[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 49 (Thursday, April 8, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D365-D367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                            Thursday, April 8, 2004

[[Page D365]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS:

      Senate agreed to the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 3108, 
      Pension Funding Equity Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S3959-S4074
Measures Introduced: Sixteen bills and seven resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 2303-2318, S. Res. 334-339, and S. Con. Res. 
99.                                                          
  Page S4024
Measures Passed:
  Major League Baseball Drug Testing Policy: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
335, expressing the sense of the Senate that Major League Baseball 
clubs and their players should take immediate action to adopt a drug-
testing policy that effectively deters Major League Baseball players 
from using anabolic steroids and any other performance-enhancing 
substances that create a competitive advantage for, and pose a serious 
health risk to, such players and the children and teenagers who emulate 
them.                                             
  Pages S3996-99, S4054
  National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month: Committee on the Judiciary 
was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 298, designating 
May 2004 as ``National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month'', and the 
resolution was then agreed to.                               
  Page S4060
  Human Rights Violations: Committee on Foreign Relations was 
discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 328, expressing the 
sense of the Senate regarding the continued human rights violations 
committed by Fidel Castro and the Government of Cuba, and the 
resolution was then agreed to, after agreeing to the following 
amendment proposed thereto:                              
  Pages S4060-61
  Frist (for Nelson (FL)), Amendment No. 3044, to make a technical 
correction.                                                  
Page S4060
  Paralyzed Veterans Appreciation: Senate agreed to S. Res. 337, 
expressing the appreciation of the Senate for the Paralyzed Veterans of 
America.                                          
  Pages S4055, S4061-62
  Federal Workforce Flexibility Act: Senate passed S. 129, to provide 
for reform relating to Federal employment, after agreeing to the 
committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, after agreeing to 
the following amendment proposed thereto:                    
  Page S4062
  Frist (for Voinovich) Amendment No. 3045, to make a technical 
correction.                                                  
Page S4068
  Kosovo: Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged from further 
consideration of S. Res. 326, condemning ethnic violence in Kosovo, and 
the resolution was then agreed to.                       
  Pages S4070-71
  National Youth Service Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 338, calling on 
the President to designate April 16, 2004, as National Youth Service 
Day.                                                 
  Pages S4055, S4071
Pension Funding Equity Act Conference Report: By 78 yeas to 19 nays 
(Vote No. 68), Senate agreed to the conference report to accompany 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, 
clearing the measure for the President.                  
  Pages S3968-96
Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act: Senate continued 
consideration of S. 1637, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to 
comply with the World Trade Organization rulings on the FSC/ETI benefit 
in a manner that preserves jobs and production activities in the United 
States, to reform and simplify the international taxation rules of the 
United States, taking action on the following amendments proposed 
thereto:
Adopted:
  Frist Motion to Recommit the bill to the Committee on Finance, with 
instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment:

[[Page D366]]


  Frist Amendment No. 3011 (to the instructions of the Motion to 
Recommit the bill to the Committee on Finance), in the nature of a 
substitute (considered as original text for the purpose of further 
amendment).
Withdrawn:
  Frist Amendment No. 3012 (to the instructions (Amendment No. 3011) of 
the Motion to Recommit the bill to the Committee on Finance), relative 
to the effective date following enactment of the Act.
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  Frist Amendment No. 3013 (to Amendment No. 3012), relative to the 
effective date following enactment of the Act, fell when Frist 
Amendment No. 3012 (listed above), was withdrawn.
  Harkin Amendment No. 2881, to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 
1938 to clarify provisions relating to overtime pay, fell when the 
Frist Motion to Recommit the bill to the Committee on Finance, with 
instructions (listed above), was agreed to.
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that when the 
Senate returns to the bill, Senator Harkin, or his designee, be 
recognized to offer his amendment relating to overtime; that it be in 
order for certain first-degree amendments be proposed thereto; and that 
following the disposition of the amendments, the bill be read a third 
time, and the Senate proceed to a vote on passage of the bill.
Signing Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that during this adjournment of the Senate, the Majority 
Leader, be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions.
                                                             Page S4071
Authority for Committees--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that notwithstanding the adjournment of the Senate, 
all committees were authorized to file legislative and executive 
reports during the adjournment of the Senate on Thursday, April 15, 
2004, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon.                            
  Page S4071
Appointment Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that notwithstanding the recess or adjournment of the 
Senate, the President of the Senate, the President of the Senate pro 
tempore, and the Majority and Democratic Leaders be authorized to make 
appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences, or 
interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by concurrent action 
of the two Houses, or by order of the Senate.                
  Page S4071
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Donald Korb, of Ohio, to be Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue 
Service and an Assistant General Counsel in the Department of the 
Treasury.
  Brian Carlton Roseboro, of New Jersey, to be an Under Secretary of 
the Treasury.
  Rhonda Keenum, of Mississippi, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial 
Services.                                                    
Page S4074
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Benjamin H. Wu, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
for Technology Policy.
  Jon D. Leibowitz, of Maryland, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner for 
a term of seven years from September 26, 2003.
  Suedeen G. Kelly, of New Mexico, to be a Member of the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission for the term expiring June 30, 2009. 
(Reappointment)
  Stuart Levey, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary of the Treasury for 
Enforcement.
  Patrick P. O'Carroll, Jr., of Maryland, to be Inspector General, 
Social Security Administration.
  Jeffrey D. Feltman, of Ohio, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Lebanon.
  Patricia M. Haslach, of Oregon, to be Ambassador to the Lao People's 
Democratic Republic.
  Richard LeBaron, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the State of 
Kuwait.
  Victor Henderson Ashe, of Tennessee, to be Ambassador to the Republic 
of Poland.
  James B. Cunningham, of Pennsylvania, to be Representative of the 
United States of America to the Vienna Office of the United Nations, 
with the rank of Ambassador.
  James B. Cunningham, of Pennsylvania, to be Representative of the 
United States of America to the International Atomic Energy Agency, 
with the rank of Ambassador.
  Barbara J. Sapin, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Merit Systems 
Protection Board for the term of seven years expiring March 1, 2007.
  Allen Weinstein, of Maryland, to be Archivist of the United States.
  Raquel Egusquiza, of Michigan, to be a Member of the Board of 
Trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education 
Foundation for a term expiring October 13, 2005.
  Julia L. Wu, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees 
of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education 
Foundation for a term expiring February 4, 2008.
  David M. Stone, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Homeland 
Security. (New Position)
  1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general.

[[Page D367]]


  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, Public Health 
Service.                                                     
Page S4072
Nominations Withdrawn: Senate received notification of withdrawal of 
the following nomination:
  James G. Roche, of Maryland, to be Secretary of the Army, which was 
sent to the Senate on July 7, 2003.                          
Page S4074
Messages From the House:                                     
  Page S4021
Measures Placed on Calendar:                                 
  Page S4021
Petitions and Memorials:                                 
  Pages S4021-23
Executive Reports of Committees:                         
  Pages S4023-24
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S4024-26
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S4026-53
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S4016-20
Amendments Submitted:                                        
  Page S4058
Authority for Committees to Meet:                        
  Pages S4058-59
Privilege of the Floor:                                      
  Page S4059
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--68)   
  Page S3996
Adjournment: Senate met at 10:01 a.m., and, in accordance with the 
provisions of H. Con. Res. 404, adjourned at 6:52 p.m., until 1 p.m, on 
Monday, April 19, 2004. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the 
Majority Leader in today's Record on Page S4072.)