[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 93 (Monday, June 23, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D710-D712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                              Monday, June 23, 2003

[[Page D710]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S8323-S8383
Measures Introduced: Six bills and two resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 1310-1315, and S. Res. 179-180.              
  Pages S8357-58
Measures Passed:
  Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act: Senate passed S. 
239, to amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements 
regarding trauma care.                                   
  Pages S8377-78
  National Museum of African American History and Culture Act: 
Committee on Rules and Administration was discharged from further 
consideration of S. 1157, to establish within the Smithsonian 
Institution the National Museum of African American History and 
Culture, and the bill was then passed.                   
  Pages S8378-80
  Senate Legal Representation: Senate agreed to S. Res. 179, to 
authorize testimony and legal representation in State of New Hampshire 
v. Donald Johnson.                                           
  Page S8380
Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement ACT: Senate resumed 
consideration of S. 1, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act 
to make improvements in the medicare program, to provide prescription 
drug coverage under the medicare program, taking action on the 
following amendments proposed thereto:                   
  Pages S8323-56
Withdrawn:
  Bingaman Amendment No. 933, to eliminate the application of an asset 
test for purposes of eligibility for premium and cost-sharing subsidies 
for low-income beneficiaries.                  
Pages S8338-40, S8343-45
Pending:
  Graham (FL) Amendment No. 956, to provide that an eligible 
beneficiary is not responsible for paying the applicable percent of the 
monthly national average premium while the beneficiary is in the 
coverage gap and to sunset the bill.                         
Page S8323
  Kerry Amendment No. 958, to increase the availability of discounted 
prescription drugs.                                          
Page S8323
  Lincoln Modified Amendment No. 934, to ensure coverage for syringes 
for the administration of insulin, and necessary medical supplies 
associated with the administration of insulin.               
Page S8323
  Lincoln Amendment No. 935, to clarify the intent of Congress 
regarding an exception to the initial residency period for geriatric 
residency or fellowship programs.                            
Page S8323
  Lincoln Amendment No. 959, to establish a demonstration project for 
direct access to physical therapy services under the Medicare program. 
                                                             Page S8323
  Baucus (for Jeffords) Amendment No. 964, to include coverage for 
tobacco cesssation products.                                 
Page S8323
  Baucus (for Jeffords) Amendment No. 965, to establish a Council for 
Technology and Innovation.                                   
Page S8323
  Nelson (FL) Amendment No. 938, to provide for a study and report on 
the propagation of concierge care.                           
Page S8324
  Nelson (FL) Amendment No. 936, to provide for an extension of the 
demonstration for ESRD managed care.                         
Page S8324
  Baucus (for Harkin) Amendment No. 967, to provide improved payment 
for certain mammography services.                            
Page S8324
  Baucus (for Harkin) Amendment No. 968, to restore reimbursement for 
total body orthotic management for nonambulatory, severely disabled 
nursing home residents.                                      
Page S8324
  Baucus (for Dodd) Amendment No. 969, to permit continuous open 
enrollment and disenrollment in Medicare Prescription Drug plans and 
Medicare Advantage plans until 2008.                         
Page S8324
  Baucus (for Dodd) Amendment No. 970, to provide 50 percent cost-
sharing for a beneficiary whose income is at least 160 percent but not 
more than 250 percent of the poverty line after the beneficiary has 
reached the initial coverage gap and before the beneficiary has reached 
the annual out-of-pocket limit.                              
Page S8324
  Baucus (for Cantwell) Amendment No. 942, to prohibit an eligible 
entity offering a Medicare Prescription Drug plan, a MedicareAdvantage 
Organization offering a MedicareAdvantage plan, and other health plans 
from contracting with a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) unless the PBM 
satisfies certain requirements.                              
Page S8324

[[Page D711]]


