[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 25, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D672-D676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Wednesday, June 25, 1997

[[Page D672]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed Budget Reconciliation.
      House passed H.R. 1119, National Defense Authorization Act.
      House passed H.R. 2015, Balanced Budget Act.
      House Committee ordered reported 15 sundry measures.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages H6289-S6391
Measures Introduced: Eight bills and one resolution were introduced, as 
follows: S. 956-963, and S. Res. 103.
  Pages S6358-59
Measures Passed:
  Budget Reconciliation: By 73 yeas to 27 nays (Vote No. 130), Senate 
passed S. 947, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 104(a) 
of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 1998, after 
taking action on further amendments proposed thereto, as follows: 
                                               Pages S6290-99, S6301-32
Adopted:
  Harkin Amendment No. 428, to reduce health care fraud, waste, and 
abuse.
Pages S6290-91
  Gramm Amendment No. 444, to provide waiver authority for penalties 
relating to failure to satisfy minimum participation rate. 
                                                         Pages S6290-01
  Lautenberg (for Kerrey) Modified Amendment No. 476, to enhance 
taxpayer value in auctions conducted by the Federal Communications 
Commission.
Page S6290, S6293
  Domenici (for Abraham/Levin) Amendment No. 456, to extend the 
moratorium regarding HealthSource Saginaw until December 31, 2002. 
                                                     Pages S6290, S6293
  Domenici (for Murkowski) Amendment No. 455, to conform Title IV, 
Energy Title, to the provisions of the bill, with respect to the use of 
underutilized Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities. 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6293-94
  Domenici (for Helms) Amendment No. 458, to provide for inclusion of 
Stanly County, North Carolina in a large urban area under the medicare 
program.
Pages S6290, S6294
  Lautenberg Amendment No. 475, to ensure that certain legal immigrants 
who become disabled are eligible for disability benefits. 
                                                     Pages S6290, S6294
  Domenici (for McCain) Amendment No. 461, to provide for the treatment 
of certain Amerasian immigrants as refugees.
Pages S6290, S6295
  Lautenberg (for Murray) Amendment No. 480, to clarify the family 
violence option under the temporary assistance to needy families 
program.
Pages S6290, S6297
  Lautenberg (for Dodd) Amendment No. 481, to amend the provision with 
regard to transfer cases.
Pages S6290, S6297
  Domenici (for Jeffords) Amendment No. 463, to provide for the 
evaluation and quality assurance of the children's health insurance 
initiative.
Pages S6290, S6297
  Lautenberg (for Harkin) Amendment No. 484, to make community action 
agencies, community development corporations and other non-profit 
organization eligible for welfare-to-work grants.
Pages S6290, S6298
  Domenici (Kyl) Amendment No. 468, to allow medicare beneficiaries to 
enter into private contracts for services.
Pages S6290, S6298-99
  Domenici (for Grassley) Modified Amendment No. 467, to preserve 
religious choice in long-term care.
Pages S6290, S6302
  Lautenberg (for Kennedy) Amendment No. 493, to exempt severely 
disabled aliens from the ban on receipt of supplemental security 
income.
Pages S6290, S6302
  Lautenberg (for Conrad) Amendment No. 495, to establish a process to 
permit a nurse aide to petition to have his or her name removed from 
the nurse aide registry under certain circumstances. 
                                                     Pages S6290, S6303

[[Page D673]]


