[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D2-D4]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Tuesday, January 4, 2005

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                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      First Session of the One Hundred Ninth Congress convened.
      The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert of the State of Illinois was 
      elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S1-S34
Measures Submitted: Six resolutions were submitted, as follows: S. Res. 
1-4, and S. Con. Res. 1-2.
  Pages S28-29
Administration of Oath of Office: The Senators-elect were administered 
the oath of office by the Vice President of the United States. 
                                                                Page S4
Measures Passed:
  Notification to the President: Senate agreed to S. Res. 1, informing 
the President of the United States that a quorum of each House is 
assembled.
  Page S6
  Notification to the House of Representatives: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 2, informing the House of Representatives that a quorum of the 
Senate is assembled.
  Page S6
  Fixing the Hour of Daily Meeting: Senate agreed to S. Res. 3, fixing 
the hour of daily meeting of the Senate.
  Page S6
  Counting of Electoral Votes: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 1, to 
provide for the counting on January 6, 2005, of the electoral votes for 
President and Vice President of the United States.
  Pages S6-7
  Subsequently, the Chair appointed Senators Lott and Dodd as tellers 
on the part of the Senate to count electoral votes.
Pages S6-7
  Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies: Senate agreed 
to S. Con. Res. 2, to extend the life of the Joint Congressional 
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and the provisions of S. Con. Res. 93 
and S. Con. Res. 94 of the One Hundred Eighth Congress.
  Page S7
  Expressing Sympathy For Tsunami Victims: Senate agreed to S. Res. 4, 
expressing the sympathy and pledging the support of the United States 
Senate and the people of the United States for the victims of the 
powerful earthquake and devastating tsunami that struck Bangladesh, 
Burma, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Seychelles, 
Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, and other areas of South Asia, 
Southeast Asia, and Africa, on December 26, 2004.
  Pages S7-11
Unanimous Consent Agreements:
  Authority for Select Committee on Ethics: Senate agreed that, for the 
duration of the 109th Congress, the Ethics Committee be authorized to 
meet during the session of the Senate.
  Page S7
  Time for Roll Call Votes: Senate agreed that, during the 109th 
Congress, there be a limitation of 15 minutes each upon any roll call 
vote, with the warning signal to be sounded at the midway point, 
beginning at the last 7\1/2\ minutes, and when roll call votes are of 
10-minute duration, the warning signal be sounded at the beginning of 
the last 7\1/2\ minutes.
  Page S7
  Authority to Receive Reports: Senate agreed that, during the 109th 
Congress, it be in order for the Secretary of the Senate to receive 
reports at the desk when presented by a Senator at any time during the 
day of the session of the Senate.
  Page S7
  Recognition of Leadership: Senate agreed that, the Majority and 
Minority Leaders may daily have up to 10 minutes each on each calendar 
day following the prayer, and disposition of the reading of, or the 
approval of, the Journal.
  Page S7
  House Parliamentarian Floor Privileges: Senate agreed that, the 
Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives and his five assistants 
be given the privileges of the floor during the 109th Congress. 
                                                                Page S7
  Printing of Conference Reports: Senate agreed that, notwithstanding 
the provisions of Rule

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XXVIII, conference reports and statements accompanying them not be 
printed as Senate reports when such conference reports and statements 
have been printed as a House report unless specific request is made in 
the Senate in each instance to have such a report printed.
  Page S7
  Authority for Appropriations Committee: Senate agreed that, the 
Committee on Appropriations be authorized during the 109th Congress to 
file reports during adjournments or recesses of the Senate on 
appropriations bills, including joint resolutions, together with any 
accompanying notices of motions to suspend Rule XVI, pursuant to Rule 
V, for the purpose of offering certain amendments to such bills or 
joint resolutions, which proposed amendments shall be printed. 
                                                                Page S7
  Authority for Corrections in Engrossment: Senate agreed that, for the 
duration of the 109th Congress, the Secretary of the Senate be 
authorized to make technical and clerical corrections in the 
engrossments of all Senate-passed bills and resolutions, Senate 
amendments to House bills and resolutions, Senate amendments to House 
amendments to Senate bills and resolutions, and Senate amendments to 
House amendments to House bills or resolutions.
  Page S7
  Authority to Receive Messages and Sign Enrolled Measures: Senate 
agreed that, for the duration of the 109th Congress, when the Senate is 
in recess or adjournment, the Secretary of the Senate is authorized to 
receive messages from the President of the United States, and--with the 
exception of House bills, joint resolutions and concurrent 
resolutions--messages from the House of Representatives; and that they 
be appropriately referred; and that the President of the Senate, the 
President pro tempore, and the Acting President pro tempore be 
authorized to sign duly enrolled bills and joint resolutions.
  Page S7
  Privileges of the Floor: Senate agreed that, for the duration of the 
109th Congress, Senators be allowed to leave at the desk with the 
Journal Clerk the names of two staff members who will be granted the 
privilege of the floor during the consideration of the specific matter 
noted, and that the Sergeant-at-Arms be instructed to rotate such staff 
members as space allows.
  Page S7
  Referral of Treaties and Nominations: Senate agreed that, for the 
duration of the 109th Congress, it be in order to refer treaties and 
nominations on the day when they are received from the President, even 
when the Senate has no executive session that day.
  Page S7
  Authority to Introduce Measures: Senate agreed that, for the duration 
of the 109th Congress, Senators may be allowed to bring to the desk 
bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and simple 
resolutions, for referral to appropriate committees.
  Page S7
  Authority to Introduce Measures: Senate agreed that, it not be in 
order to introduce bills or resolutions, until January 24, 2005. 
                                                                Page S7
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Mike Johanns, of Nebraska, to be Secretary of Agriculture.
  Carlos M. Gutierrez, of Michigan, to be Secretary of Commerce.
  Samuel W. Bodman, of Massachusetts, to be Secretary of Energy.
  Albert Henry Konetzni, Jr., of New York, to be a Member of the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the term of five years expiring June 
30, 2009.
  Gregory B. Jaczko, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the term of five years expiring June 
30, 2008.
  Michael O. Leavitt, of Utah, to be Secretary of Health and Human 
Services.
  Jeffrey Robert Brown, of Illinois, to be a Member of Social Security 
Advisory Board for a term expiring September 30, 2008.
  Condoleezza Rice, of California, to be Secretary of State.
  Adolfo A. Franco, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Inter-American Foundation for a term expiring 
September 20, 2008.
  Roger Francisco Noriega, of Kansas, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Inter-American Foundation for a term expiring 
September 20, 2006.
  Margaret Spellings, of Texas, to be Secretary of Education.
  Alberto R. Gonzales, of Texas, to be Attorney General.
  Jim Nicholson, of Colorado, to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
                                                               Page S34
Executive Communications:
  Page S28
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S29-30
Additional Statements:
  Page S28
Privilege of the Floor:
  Page S30
Quorum Calls: One quorum call was taken today. (Total--1)
  Page S5
Adjournment: Senate met at 12:01 p.m. for the convening of the First 
Session of the 109th Congress, and adjourned at 5:53 p.m., until 9:30 
a.m., on Thursday, January 6, 2005. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S34.)

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