[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 17 (Monday, February 13, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D86-D88]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Monday, February 13, 2006

[[Page D86]]


                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S1077-S1133
Measures Introduced: One and two resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 2277, and S.J. Res. 29-30.
  Page S1129
Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act: Senate resumed 
consideration of S. 852, to create a fair and efficient system to 
resolve claims of victims for bodily injury caused by asbestos 
exposure, taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                         Pages S1121-22
Pending:
  Frist (for Specter/Leahy) Amendment No. 2746, in the nature of a 
substitute.
Page S1121
  Specter Modified Amendment No. 2747 (to Amendment No. 2746), to 
provide guidelines in determining which defendant participants may 
receive inequity adjustments the Administrator shall give preference. 
                                                             Page S1121
  Kyl Amendment No. 2754 (to Amendment No. 2746), to reduce the impact 
of the trust fund on smaller companies and to expand hardship 
adjustments.
Page S1121
  Ensign point of order that the pending bill and the pending amendment 
in the nature of a substitute (Frist (for Specter/Leahy) Amendment No. 
2746 (listed above) violate section 407 of H. Con. Res. 95, the 
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Page S1121
  Specter motion to waive the point of order (listed above). 
                                                             Page S1121
  A motion was entered to close further debate on Frist (for Specter/
Leahy) Amendment No. 2746, in the nature of a substitute and, in 
accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of 
the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur on Wednesday, February 15, 
2006.
Pages S1121-22
  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 Wednesday, February 15, 
2006.
Page S1122
  Senate will continue consideration of the bill on Tuesday, February 
14, 2006.
Page S1122
Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act Motions to Instruct Conferees: 
Senate began consideration of the message of the House of 
Representatives to accompany H.R. 4297, to provide for reconciliation 
pursuant to section 201(b) of the concurrent resolution on the budget 
for fiscal year 2006, insisting on its amendment, agreeing to the 
request of the House for a conference, and taking action on the 
following motions to instruct conferees proposed thereto: 
                                                      Pages S1079-S1121
Adopted:
  By a unanimous vote of 92 yeas (Vote No.14), Grassley Motion to 
Instruct Conferees to insist that the final conference report include 
funding to support the health needs of America's veterans and military 
personnel contained in section 315 of the Senate amendment and the 
funding to strengthen America's military contained in title VI of the 
Senate amendment.
Page S1121
Rejected:
  By 40 yeas to 53 nays (Vote No. 15), Dodd Motion to Instruct 
Conferees to insist that the final conference report include funding to 
support the health needs of America's veterans and military personnel 
contained in section 315 of the Senate amendment instead of any 
extension of the tax breaks for capital gains and dividends for 
individuals with annual incomes greater than $1,000,000.
Page S1121
Pending:
  Kennedy Motion to Instruct Conferees to reject the extension of the 
capital gains and dividends rate reduction contained in section 203 of 
the bill as passed by the House of Representatives.
Pages S1083-90
  Reed Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final conference 
report include funding to strengthen America's military contained in 
title VI of the Senate amendment instead of any extension of the tax 
cuts for capital gains and dividends, which does not expire until 2009, 
contained in section 203 of the bill as passed by the House of 
Representatives.
Pages S1094-S1105
  Wyden Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report include a provision that

[[Page D87]]

