[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 70 (Friday, May 23, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D538-D541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                               Friday, May 23, 1997

[[Page D538]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate agreed to First Congressional Budget Resolution.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S5023-S5151
Measures Introduced: Twenty bills and seven resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 799-818, S. Con. Res. 29-30, and S. Res. 90-
94.

                                                         Pages S5108-09

Measures Reported: Reports were made as follows:
  S. 462, to reform and consolidate the public and assisted housing 
programs of the United States, and to redirect primary responsibility 
for these programs from the Federal Government to States and 
localities, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. 
No. 105-21)
  S. 507, to establish the United States Patent and Trademark 
Organization as a Government corporation, to amend the provisions of 
title 35, United States Code, relating to procedures for patent 
applications, commercial use of patents, reexamination reform, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.

                                                             Page S5108

Measures Passed:
  Concurrent Budget Resolution: By 78 yeas to 22 nays (Vote No. 92), 
Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 84, establishing the congressional budget 
for the United States Government for fiscal year 1998 and setting forth 
appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001, and 
2002, after striking all after the resolving clause and inserting in 
lieu thereof the text of S. Con. Res. 27, Senate companion measure, 
after taking action on further amendments proposed thereto, as follows:

                                                         Pages S5023-66

Adopted:
  By 84 yeas to 15 nays (Vote No. 86) McCain/Hollings Amendment No. 
326, to express the sense of the Senate that the Congress shall take 
such steps as necessary to reconcile the difference between actual 
revenues raised and estimates made and shall reduce spending 
accordingly if Spectrum Auctions raise less revenue than projected.

                                                  Pages S5024-26, S5028

  McCain/Mack Amendment No. 327, to express the sense of the Senate 
with respect to certain highway demonstration projects.

                                                  Pages S5024, S5026-28

  Domenici (for Coverdell) Modified Amendment No. 347, to provide for 
parental involvement in prevention of drug use by children.

                                                     Pages S5024, S5028

  Lautenberg (for Moseley-Braun) Amendment No. 333, to express the 
sense of the Senate regarding the use of budget savings.

                                                     Pages S5024, S5028

  Lautenberg (for Moseley-Braun) Amendment No. 334, to express the 
sense of the Senate regarding the value of the social security system 
for future retirees.

                                                  Pages S5024, S5028-29

  By 56 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. 88), Abraham Amendment No. 316, to 
express the sense of the Senate that, to the extent that future 
revenues exceed the revenue aggregates, those additional revenues 
should be reserved for deficit reduction and tax cuts only.

                                                  Pages S5024, S5030-31

  Wellstone Modified Amendment No. 313, to provide for increases in 
funding for Headstart and Earlystart, child nutrition programs, and 
school construction, which will be paid for by reducing tax benefits to 
the top 2 percent of income earners in the United States as well as by 
reducing tax benefits that are characterized as corporate welfare or 
tax loopholes.

                                                  Pages S5024, S5031-33

  By 51 yeas to 49 nays (Vote No. 89), Domenici (for Coverdell) 
Amendment No. 357 (to Amendment No. 313), to allow children who have 
been victims of violent crime the ability to transfer to another

[[Page D539]]

school by allowing states and local educational agencies to use Federal 
education funds in the jurisdiction of the Labor Committee to assist 
such victims in attending any other school of their choice.

