. 3989, to express the sense of the Senate with 
respect to the interrelationship between domestic violence and welfare.
                                                             Page S5465
  Snowe Amendment No. 4017, to express the sense of the Senate that the 
aggregates and functional levels included in the budget resolution 
assume that savings in student loans can be achieved without any 
program change that would increase costs to students and parents or 
decrease accessibility to student loans.
Page S5465
  Domenici (for Faircloth) Amendment No. 4024, to express the sense of 
the Senate regarding reduction of the national debt.
Page S5465
  By 52 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 122), Domenici (for Abraham/
Coverdell) Amendment No. 4028 (to Amendment No. 3986), to express the 
sense of the Senate regarding administrative funding of the President's 
Public Safety and Community Policing Grants, and to increase funding 
for the Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund programs in 2001 and 2002. 
                                                         Pages S5465-66
  (Subsequently, the amendment fell when Amendment No. 3986, listed 
below, was tabled.)
Page S5466
  By a unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 124), Wellstone Amendment 
No. 3987, to express the sense of the Senate that Congress will not 
enact or adopt any legislation that would increase the number of 
children who are hungry or homeless.
Pages S5466-67
  By 88 yeas to 12 nays (Vote No. 127), Wellstone Amendment No. 3988, 
to express the sense of the Senate with respect to maintaining current 
expenditure levels for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program 
for fiscal year 1997.
Pages S5469-70
  Kennedy Amendment No. 3997, to express the sense of the Congress that 
the reconciliation bill should maintain the existing prohibition 
against additional charges by providers under the Medicare program. (By 
49 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 130), Senate earlier failed to table the 
amendment.)
Pages S5474-75
  By a unanimous vote of 99 yeas (Vote No. 131), Kennedy Amendment No. 
3998, to express the sense of the Congress that the reconciliation bill 
should not include any changes in Federal nursing home quality 
standards or the Federal enforcement of such standards.
Page S5475
  By 94 yeas to 6 nays (Vote No. 132), Kennedy Amendment No. 3999, to 
express the sense of the Congress that provisions of current Medicaid 
law protecting families of nursing home residents from experiencing 
financial ruin as the price of needed care for their loved ones should 
be retained.
Pages S5475-76
  Kennedy Modified Amendment No. 4000, to express the sense of the 
Senate relating to the protection of the wages of construction workers.
                                                         Pages S5476-78
  By 92 yeas to 8 nays (Vote No. 133), Ashcroft Amendment No. 4030 (to 
Amendment No. 4000), to express the sense of the Congress that States 
should be allowed to require welfare recipients to stay drug-free as a 
condition for receiving welfare benefits from the taxpayers. 
                                                         Pages S5476-77
  Kennedy Amendment No. 4031 (to Amendment No. 4000), to protect the 
incomes of construction workers and their families and to express the 
sense of the Senate that the Davis-Bacon Act should not be repealed. 
(By 40 yeas to 60 nays (Vote 134), Senate earlier failed to table the 
amendment.)
Page S5477

[[Page D515]]


