[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 160 (Thursday, November 6, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1241-D1244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                         Thursday, November 6, 2003

[[Page D1241]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 2673, Agriculture Appropriations Act.
      The House passed H.R. 1829, Federal Prison Industries Competition 
      in Contracting Act of 2003.
      The House passed H.R. 1442, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visitors 
      Center Act--clearing the measure for the President.
      House Committee ordered reported 12 sundry measures.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S14083-S14226
Measures Introduced: Ten bills and three resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 1829-1838, and S. Res. 260-262.
  Pages S14176-77
Measures Reported:
  S. 286, to revise and extend the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 
1998, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 
108-188)
  S. 648, to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to health 
professions programs regarding the practice of pharmacy, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 108-189)
  S. 1043, to provide for the security of commercial nuclear power 
plants and facilities designated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 108-190)
  H.R. 1086, to encourage the development and promulgation of voluntary 
consensus standards by providing relief under the antitrust laws to 
standards development organizations with respect to conduct engaged in 
for the purpose of developing voluntary consensus standards, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  S. 710, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that 
aliens who commit acts of torture, extrajudicial killings, or other 
specified atrocities abroad are inadmissible and removable and to 
establish within the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice an 
Office of Special Investigations having responsibilities under that Act 
with respect to all alien participants in war crimes, genocide, and the 
commission of acts of torture and extrajudicial killings abroad, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  S. 1685, to extend and expand the basic pilot program for employment 
eligibility verification, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.
  S. Con. Res. 77, expressing the sense of Congress supporting vigorous 
enforcement of the Federal obscenity laws.
Page S14176
Measures Passed:
  Agriculture Appropriations Act: By 93 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 444), 
Senate passed H.R. 2673, making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, after taking action on the 
following amendments proposed thereto:
  Pages S14104-55
Adopted:
  Dorgan Amendment No. 2116, to express the sense of the Senate on the 
importation of cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. 
                                                        Pages S14106-07
  Dorgan Amendment No. 2117, to increase funding for guaranteed 
broadband loans, with an offset.
Pages S14128-31
  Specter Amendment No. 2080, to limit the use of funds to allocate the 
rate of price support between the purchase prices for nonfat dry milk 
and butter in a manner that does not support the price of milk at the 
rate prescribed by law.
Pages S14136-39
  Cochran Amendment No. 2120, to provide plant variety protection. 
                                                        Pages S14140-41
  Daschle Amendment No. 2078, to express the sense of the Senate 
regarding country of origin labeling requirements. (By 36 yeas to 58 
nays (Vote No. 443), Senate earlier failed to table the amendment.) 
                                  Pages S14118-28, S14139-40, S14141-42

[[Page D1242]]


  Kohl (for Levin/Stabenow) Amendment No. 2121, to increase funding for 
the removal of trees that have been adversely affected by the emerald 
ash borer, with offsets.
                                                            Page S14142
  Kohl (for Feingold) Amendment No. 2122, to require the Secretary of 
Agriculture to report to Congress on acquisitions made by the 
Department of Agriculture of articles, materials, or supplies 
manufactured outside the United States.
                                                            Page S14142
  Kohl (for Dorgan) Amendment No. 2123, to permit the use of remaining 
fiscal year 2003 funds to carry out the program of loans and loan 
guarantees to provide access to broadband telecommunications services 
in rural areas.
                                                            Page S14142
  Kohl (for Stabenow/Levin) Amendment No. 2124, to control and 
alleviate the cormorant problem in the State of Michigan.
                                                            Page S14142
  Kohl (for Leahy) Amendment No. 2125, to provide minimum funding for 
certain types of agricultural management assistance.
                                                            Page S14142
  Bennett Amendment No. 2126, to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture 
to make funding and other assistance available through the emergency 
watershed protection program to repair and prevent damage to non-
Federal land in watersheds that have been impaired by fires initiated 
by the Federal Government and to waive cost-sharing requirements for 
the funding and assistance.
                                                            Page S14142
  Kohl (for Wyden) Amendment No. 2127, to expand the business size 
restrictions of the Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program for 
Oakridge, Oregon.
                                                            Page S14142
  Kohl (for Jeffords) Amendment No. 2128, to provide funds to carry out 
the historic barn preservation program, with an offset. 
                                                        Pages S14142-43
  Bennett (for Murkowski) Amendment No. 2129, to modify the 
requirements for a water and waste disposal grant to the Alaska 
Department of Community and Economic Development.
                                                            Page S14143
  Kohl (for Harkin) Amendment No. 2085, to permit the enrollment in the 
conservation reserve program of certain land on which trees have been 
planted.
                                                            Page S14143
  Kohl (for Clinton) Amendment No. 2130, to prohibit the use of funds 
to purchase chickens treated with fluoroquinolone.
                                                            Page S14143
  Bennett (for Craig) Amendment No. 2131, to provide loan guarantees 
for major projects for certain renewable energy systems.
                                                            Page S14143
  Kohl (for Harkin) Amendment No. 2132, to clarify the Secretary may 
use competitive research grant funds for certain requests for 
proposals.
                                                            Page S14143
  Kohl (for Dorgan) Amendment No. 2133, to increase funding for 
guaranteed broadband loans, with an offset.
                                                            Page S14143
  Kohl (for Harkin) Amendment No. 2134, to modify the requirements for 
a water and waste disposal grant to the city of Postville, Iowa. 
                                                            Page S14143
  Bennett (for Hutchison) Amendment No. 2135, to provide for a Texas 
rice safeguard initiative.
                                                            Page S14145
  Bennett/Kohl Amendment No. 2073, of a technical nature.
                                                            Page S14145
                                                              Rejected:
  By 38 yeas to 56 nays (Vote No. 442), Leahy Amendment No. 2119, to 
restrict the use of funds for certain conservation programs. 
                                                Pages S14131-36, S14141
                                                             Withdrawn:
  Bingaman Amendment No. 2115, to provide funds to implement and 
administer Team Nutrition programs, with an offset.
                                                        Pages S14104-06
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following actions:
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the November 
5, 2003 adoption of the following amendment was vitiated, and the 
amendment was then subsequently withdrawn:
                                                            Page S14145
  Bennett/Kohl Amendment No. 2084, to provide that statements made by 
the Chairman and/or Ranking Member of the Agriculture Appropriations 
Subcommittee, and colloquies engaging the Chairman and/or Ranking 
Member of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, given on the 
Senate Floor or submitted for the Record during Senate consideration of 
this Act shall be deemed part of Senate Committee Report 108-107 for 
purposes of conference with the House of Representatives.
                                                            Page S14145
  Senate insisted on its amendment, requested a conference with the 
House thereon, and the Chair was authorized to appoint the following 
conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators Bennett, Cochran, 
Specter, Bond, McConnell, Burns, Craig, Brownback, Stevens, Kohl, 
Harkin, Dorgan, Feinstein, Durbin, Johnson, Landrieu, and Byrd. 
                                                        Pages S14151-55
  Authorizing Legal Representation: Senate agreed to S. Res. 261, to 
authorize testimony, document production, and legal representation in 
State of Colorado v. Daniel Raphael Egger, Sarah Jane Geraldi, Jennifer 
Melissa Greenberg, Lisa Gale Kunkel, Bonnie Catherine McCormick 
                                                        Pages S14220-21
  Child Nutrition Program Authorization: Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry was discharged from further consideration of 
H.R. 3232, to reauthorize certain school lunch and child nutrition 
programs through March 31, 2004, and the bill was then passed, clearing 
the measure for the President.
  Page S14221