                                                             Page S5032

  Wellstone Amendment No. 314, to provide that Pell Grants for needy 
students should be increased.                     
Pages S5024, S5033-35
  Domenici (for Snowe) Amendment No. 358 (to Amendment No. 314), to 
provide for provisions to encourage parents and students to save for 
higher education expenses and that provide relief from the debt burden 
associated with borrowing to pay for a postsecondary education. 
                                                         Pages S5034-35
  Domenici/Lautenberg Amendment No. 359, to make technical corrections.
                                                             Page S5036
  Kerry Amendment No. 309, to allocate funds for early childhood 
development programs for children ages zero to six. 
                                                     Pages S5024, S5036
Rejected:
  Domenici (for Grams) Amendment No. 346, to require that the $225 
billion CBO revenue receipt windfall be used for deficit reduction and 
tax relief, and that non-defense discretionary spending be kept at a 
freeze baseline level. (By 73 yeas to 27 nays (Vote No. 90), Senate 
tabled the amendment.                                
Pages S5024, S5033
  Specter Amendment No. 340, to restore funding within the 
discretionary health function to maintain progress in medical research, 
offset by reductions in Federal agency administrative costs. (By 63 
yeas to 37 nays (Vote No. 91), Senate tabled the amendment. 
                                                  Pages S5024, S5035-36
Withdrawn:
  Dorgan Amendment No. 310, to express the sense of the Senate that the 
Congress should continue efforts to reduce the on-budget deficit 
without counting social security surpluses.          
Pages S5024, S5054
  Gramm Amendment No. 319, to ensure that the discretionary limits 
provided in the budget resolution shall apply in all years. 
                                                     Pages S5024, S5036
  Specter Amendment No. 338, to provide for a reduction in mandatory 
spending and an increase in discretionary spending relating to 
children's health.                                   
Pages S5024, S5054
  Specter Amendment No. 339, to provide for a reduction in mandatory 
spending and an increase in discretionary spending relating to 
children's health.                                   
Pages S5024, S5054
  Domenici (for Snowe/Coverdell) Amendment No. 349, to express the 
sense of the Senate relative to higher education tax relief and higher 
education expenses.                                  
Pages S5024, S5054
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 66 yeas to 33 nays (Vote No. 87), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, Senate, pursuant 
to section 904(c) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, agreed to a 
motion to waive section 601(b) of the Congressional Budget Act and, 
pursuant to section 24(b) of H. Con. Res. 218 (FY 1995 Budget 
Resolution), agreed to waive section 24(a) of H. Con. Res. 218 for the 
consideration of this concurrent resolution for fiscal year 1998 as 
reported, and any amendment to the House companion measure (H. Con. 
Res. 84) and any conference report thereon. Subsequently, a point of 
order that the resolution was in violation of section 601(b) of the 
Congressional Budget Act was not sustained and thus fell. 
                                                         Pages S5029-30
  Senate insisted on its amendment, requested a conference with the 
House thereon, and the Chair was authorized to appoint conferees. 
                                                             Page S5065
  Subsequently, S. Con. Res. 27 was returned to the Senate Calendar. 
                                                             Page S5103
  Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act: Senate passed S. 610, 
to implement the obligations of the United States under the Chemical 
Weapons Convention, after agreeing to a committee amendment in the 
nature of a substitute.                                  
  Pages S5070-80
  Printing Authorization: Senate agreed to S. Res. 90, authorizing the 
printing of the publication entitled ``Dedication and Unveiling of the 
Statue of Richard Brevard Russell, Jr.                   
  Pages S5103-04
  Private Relief: Senate passed S. 768, for the relief of Michel 
Christopher Meili, Giuseppina Meili, Mirjam Naomi Meili, and Davide 
Meili.                                                       
  Page S5104
  Lewis and Clark Expedition Bicentennial: Senate agreed to S. Res. 57, 
to support the commemoration of the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark 
Expedition, after agreeing to committee amendments.      
  Pages S5104-06
  Production of Intelligence Records Authorization: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 91, to authorize the production of records by the Select Committee 
on Intelligence.                                             
  Page S5106
  Honoring American Patriots: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged 
from further consideration of S. Res. 76, proclaiming a nationwide 
moment of remembrance, to be observed on Memorial Day, May 26, 1997, in 
order to appropriately honor American patriots lost in the pursuit of 
peace of liberty around the world, and the resolution was then agreed 
to, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                         Pages S5106-07

[[Page D540]]