  By a unanimous vote of 99 yeas (Vote No. 135), Santorum Amendment No. 
4032 (to Amendment No. 4000), to express the sense of the Senate that 
the provisions in the resolution assume reform of the Davis-Bacon Act. 
                                                         Pages S5477-78
  By 53 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. 137), Lott/Smith Modified Amendment 
No. 4002, to express the sense of the Congress regarding reimbursement 
of the United States for the costs associated with Operations Southern 
Watch and Provide Comfort out of revenues generated by any sale of 
petroleum originating from Iraq.
Pages S5478-79
  By a unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 138), Simpson/Moynihan 
Amendment No. 4003, to express the sense of the Senate that all Federal 
spending and revenues which are indexed for inflation should be 
calibrated by the most accurate inflation indices which are available 
to the Federal Government.
Pages S5479-80
  Gramm Amendment No. 4009, to express the sense of the Congress that 
the 1993 income tax increase on Social Security benefits should be 
repealed.
Pages S5481-82
  By a unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 141), Exon Amendment No. 
4033 (to Amendment No. 4009), to express the sense of the Senate that 
no provisions in this resolution should worsen the solvency of the 
Medicare Trust Fund.
Pages S5481-82
  By 50 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 142), Domenici (for Gramm) Amendment 
No. 4034 (to Amendment No. 4009), to express the sense of the Congress 
that the 1993 income tax increase on Social Security benefits should be 
repealed.
Page S5482
  By a unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 143), Domenici (for Dole/
Hatch/Helms) Modified Amendment No. 4019, to express the sense of the 
Senate that the Attorney General should investigate the practice 
regarding the prosecution of drug smugglers.
Pages S5462, S5483-85
  Bumpers Amendment No. 4013, to establish that no amounts realized 
from sales of assets shall be scored with respect to the level of 
budget authority, outlays, or revenues.
Pages S5486-88
  By a unanimous vote of 98 yeas (Vote No. 145) McCain/Domenici 
Amendment No. 4035 (to Amendment No. 4013), to express the sense of the 
Senate regarding corporate subsidies and to provide a rule that would 
prohibit the scoring of proceeds from asset sales that would lead to a 
financial loss by the Federal Government.
Pages S5486-87
Rejected:
  Boxer Amendment No. 3982, to preserve, protect, and strengthen the 
Medicaid program by controlling costs, providing State flexibility, and 
restoring critical standards and protections, including coverage for 
all populations covered under current law, to restore $18 billion in 
excessive cuts, offset by corporate and business tax reforms, and to 
express the sense of the Senate regarding certain Medicaid reforms. (By 
55 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 120), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                             Page S5463
  Wellstone Amendment No. 3985, to express the sense of the Senate on 
tax deductibility of higher education tuition and student loan interest 
costs. (By 56 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. 121), Senate tabled the 
amendment.)
Pages S5464-65
  Wellstone/Kerry Amendment No. 3986, to express the sense of the 
Senate that funds will be available to hire new police officers under 
the Community Oriented Policing Service. (By 51 yeas to 49 nays (Vote 
No. 123), Senate tabled the amendment.)
Pages S5465-66
  Wellstone Amendment No. 4029 (to Amendment No. 3986), to express the 
sense of the Senate that funds will be available to hire new police 
officers. (The amendment fell when Amendment No. 3986, listed above, 
was tabled.)
Page S5466
  Kerry Amendment No. 3990, to restore proposed cuts in the environment 
and natural resources programs, to be offset by the extension of 
expired tax provisions or corporate and business tax reforms. (By 55 
yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 125), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                             Page S5467
  Kerry Amendment No. 3991, to increase the Function 500 totals to 
maintain levels of education and training funding that will keep pace 
with rising school enrollments and the demand for a better-trained 
workforce, to be offset by the extension of expired tax provisions or 
corporate and business tax reforms. (By 52 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 
126), Senate tabled the amendment.)
Pages S5467-69
  Kyl Amendment No. 3995, to express the sense of the Senate regarding 
a supermajority requirement for raising taxes. (By 59 yeas to 41 nays 
(Vote No. 128), Senate tabled the amendment.)
Pages S5470-73
  By 26 yeas to 74 nays (Vote No. 129), Kyl Modified Amendment No. 
3996, to providing funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Program through fiscal year 2000.
Page S5474
  Byrd Amendment No. 4001, to increase overall discretionary spending 
to the levels proposed by the President, offset by the extension of 
expired tax provisions or corporate and business tax reforms. (By 61 
yeas to 39 nays (Vote No. 136), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                             Page S5478
  By 43 yeas to 57 nays (Vote No. 140), Ashcroft Modified Amendment No. 
4008, to provide for an income tax deduction for the old age, 
survivors, and disability insurance taxes paid by employees and self-
employed individuals.
Pages S5480-81
  Brown Amendment No. 4010, to express the sense of the Senate that 
there should be a cap on the

