[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 116 (Thursday, September 15, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D920-D922]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                       Thursday, September 15, 2005

[[Page D920]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 2862, Commerce/Justice/Science Appropriations.
      Senate passed H.R. 3768, Hurricane Katrina Tax Relief Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S10057-S10163
Measures Introduced: Eleven bills and six resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 1706-1716, and S. Res. 239-244.              
  Page S10119
Measures Reported:
  S. 360, to amend the Coastal Zone Management Act, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-137)       
Page S10119
Measures Passed:
  Hurricane Katrina Tax Relief Act: Committee on Finance was discharged 
from further consideration of S. 1696, to provide tax relief for the 
victims of Hurricane Katrina, to provide incentives for charitable 
giving, and the bill was then passed, after agreeing to the following 
amendment proposed thereto:                             
  Pages S10066-67
  Grassley/Baucus Amendment No. 1722, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                            Page S10067
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the bill be 
held at the desk.                                           
Page S10067
  Subsequently, the passage of the bill was vitiated and ordered placed 
on the Senate Calendar.                                     
Page S10147
  Sportfishing and Recreational Boating Safety Amendments Act: Senate 
passed H.R. 3649, to ensure funding for sportfishing and boating safety 
programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund through the end of fiscal 
year 2005, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                            Page S10067
  Grassley (for Bond/Murray) Amendment No. 1723, to make technical 
corrections to Public Law 109-59.                           
Page S10067
  Commerce/Justice/Science Appropriations: By a vote of 91 yeas to 4 
nays (Vote No. 235), Senate passed H.R. 2862, making appropriations for 
the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, after taking action on 
the following amendments proposed thereto:      
  Pages S10058, S10070-79
Adopted:
  By a unanimous vote of 99 yeas (Vote. 231), Grassley Modified 
Amendment No. 1713, to provide that funds must be used in a manner 
consistent with the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002. 
                                                        Pages S10064-65
  Shelby (for Kyl) Amendment No. 1719, to provide $5,000,000 in the 
Southwest United States for hiring officers dedicated to the 
investigation of manufacturers of fraudulent Federal identity 
documents, Federal travel documents, or documents allowing access to 
Federal programs.                                           
Page S10065
  Shelby (for Baucus) Amendment No. 1720, to provide funds for economic 
adjustment and development to areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina. 
                                                            Page S10065
  Shelby (for Durbin/Coburn) Amendment No. 1721, to permit certain 
health professionals who are displaced by Hurricane Katrina to provide 
health-related services under the Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and Indian 
Health Service programs in States to which such professionals relocate.
                                                        Pages S10065-66
  By a unanimous vote of 96 yeas (Vote No. 233), Shelby (for Snowe/
Vitter) Amendment No. 1717, to provide assistance for small businesses 
damaged by Hurricane Katrina.                           
Pages S10070-71
  Shelby (for Inouye) Amendment No. 1716, to extend the provisions on 
an expiring provision of the Universal Service Antideficiency Temporary 
Suspension Act.                                             
Page S10072
  Shelby (for Kerry) Modified Amendment No. 1724, to reduce fees on 
loans to small businesses.                                  
Page S10072

[[Page D921]]


