[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 23, 1996)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D787-D790]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                             Tuesday, July 23, 1996

[[Page D787]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed Budget Reconciliation.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S8493-S8582
Measures Introduced: Two bills were introduced, as follows: S. 1982 and 
1983.
  Page S8553
Measures Reported: Reports were made as follows:
  H.R. 3845, making appropriations for the government of the District 
of Columbia and other activities chargeable in whole or in part against 
revenues of said District for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
1997, with amendments. (S. Rept. No. 104-328)
  Special Report entitled ``Revised Allocation to Subcommittees of 
Budget Totals from the Concurrent Resolution for Fiscal Year 1997''. 
(S. Rept. No. 104-329)
  H.R. 3756, making appropriations for the Treasury Department, the 
United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President, 
and certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 1997, and for other purposes, with amendments. (S. Rept. No. 104-
330)
  S. 88, to increase the overall economy and efficiency of Government 
operations and enable more efficient use of Federal funding, by 
enabling local governments and private, nonprofit organizations to use 
amounts available under certain Federal assistance programs in 
accordance with approved local flexibility plans, with an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 104-331)
Page S8553
Measures Passed:
   Budget Reconciliation: By 74 yeas to 24 nays (Vote No. 232), Senate 
passed H.R. 3734, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 
202(a) of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 1997, 
after striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu 
thereof, the text of S. 1956, Senate companion measure, as amended, and 
after taking action on further amendments proposed thereto, as follows:
                                                      Pages S8493-S8532
Adopted:
  By a unanimous vote of 99 yeas (Vote No. 214), D'Amato Amendment No. 
4927, to require welfare recipients to participate in gainful community 
service.
Page S8495
  Exon (for Simon) Modified Amendment No. 4928, to increase the number 
of adults and to extend the period of time in which educational 
training activities may be counted as work.
Pages S8495-96
  By 97 yeas to 2 nays (Vote No. 216), Chafee Amendment No. 4931, to 
maintain current eligibility standards for Medicaid and provide 
additional State flexibility.
Pages S8496-97
  Chafee Amendment No. 4933 (to Amendment No. 4931), to maintain 
current eligibility standards for Medicaid and provide additional State 
flexibility.
Pages S8496-97
  By 53 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 218), Conrad Amendment No. 4934, to 
eliminate the State food assistance block grant.
Pages S8497-98
  Santorum (for Gramm) Amendment No. 4935, to deny welfare benefits to 
individuals convicted of illegal drug possession, use or distribution. 
(By 74 yeas to 25 nays (Vote No. 219), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to 
a motion to waive section 305(b) of the Congressional Budget Act with 
respect to consideration of the amendment.)
Pages S8498-99
  Graham (for Simon) Amendment No. 4938, to preserve eligibility of 
immigrants for programs of student assistance under the Public Health 
Service Act.
Page S8500
  Shelby Amendment No. 4939, to provide a refundable credit for 
adoption expenses and to exclude from gross income employee and 
military adoption assistance benefits and withdrawals from IRA's for 
certain adoption expenses. (By 78 yeas to 21 nays (Vote No. 221), 
three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in 
the affirmative, Senate agreed to a motion to waive sections 305 and 
310 of the Congressional Budget Act with respect to consideration of 
the amendment.)
Pages S8500-01

[[Page D788]]