  Rockefeller Amendment No. 975, to make all Medicare beneficiaries 
eligible for Medicare prescription drug coverage.        
Pages S8324-25
  Rockefeller Amendment No. 976, to treat costs for covered drugs as 
incurred costs without regard to whether the individual or another 
person, including a State program or other third-party coverage, has 
paid for such costs.                                     
Pages S8324-30
  Akaka Amendment No. 980, to expand assistance with coverage for legal 
immigrants under the Medicaid program and SCHIP to include citizens of 
the Freely Associated States.                            
Pages S8330-31
  Akaka Amendment No. 979, to ensure that current prescription drug 
benefits to Medicare-eligible enrollees in the Federal Employees Health 
Benefits Program will not be diminished.                 
Pages S8330-31
  Pryor Amendment No. 981, to provide equal access to competitive 
global prescription medicine prices for American purchasers. 
                                               Pages S8331-35, S8341-43
  Bingaman Amendment No. 984, to carve out from payments to 
Medicare+Choice and MedicareAdvantage organizations amounts 
attributable to disproportionate share hospital payments and pay such 
amounts directly to those disproportionate share hospitals in which 
their enrollees receive care.                            
Pages S8335-36
  Bingaman Amendment No. 972, to provide reimbursement for Federally 
qualified health centers participating in medicare managed care. 
                                                         Pages S8336-37
  Bingaman Amendment No. 973, to amend title XVIII of the Social 
Security Act to provide for the authorization of reimbursement for all 
Medicare part B services furnished by certain Indian hospitals and 
clinics.                                                     
Page S8337
  Baucus (for Edwards) Amendment No. 985, to strengthen protections for 
consumers against misleading direct-to-consumer drug advertising. 
                                                         Pages S8340-41
  Baucus (for Lautenberg) Amendment No. 986, to make prescription drug 
coverage available beginning on July 1, 2004.                
Page S8341
  Murray Amendment No. 990, to make improvements in the 
MedicareAdvantage benchmark determinations.              
Pages S8345-47
  Harkin Amendment No. 991, to establish a demonstration project under 
the Medicaid program to encourage the provision of community-based 
services to individuals with disabilities.               
Pages S8347-48
  Dayton Amendment No. 957, to provide that prescription drug benefits 
for any Member of Congress who is enrolled in a health benefits plan 
under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, may not exceed the 
level of prescription drug benefits passed in the 1st session of the 
108th Congress.                                              
Page S8348
  Dayton Amendment No. 960, to require a streamlining of the Medicare 
regulations.                                                 
Page S8348
  Dayton Amendment No. 977, to require that benefits be made available 
under part D on January 1, 2004.                         
Pages S8348-50
  Baucus (for Stabenow) Amendment No. 992, to clarify that the Medicaid 
statute does not prohibit a State from entering into drug rebate 
agreements in order to make outpatient prescription drugs accessible 
and affordable for residents of the State who are not otherwise 
eligible for medical assistance under the Medicaid program. 
                                                             Page S8350
  Baucus (for Dorgan) Amendment No. 993, to amend title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act to provide for coverage of cardiovascular screening 
tests under the Medicare program.                            
Page S8350
  Grassley Amendment No. 974, to enhance competition for prescription 
drugs by increasing the ability of the Department of Justice and 
Federal Trade Commission to enforce existing antitrust laws regarding 
brand name drugs and generic drugs.                      
Pages S8351-52
  Durbin Amendment No. 994, to deliver a meaningful benefit and lower 
prescription drug prices.                                
Pages S8352-56
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at 11 a.m., 
on Tuesday, June 24, 2003, Senate proceed to vote on or in relation to 
Rockefeller Amendment No. 976 (listed above), to be followed by a vote 
on or in relation to Bingaman Amendment No. 984 (listed above); and 
that at 2:15 p.m., Senate proceed to vote on or in relation to Baucus 
(for Dodd) Amendment No. 969, following 10 minutes of debate. 
                                                             Page S8356
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at 9:30 a.m., on Tuesday, June 24, 2003. 
                                                             Page S8381
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Frank Libutti, of New York, to be Under Secretary for Information 
Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security. (New Position)
  18 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  5 Coast Guard nominations in the rank of admiral.
  A routine list in the Coast Guard.                         
Page S8383
Executive Communications:                                    
  Page S8357
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S8358-59
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S8359-67
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S8356-57
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S8367-77

[[Page D712]]

Adjournment: Senate met at 2 p.m., and adjourned at 7:42 p.m., until 
9:30 a.m., on Tuesday, June 24, 2003. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S8381.)