  Lautenberg (for Harkin) Amendment No. 498, to allow funds provided 
under the welfare-to-work grant program to be used for the microloan 
demonstration program under the Small Business Act. 
                                                     Pages S6290, S6306
  Lautenberg (for Baucus) Amendment No. 491, to prohibit cost-sharing 
for children in families with incomes that are less than 150 percent of 
the poverty line.
                                                     Pages S6290, S6306
  Domenici (for McCain) Modified Amendment No. 474, to provide for the 
extension and expansion of spectrum auction authority and to provide 
for the flexible use of electromagnetic spectrum. 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6308-11
  Roth (for D'Amato) Amendment No. 502, to establish a medicare anti-
duplication provision.
                                                     Pages S6290, S6311
  Roth Modified Amendment No. 506, to make technical corrections and 
revisions.
Pages S6290, S6312-16
  Roth Modified Amendment No. 511, to provide a substitute for the 
children's health insurance initiatives.
Pages S6291, S6317-18
  Chafee Amendment No. 512 (to Amendment No. 511), to clarify the 
standard benefits package and the cost-sharing requirement for the 
children's health initiative.
Pages S6391, S6317-18
  Roth (for DeWine) Modified Amendment No. 427, to continue full-time-
equivalent resident reimbursement for an additional one year under 
medicare for direct graduate medical education for residents enrolled 
in combined approved primary care medical residency training programs. 
                                                     Pages S6291, S6319
Rejected:
  Domenici (for Specter) Amendment No. 471, to strike the limitations 
on Indirect Graduate Medical Education payments to teaching hospitals. 
(By 71 yeas to 29 nays (Vote No. 123), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6304-05
  Lautenberg (for Mikulski) Amendment No. 489, to reinstate the 
requirements for provider payment rates. (By 66 yeas to 34 nays (Vote 
No. 124), Senate tabled the amendment.)
Pages S6290, S6305
  Lautenberg (for Kennedy) Amendment No. 492, to ensure the provision 
of appropriate benefits for uninsured children with special needs. (By 
57 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 128), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6318-19
  By 39 yeas to 61 nays (Vote No. 129), Lautenberg (for Kerrey) 
Modified Amendment No. 496, to strike the limitation on the coverage of 
abortions.
Pages S6290, S6319-20
Withdrawn:
  Domenici (for Helms) Amendment No. 459, to provide for inclusion of 
Stanly County, North Carolina in a large urban area under the medicare 
program.
Pages S6290, S6294
  Domenici Amendment No. 499, to provide SSI eligibility for disabled 
legal aliens.
Pages S6290, S6294
  Domenici (for McCain/Wyden) Amendment No. 460, to provide for the 
continuation of certain State-wide medicaid waivers. 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6294-95
  Lautenberg (for Rockefeller) Amendment No. 478, to require balance 
billing protections for individuals enrolled in fee-for-service plans 
under the Medicare Choice program under part C of title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act.
Pages S6290, S6295
  Domenici (for Chafee) Amendment No. 466, to extend the authority of 
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to collect fees through September 30, 
2002.
Pages S6290, S6296-97
  Domenici (for Jeffords) Amendment No. 462, to require the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services to provide medicare beneficiaries with 
notice of the medicare cost-sharing assistance available under the 
medicaid program for specified low-income medicare beneficiaries. 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6296-97
  Domenici (for Allard) Amendment No. 465, to expand medical savings 
accounts to families with uninsured children.
Pages S6290, S6296-97
  Lautenberg (for Wyden) Amendment No. 483, to provide for the 
continuation of certain State-wide medicaid waivers. 
                                                     Pages S6290, S6297
  Lautenberg (for Feinstein) Amendment No. 485, to provide that the 
hospital length of stay with respect to an individual shall be 
determined by the attending physician.
Pages S6290, S6298
  Lautenberg (for Feinstein) Amendment No. 486, to provide additional 
funding for State emergency health services furnished to undocumented 
aliens.
Pages S6290, S6298
  Lautenberg (for Feinstein) Amendment No. 487, to provide for the 
application of disproportionate share hospital-specific payment 
adjustments with respect to California.
Pages S6290, S6298
  Domenici (for Hutchinson) Amendment No. 473, to clarify the number of 
individuals that may be treated as engaged in work for purposes of the 
mandatory work requirement for TANF block grants.
Pages S6290, S6302
  Domenici (for Burns) Amendment No. 472, to provide that information 
contained in the National Directory of New Hires be deleted after 6 
months.
Pages S6290, S6305
  Lautenberg (for Conrad) Amendment No. 494, to provide for medicaid 
eligibility of disabled children who lose SSI benefits. 
                                                     Pages S6290, S6305
  Lautenberg (for Kohl) Amendment No. 497, to clarify that risk 
solvency standards established for managed care entities under the 
medicaid program