  Lott (for Thurmond) Amendment No. 360, to clarify the designated time 
for a moment of remembrance.                                 
Page S5106
Family Friendly Workplace Act-Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement 
was reached providing for the further consideration of S. 4, to amend 
the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide to private sector 
employees the same opportunities for time-and-a-half compensatory time 
off, biweekly work programs, and flexible credit hour programs as 
Federal employees currently enjoy to help balance the demands and need 
of work and family, to clarify the provisions relating to exemptions of 
certain professionals from the minimum wage and overtime requirements 
of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, on Monday, June 2, 1997 at 1 
p.m.                                                         
  Page S5149
Authority for committees: All committees were authorized to file 
executive and legislative reports during the adjournment of the Senate 
on Wednesday, May 28, 1997, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.           
  Page S5149
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Donald M. Middlebrooks, of Florida, to be United States District 
Judge for the Southern District of Florida.
  Jeffrey T. Miller, of California, to be United States District Judge 
for the Southern District of California.
  Robert W. Pratt, of Iowa, to be United States District Judge for the 
Southern District of Iowa.
  Donna Holt Cunninghame, of Maryland, to be Chief Financial Officer, 
Corporation for National and Community Service, (New Position), to 
which position she was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.
  Donald Rappaport, of the District of Columbia, to be Chief Financial 
Officer, Department of Education.
  Karen Shepherd, of Utah, to be United States Director of the European 
Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
  Arthur I. Blaustein, of California, to be a Member of the National 
Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2002.
  Dave Nolan Brown, of Washington, to be a Member of the National 
Council on Disability for a term expiring September 17, 1998.
  Lorraine Weiss Frank, of Arizona, to be a Member of the National 
Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2002.
  Hans M. Mark, of Texas, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of 
the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation 
for a term expiring April 17, 2002. (Reappointment)
  Susan Ford Wiltshire, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the National 
Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2002.
  Lowell Lee Junkins, of Iowa, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.
  Triruvarur R. Lakshmanan, of New Hampshire, to be Director of the 
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Department of Transportation, for 
the term of four years.
  Jerry M. Melillo, of Massachusetts, to be an Associate Director of 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
  Kerri-Ann Jones, of Maryland, to be an Associate Director of the 
Office of Science and Technology Policy.
  D. Michael Rappoport, of Arizona, to be a Member of the Board of 
Trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National 
Environmental Policy Foundation for a term expiring October 6, 2002.
  Judith M. Espinosa, of New Mexico, to be a Member of the Board of 
Trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National 
Environmental Policy Foundation for a term of four years.
  David J. Barram, of California, to be Administrator of General 
Services.
  Gerald N. Tirozzi, of Connecticut, to be Assistant Secretary for 
Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Education.
  Nathan Leventhal, of New York, to be a Member of the National Council 
on the Arts for a term expiring September 3, 2002.
  Jon Deveaux, of New York, to be a Member of the National Institute 
for Literacy Advisory Board for a term expiring October 12, 1998.
  Anthony R. Sarmiento, of Maryland, to be a Member of the National 
Institute for Literacy Advisory Board for a term expiring September 22, 
1998.
  Magdalena G. Jacobsen, of Oregon, to be a Member of the National 
Mediation Board for a term expiring July 1, 1999.
  Susan E. Trees, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the National 
Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2002.
  Ann Jorgenson, of Iowa, to be a Member of the Farm Credit 
Administration Board, Farm Credit Administration for a term expiring 
May 21, 2002.
  Marsha Mason, of New Mexico, to be a Member of the National Council 
on the Arts for a term expiring September 3, 2002.
  Letitia Chambers, of the District of Columbia, to be a Representative 
of the United States of America to the Fifty-first Session of the 
General Assembly of the United Nations.

[[Page D541]]


  James Catherwood Hormel, of California, to be an Alternate 
Representative of the United States of America to the Fifty-first 
Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
  Prezell R. Robinson, of North Carolina, to be an Alternate 
Representative of the United States of America to the Fifty-first 
Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
  Stuart E. Eizenstat, of Maryland, to be an Under Secretary of State.
  Kenneth M. Mead, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of 
Transportation.
  Thomas R. Pickering, of New Jersey, to be an Under Secretary of 
State.
  Andrew J. Pincus, of New York, to be General Counsel of the 
Department of Commerce.
  1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general.
  7 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  1 Marine Corps nomination in the rank of general.
  2 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, Navy, Public 
Health Service.                      
Pages S5066-70, S5107-08, S5150-51
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  James P. Rubin, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of State.
  Paul Simon, of Illinois, to be a Member of the National Institute for 
Literacy Advisory Board for a term expiring September 22, 1998.
  Harold W. Furchtgott-Roth, of the District of Columbia, to be a 
Member of the Federal Communications Commission for a term of five 
years from July 1, 1995.
  William E. Kennard, of California, to be a Member of the Federal 
Communications Commission for a term of five years from July 1, 1996.
  Bonnie R. Cohen, of District of Columbia, to be an Under Secretary of 
State.
  28 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  1 Marine Corps nomination in the rank of general.          
Page S5150
Communications:                                              
  Page S5108
Statements on Introduced Bills:                          
  Pages S5109-37
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S5137-38
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S5141-42
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S5142-49
Record Votes: Seven record votes were taken today. (Total--92) 
                                    Pages S5028, S5030-33, S5036, S5054
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 3:40 p.m., 
until 10 a.m., on Tuesday, May 27, 1997, for a pro forma session. (For 
Senate's program, see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's 
Record on page S5149.)