[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 14, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D522-D524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                            Wednesday, May 14, 2003

[[Page D522]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      The House passed H.R. 1000, Pension Security Act.
      House committee ordered reported the National Defense 
      Authorization for Fiscal Year 2004.

Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S6147-S6406
Measures Introduced: Twelve bills and two resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 1056-1067, S. Res. 143, and S. Con. Res. 44. 
                                                         Pages S6255-56
Measures Reported:
  S. 275, to amend the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996, and to 
establish the United States Boxing Administration, with an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 108-47).
Page S6255
Measures Passed:
  Congressional Gold Medal For Tony Blair: Senate passed S. 709, to 
award a congressional gold medal to Prime Minister Tony Blair. 
                                                             Page S6405
Reconciliation Bill: Senate began consideration of S. 1054, to provide 
for reconciliation pursuant to section 201 of the concurrent resolution 
on the budget for fiscal year 2004, taking action on the following 
amendments proposed thereto:
  Pages S6148-S6226, S6233-S6248
Pending:
  Grassley Amendment No. 555, to increase the criminal monetary penalty 
limitation for the underpayment or overpayment of tax due to fraud. 
                                                         Pages S6152-54
  Dorgan/Baucus Amendment No. 556, to repeal the 1993 income tax 
increase on Social Security benefits and to offset the revenue loss. 
                                                         Pages S6154-57
  Specter Amendment No. 569, to urge the Senate Finance Committee and 
the Joint Economic Committee to hold hearings and consider legislation 
providing for a flat tax.
Pages S6176-78
  Baucus Amendment No. 570, to ensure that the limit on refundability 
shall not apply to the additional $400 child credit for 2003, to make 
the dividend exclusion effective for taxable years beginning in 2003, 
and to eliminate the increase in the dividend exclusion from 10 percent 
to 20 percent of dividends over $500.
Pages S6178-80
  Kennedy Amendment No. 544, to provide for additional weeks of 
temporary extended unemployment compensation and to provide for a 
program of temporary enhanced regular unemployment compensation. 
                                                         Pages S6180-88
  Lincoln Amendment No. 578, to expand the refundability of the child 
tax credit.
Pages S6188-91, S6198
  Cantwell Amendment No. 577, to permanently extend and modify the 
research and experimentation tax credit and strike the partial 
exclusion of dividends provision.
Pages S6191-95
  Jeffords Amendment No. 587, to accelerate the elimination of the 
marriage penalty in the earned income credit.
Pages S6195-96
  Bunning/McConnell Amendment No. 589, to amend the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 income tax increase on Social Security 
benefits.
Pages S6197-98
  Burns Amendment No. 593, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
to allow the expensing of broadband Internet access expenditures. 
                                                      Pages S6198-S6200
  Grassley Amendment No. 594, to amend title XVIII of the Social 
Security Act to enhance beneficiary access to quality health care 
services in rural areas under the Medicare program.
Pages S6200-01
  Harkin Amendment No. 595, to help rural health care providers and 
hospitals receive a fair reimbursement for services under Medicare by 
reducing tax cuts regarding dividends.
Pages S6201-04
  Collins Amendment No. 596, to provide temporary State and local 
fiscal relief.
Pages S6204-10
  Murray Amendment No. 564, to provide temporary State fiscal relief. 
                                                         Pages S6210-14
  Stabenow Amendment No. 614, to ensure the enactment of a Medicare 
prescription drug benefit.
Pages S6214-16
  Warner Modified Amendment No. 550, to amend the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 to increase the

[[Page D523]]