[[Page D674]]

shall not preempt any State standards that are more stringent. 
                                                     Pages S6290, S6306
  Point of order that Section 5822 of the bill violates section 
313(b)(1)(D) of the Congressional Budget Act.
Pages S6291, S6318
  Chafee/Rockefeller/Jeffords Amendment No. 448, to clarify the 
standard benefits package and the cost-sharing requirements for the 
children's health initiative.
Pages S6290, S6317-18
  Domenici (for Chafee/Rockefeller) Amendment No. 500, to require that 
any benefits package offered under the block grant option for the 
children's health initiative includes hearing and vision services. 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6317-18
  Domenici (for Chafee/Rockefeller) Amendment No. 501, to require that 
any benefits package offered under the block grant option for the 
children's health initiative includes hearing and vision services. 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6317-18
  Roth (for Lott) Amendment No. 505 (to Amendment No. 448), to improve 
the children's health initiative.
Pages S6290, S6317-18
  Roth (for Lott) Amendment No. 507 (to Amendment No. 501), in the 
nature of a substitute.
Pages S6290, S6317-18
  Roth (for Lott) Amendment No. 508 (to Amendment No. 500), in the 
nature of a substitute.
Pages S6291, S6317-18
  Roth (for Lott) Amendment No. 509 (to Amendment No. 492), in the 
nature of a substitute.
Pages S6291, S6317-18
  Lautenberg (for Rockefeller) Amendment No. 510, to require that any 
benefits package offered under the block grant option for the 
children's health initiative includes hearing and vision services. 
                                                  Pages S6291, S6317-18
  Roth (for Lott) Amendment No. 513 (to Amendment No. 510), in the 
nature of a substitute.
Pages S6291, S6317-18
  Hutchison Amendment No. 447, to modify the reductions for 
disproportionate share hospital payments.
Pages S6290, S6319
  Domenici (for Brownback) Amendment No. 464, to establish procedures 
to ensure a balanced Federal budget by fiscal year 2002. 
                                                     Pages S6290, S6319
  Domenici (for Specter) Amendment No. 470, to strike the limitations 
on DSH payments to institutions for mental diseases under the medicaid 
program.
Pages S6290, S6319
  Lautenberg (for Durbin) Amendment No. 477, to provide food stamp 
benefits to child immigrants.
Pages S6290, S6319
  Lautenberg (for Rockefeller) Modified Amendment No. 503, to extend 
premium protection for low-income medicare beneficiaries under the 
medicaid program.
Pages S6290, S6319
  A point of order that Section 1949(a)(2) of the bill violated Section 
313(b)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act.
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 25 yeas to 75 nays (Vote No. 115), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive section 310(d) of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974 with respect to consideration of Reed Amendment No. 445, in 
the nature of a substitute. Subsequently, a point of order that the 
amendment was in violation of the Congressional Budget Act was 
sustained, and the amendment thus fell.
Pages S6290-92
  By 48 yeas to 52 nays (Vote No. 116), 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 Durbin/Wellstone Amendment No. 450, to provide food 
stamp benefits to child immigrants. Subsequently, a point of order that 
the amendment was not germane was sustained, and the amendment thus 
fell.
Pages S6290, S6292
  By 46 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 117), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional 
Budget Act with respect to consideration of D'Amato/Harkin Amendment 
No. 451, to improve health care quality and reduce health care costs by 
establishing a National Fund for Health Research. Subsequently, a point 
of order that the amendment was not germane was sustained, and the 
amendment thus fell.
Pages S6290-91, S6293
  By 49 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 118), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive section 310 of the Congressional Budget Act 
with respect to consideration of Lautenberg (for Dodd/Conrad) Amendment 
No. 479, to provide for medicaid eligibility of disabled children who 
lose SSI benefits. Subsequently, a point of order that the amendment 
was in violation of the Congressional Budget Act was sustained, and the 
amendment thus fell.
Pages S6290, S6295-96
  By 55 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 119), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive section 310 of the Congressional Budget Act 
with respect to consideration of Lautenberg (for Levin) Amendment No. 
482, to allow vocational educational training to be counted as a work 
activity under the temporary assistance for needy families program for 
24 months. Subsequently, a point of order that the amendment was in 
violation of the

