[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 154 (Friday, November 18, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1244-D1247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Friday, November 18, 2005

[[Page D1244]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

       House and Senate agreed to the conference report to accompany 
      H.R. 2528, Military Construction/Veterans Affairs' 
      Appropriations.
      House and Senate agreed to the conference report to accompany 
      H.R. 3058, Transportation/Treasury/HUD/DC Appropriations.
      Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 307, Adjournment Resolution.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S13284-S13425
Measures Introduced: Twenty-eight bills and eleven resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 2052-2079, S. Res. 320-329, and S. Con. Res. 
67.                                                     
  Pages S13360-62
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Further Revised Allocation to Subcommittees 
of Budget Totals from the Concurrent Resolution for Fiscal Year 2006''. 
(S. Rept. No. 109-185)                                      
Page S13360
Measures Passed:
  Continuing Resolution: Senate passed H.J. Res. 72, making further 
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2006, after taking action 
on the following amendment proposed thereto, clearing the measure for 
the President:                                          
  Pages S13283-87
Rejected:
  By 46 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 348), Harkin Amendment No. 2672, to 
increase the amount appropriated to carry out under the Community 
Services Block Grant Act.                               
Pages S13285-87
  National Flood Insurance Program Further Enhanced Borrowing Authority 
Act: Senate passed H.R. 4133, to temporarily increase the borrowing 
authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out 
the national flood insurance program, after agreeing to the following 
amendment proposed thereto:                                 
  Page S13424
  Hutchison (for Shelby) Amendment No. 2673, to provide for emergency 
spending.                                                   
Page S13424
  Adjournment Resolution: Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 307, providing 
for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a 
conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate.        
  Pages S13307-08
  Rosa Parks Anniversary: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged 
from further consideration of H. Con. Res. 208, recognizing the 50th 
anniversary of Rosa Louise Parks' refusal to give up her seat on the 
bus and the subsequent desegregation of American society, and the 
resolution was then agreed to.                              
  Page S13409
  Permanent Trade Relations Extension: Committee on Finance was 
discharged from further consideration of S. 632, to authorize the 
extension of unconditional and permanent nondiscriminatory treatment 
(permanent normal trade relations treatment) to the products of 
Ukraine, and the bill was then passed.                      
  Page S13409
  Subsequently, the bill was ordered held at the desk.      
Page S13409
  Rosa Parks Statue: Senate passed H.R. 4145, to direct the Architect 
of the Capitol to obtain a statue of Rosa Parks and to place the statue 
in the United States Capitol in National Statuary Hall, clearing the 
measure for the President.                              
  Pages S13409-10
  Trials of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev: Senate agreed to 
S. Res. 322, expressing the sense of the Senate on the trial, 
sentencing and imprisonment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev.
                                                            Page S13410
  Control Over the Internet: Senate agreed to S. Res. 323, expressing 
the sense of the Senate that the United Nations and other international 
organizations should not be allowed to exercise control over the 
Internet.                                               
  Pages S13410-11

[[Page D1245]]

