[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 87 (Thursday, June 29, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D729-D731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                            Thursday, June 29, 2006

[[Page D729]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed S. 3569, U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement.
      Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 440, Adjournment Resolution.
      The House passed H.R. 5672--Science, State, Justice, Commerce, 
      and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007.
      House Committees ordered reported 10 sundry measures.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S6729-S7260
Measures Introduced: Thirty-four bills and four resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 3596-3629, S.J. Res. 40, and S. Res. 524-
526.
  Pages S6786-87
Measures Reported:
  S. 2023, to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to improve that Act, 
with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-272)
  H.R. 5441, making appropriations for the Department of Homeland 
Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-273)
  H.R. 5427, making appropriations for energy and water development for 
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-274)
  H.R. 5386, making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 2007, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  S. Res. 460, expressing the sense of the Senate that the United 
States should increase its support to the people of Somalia in their 
efforts to end decades of violence, establish lasting peace, form a 
democratically elected and stable central government, and become an 
effective partner in eradicating radicalism and terrorism from their 
country and the region.
  S. 1554, to establish an intergovernmental grant program to identify 
and develop homeland security information, equipment, capabilities, 
technologies, and services to further the homeland security of the 
United States and to address the homeland security needs of Federal, 
State, and local governments, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.
  S. Con. Res. 105, commending the Government of Canada for its renewed 
commitment to the Global War on Terror in Afghanistan.
Pages S6783-84
Measures Passed:
  U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement: By 60 yeas to 34 nays (Vote No. 190), 
Senate passed S. 3569, to implement the United States-Oman Free Trade 
Agreement.
  Pages S6746-70
  Adjournment Resolution: Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 440, providing 
for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a 
conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate.
  Page S7176
  Printing Authority: Senate passed S.J. Res. 40, authorizing the 
printing and binding of a supplement to, and revised edition of, Senate 
Procedure.
  Page S7176
  Louis Braille Bicentennial--Braille Literacy Commemorative Coin Act: 
Senate passed S. 2321, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint 
coins in commemoration of Louis Braille.
  Pages S7176-78
  Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act: Senate passed S. 811, to 
require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of 
the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.
  Pages S7178-80
  Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy 
Promotion Act: Senate passed S. 2125, to promote relief, security, and 
democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after agreeing to 
the following amendment proposed thereto:
  Pages S7178-80

[[Page D730]]


  McConnell (for Obama) Amendment No. 4545, to make certain 
improvements to the bill.
Pages S7178-79
  Recognizing the FDA: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions was discharged from further consideration of H. Con. Res. 426, 
recognizing the Food and Drug Administration of the Department of 
Health and Human Services on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of 
the passage of the Food and Drugs Act for the important service it 
provides to the Nation, and the resolution was then agreed to. 
                                                         Pages S7180-81
  Job Training Improvement Act: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 27, to 
enhance the workforce investment system of the Nation by strengthening 
one-stop career centers, providing for more effective governance 
arrangements, promoting access to a more comprehensive array of 
employment, training, and related services, establishing a targeted 
approach to serving youth, and improving performance accountability, 
and the bill was then passed, after striking all after the enacting 
clause and inserting in lieu thereof the text of S. 1021, Senate 
companion measure, agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of 
a substitute, and the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                      Pages S7181-S7257
  McConnell (for Enzi) Amendment No. 4546, in the nature of a 
substitute.
Pages S7181-S7219
  Subsequently, S. 1021 was returned to the Senate calendar. 
                                                             Page S7219
Stem Cell Research Legislation--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that at a time determined by the 
Majority Leader, after consultation with the Democratic Leader, Senate 
begin consideration en bloc of H.R. 810, to amend the Public Health 
Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research, and S. 
2754, to derive human pluripotent stem cell lines using techniques that 
do not knowingly harm embryos, and S. 3504, to amend the Public Health 
Service Act to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of tissue from 
fetuses gestated for research purposes, that both bills be discharged 
from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; that 
there be 12 hours of debate equally divided between the Majority and 
Democratic Leaders, or their designees; that no amendments be in order 
to any of the bills; that following the use, or yielding back of time, 
the bills be read a third time, respectively, and the Senate begin 
three consecutive votes on final passage of the bills in the following 
order: S. 3504, S. 2754, and H.R. 810; provided further, that any bill 
that does not receive 60 votes in the affirmative have its votes on 
passage be vitiated, and that those bills be returned to the calendar 
or to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and that 
it not be in order for the Senate to consider any bill or amendment 
relating to stem cell research during the remainder of the 109th 
Congress.
  Pages S7169-73
Pearce Nomination--Referral: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that the nomination of Drue Pearce, of Alaska, to be the 
Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, be 
discharged from the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation 
and be referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. 
                                                             Page S7176
Signing Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that during this adjournment of the Senate, the Majority 
Whip, and Senators Warner and Allen, be authorized to sign duly 
enrolled bills or joint resolutions.
  Page S7176
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 S7176
Homeland Security Appropriations--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that at 3 p.m. on Monday, July 10, 
2006, Senate begin consideration of H.R. 5441, making appropriations 
for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2007.
  Page S7257
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Michael L. Dominguez, of Virginia, to be Deputy Under Secretary of 
Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
  James B. Gulliford, of Missouri, to be Assistant Administrator for 
Toxic Substances of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  Michael E. Ranneberger, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic 
of Kenya.
  Robert D. McCallum, Jr., of Georgia, to be Ambassador to Australia.
  Jonann E. Chiles, of Arkansas, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 
13, 2008.