[[Page D675]]

Congressional Budget Act was sustained, and the amendment thus fell. 
                                                  Pages S6290, S6297-98
  By 64 yeas to 35 nays (Vote No. 120), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to 
a motion to waive section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act 
with respect to consideration of Domenici (for Kyl) Amendment No. 468, 
listed above.
Pages S6290, S6298-99
  By 52 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 121), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
failed to agree to a motion to waive the Congressional Budget Act with 
respect to consideration of Domenici (for Specter) Amendment No. 469, 
to extend premium protection for low-income medicare beneficiaries 
under the medicaid program. Subsequently, a point of order that the 
amendment was in violation of the Congressional Budget Act was 
sustained, and the amendment thus fell.
Pages S6290, S6302-03
  By 62 yeas to 37 nays (Vote No. 122), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to 
waive section 313(b)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act with respect 
to consideration of Section 5001 of the bill, providing for the 
establishment of a Medicare Choice program.
Pages S6303-04
  By 39 yeas to 60 nays (Vote No. 125), 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 Lautenberg (for Wellstone) Amendment No. 488, to 
provide for actuarially sufficient reimbursement rates for providers. 
Subsequently, a point of order that the amendment was in violation of 
the Congressional Budget Act was sustained, and the amendment thus 
fell.
Pages S6290, S6305-06
  By 43 yeas to 57 nays (Vote No. 126), 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 Lautenberg (for Kennedy) Amendment No. 490, to improve 
the provisions relating to the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
Subsequently, a point of order that the amendment was in violation of 
the Congressional Budget Act was sustained, and the amendment thus 
fell.
Pages S6290, S6306-08
  A point of order that Section 5822 of the bill, relating to 
enrollment flexibility, violates section 313(b)(1)(D) of the 
Congressional Budget Act was sustained, and the provisions were removed 
from the bill.
Page S6308
  By 38 yeas to 62 nays (Vote No. 127), 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 Lautenberg (for Kennedy) Amendment No. 504, to 
immediately transfer to part B certain home health benefits. 
Subsequently, a point of order that the amendment was in violation of 
the Congressional Budget Act was sustained, and the amendment thus 
fell.
Pages S6290, S6316-17
   Budget Reconciliation: Pursuant to the order of Tuesday, June 24, 
1997, Senate passed H.R. 2015, to provide for reconciliation pursuant 
to subsections (b)(1) and (c) of section 105 of the concurrent 
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 1998, after striking all after 
the enacting clause and inserting the text of S. 947, Senate companion 
measure, as passed by the Senate on Wednesday, June 25, 1997. 
                                                         Pages S6144-45
  Subsequently, S. 947 was indefinitely postponed.
Page S6386
  Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board: Senate passed H.R. 1553, 
to amend the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection 
Act of 1992 to extend the authorization of the assassination Records 
Review Board until September 30, 1998, clearing the measure for the 
President.
  Page S6385
  Congratulating Chicago Bulls: Senate agreed to S. Res. 103, to 
congratulate the Chicago Bulls on winning the 1997 National Basketball 
Association Championship and proving themselves to be one of the best 
teams in NBA history.
  Pages S6385-86
Revenue Reconciliation: Senate began consideration of S. 949, to 
provide for revenue reconciliation pursuant to section 104(b) of the 
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 1998, taking action 
on amendments/motions proposed thereto, as follows:
  Pages S6332-56
Adopted:
  Roth Amendment No. 521 (to Amendment No. 520), in the nature of a 
substitute.
Page S6350
Pending:
  A motion to waive the Congressional Budget Act with respect to 
consideration of Section 602 of the bill.
Page S6336
  Dorgan motion to refer the bill to the Committee on the Budget, with 
instructions.
Pages S6336-37
  Dorgan Amendment No. 515, to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury 
to abate the accrual of interest on income tax underpayments by 
taxpayers located in Presidentially declared disaster areas if the 
Secretary extends the time for filing returns and payment of tax (and 
waives any penalties relating to the failure to so file or so pay) for 
such taxpayers.
Page S6337
  Dorgan Amendment No. 516, to provide tax relief for taxpayers located 
in Presidentially declared disaster areas.
Pages S6337-38