  Shelby (for Reid) Amendment No. 1725, to provide additional funding 
for the Federal Bureau of Investigation for processing of background 
checks for petitions and applications pending before U.S. Citizenship 
and Immigration Services.                                   
Page S10072
Rejected:
  By 39 yeas to 60 nays (Vote No. 232), Dorgan Amendment No. 1665, to 
prohibit weakening any law that provides safeguards from unfair foreign 
trade practices.                                        
Pages S10061-65
Withdrawn:
  Kerry/Landrieu Amendment No. 1695, to strengthen the loan, 
procurement assistance, and management education programs of the Small 
Business Administration in order to help small businesses and home 
owners hurt by Hurricane Katrina meet their existing obligations, 
finance their businesses, and maintain and create jobs, thereby 
providing stability to the national economy.                
Page S10071
  Bingaman Amendment No. 1706, to provide funds for educational 
assistance to individuals and schools impacted by Hurricane Katrina. 
                                             Pages S10060-61, S10071-72
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  Chair sustained a point of order that Kyl Amendment No. 1718, to 
prevent the use of certain payment instruments, credit cards, and fund 
transfers for unlawful Internet gambling, violates Rule XVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, which constitutes general legislation on 
an appropriations bill, and therefore was ruled out of order. 
                                                        Pages S10059-60
  By 43 yeas to 52 nays (Vote No. 234), two-thirds of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to suspend Rule XVI, pursuant to notice previously 
given in writing, relative to Lieberman Amendment No. 1678, to provide 
financial relief for individuals and entities affected by Hurricane 
Katrina. Subsequently, the Chair sustained the point of order that the 
amendment was in violation of Rule XVI of the Standing Rules of the 
Senate which prohibits legislation on appropriations matters, and the 
amendment thus fell.                                        
Page S10073
  Senate insisted on its amendments, requested a conference with the 
House thereon, and the Chair was authorized to appoint the following 
conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators Shelby, Gregg, Stevens, 
Domenici, McConnell, Hutchison, Brownback, Bond, Cochran, Mikulski, 
Inouye, Leahy, Kohl, Murray, Harkin, Dorgan, and Byrd.      
Page S10079
  Hurricane Katrina Tax Relief Act: Senate passed H.R. 3768, to provide 
emergency tax relief for persons affected by Hurricane Katrina, after 
agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:       
  Page S10147
  Frist (for Grassley/Baucus) Amendment No. 1728, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                 
Page S10147
  Supporting the Pledge of Allegiance: Senate agreed to S. Res. 243, 
expressing support for the Pledge of Allegiance.        
  Pages S10147-48
  Supporting the Pledge of Allegiance: Senate agreed to S. Res. 244, 
expressing support for the Pledge of Allegiance.            
  Page S10148
  Pell Grant Hurricane and Disaster Relief Act: Senate passed H.R. 
3169, to provide the Secretary of Education with waiver authority for 
students who are eligible for Pell Grants who are adversely affected by 
a natural disaster, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                            Page S10149
  Student Grant Hurricane and Disaster Relief Act: Senate passed H.R. 
3668, to provide the Secretary of Education with waiver authority for 
students who are eligible for Federal student grant assistance who are 
adversely affected by a major disaster, clearing the measure for the 
President.                                                  
  Page S10149
  TANF Emergency Response and Recovery Act: Senate passed H.R. 3672, to 
provide assistance to families affected by Hurricane Katrina, through 
the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for 
needy families, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                        Pages S10149-50
  Recognizing American Academy of Pediatrics 75th Anniversary: 
Committee on the Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of 
S. Res. 204, recognizing the 75th anniversary of the American Academy 
of Pediatrics and supporting the mission and goals of the organization, 
and the resolution was then agreed to.                      
  Page S10150
  Opposing Anti-Semitism: Senate agreed to S. Res. 240, expressing the 
sense of the Senate regarding manifestations of anti-Semitism by United 
Nations member states and urging action against anti-Semitism by United 
Nations officials, United Nations member states, and the Government of 
the United States.                                      
  Pages S10150-51
  Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma Awareness Month: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 241, designating September 2005, as ``Leukemia, Lymphoma, and 
Myeloma Awareness Month'';                                  
  Page S10151
Agriculture Appropriations: Senate began consideration of H.R. 2744, 
making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
Administration, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature 
of a substitute,

[[Page D922]]

which will be considered as original text for the purpose of further 
amendment, and taking action on the following amendment proposed 
thereto:                                            
  Pages S10080-S10103
Pending:
  Bennett/Kohl Amendment No. 1726, to amend the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936.                                            
Pages S10101-03
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for consideration 
of the bill at 3 p.m. on Monday, September 19, 2005.        
Page S10154
Messages From the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, the recommendations of the Defense 
Base Closure and Realignment Commission; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services. (PM-22)                        
Page S10117
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Michael R. Arietti, of Connecticut, to be Ambassador to the Republic 
of Rwanda.
  Karan K. Bhatia, of Maryland, to be Deputy United States Trade 
Representative, with the Rank of Ambassador.
  Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., of South Carolina, to be an Assistant Secretary 
of Labor.
  Richard Stickler, of West Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of 
Labor for Mine Safety and Health.
  2 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy. 
                                                        Pages S10155-63
Messages From the House:                                
  Pages S10117-18
Measures Referred:                                          
  Page S10118
Measures Placed on Calendar:                                
  Page S10118
Measures Read First Time:                                   
  Page S10118
Executive Communications:                               
  Pages S10118-19
Additional Cosponsors:                                  
  Pages S10119-21
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:             
  Pages S10121-31
Additional Statements:                                  
  Pages S10115-17
Amendments Submitted:                                   
  Pages S10131-45
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                               
  Page S10146
Authority for Committees to Meet:                           
  Page S10146
Privilege of the Floor:                                     
  Page S10147
Record Votes: Five record votes were taken today. (Total--235) 
                                Pages S10064-65, S10071, S10073, S10079
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 8:39 p.m., 
until 2 p.m., on Monday, September 19, 2005. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S10155.)