  Ashcroft Amendment No. 4941, to set a time limit of 24 consecutive 
months for TANF assistance and allows States to sanction recipients if 
minors do not attend school.
Pages S8503-04
  Ashcroft Amendment No. 4943 (to Amendment No. 4941), to provide that 
a State may sanction a family's TANF assistance if the family includes 
an adult who fails to ensure that their minor dependent children attend 
school.
Page S8503
  Ashcroft Amendment No. 4944 (to Amendment No. 4941), to provide that 
a State may sanction a family's TANF assistance if the family includes 
an adult who does not have, or is not working toward attaining a 
secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent.
Page S8503
  Ford (for Murray) Amendment No. 4950, to strike section 1206, 
relating to the summer food service program for children.
Page S8504
Rejected:
  Harkin Amendment No. 4916, to strike section 1253, relating to child 
nutrition requirements. (By 56 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 213), Senate 
tabled the amendment.)
Pages S8494-95
  By 31 yeas to 68 nays (Vote No. 217), Roth Amendment No. 4932 (to 
Amendment No. 4931), to maintain the eligibility for Medicaid for any 
individual who is receiving Medicaid based on their receipt of AFDC, 
foster care or adoption assistance, and to provide transitional 
Medicaid for families moving from welfare to work.
Page S8497
  Helms Amendment No. 4930, to strengthen food stamp work requirements. 
(By 56 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 220), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                             Page S8499
  By 37 yeas to 60 nays (Vote No. 222), Graham Amendment No. 4936, to 
modify the formula for determining a State family assistance grant to 
include the number of children in poverty residing in a State. 
                                                         Pages S8501-02
  By 48 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 223), Ford Amendment No. 4940, to 
allow States the option to provide non-cash assistance to children 
after the 5-year time limit.
Page S8502
  By 50 yeas to 49 yeas (Vote No. 224), Senate tabled a motion to 
reconsider Vote No. 223 (listed above).
Page S8502
  By 37 yeas to 62 nays (Vote No. 225), Ashcroft Amendment No. 4942 (to 
Amendment No. 4941), to provide that a family may not receive TANF 
assistance for more than 24 consecutive months at a time unless an 
adult in the family is working or a State exempts an adult in the 
family from working for reasons of hardship.
Pages S8503-04
  Graham Amendment No. 4952, to strike additional penalties for 
consecutive failure to satisfy minimum participation rates. (By 56 yeas 
to 43 nays (Vote No. 226), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                         Pages S8504-05
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  A point of order was made that Section 2104, relating to services 
provided by charitable or private organizations was in violation of 
section 313(b)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act and, by 67 yeas to 
32 nays (Vote No. 230), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and 
sworn having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to a motion to 
waive the Congressional Budget Act with respect to consideration of 
Section 2104, and the point of order thus fell.
Pages S8507-08
  Three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted 
in the affirmative, Senate rejected motions to waive certain provisions 
of the Congressional Budget Act with respect to consideration of 
amendments proposed to the bill, as follows:
  By 41 yeas to 57 nays (Vote No. 212), Faircloth Amendment No. 4905, 
to prohibit recruitment activities in SSI outreach programs, 
demonstration projects, and other administrative activities. (*section 
305)
Page S8494
  By 46 yeas to 52 nays (Vote No. 215), Feinstein/Boxer Amendment No. 
4929, to provide that the ban on supplemental security income benefits 
apply to those aliens entering the country on or after the enactment of 
this bill. (*section 310(d)(2))
Page S8496
  By 51 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 227), Exon (for Kennedy) Amendment 
No. 4955, to permit assistance to be provided to needy or disabled 
legal immigrant children when sponsors cannot provide reimbursement. 
(*section 310(d)(2))
Page S8505
  By 35 yeas to 64 nays (Vote No. 228), Exon (for Kennedy) Amendment 
No. 4956, to allow a 2-year implementation period under the Medicaid 
program for implementation of the attribution of sponsor's income and 
the 5-year ban.
Pages S8505-06

  * Subsequently, points of order that the amendments were in violation 
of certain sections of the Congressional Budget Act were sustained, and 
the amendments were ruled out of order.
Page S8509
  Also, three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn not having 
voted in the affirmative, Senate reject motions to waive the 
Congressional Budget Act with respect to consideration of certain 
sections of the bill, as follows:
  By 42 yeas to 57 nays (Vote No. 229), Section 408(a)(2), to prohibit 
additional cash assistance for children born to families presently 
receiving assistance.
Pages S8506-07

[[Page D789]]


