[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 63 (Monday, May 18, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D521-D522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                               Monday, May 18, 1998

[[Page D521]]


                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed American Competitiveness Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S4945-S5030
Measures Introduced: Four bills and two resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 2087-2090, S. Con. Res. 97, and S. Res. 231.
  Page S5019
Measures Passed:
  American Competitiveness Act: By 78 yeas to 20 nays (Vote No. 141), 
Senate passed S. 1723, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to 
assist the United States to remain competitive by increasing the access 
of the United States firms and institutions of higher education to 
skilled personnel and by expanding educational and training 
opportunities for American students and workers, after agreeing to a 
committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and taking action on 
amendments proposed thereto, as follows:
  Pages S4954-S5001
Adopted:
  Abraham (for Warner/Robb) Amendment No. 2412, to provide for special 
immigrant status for NATO civilian employees in the same manner as for 
employees of international organizations.
Pages S4966-67
  Kennedy Amendment No. 2413, to provide whistleblower protection to 
foreign H-1B workers who file successful complaints against employers 
for violations of the H-1B program.
Pages S4967-68
  Reid Amendment No. 2414, to require that applications for passports 
for minors have parental signatures.
Pages S4978-79
  Abraham/Kennedy/McCain Amendment No. 2419, to modify the job training 
and scholarships provisions, to establish a prohibition of the use of 
H-1B visas by employers assisting in India's nuclear weapons program, 
and to make certain technical corrections.
Pages S4992-94
Rejected:
  Bumpers Amendment No. 2416, to repeal the Immigrant Investor Program. 
(By 74 yeas to 24 nays (Vote No. 140), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                  Pages S4981-89, S4997
  Kennedy/Johnson Amendment No. 2417, to ensure that employers recruit 
qualified United States workers first, before applying for foreign 
workers under the H-1B visa program. (By 59 yeas to 39 nays (Vote No. 
139), Senate tabled the amendment.)
Pages S4989-92, S4996-97
  Kennedy/Johnson Amendment No. 2418, to ensure that participating 
employers cannot lay off United States workers and replace them with 
temporary foreign workers under the H-1B visa program. (By 60 yeas to 
38 nays (Vote No. 138), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                  Pages S4989-92, S4996
Withdrawn:
  Reed Amendment No. 2415, to strike section 4, relating to education 
and training in science and technology.
Pages S4979-80
  Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem--Technical 
Amendment: Senate agreed to S. Res. 231, to make a technical amendment 
to Senate Resolution 208.
  Page S5029
Universal Tobacco Settlement Act: Senate began consideration of S. 
1415, to reform and restructure the processes by which tobacco products 
are manufactured, marketed, and distributed, to prevent the use of 
tobacco products by minors, and to redress the adverse health effects 
of tobacco use, with a modified committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute (Amendment No. 2420).
  Pages S5001-12
  Senate will continue consideration of the bill on Tuesday, May 19, 
1998.
Removal of Injunction of Secrecy: The injunction of secrecy was removed 
from the following treaty:
  ILO Convention (No. 111) Concerning Discrimination (Employment and 
Occupation) (Treaty Doc. 105-45).

[[Page D522]]


  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 was ordered to be printed. 
                                                             Page S5029
Messages From the President: Senate received the following messages 
from the President of the United States:
  Transmitting the report of the national emergency with respect to 
Burma; referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs. (PM-127).
Pages S5013-14
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Jose de Jesus Rivera, of Arizona, to be United States Attorney for 
the District of Arizona for the term of four years.
Page S5030
Messages From the President:
  Page S5013
Communications:
  Page S5014
Petitions:
  Pages S1514-19
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S5019
Statements on Introduced Bills:
  Pages S5019-22
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S5022-23
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S5025-27
Notices of Hearings:
  Page S5027
Authority for Committees:
  Page S5027
Additional Statements:
  Pages S5027-29
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total--141) 
                                                         Pages S4996-98
Adjournment: Senate convened at 11 a.m., and adjourned at 8:35 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m., on Tuesday, May 19, 1998. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S5030.)