[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 33 (Monday, March 23, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D284-D285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page D284]]

                                             Monday, March 23, 1998

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S2377-S2450
Measures Introduced: Fourteen bills were introduced, as follows: S. 
1809-1822.
  Page S2424
Measures Reported: Reports were made as follows:
  Special Report entitled ``Further Revised Allocation to Subcommittees 
of Budget Totals from the Concurrent Resolution for Fiscal Year 1998'' 
(S. Rept. No. 105-171)
  H.R. 400, to amend title 35, United States Code, with respect to 
patents, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Page S2424
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations: Senate began consideration of S. 
1768, making emergency supplemental appropriations for recovery from 
natural disasters, and for overseas peacekeeping efforts, for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, taking action on amendments 
proposed thereto, as follows:
  Pages S2381-87, S2393-94, S2401-15
Adopted:
  Byrd Amendment No. 2062, to establish an emergency commission to 
study the trade deficit.
Pages S2384-87
  Stevens (for Domenici/Bingaman) Amendment No. 2067, to prohibit the 
Department of the Army from moving forward with civilian personnel 
reductions and the offer of Voluntary Separations Incentive Pay (VSIP) 
and Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) benefits at all Army 
Test Ranges until such time as the Congress has the opportunity to 
consider the merits of such actions during the Fiscal Year 1999 
Appropriations process, and to require that the VERA and VSIP benefits 
being currently offered will continue to be available if necessary. 
                                                             Page S2401
  Stevens (for Craig) Amendment No. 2069, to make technical corrections 
regarding a Forest Service transportation system moratorium. 
                                                     Pages S2407, S2409
  Stevens (for Daschle) Amendment No. 2070, to provide additional funds 
for emergency river and shoreline repairs along the Missouri River in 
South Dakota.
Pages S2407, S2409
  Stevens (for Cochran/Bumpers) Amendment No. 2071, to provide 
assistance to replace or rehabilitate trees and vineyards damaged by 
natural disasters.
Pages S2407, S2409
  Stevens (for Boxer) Amendment No. 2072, to provide additional funds 
for emergency levee repairs at Suisun Marsh, California. 
                                                     Pages S2407, S2409
  Stevens (for Inouye) Amendment No. 2073, to provide additional funds 
for emergency maintenance dredging at Apra Harbor, Guam. 
                                                     Pages S2407, S2409
  Stevens (for Cochran/Bumpers) Amendment No. 2074, to subsidize the 
cost of additional boll weevil eradication loans.
Pages S2407-09
  Stevens (for Boxer) Amendment No. 2075, to waive certain requirements 
with respect to emergency disaster highway assistance necessitated by 
the 1997/1998 storms from El Nino.
Pages S2407-09
  Stevens (for Lott) Amendment No. 2076, to provide additional support 
for Democratic opposition in Iraq, and to provide for the establishment 
of Radio Free Iraq.
Pages S2407-09
  Levin Amendment No. 2077, to urge the President to formalize certain 
benchmarks by agreement with NATO and to provide for NATO review of any 
failures timely to achieve such benchmarks, and to impose related 
reporting requirements.
Pages S2409-10
  Stevens Amendment No. 2078 (to Amendment No. 2077), of a clarifying 
nature.
Pages S2409-10
Rejected:
  McCain Amendment No. 2063, to eliminate certain spending items from 
the bill. (By 61 yeas to 31 nays (Vote No. 39), Senate tabled the 
amendment.)
Pages S2402-06
Pending:
  Stevens (for Kyl) Amendment No. 2079, to provide contingent emergency 
funds for the enhancement of a number of theater missile defense 
programs.
Page S2410
  Ashcroft Amendment No. 2080, 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 and bi-weekly work programs as 
Federal employees currently enjoy to help balance the demands and needs 
of work and

[[Page D285]]

family, and 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.
Pages S2410-15
  Senate will resume consideration of the bill on Tuesday, March 24, 
1998.
Energy Policy and Conservation--Conferees: The Chair, pursuant to the 
order of February 12, 1998, appointed conferees on H.R. 2472, to extend 
certain programs under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as 
follows: Senators Murkowski, Nickles, Craig, Thomas, Bumpers, Bingaman, 
and Akaka.
  Page S2415
Messages From the President: Senate received the following messages 
from the President of the United States:
  Transmitting a report concerning the national emergency with respect 
to Angola; referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs. (PM-114).
Pages S2417-18
  Transmitting the annual report of the National Endowment for 
Democracy for fiscal year 1997; referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations. (PM-115).
Page S2418
Messages From the President:
  Pages S2417-18
Communications:
  Pages S2418-24
Statements on Introduced Bills:
  Pages S2424-33
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S2433-34
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S2434-47
Notices of Hearings:
  Pages S2447-48
Additional Statements:
  Pages S2448-49
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total-39)
  Page S2406
Adjournment: Senate convened at 12 noon, and adjourned at 7:15 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m., on Tuesday, March 24, 1998. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record, on page 
S2450.)