[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 133 (Wednesday, October 19, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1053-D1055]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                        Wednesday, October 19, 2005

[[Page D1053]]


                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S11503-S11599
Measures Introduced: Eleven bills and three resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 1887-1897, S. Res. 280-281, and S. Con. Res. 
59.                                                         
  Page S11559
Measures Reported:
  S. 206, to designate the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-144)
  S. 242, to establish 4 memorials to the Space Shuttle Columbia in the 
State of Texas, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. 
Rept. No. 109-145)
  S. 584, to require the Secretary of the Interior to allow the 
continued occupancy and use of certain land and improvements within 
Rocky Mountain National Park, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-146)
  S. 652, to provide financial assistance for the rehabilitation of the 
Benjamin Franklin National Memorial in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 
the development of an exhibit to commemorate the 300th anniversary of 
the birth of Benjamin Franklin. (S. Rept. No. 109-147)
  S. 895, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a rural 
water supply program in the Reclamation States to provide a clean, safe 
affordable, and reliable water supply to rural residents, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-148)
  S. 955, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 
resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of 
including in the National Park System certain sites in Williamson 
County, Tennessee, relating to the Battle of Franklin, with an 
amendment. (S. Rept. No. 109-149)
  S. 958, to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the 
Star-Spangled Banner Trail in the States of Maryland and Virginia and 
the District of Columbia as a National Historic Trail, with amendments. 
(S. Rept. No. 109-150)
  S. 1154, to extend the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission, to 
provide improved visitor services at the park, with amendments. (S. 
Rept. No. 109-151)
  S. 1238, to amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to provide for 
the conduct of projects that protect forests, with amendments. (S. 
Rept. No. 109-152)
  S. 1627, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
special resources study to evaluate resources along the coastal region 
of the State of Delaware and to determine the suitability and 
feasibility of establishing a unit of the National Park System in 
Delaware. (S. Rept. No. 109-153)
  H.R. 126, to amend Public Law 89-366 to allow for an adjustment in 
the number of free roaming horses permitted in Cape Lookout National 
Seashore. (S. Rept. No. 109-154)
  H.R. 539, to designate certain National Forest System land in the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as components of the National Wilderness 
Preservation System. (S. Rept. No. 109-155)
  H.R. 584, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to recruit 
volunteers to assist with, or facilitate, the activities of various 
agencies and offices of the Department of the Interior. (S. Rept. No. 
109-156)
  H.R. 606, to authorize appropriations to the Secretary of the 
Interior for the restoration of the Angel Island Immigration Station in 
the State of California. (S. Rept. No. 109-157)             
Page S11558
Measures Passed:
  Federal Leave Transfer Program: Senate passed S. 1736, to provide for 
the participation of employees in the judicial branch in the Federal 
leave transfer program for disasters and emergencies.       
  Page S11595
  Supporting Lights On Afterschool: Senate agreed to S. Res. 280, 
supporting ``Lights On Afterschool'', a national celebration of after 
school programs.                                            
  Page S11595
  Honoring James Patrick Rohan: Senate agreed to S. Res. 281, honoring 
and thanking James Patrick Rohan.                           
  Page S11596
  Foster Care Maintenance Payments: Senate passed S. 1894, to amend 
part E of title IV of the

[[Page D1054]]

