[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 55 (Thursday, March 29, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D435-D438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Thursday, March 29, 2007

[[Page D435]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R 1591, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations.
      Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 103, Adjournment Resolution.
      The House agreed to H. Con. Res. 99, Revising the congressional 
      budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2007, 
      establishing the congressional budget for the United States 
      Government for fiscal year 2008, and setting forth appropriate 
      budgetary levels for fiscal years 2009 through 2012.
      The House agreed to H. Con. Res. 103, Adjournment Resolution.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S4081-S4229
Measures Introduced: Fifty-six bills and eight resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 30, and 1022-1076, S.J. Res. 11, S. Res. 
134-139, and S. Con. Res. 25.                            
  Pages S4159-61
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Legislative Activities Report of the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, 109th Congress''. (S. Rept. No. 110-40)
  Special Report entitled ``Report on the Activities of the Committee 
on Finance of the United States Senate During the 109th Congress''. (S. 
Rept. No. 110-41)
  S. 378, to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect judges, 
prosecutors, witnesses, victims, and their family members, with an 
amendment. (S. Rept. No. 110-42)
  S. Res. 30, expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the need for 
the United States to address global climate change through the 
negotiation of fair and effective international commitments.
  S. Res. 65, condemning the murder of Turkish Armenian journalist and 
human rights advocate Hrant Dink and urging the people of Turkey to 
honor his legacy of tolerance, with an amendment.
  S. Res. 76, calling on the United States Government and the 
international community to promptly develop, fund, and implement a 
comprehensive regional strategy in Africa to protect civilians, 
facilitate humanitarian operations, contain and reduce violence, and 
contribute to conditions for sustainable peace in eastern Chad, and 
Central African Republic, and Darfur, Sudan.
  S. 358, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic 
information with respect to health insurance and employment, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  S. 521, to designate the Federal building and United States 
courthouse and customhouse located at 515 West First Street in Duluth, 
Minnesota, as the ``Gerald W. Heany Federal Building and United States 
Courthouse and Customhouse''.
  S. 556, to reauthorize the Head Start Act, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute.
  S. 624, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide waivers 
relating to grants for preventive health measures with respect to 
breast and cervical cancers, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.
  S. 657, to amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements 
regarding trauma care, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  S. 801, to designate a United States courthouse located in Fresno, 
California, as the ``Robert E. Coyle United States Courthouse''.
  S. 845, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
expand and intensify programs with respect to research and related 
activities concerning elder falls, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                  
Page S4159
Measures Passed:
  Emergency Supplemental Appropriations: By 51 yeas and 47 nays (Vote 
No. 126), Senate passed

[[Page D436]]

H.R. 1591, making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2007, after taking action on the following 
amendments proposed thereto:                          
  Pages S4082-S4131
Adopted:
  Cochran (for Lugar) Amendment No. 690, to provide that, of the funds 
appropriated by this Act under the headings ``DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR 
PROGRAMS'' and ``ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND'' (except for the Community 
Action Program), up to $50,000,000 may be made available to support and 
maintain a civilian reserve corps.                           
Page S4082
  By a unanimous vote of 93 yeas (Vote No. 122), Ensign Modified 
Amendment No. 752, to provide additional funding for certain programs 
under the Adam Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act of 2006, by 
increasing funding for the United States Marshals Service to track down 
convicted sex offenders who have failed to register as a sex offender 
as required by law and by increasing funding for United States 
attorneys to prosecute child exploitation and child pornography cases 
as part of the Project Safe Childhood.                   
Pages S4082-83
  By a unanimous vote of 97 yeas (Vote No. 123), DeMint Amendment No. 
704, to prohibit the use of funds to make payments to certain spinach 
growers and first handlers.                              
Pages S4083-84
  Coburn Amendment No. 649, to remove a $2 million earmark for the 
University of Vermont.                               
Pages S4082, S4084
  Sanders Modified Amendment No. 737, to provide funds for the 
weatherization assistance program.                           
Page S4084
  By a unanimous vote of 98 yeas (Vote No. 124), Biden Amendment No. 
739, to appropriate an additional $1,500,000,000 for Procurement, 
Marine Corps, to accelerate the procurement of an additional 2,500 Mine 
Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles for the Armed Forces. 
                                                         Pages S4084-85
Withdrawn:
  Reid Amendment No. 823 (to Amendment No. 690), to establish the 
enactment date.                                              
Page S4082
  Obama Amendment No. 664, to appropriate an additional $58,000,000 for 
Defense Health Program for additional mental health and related 
personnel, an additional $10,000,000 for operation and maintenance for 
each of the military departments for improved physical disability 
evaluations of members of the Armed Forces, and an additional 
$15,000,000 for Defense Health Program for women's mental health 
services.                                                    
Page S4082
  Webb Amendment No. 692, to prohibit the use of funds for military 
operations in Iran.                                          
Page S4082
  Coburn Amendment No. 656, to require timely public disclosure of 
Government reports submitted to Congress.                    
Page S4082
  Coburn Amendment No. 717, to make certain provisions inapplicable. 
                                                             Page S4082
  Coburn Amendment No. 718, to make certain provisions inapplicable. 
                                                             Page S4082
During consideration of this measure today, the Senate also took the 
    following action:
  Chair sustained a point of order against section 1711 of the bill as 
added by Amendment No. 641 pursuant to the order of March 26, 2007 
whereby such amendment was considered adopted provided that no point of 
order be waived by that action, as being in violation of Rule XVI of 
the Standing Rules of the Senate, which prohibits legislation on an 
appropriation bill, and the section was stricken.        
Pages S4085-87
  By 57 yeas to 41 nays (Vote No. 125) Senate voted the language of 
section 431 of the bill as added by Amendment No. 641 pursuant to the 
order of March 26, 2007 whereby such amendment was considered adopted 
provided that no point of order be waived by that action germane and 
the point of order raised against the section fell.      
Pages S4087-88
  Chair sustained a point of order against section 3001 of the bill as 
added by Amendment No. 641 pursuant to the order of March 26, 2007 
whereby such amendment was considered adopted provided that no point of 
order be waived by that action, as being in violation of Rule XVI of 
the Standing Rules of the Senate, which prohibits legislation on an 
appropriation bill, and the section was stricken.            
Page S4088
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that Senator 
Graham be recorded as nay rather than yea, on Vote No. 118, changing 
the outcome of the vote to 74 yeas to 23 nays relative to Wyden 
Amendment No. 709 (adopted on March 28, 2007).               
Page S4087
  Senate insisted on its amendment, requested a conference with the 
House thereon, and the Chair was authorized to appoint the following 
conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators Byrd, Inouye, Leahy, 
Harkin, Mikulski, Kohl, Murray, Dorgan, Feinstein, Durbin, Johnson, 
Landrieu, Reed, Lautenberg, Nelson (NE), Cochran, Stevens, Specter, 
Domenici, Bond, Shelby, Gregg, Bennett, Craig, Hutchison, Brownback, 
Allard, Alexander, and Grassley.                             
Page S4146
  Genocide Accountability Act: Senate passed S. 888, to amend section 
1091 of title 18, United States Code, to allow the prosecution of 
genocide in appropriate circumstances.                   
  Pages S4148-50