  Sri Lanka: Senate agreed to S. Res. 324, expressing support for the 
people of Sri Lanka in the wake of the tsunami and the assassination of 
the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister and urging support and respect for free 
and fair elections in Sri Lanka.                        
  Pages S13411-12
  Printing Authority: Senate agreed to S. Res. 325, to authorize the 
printing of a revised edition of the Senate Election Law Guidebook. 
                                                            Page S13412
  Child Safety Pilot Program: Senate passed S. 1961, to extend and 
expand the Child Safety Pilot Program.                      
  Page S13412
  Vessel Hull Design Protection Amendments: Committee on the Judiciary 
was discharged from further consideration of S. 1785, to amend chapter 
13 of title 17, United States Code (relating to the vessel hull design 
protection), to clarify the distinction between a hull and a deck, to 
provide factors for the determination of the protectability of a 
revised design, to provide guidance for assessments of substantial 
similarity, and the bill was then passed.                   
  Page S13412
  Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah: Senate passed H.R. 680, to direct the 
Secretary of Interior to convey certain land held in trust for the 
Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah to the City of Richfield, Utah, clearing 
the measure for the President.                              
  Page S13413
  Holly A. Charette Post Office: Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs was discharged from further consideration of S. 
1989, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 57 Rolfe Square in Cranston, Rhode Island, shall be known 
and designated as the ``Holly A. Charette Post Office'', and the bill 
was then passed.                                            
  Page S13413
  Randall D. Shughart Post Office Building: Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs was discharged from further 
consideration of H.R. 2062, to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 57 West Street in Newville, 
Pennsylvania, as the ``Randall D. Shughart Post Office Building'', and 
the bill was then passed, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                            Page S13413
  Vincent Palladino Post Office: Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
2183, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 567 Tompkins Avenue in Staten Island, New York, as the 
``Vincent Palladino Post Office'', and the bill was then passed, 
clearing the measure for the President.                     
  Page S13413
  Willie Vaughn Post Office: Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
3853, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 208 South Main Street in Parkdale, Arkansas, as the Willie 
Vaughn Post Office, and the bill was then passed, clearing the measure 
for the President.                                          
  Page S13413
  Darfur Peace and Accountability Act: Committee on Foreign Relations 
was discharged from further consideration of S. 1462, to promote peace 
and accountability in Sudan, and the bill was then passed, after 
agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:   
  Pages S13413-17
  McConnell (for Brownback) Amendment No. 2674, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                 
Page S13414
  Year of Polio Education: Committee on Health, Education, Labor and 
Pensions was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 304, to 
designate the period beginning on November 1, 2005 and ending on 
October 31, 2006 as the Year of Polio Education, and the resolution was 
then agreed to.                                             
  Page S13417
  Drive Safer Sunday: Senate agreed to S. Res. 326, designating 
November 27, 2005, as ``Drive Safer Sunday''.               
  Page S13417
  Little Rock Central High School Desegregation 50th Anniversary 
Commemorative Coin Act: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 358, to 
require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of 
the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of the Little Rock Central 
High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the bill was then passed, 
after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                        Pages S13417-18
  McConnell (for Pryor) Amendment No. 2675, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                             
Pages S13417-18
  Presidential $1 Coin Act: Senate passed S. 1047, to require the 
Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of each of the 
Nation's past Presidents and their spouses, respectively to improve 
circulation of the $1 coin, to create a new bullion coin, after 
agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:   
  Pages S13421-24
  McConnell (for Sununu) Amendment No. 2676, to make technical 
corrections.                                                
Page S13421
Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations House Message--Conferees: Senate 
considered the House Message to accompany H.R. 3010, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, taking action on the following motions proposed 
thereto:                                                
  Pages S13287-91

[[Page D1246]]


