[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 26, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D139-D140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                       Wednesday, February 26, 1997

[[Page D139]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S1593-S1687
Measures Introduced: Ten bills and one resolution were introduced, as 
follows: S. 358-367, and S.J. Res. 17.                       
  Page S1659
Measures Reported: Reports were made as follows:
  Special Report entitled ``Report on the Activities of the Committee 
on Armed Services of the United States During the 104th Congress First 
and Second Sessions.'' (S. Rept. No. 105-6)                  
Page S1659
Measures Passed:
  Frank M. Tejeda Post Office Building: Committee on Governmental 
Affairs was discharged from the further consideration of H.R. 499, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service under 
construction at 7411 Barlite Boulevard in San Antonio, Texas, as the 
``Frank M. Tejeda Post Office Building'', and the bill was then passed, 
clearing the measure for the President.                  
  Pages S1650-51
  Recognizing Frank Sinatra: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs was discharged from the further consideration of S. 305, to 
authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress 
to Francis Albert ``Frank'' Sinatra in recognition of his outstanding 
and enduring contributions through his entertainment career and 
humanitarian activities, and the bill was then passed.   
  Pages S1686-87
Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment: Senate continued 
consideration of S.J. Res. 1, proposing an amendment to the 
Constitution of the United States to require a balanced budget, taking 
action on amendments proposed thereto, as follows:           
  Page S1593
Rejected:
  Feinstein Amendment No. 11, in the nature of a substitute. (By 67 
yeas to 33 nays (Vote No. 15), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                      Pages S1593-S1606
  By 37 yeas to 63 nays (Vote No. 16), Torricelli Amendment No. 15, to 
permit limited waiver when a declaration of war is in effect, national 
security is threatened, during economic emergencies, and allow a 
capital budget.                                          
Pages S1606-28
  Dorgan Amendment No. 17, in the nature of a substitute. (By 59 yeas 
to 41 nays (Vote No. 17), Senate tabled the amendment.   
Pages S1628-44
  Boxer Amendment No. 16, to provide Federal assistance to supplement 
State and local efforts to alleviate the damage, loss, hardship and 
suffering caused by disasters or emergencies by exempting spending that 
is designated emergency requirements by both the President and the 
Congress. (By 60 yeas to 40 nays (Vote No. 18), Senate tabled the 
amendment.)                                              
Pages S1644-49
Pending:
  Hollings/Specter/Bryan Amendment No. 9, to add a provision proposing 
an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to 
contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections. 
                                                             Page S1593
  Leahy (for Kennedy) Amendment No. 10, to provide that only Congress 
shall have authority to enforce the provisions of the balanced budget 
constitutional amendment, unless Congress passes legislation 
specifically granting enforcement authority to the President or State 
or Federal courts.                                           
Page S1593
  Graham/Robb Amendment No. 7, to strike the limitation on debt held by 
the public.                                                  
Page S1593
  Bumpers motion to refer the joint resolution to the Committee on the 
Budget with instructions to report back forthwith with Bumpers/Feingold 
Amendment No. 12, in the nature of a substitute.             
Page S1606
  Feingold Amendment No. 13, to require approval of the amendment to 
the Constitution within 3 years after the date of its submission to the 
States for ratification.                                     
Page S1606
  Feingold Amendment No. 14, to permit the use of an accumulated 
surplus to balance the budget during any fiscal year.        
Page S1606
  Conrad (for Rockefeller) Amendment No. 18, to establish that Medicare 
outlays shall not be reduced in excess of the amount necessary to 
preserve the solvency of the Medicare Health Insurance Trust Fund. 
                                                             Page S1637
  A unanimous-consent time-agreement was reached providing for 
consideration of certain of the pending amendments, with votes to occur 
thereon.                                                     
Page S1629

[[Page D140]]


  Senate will continue consideration of the resolution on Thursday, 
February 27, 1997.
Messages From the President: Senate received the following messages 
from the President of the United States:
  Transmitting the report on the response to threats of terrorist use 
of weapons of mass destruction; referred to the Committee on Armed 
Services. (PM-17).                                           
Page S1658
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general.             
Page S1687
Messages From the President:                                 
  Page S1658
Communications:                                          
  Pages S1658-59
Statements on Introduced Bills:                          
  Pages S1659-81
Additional Cosponsors:                                       
  Page S1681
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S1681-83
Notices of Hearings:                                         
  Page S1683
Authority for Committees:                                    
  Page S1683
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S1683-86
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total-18) 
                                    Pages S1605-06, S1628, S1644, S1649
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9 a.m. and adjourned at 7:05 p.m., 
until 11 a.m., on Thursday, February 27, 1997. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S1687.)