  By 52 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. 231), Section 2909, relating to 
abstinence education.
Pages S8508-09
  Subsequently, a point of order that the sections were in violation of 
section 313(b)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act were sustained, 
and the sections were ruled out of order.
Page S8509
  Senate insisted on its amendment, requested a conference with the 
House thereon, and the Chair appointed the following conferees on the 
part of the Senate: from the Committee on the Budget: Senators 
Domenici, Nickles, Gramm, Exon, and Hollings; from the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Senators Lugar, Helms, Cochran, 
Santorum, Leahy, Heflin, and Harkin; from the Committee on Finance: 
Senators Roth, Chafee, Grassley, Hatch, Simpson, Moynihan, Bradley, 
Pryor, and Rockefeller; and from the Committee on Labor and Human 
Resources: Senators Kassebaum and Dodd.
Page S8532
Agriculture Appropriations, 1997: Senate continued consideration of 
H.R. 3603, making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, taking action on further 
amendments proposed thereto, as follows:
  Pages S8532-52
Adopted:
  Cochran (for Thurmond/Hollings) Amendment No. 4988, to provide 
funding for the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service.
Pages S8540-41
  Cochran (for Frahm) Amendment No. 4989, to make necessary reforms to 
the rural multifamily loan program of the Rural Housing Service. 
                                                         Pages S8541-42
  Bumpers (for Leahy) Amendment No. 4990, to authorize funds for the 
National Aquaculture Act of 1980.
Page S8542
  Bumpers (for Kerrey) Amendment No. 4991, to provide the Secretary of 
Agriculture authority through fiscal year 2000 for the use of voluntary 
separation incentives to assist in reducing employment levels. 
                                                         Pages S8542-43
  Bumpers (for Kerrey) Amendment No. 4992, to provide funds for risk 
management, with an offset.
Pages S8542-43
  Bumpers Amendment No. 4993, to provide funds for agricultural 
research.
Page S8543
  Cochran (for Heflin) Amendment No. 4994, to authorize funds through 
fiscal year 2002 for the seasonal base plan of the Agriculture and Food 
Act (P.L. 97-98).
Page S8544
  Bumpers Amendment No. 4996, relating to cooperative assistance 
development funds.
Pages S8545-46
  Bumpers (for Sarbanes/Mikulski) Amendment No. 4997, to restore 
funding for certain agricultural research programs.
Pages S8545-46
  Cochran (for Hatch/Harkin) Amendment No. 4998, to require that 
certain funds be used to comply with certain provisions of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act relating to approval deadlines. 
                                                             Page S8546
  Cochran (for Smith) Amendment No. 5000, to provide that the town of 
Berlin, New Hampshire, shall be eligible during fiscal year 1997 for a 
grant under the rural utilities assistance program.
Page S8552
  Cochran (for Craig) Amendment No. 5001, to require a review and 
report on the H-2A nonimmigrant worker program.
Page S8552
Rejected:
  Gregg Amendment No. 4959, to prohibit the use of funds to make loans 
to large processors of sugarcane and sugar beets, who has an annual 
revenue that exceeds $10 million, unless the loans require the 
processors to repay the full amount of the loans, plus interest. (By 63 
yeas to 35 nays (Vote No. 233), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                         Pages S8533-34
  McCain Amendment No. 4968, to reduce funds for the Agricultural 
Research Service.
Page S8533
  Gregg Amendment No. 4969 (to Amendment No. 4959), to prohibit the use 
of funds to make loans to large processors of sugarcane and sugar 
beets, who has an annual revenue that exceeds $15 million, unless the 
loans require the processors to repay the full amount of the loans, 
plus interest. (The amendment fell when Amendment No. 4959, listed 
above, was tabled.)
Pages S8533-34
Withdrawn:
  Cochran (for Smith) Amendment No. 4999, to provide that the town of 
Berlin, New Hampshire, shall be eligible during fiscal year 1997 for a 
grant under the rural utilities assistance program.
Pages S8546-47
  Kerrey Amendment No. 4979, to provide funds for risk management. 
                                                             Page S8552
  Kerrey Amendment No. 4980, to provide the Secretary of Agriculture 
temporary authority for the use of voluntary separation incentives to 
assist in reducing employment levels.
Page S8552
Pending:
  Bryan Amendment No. 4977, to establish funding limitations for the 
market access program.
Page S8533
  Kerrey Amendment No. 4978, to increase funding for the Grain 
Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration and the Food Safety 
and Inspection Service.
Page S8533

[[Page D790]]


  Leahy Amendment No. 4987, to implement the recommendations of the 
Northern Forest Lands Council.
Pages S8539-40
  Santorum Amendment No. 4995, to prohibit the use of funds to provide 
a total amount of nonrecourse loans to producers for peanuts in excess 
of $125,000.
Pages S8548-50, S8552
  Santorum Amendment No. 4967, to prohibit the use of funds to carry 
out a peanut program that is operated by a marketing association if the 
Secretary of Agriculture determines that a member of the Board of 
Directors of the association has a conflict of interest with respect to 
the program.
Pages S8550-52
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for consideration 
of certain amendments to be proposed to the bill.
Page S8582
  Senate will continue consideration of the bill on Wednesday, July 24, 
1996.
Messages From the President: Senate received the following messages 
from the President of the United States:
  Transmitting the report of a notice concerning the continuation of 
the Iraqi emergency; referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs. (PM-164).
Page S8552
Messages From the President:
  Page S8552
Messages From the House:
  Pages S8552-53
Measures Referred:
  Page S8553
Measures Placed on Calendar:
  Page S8553
Communications:
  Page S8553
Statements on Introduced Bills:
  Pages S8553-55
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S8555-56
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S8556-80
Notices of Hearings:
  Page S8580
Authority for Committees:
  Pages S8580-81
Additional Statements:
  Pages S8581-82
Record Votes: Twenty-two record votes were taken today. (Total-233) 
                              Pages S8494-S8502, S8504-09, S8532, S8534
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 9:26 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, July 24, 1996. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S8582.)