above-the-line deduction for teacher classroom supplies and to expand 
such deduction to include qualified professional development expenses. 
                                                         Pages S6216-17
  Voinovich Amendment No. 592, to establish a blue ribbon commission on 
comprehensive tax reform.
Pages S6217-20
  Graham (FL) Amendment No. 617, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                         Pages S6220-22
  Kyl Amendment No. 575, to further enhance the denial of deduction for 
certain fines, penalties, and other amounts.
Pages S6222-26
  Landrieu Amendment No. 619, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                         Pages S6233-38
  Landrieu Amendment No. 620, to provide pay protection for members of 
the Reserve and the National Guard.
Pages S6238-39
  Landrieu Amendment No. 621, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 to allow employers in renewal communities to qualify for the 
renewal community employment credit by employing residents of certain 
other renewal communities.
Page S6239
  Ensign Amendment No. 622, to encourage the investment of foreign 
earnings within the United States for productive business investments 
and job creation.
Pages S6239-41
  Schumer Amendment No. 557, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
to make higher education more affordable.
Pages S6241-46
  Conrad Amendment No. 611, to make the child tax credit acceleration 
applicable to 2002.
Pages S6246-47
  Baucus (for McCain) Amendment No. 612, to add the provisions of the 
Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003.
Pages S6247-48
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 44 yeas to 53 nays (Vote No. 147), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive section 305(b)2 of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974, with respect to Reid Amendment No. 560, to ensure 
that Social Security surpluses are not raided in order to fund tax cuts 
on corporate dividends.
  Subsequently, the point of order that the amendment was in violation 
of section 305(b)2 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 relative to 
germaneness was sustained, and the amendment thus falls. 
                                                         Pages S6164-74
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at 9:15 a.m., on Thursday, May 15, 2003; that 
all time under the statutory limit be expired; that the Senate proceed 
to vote on or in relation to the pending amendments in the order 
offered beginning with Bunning/McConnell Amendment No. 589 (listed 
above); that following the disposition of amendments, the bill be read 
a third time, the Senate then proceed to consideration of H.R. 2 (House 
companion measure), all after the enacting clause be stricken and the 
text of S. 1054, as amended, if amended, be inserted in lieu thereof, 
the bill be read a third time, and the Senate proceed to a vote on 
passage of the bill; that the Senate then insist on its amendment, 
request a conference with the House thereon, the Chair be authorized to 
appoint conferees on the part of the Senate with a ratio of 3 to 2; and 
that no points of order be waived by this agreement.
Pages S6196-97
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for the vote 
sequence relative to the pending amendments (listed above). 
                                                             Page S6226
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that no second 
degree amendments be in order to the pending amendments (listed above).
                                                             Page S6226
Global HIV/AIDS Bill--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that immediately following passage of H.R. 2, to 
provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 201 of the concurrent 
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2004, Senate proceed to H.R. 
1298, to provide assistance to foreign countries to combat HIV/AIDS, 
tuberculosis, and malaria, and that only relevant first degree 
amendments be in order; that only second degree amendments which are 
relevant to the first degree amendment to which they are offered, when 
offered, be in order; and that upon disposition of all amendments, the 
bill, as amended, if amended, be read a third time, and the Senate 
proceed to a vote on passage of the bill.
Messages From the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, a periodic report relative to the 
national emergency with respect to Iran which was declared in Executive 
Order No. 12170; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs. (PM-32)
Page S6252
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  April H. Foley, of New York, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a term expiring 
January 20, 2007.
  Nicole R. Nason, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Transportation.
  Greta N. Morris, of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
the Marshall Islands.

[[Page D524]]


  James C. Miller III, of Virginia, to be a Governor of the United 
States Postal Service for the term expiring December 8, 2010.
  Neil McPhie, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Merit Systems 
Protection Board for the term of seven years expiring March 1, 2009.
  Peter Eide, of Maryland, to be General Counsel of the Federal Labor 
Relations Authority for a term of five years.
  Stanley C. Suboleski, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Federal Mine 
Safety and Health Review Commission for a term of six years expiring 
August 30, 2006.
  Naomi Churchill Earp, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission for a term expiring July 1, 2005.
  William A. Schambra, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a 
term expiring September 14, 2006.
  Donna N. Williams, of Texas, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a term 
expiring October 6, 2006.
  Thomas A. Fuentes, of California, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 
13, 2005.
  Lillian R. BeVier, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 
13, 2004.
  R. Bruce Matthews, of New Mexico, to be a Member of the Defense 
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for a term expiring October 18, 2005.
  29 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  Marine Corps nomination in the rank of general.
  29 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Marine Corps, Navy.
Pages S6227-31
Messages From the House:
  Page S6253
Measures Referred:
  Page S6253
Executive Communications:
  Page S6253
Petitions and Memorials:
  Pages S6253-55
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S6255
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S6256-57
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S6257-65
Additional Statements:
  Pages S6251-52
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S6265-66
Authority for Committees to Meet:
  Pages S6404-05
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--147) 
                                                             Page S6174
Adjournment: Senate met at 9:15 a.m., and adjourned at 12:16 a.m., on 
Thursday, May 15, 2003 and will reconvene at 9:15 a.m. on the same day. 
(For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in 
today's Record on page S6226.)