  By 66 yeas to 28 nays (Vote No. 349), Senate agreed to Specter motion 
to instruct Conferees to insist that $2,183,000,000 be available for 
the Low Income Home Energy Heating Assistance program. 
                                                Pages S13288-90, S13291
  By 58 yeas to 36 nays (Vote No. 350), Senate agreed to Durbin motion 
to instruct Conferees to insist on retaining the Senate passed 
provisions relating to funding for the National Institutes of Health. 
                                                        Pages S13290-91
  Subsequently, the Senate requested a conference with the House 
thereon, and the Chair was authorized to appoint the following 
conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators Specter, Cochran, Gregg, 
Craig, Hutchison, Stevens, DeWine, Shelby, Domenici, Harkin, Inouye, 
Reid, Kohl, Murray, Landrieu, Durbin, and Byrd.         
Pages S13291-92
Military Construction/Veterans Affairs' Appropriations Conference 
Report: By unanimous consent, Senate agreed to the conference report to 
accompany H.R. 2528, making appropriations for military quality of life 
functions of the Department of Defense, military construction, the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, clearing the measure for the President.
                                                            Page S13329
Transportation/Treasury/HUD/DC Appropriations--Conference Report: By a 
modified unanimous consent agreement, notwithstanding the adjournment 
of the Senate, Senate agreed to the conference report to accompany 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, clearing the measure for the President.           
  Page S13418
Enrollment Resolution--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that notwithstanding the adjournment of the Senate, 
that when the Senate receives from the House of Representatives a 
correcting resolution relating to the conference report to accompany 
H.R. 3058 (listed above), the text of which is identical to the 
concurrent resolution at the desk, the concurrent resolution be 
considered agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table.                                                      
  Page S13418
Signing Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that during this adjournment of the Senate, the Majority 
Leader, the Assistant Majority Whip, and Senator Warner, be authorized 
to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions.           
  Page S13418
Authority for Committees: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that notwithstanding the adjournment of the Senate, all 
committees were authorized to file legislative and executive matters on 
Thursday, December 8, 2005, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon.     
  Page S13418
Authorizing Leadership to Make Appointments--Agreement: A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing that notwithstanding the 
adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the President 
Pro Tempore, and the Majority and Minority 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 S13418
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following Nominations:
  Patricia Lynn Scarlett, of California, to be Deputy Secretary of the 
Interior.
  Ronald L. Schlicher, of Tennessee, to be Ambassador to the Republic 
of Cyprus. (Prior to this action, Committee on Foreign Relations was 
discharged from further consideration.)
  Alejandro Daniel Wolff, of California, to be the Deputy 
Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, 
with the rank and status of Ambassador, and the Deputy Representative 
of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United 
Nations. (Prior to this action, Committee on Foreign Relations was 
discharged from further consideration.)
  Alejandro Daniel Wolff, of California, a Career Member of the Senior 
Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Representative of 
the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of 
the United Nations, during his tenure of service as Deputy 
Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations. 
(Prior to this action, Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged 
from further consideration.)
  Carol van Voorst, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Iceland. (Prior to this action, Committee on Foreign Relations was 
discharged from further consideration.)
  Ross Wilson, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey. 
(Prior to this action, Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged 
from further consideration.)
  Donald M. Payne, of New Jersey, to be a Representative of the United 
States of America to the Sixtieth Session of the General Assembly of 
the United Nations. (Prior to this action, Committee on Foreign 
Relations was discharged from further consideration.)

[[Page D1247]]


  Edward Randall Royce, of California, to be a Representative of the 
United States of America to the Sixtieth Session of the General 
Assembly of the United Nations. (Prior to this action, Committee on 
Foreign Relations was discharged from further consideration.)
  31 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  51 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  7 Coast Guard nominations in the rank of admiral.
  2 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard.
  Routine list in the Foreign Service. (Prior to this action, Committee 
on Foreign Relations was discharged from further consideration.) 
                                                        Pages S13424-25
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  David Longly Bernhardt, of Colorado, to be Solicitor of the 
Department of the Interior.
  Michael W. Michalak, of Michigan, a Career Member of the Senior 
Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, for the rank of 
Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Senior 
Official to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum.
  James D. McGee, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Union of Comoros.
                                                            Page S13424
Messages From the House:                                    
  Page S13357
Measures Held at Desk:                                      
  Page S13357
Enrolled Bills Presented:                                   
  Page S13357
Executive Communications:                               
  Pages S13358-60
Executive Reports of Committees:                            
  Page S13360
Additional Cosponsors:                                  
  Pages S13362-63
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:         
  Pages S13363-S13403
Additional Statements:                                  
  Pages S13354-57
Amendments Submitted:                                   
  Pages S13403-07
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                         
  Page S13407
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--350) 
                                                   Pages S13287, S13291
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9 a.m. and, pursuant to the provisions 
of H. Con. Res. 307, adjourned at 6:19 p.m., until 2 p.m., on Monday, 
December 12, 2005. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting 
Majority Leader in today's Record on page S13424.)