[[Page D516]]

application of the civilian and military retirement COLA.
Page S5485
  Harkin Amendment No. 4011, to provide that the first reconciliation 
bill not include Medicaid reform, focusing mainly on welfare reform by 
shifting Medicaid changes from the first to the second reconciliation 
bill. (By 60 yeas to 40 nays (Vote No. 144), Senate tabled the 
amendment.)
Pages S5485-86
  Bumpers Amendment No. 4036 (to Amendment No. 4013), to establish that 
no amounts realized from sales of assets shall be scored with respect 
to the level of budget authority, outlays, or revenues. (By 52 yeas to 
46 nays (Vote No. 146), Senate tabled the amendment.
Pages S5487-88
Pending:
  Harkin (for Specter) Amendment No. 4012, to restore funding for 
education, training, and health programs to a Congressional Budget 
Office freeze level for fiscal year 1997 through an across the board 
reduction in Federal administrative costs.
Page S5462
  Bumpers Amendment No. 4014, to eliminate the defense firewalls. 
                                                             Page S5462
  Thompson Amendment No. 3981, to express the sense of the Senate on 
the funding levels for the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. 
                                                             Page S5462
  Murkowski Amendment No. 4015, to prohibit sense of the Senate 
amendments from being offered to the budget resolution.
Page S5462
  Simpson (for Kerrey) Amendment No. 4016, to express the sense of the 
Senate on long term entitlement reforms.
Page S5462
  Chafee/Breaux Amendment No. 4018, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                             Page S5462
  Feingold Amendment No. 3969, to eliminate the tax cut.
Page S5462
  Domenici (for McCain) Amendment No. 4022, to express the sense of the 
Senate regarding Spectrum auctions and their effect on the integrity of 
the budget process.
Page S5462
  Domenici (for Faircloth) Amendment No. 4023, to express the sense of 
the Senate that any comprehensive legislation sent to the President 
that balances the budget by a certain date and that includes welfare 
reform provisions shall also contain to the maximum extent possible a 
strategy for reducing the rate of out-of-wedlock births and encouraging 
family formation.
Page S5462
  Exon (for Roth) Amendment No. 4025, to express the sense of the 
Senate regarding the funding of Amtrak.
Page S5462
  Domenici Amendment No. 4027 (to Amendment No. 4012), to adjust the 
fiscal year 1997 non-defense discretionary allocation to the 
Appropriation Committee by $5 billion in budget authority and $4 
billion in outlays to sustain 1996 post-OCRA policy.
Page S5462
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 44 yeas to 56 nays (Vote No. 139), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive the Congressional Budget Act with respect to 
consideration of Graham Amendment No. 4007, to create a 60 vote point 
of order against legislation diverting savings achieved through 
Medicare waste, fraud and abuse enforcement activities for purposes 
other than improving the solvency of the Medicare Federal Hospital 
Insurance Trust Fund. Subsequently, a point of order that the amendment 
was in violation of section 305 (b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act 
was sustained, and the amendment thus fell.
Page S5480
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the resolution and amendments pending thereto, on 
Thursday, May 23, 1996.
Pages S5504-05
Appointments:
  National Commission on Restructuring the Internal Revenue Service: 
The Chair, on behalf of the Majority Leader, pursuant to Public Law 
104-52, as amended by Public Law 104-134, appointed the following 
individuals as members of the National Commission on Restructuring the 
Internal Revenue Service: Senator Grassley, David L. Keating, of 
Maryland, J. Fred Kubik, of Kansas, and Mark L. McConaghy, of 
Washington, D.C.; and on behalf of the Democratic Leader, the following 
individuals: Senator Kerrey, and Fred T. Goldberg, Jr.
  Page S5505
Messages From the President: Senate received the following messages 
from the President of the United States:
  Transmitting the report of the Commodity Credit Corporation for 
fiscal year 1994; referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry. (PM-148).
Page S5491
  Transmitting the annual reports of the National Science Foundation 
for fiscal years 1994 and 1995; referred to the Committee on Labor and 
Human Resources. (PM-149).
Page S5491
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Routine lists in the Coast Guard, Marine Corps.
Page S5505
Messages From the President:
  Page S5491
Messages From the House:
  Page S5491
Measures Referred:
  Pages S5491-92
Measures Placed on Calendar:
  Page S5492
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S5492
Statements on Introduced Bills:
  Pages S5492-99

[[Page D517]]

Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S5499-S5500
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S5500-01
Notices of Hearings:
  Page S5501
Authority for Committees:
  Page S5501
Additional Statements:
  Pages S5501-04
Record Votes: Twenty-seven record votes were taken today. (Total--146) 
                     Page S5463, S5465-67, S5469-70, S5473-82, S5485-88
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:15 a.m., and adjourned at 5:57 p.m., 
until 12 noon, on Thursday, May 23, 1996. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on pages 
S5504-05.)