[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D381-D382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Thursday, April 24, 1997

[[Page D381]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate agreed to the resolution of ratification to the Chemical 
      Weapons Convention.
      The House passed H.R. 1274, National Institute of Standards and 
      Technology Authorization Act, H.R. 1273, National Science 
      Foundation Authorization Act, and H.R. 1275, Civilian Space 
      Authorization Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S3567-S3697
Measures Introduced: Ten bills and three resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 641-650, S.J. Res. 28, S. Res. 78, and S. Con. Res. 23. 
                                                             Page S3662
Measures Passed:
  Technical Correction: Senate passed H.R. 1225, to make a technical 
correction to title 28, United States Code, relating to jurisdiction 
for lawsuits against terrorist states, clearing the measure for the 
President.
  Page S3697
Resolution of Ratification Approved: By 74 yeas to 26 nays (Vote No. 
51), two-thirds of the Senators present having voted in the 
affirmative, Senate agreed to the resolution of ratification (S. Exec. 
Res. 75) to the Convention on the Prohibition of Development, 
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their 
Destruction, opened for signature and signed by the United States at 
Paris on January 13, 1993 (Treaty Doc. 103-21), after taking action on 
amendments on the resolution of ratification, as follows: 
                                                      Pages S3568-S3658
Adopted:
  By 71 yeas to 29 nays (Vote No. 46), Biden Amendment No. 47, to 
strike the condition to require that before depositing the instrument 
of ratification, the President certified to Congress that countries 
which have been determined to have offensive chemical weapons programs 
have ratified or otherwise acceded to the Convention.
Pages S3583-96
  By 66 yeas to 34 nays (Vote No. 47), Biden Amendment No. 48, to 
strike the condition relating to Russian elimination of chemical 
weapons.
Pages S3604-16
  By 66 yeas to 34 nays (Vote No. 48), Biden Amendment No. 49, to 
strike the condition requiring the President to certify to Congress 
that compliance with the Convention is effectively verifiable. 
                                                  Pages S3618-21, S3623
  By 56 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. 49), Biden Amendment No. 50, to 
strike the condition requiring the President to exercise the right to 
bar certain inspectors.
Pages S3621-23
  By 66 yeas to 34 nays (Vote No. 50), Biden Amendment No. 51, to 
strike the condition requiring the President to certify to Congress 
that the State Parties have made an agreement to amend the Convention 
to stem the proliferation of chemical weapons.
Pages S3624-36
  Helms Amendment No. 52, to make technical and clerical corrections. 
                                                             Page S3639
Closed Session: Senate held a closed session during consideration of 
The Chemical Weapons Convention (Treaty Doc. No. 103-21)
  Page S3570
Senior Citizen Home Equity Protection Act--Agreement: A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing for the consideration of S. 
562, to amend section 255 of the National Housing Act to prevent the 
funding of unnecessary or excessive costs for obtaining a home equity 
conversion mortgage, on Friday, April 25, 1997.
  Page S3697
Messages From the House:
  Page S3659
Measures Referred:
  Page S3659
Communications:
  Pages S3659-61
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Pages S3661-62
Statements on Introduced Bills:
  Pages S3662-87
Additional Cosponsors:
  Page S3687
Amendments Submitted:
  Page S3689

[[Page D382]]

Notices of Hearings:
  Pages S3689-90
Authority for Committees:
  Page S3690
Additional Statements:
  Pages S3690-97
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--51) 
                                Pages S3596, S3616, S3623, S3636, S3651
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m., and adjourned at 10:48 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m., on Friday, April 25, 1997. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S3697.)