[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 18 (Thursday, February 12, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D90-D92]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                        Thursday, February 12, 2004

[[Page D90]]

                              Daily Digest

HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed S. 1072, SAFE Transportation Equity Act.
      Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 361, Adjournment Resolution.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S1195-S1415
Measures Introduced: Twenty-eight bills and five resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 2068-2095, S.J. Res. 27, S. Res. 302-304, 
and S. Con. Res. 89.                                     
  Pages S1285-86
Measures Passed:
  SAFE Transportation Equity Act: By 76 yeas to 21 nays (Vote No. 14), 
Senate passed S. 1072, to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, 
highway safety programs, and transit programs, after taking action on 
the following amendments proposed thereto:            
  Pages S1195-S1265
Adopted:
  Dorgan Amendment No. 2430 (to Amendment No. 2285), to modify the 
penalty for nonenforcement of open container requirements. 
                                                  Pages S1225-29, S1232
  Reid (for Harkin) Amendment No. 2333 (to Amendment No. 2285), to 
encourage States to give priority to pedestrian and bicycle facility 
enhancement projects that include a coordinated physical activity or 
healthy lifestyles program.                              
Pages S1237-38
  Talent/Wyden Amendment No. 2482 (to Amendment No. 2285), to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow tax-exempt private activity 
bonds to be issued for highway projects and rail-truck transfer 
facilities.                                              
Pages S1238-39
  DeWine Amendment No. 2396 (to Amendment No. 2285), to enhance motor 
vehicle safety.                                              
Page S1240
  Reid (for Corzine) Amendment No. 2308 (to Amendment No. 2285), to 
permit funds to be used for programs to impound the vehicles of drunk 
or impaired drivers.                                         
Page S1240
  Reid (for Corzine) Amendment No. 2312 (to Amendment No. 2285), to 
require additional programs and activities to address distracted, 
inattentive, and fatigued drivers.                           
Page S1240
  Bond (for Murkowski/Stevens) Modified Amendment No. 2498 (to 
Amendment No. 2285), to establish the Denali Access System in the State 
of Alaska.                                                   
Page S1240
  Bond (for Shelby) Modified Amendment No. 2532 (to Amendment No. 
2285), to establish the Delta Region transportation development 
program.                                                 
Pages S1240-41
  Inhofe Amendment No. 2616 (to Amendment No. 2285), to make certain 
improvements to the bill.                                    
Page S1242
  Inhofe Amendment No. 2285, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                             Page S1242
Rejected:
  By 17 yeas to 78 nays (Vote No. 11), Hutchison Amendment No. 2388 (to 
Amendment No. 2285), to provide for the distribution of funds under the 
infrastructure performance and maintenance program.          
Page S1206
  By 20 yeas to 78 nays (Vote No. 13), Kyl Amendment No. 2473 (to 
Amendment 2285), to provide for a substitute to title V. 
                                                         Pages S1220-25
Withdrawn:
  Inhofe Amendment No. 2591 (to Amendment No. 2388), to set the 
effective date of the section.                               
Page S1206
  Landrieu Amendment No. 2615 (to Amendment No. 2388), to establish a 
program to apportion funds to States for use in the acceleration and 
completion of coordinated planning, design, and construction of 
internationally significant highway projects.            
Pages S1229-32
  Bond Amendment No. 2502 (to Amendment No. 2285), to strike the 
highway stormwater discharge mitigation program.         
Pages S1233-34
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:

[[Page D91]]