Social Security Act to provide for the making of foster care 
maintenance payments to private for-profit agencies.    
  Pages S11596-97
  State High Risk Pool Funding Extension: Senate passed H.R. 3204, to 
amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to extend Federal 
funding for the establishment and operation of State high risk health 
insurance pools, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed 
thereto:                                                
  Pages S11597-98
  McConnell (for Enzi) Amendment No. 2142, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                 
Page S11598
Transportation/Treasury/HUD Appropriations: Senate continued 
consideration of H.R. 3058, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the 
Judiciary, District of Columbia, and independent agencies for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, taking action on the following 
amendments proposed thereto:                            
  Pages S11512-55
Adopted:
  Bond Amendment No. 2113, to limit the availability of funds under 
this Act for use in paying for eminent domain activities. 
                                                        Pages S11512-16
  Harkin Amendment No. 2076, to provide that no funds may be used to 
provide assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 
1937, to certain students at institutions of higher education. 
                                                        Pages S11549-50
  Bond (for Collins) Amendment No. 2070, to repeal the increased 
micropurchase threshold.                                    
Page S11550
  Bond (for Akaka/Bingaman) Modified Amendment No. 2101, to provide for 
an Internal Revenue Service report regarding tax refund procedures and 
practices.                                                  
Page S11550
  Bond (for Boxer) Amendment No. 2139, to ensure that proper 
precautions are taken by airports and air carriers to recognize and 
prevent the spread of avian flu.                            
Page S11550
  Bond (for Inhofe) Modified Amendment No. 2073, to make available 
funds for ARAC operation and maintenance at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. 
                                                        Pages S11550-51
  Bond (for Stabenow) Amendment No. 2140, to provide additional funds 
to support programs established under the LEGACY Act of 2003. 
                                                            Page S11551
  Bond (for Craig) Modified Amendment No. 2072, to require the use of a 
sliding scale match ratio for certain transportation projects in the 
State of Idaho.                                             
Page S11551
  Murray Amendment No. 2141, to require the United States Interagency 
Council on Homelessness to conduct an assessment of guidance 
disseminated by agencies for grantees of homeless assistance programs. 
                                                            Page S11552
Pending:
  Reed Amendment No. 2077, to provide for appropriations for the Low-
Income Home Energy Assistance Program.                  
Pages S11521-26
  Subsequently, a point of order was raised that the emergency 
designation contained in Reed Amendment No. 2077 (listed above), 
violated Section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95, Congressional Budget for 
Fiscal Year 2006; and a motion to waive was then offered.   
Page S11525
  Dorgan Amendment No. 2133, to restrict enforcement of the Cuban 
Assets Control Regulations with respect to travel to Cuba. 
                                                        Pages S11526-29
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
follow action:
  By 47 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 257), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive section 403(b)(1) of H. Con. Res. 95 of 
the 109th Congress, with respect to Kennedy Further Modified Amendment 
No. 2063, to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage. 
Subsequently, the point of order that the amendment constitutes an 
unfunded mandate was sustained, and the amendment thus fell. 
                                                Pages S11529-45, S11547
  By 42 yeas to 57 nays (Vote No. 258), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive section 403(b)(1) of H. Con. Res. 95 of 
the 109th Congress, with respect to Enzi Amendment No. 2115, to promote 
job creation, and small business preservation in the adjustment of the 
Federal minimum wage. Subsequently, the point of order that the 
amendment constitutes an unfunded mandate was sustained, and the 
amendment thus fell.                                    
Pages S11547-48
  By 44 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 259), two-thirds of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to suspend paragraph 4, Rule XVI, pursuant to 
notice previously given in writing, relative to Dorgan Amendment No. 
2078, to establish a special committee of the Senate on war and 
reconstruction contracting. 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.    
Pages S11545-49
  Chair sustained the point of order against Dayton Amendment No. 2123, 
to prevent gas and oil gouging during natural disasters; that the 
amendment violated Rule XVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate which 
prohibits legislation on an appropriation bill.         
Pages S11551-52

[[Page D1055]]


  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, 
October 20, 2005.                                           
Page S11598
Medicare Cost Sharing and Welfare Extension: Senate concurred in the 
amendments of the House to the Senate amendment to H.R. 3971, to extend 
medicare cost-sharing for qualifying individuals through September 
2007, to extend transitional medical assistance and the program for 
abstinence education through December 2005, to provide unemployment 
relief for States and individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina, 
clearing the measure for the President.                     
  Page S11595
Signing Authority: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing 
that during the adjournment of the Senate, the Majority Leader and the 
junior Senator from Oklahoma, be authorized to sign duly enrolled 
bills.                                                      
  Page S11595
Appointments:
  National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission: 
The Chair, on behalf of the Democratic Leader, pursuant to Public Law 
109-59, Sec. 1909(b)(2)(A)(vi), appointed the following individuals to 
serve as members of the National Surface Transportation Policy and 
Revenue Study Commission: Francis McArdle of New York, and Tom R. 
Skancke of Nevada.                                          
  Page S11595
Messages From the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to the continuation 
of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12978 with 
respect to significant narcotics traffickers centered in Colombia; 
which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs. (PM-27)                                            
Page S11557
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Anne W. Patterson, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State 
(International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs).
  1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general.
  A routine list in the Army.                               
Page S11599
Messages From the House:                                    
  Page S11557
Measures Referred:                                          
  Page S11557
Enrolled Bills Presented:                                   
  Page S11557
Executive Communications:                               
  Pages S11557-58
Executive Reports of Committees:                        
  Pages S11558-59
Additional Cosponsors:                                  
  Pages S11559-61
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:             
  Pages S11561-79
Additional Statements:                                      
  Page S11556
Amendments Submitted:                                   
  Pages S11579-94
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                               
  Page S11594
Authority for Committees to Meet:                       
  Pages S11594-95
Privilege of the Floor:                                     
  Page S11595
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--259) 
                                                Pages S11547, S11548-49
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 6:55 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, October 20, 2005. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S11599.)