repeals accelerated depreciation for geologic and geophysical costs for 
oil and gas exploration by the 5 major oil companies.
Pages S1105-07
  Obama Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report include tax relief for the most vulnerable members of 
our society, including the low-income victims of Hurricane Katrina and 
children in families that are too poor to benefit fully from the 
refundable child tax credit.
Pages S1107-10
  Hatch Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report include a permanent extension of the credit for 
increasing research activities (based on section 108 of the amendment 
passed by the Senate), in order to improve American competitiveness. 
                                                         Pages S1110-13
  DeWine Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report accept the veterans' mortgage bonds expansion 
provisions contained in section 303 of the bill as passed by the House 
of Representatives with such revisions as are necessary to provide 
veterans in all 50 States with access to lower-rate mortgages. 
                                                             Page S1113
  Reid (for Menendez) Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the 
final conference report include the Senate passed ``hold-harmless'' 
relief from the individual alternative minimum tax (AMT) in 2006, and 
does not include the extension of lower tax rates on capital gains and 
dividends.
Pages S1113-15
  Stabenow Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report include a permanent extension of the credit for 
increasing research activities, and to reject any extension of the tax 
rate for capital gains and dividends which does not expire until 2009. 
                                                         Pages S1115-16
  Grassley Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report include the ``hold-harmless'' relief from the 
individual alternative minimum tax in 2006 (sections 106 and 107 of the 
amendment passed by the Senate) to protect middle class families and 
includes an extension of lower tax rates on capital gains and dividends 
(based on section 203 of the bill passed by the House of 
Representatives) to protect tax cuts for middle class families. 
                                                         Pages S1116-17
  Grassley (for Lott) Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the 
final conference report include the repeal of the individual 
alternative minimum tax (based on sections 106 and 107 of the amendment 
passed by the Senate).
Page S1117
  Grassley (for Hutchison) Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that 
the final conference report include a permanent extension of the 
election to deduct State and local general sales taxes (based on 
section 105 of the amendment passed by the Senate).
Page S1117
  Grassley (for Santorum) Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that 
the final conference report include a permanent extension of the above-
the-line deduction for tuition and fees (based on section 103 of the 
amendment passed by the Senate).
Pages S1117-18
  Grassley Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report ensure that in 2009 and 2010, the international 
competitiveness of the United States in attracting capital investment, 
and therefore job creation, is not weakened further by a higher 
combined corporate and individual income tax rate on corporate and 
capital income as a result of a higher dividend tax rate.
Page S1118
  Grassley (for Talent/Snow/Lincoln) Motion to Instruct Conferees to 
insist that the final conference report include a permanent extension 
of the modifications to the child tax credit made by the Economic 
Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and 
Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.
Page S1118
  Lautenberg Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report does not increase the national debt of the United 
States.
Pages S1118-19
  Schumer Motion to Instruct Conferees to insist that the final 
conference report include the Senate-passed provision to extend the 
above-the-line deduction for tuition and fees through December 31, 2009 
(section 103), before it includes the House-passed extension of lower 
tax rates on capital gains and dividends (section 203), given budget 
constraints, noting that a conference report which maintains the 
tuition deduction will provide needed tax relief to more than 4,000,000 
American families each year that are struggling to keep pace with 
rising tuition costs.
Pages S1119-20
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that on Tuesday, 
February 14, 2006, at 9:45 a.m., Senate continue consideration of the 
House message to accompany H.R. 4297, that the only motions to instruct 
be those that are currently pending and that no other motions be in 
order; further, that no amendments be in order to the motions; provided 
further, that all remaining debate time under the statute be considered 
as having expired; further, that when the Senate begins to vote in 
relation to the motions, the Republican alternative amendments occur 
prior to the votes in relation to the Democratic amendments; provided 
further, that prior to the vote on Grassley motion and Kennedy motion 
on capital gains/dividend, there be 2 minutes per side for debate; 
further, that debate before all other votes be limited to 2 minutes 
equally divided and all votes after the first vote in the sequence be 
limited to 10 minutes each.
Page S1133

[[Page D88]]

Messages From the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, the Economic Report of the President 
dated February 2006 with the Annual Report of the Council of Economic 
Advisers for 2006; which was referred to the Joint Economic Committee. 
(PM-39).
Pages S1127-28
Appointments:
  National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission: 
The Chair, on behalf of the Majority Leader, pursuant to Public Law 
109-59, appointed the following individuals to serve as members of the 
National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission: 
Paul Weyrich of Virginia, and Patrick E. Quinn of Tennessee. 
                                                             Page S1133
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  James Lambright, of Missouri, to be President of the Export-Import 
Bank of the United States for a term expiring January 20, 2009.
  Dennis R. Spurgeon, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Energy (Nuclear Energy).
  Robert Irwin Cusick, Jr., of Kentucky, to be Director of the Office 
of Government Ethics for a term of five years.
  Donald J. DeGabrielle, Jr., of Texas, to be United States Attorney 
for the Southern District of Texas for the term of four years. 
                                                             Page S1133
Measures Placed on Calendar:
  Pages S1128, S1133
Executive Communications:
  Pages S1128-29
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S1129-30
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S1130-32
Additional Statements:
  Pages S1126-27
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:
  Page S1132
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Pages S1132-33
Privileges of the Floor:
  Page S1133
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--15). 
                                                             Page S1121
Adjournment: Senate convened at 12 noon, and adjourned at 9:58 p.m., 
until 9:45 a.m., on Tuesday, February 14, 2006. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S1133.)