[[Page D731]]


  Daniel L. Cooper, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary for Benefits 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs for a term of four years.
  Eric M. Bost, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Republic of South 
Africa.
  John Clint Williamson, of Louisiana, to be Ambassador at Large for 
War Crimes Issues.
  Leslie V. Rowe, of Washington, to be Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, 
and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as 
Ambassador to the Solomon Islands and Ambassador to the Republic of 
Vanuatu.
  Gaddi H. Vasquez, of California, for the rank of Ambassador during 
his tenure of service as U.S. Representative to the United Nations 
Agencies for Food and Agriculture.
  Steven C. Preston, of Illinois, to be Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration.
  W. Stuart Symington IV, of Missouri, to be Ambassador to the Republic 
of Djibouti.
  Gayleatha Beatrice Brown, of New Jersey, to be Ambassador to the 
Republic of Benin.
  Peter R. Coneway, of Texas, to be Ambassador to Switzerland, and to 
serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to 
the Principality of Liechtenstein.
  Clifford M. Sobel, of New Jersey, to be Ambassador to the Federative 
Republic of Brazil.
  Robert O. Blake, Jr., of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Democratic 
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and to serve concurrently and without 
additional compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of Maldives.
  Thomas C. Foley, of Connecticut, to be Ambassador to Ireland.
  1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general.
  2 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  2 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy. 
                                                  Pages S7173-76, S7259
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Bruce I. Knight, of South Dakota, to be Under Secretary of 
Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
  Bruce I. Knight, of South Dakota, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Commodity Credit Corporation.
  Frank R. Jimenez, of Florida, to be General Counsel of the Department 
of the Navy.
  Charles E. McQueary, of North Carolina, to be Director of Operational 
Test and Evaluation, Department of Defense.
  Frederic S. Mishkin, of New York, to be a Member of the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System for the unexpired term of 
fourteen years from February 1, 2000.
  Edmund C. Moy, of Wisconsin, to be Director of the Mint for a term of 
five years.
  Nathaniel F. Wienecke, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Commerce.
  Donald C. Johnson, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Equatorial Guinea.
  Peter D. Keisler, of Maryland, to be United States Circuit Judge for 
the District of Columbia Circuit.
  17 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  2 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Navy.
Pages S7258-59
Messages From the House:
  Pages S6781-82
Measures Referred:
  Page S6782
Measures Placed on Calendar:
  Page S6782
Executive Communications:
  Pages S6782-83
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Pages S6784-86
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S6787-88
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S6788-S6812
Additional Statements:
  Pages S6779-81
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S6812-52
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:
  Pages S6852-53
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Page S6853
Privileges of the Floor:
  Pages S6853-54
Text of S. 2766, S. 2767, S. 2768, S. 2769, H.R. 5122, as previously 
passed
  Pages S6854-S7169
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--190) 
                                                             Page S6763
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and, pursuant to the 
provisions of H. Con. Res 440, adjourned at 7 p.m., until 2 p.m., on 
Monday, July 10, 2006. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the 
Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S7258.)