[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 3 (Thursday, January 22, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D14-D15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                         Thursday, January 22, 2004

[[Page D14]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate agreed to the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 2673, 
      Agriculture Appropriations Act (Omnibus Appropriations).


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S127-S203
Measures Introduced: Eight bills were introduced, as follows: S. 2016-
2023.                                                     
  Pages S184-85
Agriculture Appropriations Act (Omnibus Appropriations)--Conference 
Report: By 65 yeas to 28 nays (Vote No. 3) Senate agreed to the 
conference report to accompany H.R. 2673, making appropriations for 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, 
clearing the measure for the President.                   
  Pages S129-57
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following actions:
  Pursuant to the order of January 21, 2004, the motion to proceed to 
the motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on 
January 20, 2004 was agreed to.                               
Page S156
  Pursuant to the order of January 21, 2004, the motion to reconsider 
the vote by which cloture was not invoked on January 20, 2004 was 
agreed to.                                                    
Page S156
  By 61 yeas to 32 nays (Vote No. 2), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed 
to the motion to close further debate on the conference report. 
                                                              Page S156
Pension Funding Equity Act: Pursuant to the order of December 9, 2003, 
Committee on Finance was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
3108, to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to temporarily replace the 30-year 
Treasury rate with a rate based on long-term corporate bonds for 
certain pension plan funding requirements and other provisions, and the 
Senate then began consideration of the bill, taking action on the 
following amendments proposed thereto:                    
  Pages S157-68
Pending:
  Grassley Amendment No. 2233, of a perfecting nature.    
Pages S166-68
  Kyl Amendment No. 2234 (to Amendment No. 2233), to limit the 
liability of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation with respect to a 
plan for which a reduced deficit contribution is elected. 
                                                          Pages S166-68
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Cynthia R. Church, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs (Public and Intergovernmental Affairs).
  Robert N. McFarland, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs (Information and Technology).
  Gordon H. Mansfield, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs.                                               
Pages S197, S203
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  David Safavian, of Michigan, to be Administrator for Federal 
Procurement Policy.
  41 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, 
Navy.                                                   
Pages S198-S203
Nominations Returned to the President: The following nomination was 
discharged from the Committee on Governmental Affairs and returned to 
the President:
  James C. Miller III, of Virginia, to be a Governor of the United 
States Postal Service.                                 
Pages S184, S197
Messages From the House:                                      
  Page S180
Executive Communications:                                 
  Pages S181-84
Additional Cosponsors:                                    
  Pages S185-86
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:               
  Pages S186-93
Additional Statements:                                    
  Pages S178-80
Amendments Submitted:                                     
  Pages S193-97

[[Page D15]]

Authority for Committees to Meet:                             
  Page S197
Privilege of the Floor:                                       
  Page S197
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--3)   
  Page S156
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 6:20 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m., on Friday, January 23, 2004. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S198.)