  By 86 yeas to 11 nays (Vote No. 10), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed 
to the motion to close further debate on Inhofe Amendment No. 2285 
(listed above).                                          
Pages S1198-99
  Chair sustained a point of order that Clinton/Bingaman Amendment No. 
2311 (to language proposed to be stricken by Amendment No. 2285), to 
express the sense of the Senate concerning the outsourcing of American 
jobs, was not germane to the bill, and the amendment thus fell. 
                                                             Page S1199
  Bond Amendment No. 2327 (to Amendment No. 2311), to limit liability 
with respect to the owners of rented or leased motor vehicles, fell 
when Clinton/Bingaman Amendment No. 2311 was ruled not germane. 
                                                             Page S1199
  By 72 yeas to 24 nays (Vote No. 12), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed 
to the motion to waive section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, with respect to Inhofe Amendment No. 2285, in the nature of a 
substitute. Subsequently, the point of order that the amendment was in 
violation of section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
fell.                                                        
Page S1219
  The motion to invoke cloture on the bill was vitiated.     
Page S1198
  Congratulating Carroll College Fighting Saints Football Team: Senate 
agreed to S. Res. 303, commending the Carroll College Fighting Saints 
football team for winning the 2003 National Association of Inter-
collegiate Athletics (NAIA) national football championship game. 
                                                         Pages S1401-02
  Service Block Grants Improvements Act: Senate passed S. 1786, to 
revise and extend the Community Services Block Grant Act, the Low-
Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, and the Assets for 
Independence Act, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the 
nature of a substitute.                                  
  Pages S1402-13
  Adjournment Resolution: Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 361, providing 
for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a 
conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate.             
  Page S1413
  Iran Elections: Senate agreed to S. Res. 304, expressing the sense of 
the Senate that the United States should not support the February 20, 
2004, elections in Iran and that the United States should advocate 
democratic government in Iran that will restore freedom to the Iranian 
people and will abandon terrorism.                           
  Page S1415
Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Access to Care Act: Senate began 
consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 2061, to 
improve women's health access to health care services and provide 
improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability 
system places on the delivery of obstetrical and gynecological 
services.                                                    
  Page S1401
  A motion was entered to close further debate on the motion to proceed 
to consideration of the bill and, in accordance with the provisions of 
Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a vote on cloture will 
occur at 5 p.m., on Tuesday, February 24, 2004.              
Page S1401
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill on 
Tuesday, February 23, 2004.                                  
Page S1401
Pension Funding Equity Act--Conferees Appointed: Senate insisted on its 
amendment to 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, requested a conference with the House thereon, 
and the Chair was authorized to appoint the following conferees on the 
part of the Senate: Senators Grassley, Gregg, McConnell, Baucus, and 
Kennedy.                                                     
  Page S1401
Washington's Farewell Address--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement 
was reached providing that, notwithstanding the Resolution of the 
Senate of January 24, 1901, that on Monday, February 23, 2004, 
immediately following the prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, 
and the disposition of the Journal, the traditional reading of 
Washington's Farewell Address take place.                    
  Page S1401
Signing Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that during this adjournment of the Senate, the Majority 
Leader or the Assistant Majority Leader, be authorized to sign duly 
enrolled bills or joint resolutions.                         
  Page S1413
Authority for Committees: All committees were authorized to file 
executive and legislative reports during the adjournment of the Senate 
on Wednesday, February 18, 2004, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon. 
                                                             Page S1413
Appointments:
  Washington's Farewell Address: The Chair, on behalf of the Vice 
President, pursuant to the order of the Senate of January 24, 1901, as 
modified by the order of February 12, 2004, appointed Senator Breaux to 
read Washington's Farewell Address on Monday, February 23, 2004. 
                                                             Page S1401

[[Page D92]]

  Policy Committee to the White House Conference on Aging: The Chair, 
on behalf of the Democratic Leader, after consultation with the member 
of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the 
Committee on Aging, pursuant to Public Law 100-175, as amended by 
Public Laws 102-375, 103-171, and 106-501, appointed the following as 
members of the Policy Committee to the White House Conference on Aging: 
Senators Harkin and Reid.                                    
  Page S1401
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nomination:
  Samuel W. Bodman, of Massachusetts, to be Deputy Secretary of the 
Treasury.                                                    
Page S1401
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Gregory B. Jaczko, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a term expiring June 30, 2008.
  Miles T. Bivins, of Texas, to be Ambassador to Sweden.
  Marc McGowan Wall, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Chad.
  Richard S. Williamson, of Illinois, for the rank of Ambassador during 
his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America 
on the Human Rights Commission of the Economic and Social Council of 
the United Nations.
  William Duane Benton, of Missouri, to be United States Circuit Judge 
for the Eighth Circuit.
  1 Army nomination in the rank of general.                  
Page S1415
Messages From the House:                                     
  Page S1279
Measures Read First Time:                                    
  Page S1280
Enrolled Bills Presented:                                    
  Page S1280
Executive Communications:                                    
  Page S1280
Executive Reports of Committees:                         
  Pages S1280-81
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S1286-88
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:           
  Pages S1288-S1312
Additional Statements:                                       
  Page S1279
Amendments Submitted:                                 
  Pages S1312-S1400
Notice of Hearings/Meetings:                                 
  Page S1400
Authority for Committees to Meet:                            
  Page S1400
Record Votes: Five record votes were taken today. (Total--14) 
                             Pages S1198-99, S1206, S1219, S1225, S1265
Adjournment: Senate convened at 8:30 a.m., and, pursuant to the 
provisions of H. Con. Res. 361, adjourned at 8:49 p.m., until 12 noon, 
on Monday, February 23, 2004. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of 
the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S1414.)