[[Page D676]]


  Dorgan Amendment No. 517, to impose a lifetime cap of $1,000,000 on 
capital gains reduction.
Page S6338
  Bumpers Amendment No. 518, to repeal the depletion allowance 
available to certain hardrock mining companies.
Pages S6338-48
  Durbin Amendment No. 519, to increase the deduction for health 
insurance costs of self-employed individuals, and to increase the 
excise tax on tobacco products.
Pages S6348-50
  Roth Amendment No. 520, to provide for children's health insurance 
initiatives.
Pages S6350-51
  Jeffords Amendment No. 522, to provide for a trust fund for District 
of Columbia school renovations.
Pages S6351-52
Withdrawn:
  Allard Amendment No. 523, to strike section 881, providing for an 
extension of the Temporary Federal Unemployment Surtax.
Page S6354
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill on Thursday, June 26, 1997.
Page S6386
Portrait Monument Ceremony: By unanimous-consent, Senate agreed that 
the authorization contained in H. Con. Res. 216, passed in the 104th 
Congress, relating to use of the rotunda for a ceremony to commemorate 
the placement of the Portrait Monument in the Capitol Rotunda, be 
extended to the 105th Congress.
  Page S6386
Removal of Injunction of Secrecy: The injunction of secrecy was removed 
from the following treaty:
  Tax Convention with Swiss Confederation (Treaty Doc. 105-8).
  The treaty was transmitted to the Senate today, considered as having 
been read for the first time, and referred, with accompanying papers, 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed. 
                                                             Page S6385
Appointments:
  U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control: The Chair, on 
behalf of the Vice President, pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 
99-93, as amended by Public Law 99-151, appointed Senators Sessions and 
Feinstein as members of the U.S. Senate Caucus on International 
Narcotics Control.
  Page S6386
  Commission to Assess the Organization of the Federal Government to 
Combat the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Chair, on 
behalf of the Democratic Leader, pursuant to Public Law 104-293, 
appointed James J. Exon, of Nebraska, as a member of the Commission to 
Assess the Organization of the Federal Government to Combat the 
Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
  Page S6386
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Sonia Sotomayor, of New York, to be United States Circuit Judge for 
the Second Circuit.
  Rudy deLeon, of California, to be Under Secretary of Defense for 
Personnel and Readiness.
Page S6391
Messages From the House:
  Pages S6356-57
Measures Referred:
  Page S6357
Communications:
  Page S6357
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Pages S6357-58
Statements on Introduced Bills:
  Pages S6359-72
Additional Cosponsors:
  Page S6372
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S6373-79
Authority for Committees:
  Pages S6379-80
Additional Statements:
  Pages S6380-85
Record Votes: Sixteen record votes were taken today. (Total-130) 
      Pages S6692-93, S6296, S6298-99, S6303-06, S6308, S6316-20, S6632
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:20 a.m., and adjourned at 10:11 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, June 26, 1997. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S6386.)