[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 27, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D837-D839]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Wednesday, July 27, 2005

[[Page D837]]


                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S9059-S9202
Measures Introduced: Eighteen bills and four resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 4, 1504-1520, S. Res. 215-217, and S. Con. 
Res. 48.                                                 
  Pages S9157-58
Measures Reported:
  S. 172, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide 
for the regulation of all contact lenses as medical devices, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-110)
  S. 1418, to enhance the adoption of a nationwide inter operable 
health information technology system and to improve the quality and 
reduce the costs of health care in the United States, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-111)        
Page S9157
Measures Passed:
  Medical Device User Fee Stabilization Act: Senate passed H.R. 3423, 
to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to 
medical device user fees, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                         Pages S9196-97
  Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Improvement Act: 
Senate passed S. 302, to make improvements in the Foundation for the 
National Institutes of Health, after agreeing to the committee 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.                 
  Pages S9197-98
  National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention: Senate passed S. 655, to amend the Public Health Service 
Act with respect to the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, after agreeing to the committee amendment in 
the nature of a substitute.                                  
  Page S9198
  Jornada Experimental Range Transfer Act: Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition and Forestry was discharged from further considerationof S. 
447, to authorize the conveyance of certain Federal land in the State 
of New Mexico, and the bill was then passed.                 
  Page S9198
  Women's Business Center Grants: Senate passed S. 1517, to permit 
Women's Business Centers to re-compete for sustainability grants. 
                                                         Pages S9198-99
  Honoring World War II Veterans: Senate agreed to S. Res. 216, 
expressing gratitude and appreciation to the men and women of the 
United States Armed Forces who served in World War II, commending the 
acts of heroism displayed by those servicemembers, and recognizing the 
``Greatest Generation Homecoming Weekend'' to be held in Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania.                                         
  Pages S9199-S9200
  National Marina Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 217, designating August 
13, 2005, as ``National Marina Day''.                        
  Page S9200
  National Historically Black Colleges Week: Committee on the Judiciary 
was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 158, expressing 
the sense of the Senate that the President should designate the week 
beginning September 11, 2005, as ``National Historically Black Colleges 
and Universities Week'', and the resolution was then agreed to. 
                                                             Page S9200
  National Airborne Day: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged from 
further consideration of S. Res. 86, designating August 16, 2005, as 
``National Airborne Day'' and the resolution was then agreed to, after 
agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:        
  Page S9200
  McConnell (for Hagel) Amendment No. 1628, to provide that the people 
of the United States observe ``National Airborne Day'' with appropriate 
programs, ceremonies and activities.                         
Page S9200
  30th Anniversary of the Helsinki Act: Committee on Foreign Relations 
was discharged from further consideration of S.J.Res. 19, calling upon 
the President to issue a proclamation recognizing the 30th anniversary 
of the Helsinki Final Act, and the joint resolution was then passed. 
                                                         Pages S9200-01
  Commemorating Polish Workers Strike Anniversary: Committee on the 
Judiciary was discharged

[[Page D838]]

from further consideration of S. Res. 198, commemorating the 25th 
anniversary of the 1980 worker's strike in Poland and the birth of the 
Solidarity Trade Union, the first free and independent trade union 
established in the Soviet-dominated countries of Europe, and the 
resolution was then agreed to.                               
  Page S9201
  National Attention Deficit Disorder Awareness Day: Committee on the 
Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 201, 
designating September 14, 2005, as ``National Attention Deficit 
Disorder Awareness Day'', and the resolution was then agreed to. 
                                                         Pages S9201-02
  People-to-People Engagement in World Affairs: Committee on Foreign 
Relations was discharged from further consideration of S. Res.104, 
expressing the sense of the Senate encouraging the active engagement of 
Americans in world affairs and urging the Secretary of State to take 
the lead and coordinate with other governmental agencies and non-
governmental organizations in creating an online database of 
international exchange programs and related opportunities, and the 
resolution was then agreed to, after agreeing to the following 
amendment proposed thereto:                                  
  Page S9202
  McConnell (for Feingold) Amendment No. 1629, to make certain 
corrections to the resolution.                               
Page S9202
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act: Senate began consideration 
of S. 397, to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or 
continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of 
firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief 
resulting from the misuse of their products by others, after agreeing 
to the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill, and taking 
action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                            Pages S9059-86, S9087-S9115
Pending:
  Frist (for Craig) Amendment No. 1605, to amend the exceptions. 
                                                             Page S9087
  Frist Amendment No. 1606 (to Amendment No. 1605), to make clear that 
the bill does not apply to actions commenced by the Attorney General to 
enforce the Gun Control Act and National Firearms Act. 
                                                      Pages S9087-S9114
  Reed (for Kohl) Amendment No. 1626, to amend chapter 44 of title 18, 
United States Code, to require the provision of a child safety lock in 
connection with the transfer of a handgun.               
Pages S9114-15
  A motion was entered to close further debate on the bill and, in 
accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of 
the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur on Friday, July 29, 2005. 
                                                             Page S9087
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that on Thursday, 
July 28, 2005, there be one hour equally divided for debate in relation 
to Kohl Amendment No. 1626 (listed above); that following the use or 
yielding back of time, Senate proceed to a vote in relation to the Kohl 
Amendment with no amendment in order prior to the vote.      
Page S9114
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 
28, 2005; provided further, that Senators have until 1 p.m. to file 
first-degree amendments.                                     
Page S9086
Defense Authorization--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that at any time determined by the Majority Leader, 
after consultation with the Democratic Leader, the Senate would resume 
consideration of S. 1042, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2006 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed 
Forces.                                                  
  Pages S9085-86
Signing Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that during this adjournment of the Senate, the Majority 
Leader and Majority Whip be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or 
joint resolutions.                                           
  Page S9202
Highway Extension Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that notwithstanding the recess or adjournment of the Senate, 
that when the Senate receives from the House of Representatives a 
short-term highway extension, the bill be considered, read a third time 
and passed.                                                  
  Page S9202
Nominations Received: Senate received the following Nominations:
  Keith E. Gottfried, of California, to be General Counsel of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
  Alfred Hoffman, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Portugal.
  Mark S. Schneider, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of 
Education Statistics for a term expiring June 21, 2009.
  Bertha K. Madras, of Massachusetts, to be Deputy Director for Demand 
Reduction, Office of National Drug Control Policy.
  Diane Rivers, of Arkansas, to be a Member of the National Commission 
on Libraries and Information Science for a term expiring July 19, 2009.
  Sandra Frances Ashworth, of Idaho, to be a Member of the National 
Commission on Libraries and Information Science for a term expiring 
July 19, 2009.

[[Page D839]]


  Jan Cellucci, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the National 
Commission on Libraries and Information Science for a term expiring 
July 19, 2009.
  1 Army nomination in the rank of general.           
Page S9086, S9202
Messages From the House:                                 
  Pages S9155-56
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S9156
Measures Placed on Calendar:                                 
  Page S9156
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S9156-57
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S9158-60
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S9160-88
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S9153-55
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S9188-95
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                                
  Page S9195
Authority for Committees to Meet:                        
  Pages S9195-96
Privilege of the Floor:                                      
  Page S9196
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 7:40 p.m. 
until 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, July 28, 2005. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on pages 
S9086, S9202.)