[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 12, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D756-D758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Wednesday, July 12, 2006

[[Page D756]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      House Committees ordered reported 8 sundry measures.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S7361-S7450
Measures Introduced: Twelve bills and two resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 3639-3650, S. Res. 527, and S. Con. Res. 108. 
                                                             Page S7415
Measures Reported: Report to accompany S. 3524, to amend titles XVIII, 
XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act to improve health care provided 
to Indians under the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health 
Insurance Programs. (S. Rept. No. 109-278)
  S. 2832, to reauthorize and improve the program authorized by the 
Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965. (S. Rept. No. 109-279) 
                                                             Page S7415
Measures Passed:
  Condemning Terrorist Attacks: Senate agreed to S. Res. 527, 
condemning in the strongest terms the July 11, 2006, terrorist attacks 
in India and expressing sympathy and support for the families of the 
deceased victims and wounded as well as steadfast support to the 
Government of India as it seeks to reassure and protect the people of 
India and to bring the perpetrators of this despicable act of terrorism 
to justice.                                                  
  Page S7441
  Printing Authority: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 108, authorizing 
the printing of a revised edition of a pocket version of the United 
States Constitution, and other publications.             
  Pages S7441-42
  National Veterans Awareness Week: Committee on the Judiciary was 
discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 507, designating the 
week of November 5 through November 11, 2006, as ``National Veterans 
Awareness Week'' to emphasize the need to develop educational programs 
regarding the contributions of veterans to the country, and the 
resolution was then agreed to.                               
  Page S7742
  National Mammography Day: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged 
from further consideration of S. Res. 508, designating October 20, 
2006, as ``National Mammography Day'', and the resolution was then 
agreed to.                                                   
  Page S7742
  National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day: Committee on 
the Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 499, 
designating September 9, 2006, as ``National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum 
Disorders Awareness Day'', and the resolution was then agreed to. 
                                                         Pages S7742-43
  Commemorating 50th Anniversary of U.S. National Motto: Committee on 
the Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of S. Con. Res. 
96, to commemorate, celebrate, and reaffirm the national motto of the 
United States on the 50th anniversary of its formal adoption, and the 
resolution was then agreed to.                           
  Pages S7743-44
  Louis Braille Bicentennial--Braille Literacy Commemorative Coin Act: 
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs was discharged from 
further consideration of H.R. 2872, to require the Secretary of the 
Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of Louis Braille, and the bill 
was then passed, clearing the measure for the President.     
  Page S7444
Homeland Security Appropriations: Senate continued consideration of 
H.R. 5441, making appropriations for the Department of Homeland 
Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, taking action 
on the following amendments proposed thereto:         
  Pages S7366-S7407
Adopted:
  Bingaman Amendment No. 4591, to provide financial aid to local law 
enforcement officials along the Nation's borders.        
Pages S7367-68
  Coburn Amendment No. 4562, to require that any limitation, directive, 
or earmarking contained in either the House of Representatives or 
Senate report accompanying this bill be included in the conference

[[Page D757]]