[[Page D1243]]

  Coastal Barrier Property Exemption: Senate passed S. 1643, to exempt 
certain coastal barrier property from financial assistance and flood 
insurance limitations under the Coastal Barriers Resources Act and the 
National Flood Act of 1968, after agreeing to the committee amendments.
                                                            Page S14221
  Technical Correction: Senate passed S. 1066, to correct a technical 
error from Unit T-07 of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources 
System, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.
  Page S14221
  Coastal Barrier Map Replacement: Senate passed S. 1663, to replace 
certain Coastal Barrier Resources System maps.
  Pages S14221-22
  Congratulating Shirin Ebadi:  Committee on the Judiciary was 
discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 244, congratulating 
Shirin Ebadi for winning the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize and commending her 
for her lifetime of work to promote democracy and human rights, and the 
resolution was then agreed to.
  Page S14222
  Compact of Free Association Amendments Act: Senate passed H.J. Res. 
63, to approve the Compact of Free Association, as amended, between the 
Government of the United States of America and the Government of the 
Federated States of Micronesia, and the Compact of Free Association, as 
amended, between the Government of the United States of America and the 
Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and to appropriate 
funds to carry out the amended Compacts, after agreeing to the 
following amendments proposed thereto:
  Pages S14222-26
  McCain (for Domenici/Bingaman) Amendment No. 2137, in the nature of a 
substitute.
                                                            Page S14226
  McCain (for Domenici/Bingaman) Amendment No. 2138, to amend the 
preamble.
                                                            Page S14226
  McCain (for Domenici) Amendment No. 2139, to amend the title. 
                                                            Page S14226
Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act: Senate began consideration of S. 
150, to make permanent the moratorium on taxes on Internet access and 
multiple and discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce imposed by the 
Internet Tax Freedom Act, after agreeing to the committee amendment in 
the nature of a substitute, and taking action on the following 
amendment proposed thereto:
  Pages S14156-73
                                                               Adopted:
  McCain Amendment No. 2136, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                            Page S14157
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that Senate 
resume consideration of the bill at 9:30 a.m., on Friday, November 7, 
2003.
                                                            Page S14160
Messages from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of the approval of the use 
of $10,623,873 provided by the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 
Public Law 108-7, the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003; to 
the Committee on Appropriations. (PM-55)
                                                            Page S14173
Nomination Considered: Senate resumed consideration of the nomination 
of William H. Pryor, Jr., of Alabama, to be United States Circuit Judge 
for the Eleventh Circuit.
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 51 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 441), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the second motion to close further debate on the nomination. 
                                                    Pages S14090-S14104
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Francis J. Harvey, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Defense.
  Lawrence F. Stengel, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District 
Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
                                                            Page S14226
Messages From the House:
  Pages S14173-74
Measures Referred:
  Page S14174
Measures Placed on Calendar:
  Page S14174
Enrolled Bills Presented:
  Page S14174
Executive Communications:
  Pages S14174-76
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S14176
Additional Cosponsors:
  Page S14177
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S14177-82
Additional Statements:
  Page S14173
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S14182-S14220
Authority for Committees to Meet:
  Page S14220
Privilege of the Floor:
  Page S14220
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total--444) 
                                    Page S14104, S14141, S14142, S14155
Adjournment: Senate met at 9:31 a.m., and adjourned at 9:58 p.m., until 
9:30 a.m., on Friday,

[[Page D1244]]

November 7, 2003. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting 
Majority Leader in today's Record on page S14226.)