[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 11, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1262-D1263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                         Tuesday, November 11, 2003

[[Page D1262]]


                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 1828, Syria Accountability and Lebanese 
      Sovereignty Restoration Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S14379-S14462
Measures Introduced: Five bills and two resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 1845-1849, and S. Res. 264-265.
  Page S14451
Measures Reported:
  S. 1824, to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to reauthorize 
the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. (S. Rept. No. 108-194).
  S. 950, to allow travel between the United States and Cuba, with an 
amendment.
Page S14451
Measures Passed:
  Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act: By 89 
yeas to 4 nays (Vote No. 445), Senate passed H.R. 1828, to halt Syrian 
support for terrorism, end its occupation of Lebanon, stop its 
development of weapons of mass destruction, cease its illegal 
importation of Iraqi oil and illegal shipments of weapons and other 
military items to Iraq, and by so doing hold Syria accountable for the 
serious international security problems it has caused in the Middle 
East, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                        Pages S14403-17
  Lugar/Boxer/Santorum Amendment No. 2148, to make technical and other 
corrections.
Page S14407
  Veterans Day, 2003: Senate agreed to S. Res. 264, expressing the 
sense of the Senate regarding Veterans Day 2003.
  Pages S14458-59
  Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Prevention Act: Senate 
passed S. 286, to revise and extend the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 
1998, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute, and the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                        Pages S14459-61
  Frist (for Bond) Amendment No. 2149, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                            Page S14461
  Recognizing Southern California Firefighters: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 265, recognizing and honoring the firefighters and other public 
servants who responded to the devastating outbreak of wildfires in 
southern California in October 2003.
  Pages S14456, S14461-62
  District of Columbia Military Retirement Equity Act: Committee on 
Governmental Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
3054, to amend the Policemen and Firemen's Retirement and Disability 
Act to permit military service previously performed by members and 
former members of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of 
Columbia, the Fire Department of the District of Columbia, the United 
States Park Police, and the United States Secret Service to count as 
creditable service for purposes of calculating retirement annuities 
payable to such members upon payment of a contribution by such members, 
and the bill was then passed, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                            Page S14462
VA-HUD Appropriations Act: Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to 
consideration of H.R. 2861, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and for sundry 
independent agencies, boards, commissions, corporations, and offices 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and then began 
consideration of the bill.
  Page S14458
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, November 12, 
2003.
Page S14462
National Defense Authorization Act--Conference Report: Senate began 
consideration of the conference report on H.R. 1588, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2004 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of

[[Page D1263]]

Energy, and to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for 
the Armed Forces.
  Pages S14417-41
  Prior to this action, by 87 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 446), Senate 
agreed to the motion to proceed to consideration of the conference 
report.
Page S14417
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the conference report at 2:15 p.m., on Wednesday, 
November 12, 2003, with 20 minutes of debate prior to a vote on 
adoption of the conference report.
Page S14458
Military Construction Appropriations--Conference Report: A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing that following the vote on 
adoption of the conference report on H.R. 1588, National Defense 
Authorization Act (listed above), on Wednesday, November 12, 2003, 
Senate will then vote on adoption of the conference report on H.R. 
2559, making appropriations for military construction, family housing, 
and base realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2004.
  Page S14458
Measures Returned to the Calendar (pursuant to the motion to proceed to 
H.R. 2861 being agreed to):
  Page S14458
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S14451-52
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S14452-56
Additional Statements:
  Pages S14450-51
Privilege of the Floor:
  Page S14458
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--446) 
                                                   Pages S14416, S14417
Adjournment: Senate met at 10:46 a.m., and adjourned at 9:03 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, November 12, 2003. (For Senate's 
program, see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on 
page S14462.)