report or joint statement accompanying the bill in order to be 
considered as having been approved by both Houses of Congress. 
                                                         Pages S7368-69
  Coburn Amendment No. 4561, to require that reports required in the 
bill to be submitted to the Committee on Appropriations and the 
Department of Homeland Security's annual justifications of the 
President's budget request shall be posted on the Department of 
Homeland Security's public Web site not later than 48 hours after such 
submission unless information in the report compromises national 
security.                                                
Pages S7369-70
  Coburn Amendment No. 4590, to make appropriations available for the 
Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Homeland Security to 
ensure compliance with the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 
(31 U.S.C. 3321 note).                                   
Pages S7373-74
  Coburn Modified Amendment No. 4585, to prohibit the use of funds 
available to the Coast Guard for operating expenses for the 
continuation of operations of Long Range Aids to Navigation stations 
nationwide, except in Alaska, far northwest, and far northeast 
Continental United States of America.   
Pages S7370-73, S7374-77, S7382
  Gregg (for Lautenberg) Amendment No. 4558, to prohibit the 
expenditure of appropriated funds to enforce or comply with the 
limitation on the number of Transportation Security Administration 
employees.                                                   
Page S7387
  Gregg (for Salazar) Amendment No. 4554, to require the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to prepare a report on the conduct of activities to 
achieve communications interoperability.                     
Page S7387
  Gregg (for Kerry) Amendment No. 4552, to repeal the Transportation 
Security Administration's exemption from Federal procurement law. 
                                                             Page S7387
  Gregg (for Feingold/Sununu) Amendment No. 4569, to require reports to 
Congress on the Department of Homeland Security's use of data-mining. 
                                                             Page S7387
  Gregg (for Byrd) Amendment No. 4614, to establish procedures for 
grants for State and local programs.                     
Pages S7389-90
  Byrd Amendment No. 4620, to ensure adequate safety at high-risk 
chemical facilities.                                 
Pages S7388, S3790
  Baucus Modified Amendment No. 4621, to require the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to conduct tests of unmanned aerial vehicles for 
border surveillance along the border between Canada and the United 
States.                                        
Pages S7388-89, S7390-91
Withdrawn:
  Coburn Amendment No. 4589, to reduce appropriations available for 
certain training, exercises, technical assistance, and other programs. 
                                                     Pages S7373, S7384
Pending:
  Feinstein Amendment No. 4556, to amend chapter 27 of title 18, United 
States Code, to prohibit the unauthorized construction, financing, or, 
with reckless disregard, permitting the construction or use on one's 
land, of a tunnel or subterranean passageway between the United States 
and another country and to direct the United States Sentencing 
Commission to modify the sentencing guidelines to account for such 
prohibition.                                         
Pages S7366, S7399
  Thune/Talent Amendment No. 4610, to establish a program to use 
amounts collected from violations of the corporate average fuel economy 
program to expand infrastructure necessary to increase the availability 
of alternative fuels.                                    
Pages S7384-86
  Vitter Amendment No. 4615, to prohibit the confiscation of a firearm 
during an emergency or major disaster if the possession of such firearm 
is not prohibited under Federal or State law.                
Page S7386
  Menendez Modified Amendment No. 4634, to provide that appropriations 
under this Act may not be used for the purpose of providing certain 
grants, unless all such grants meet certain conditions for allocation. 
                                                      Pages S7399-S7401
  During consideration of this measure today, the Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 50 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 194), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974, as made effective by section 7035(a) of P.L. 109-234, with 
respect to Biden Amendment No. 4553, to increase amounts for the rail 
and transit security grant programs. Subsequently, the point of order 
that the amendment would increase mandatory spending, was sustained, 
and the amendment thus fell.            
Pages S7377-81, S7382-84, S7387
  By 47 yeas to 53 nays (Vote No. 195), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95, 
Congressional Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2006, with respect to 
the emergency designation provision in Clinton Amendment No. 4576, to 
restore funding to States and local governments for terrorism 
prevention activities in the Homeland Security Grant Program to fiscal 
year 2005 levels. Subsequently, a point of order that the emergency 
designation provision would violate section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 was 
sustained and the provision was stricken. Also, the Chair sustained a 
point of order that the amendment would exceed the subcommittee's 
302(b) allocation, as made effective by section 7035(a) of P.L. 109-
234, and the amendment thus falls.      
Pages S7391-95, S7396-97, S7398

[[Page D758]]


  By 50 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 196), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95, 
Congressional Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2006, with respect to 
the emergency designation provision in Schumer Amendment No. 4587, to 
increase the amount appropriated for transit security grants by 
$300,000,000. Subsequently, a point of order that the emergency 
designation provision would violate section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 was 
sustained and the provision was stricken. Also, the Chair sustained a 
point of order that the amendment would exceed the subcommittee's 
302(b) allocation, as made effective by section 7035 of P.L. 109-234, 
and the amendment thus falls.        
Pages S7395-96, S7397-98, S7398-99
  Chair sustained a point of order against Cornyn Amendment No. 4577 
(to Amendment No. 4556), to provide for immigration injunction reform, 
as being in violation of Rule XVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
which prohibits legislation on appropriations matters, and the 
amendment thus fell.                                 
Pages S7367, S7399
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, July 
13, 2006.                                                    
Page S7444
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Philip S. Goldberg, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to the 
Republic of Bolivia.
  John C. Rood, of Arizona, to be an Assistant Secretary of State 
(International Security and Non-Proliferation).
  Henry M. Paulson, Jr., of New York, to be United States Governor of 
the International Monetary Fund for a term of five years; United States 
Governor of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 
for a term of five years; United States Governor of the Inter-American 
Development Bank for a term of five years; United States Governor of 
the African Development Bank for a term of five years; United States 
Governor of the Asian Development Bank; United States Governor of the 
African Development Fund; United States Governor of the European Bank 
for Reconstruction and Development.
  5 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  2 Marine Corps nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Navy.            
Pages S7444-50
Messages From the House:                                     
  Page S7413
Measures Placed on Calendar:                                 
  Page S7413
Measures Read First Time:                                    
  Page S7413
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S7413-15
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S7415
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S7415-17
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S7417-26
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S7411-13
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S7426-40
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                      
  Pages S7440-41
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S7441
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--196) 
                                              Pages S7387, S7398, S7399
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 7:16 p.m., 
until 9 a.m., on Thursday, July 13, 2006. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S7444.)