[[Page D437]]

  Adjournment Resolution: Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 103, providing 
for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a 
conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate.             
  Page S4223
  Government of Iran: Senate agreed to S. Res. 136, expressing the 
sense of the Senate condemning the seizure by the Government of Iran of 
15 British naval personnel in Iraqi territorial waters, and calling for 
their immediate, safe, and unconditional release.            
  Page S4223
  National Asbestos Awareness Week: Committee on the Judiciary was 
discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 131, designating the 
first week of April 2007 as ``National Asbestos Awareness Week'', and 
the resolution was then passed.                          
  Pages S4223-24
  Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act: Senate passed H.R. 
727, to amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements 
regarding trauma care, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                             Page S4224
  National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program 
Reauthorization Act: Senate passed H.R. 1132, to amend the Public 
Health Service Act to provide waivers relating to grants for preventive 
health measures with respect to breast and cervical cancers, clearing 
the measure for the President.                           
  Pages S4224-25
  Edward William Brooke III Congressional Gold Medal Act: Committee on 
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs was discharged from further 
consideration of S. 682, to award a congressional gold medal to Edward 
William Brooke III in recognition of his unprecedented and enduring 
service to our Nation, and the bill was then passed.     
  Pages S4225-26
Stem Cell Bills--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement was 
reached providing that on Tuesday, April 10, 2007, Senate begin 
consideration of S. 5, to amend the Public Health Service Act to 
provide for human embryonic stem cell research, and S. 30, en bloc; 
that there be a limitation of 20 hours for concurrent debate on the 
bills; that the Majority Leader, the Republican Leader, Mr. Harkin, and 
Mr. Brownback, or their designees, each control 5 hours therein; that 
no amendments or motions be in order to either bill; that, upon 
conclusion of debate, the bills, en bloc, be read the third time; that 
at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation 
with the Republican Leader, Senate vote on final passage of the bills; 
that Senate first vote on passage of S. 5, and that there be 2 minutes, 
equally divided and controlled, for debate between the Majority and 
Republican Leaders, or their designees, between the votes; provided 
further, that if either bill fails to pass with a minimum of 60 yea 
votes, S. 5 be returned to the calendar, and S. 30 be placed on the 
calendar; and that, if either bill is passed, a motion to reconsider be 
deemed made and laid on the table.                   
  Pages S4221, S4227
Authorizing Leadership To Make Appointments--Agreement: A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing that notwithstanding the recess 
or adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the 
President of the Senate 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 S4226
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Roger Romulus Martella, Jr., of Virginia, to be Assistant 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  Margrethe Lundsager, of Virginia, to be United States Executive 
Director of the International Monetary Fund for a term of two years.
  Curtis S. Chin, of New York, to be United States Director of the 
Asian Development Bank, with the rank of Ambassador.
  Bradley Udall, of Colorado, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees 
of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence In National 
Environmental Policy Foundation for a term expiring October 6, 2012.
  John Wood, of Missouri, to be United States Attorney for the Western 
District of Missouri for the term of four years.
  Zalmay Khalilzad, of Maryland, 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 Representative of the United 
States of America to the United Nations.
  Zalmay Khalilzad, of Maryland, to be the Representative of the United 
States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of 
Ambassador, and the Representative of the United States of America in 
the Security Council of the United Nations.
  Ford M. Fraker, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia.
  Eli Whitney Debevoise II, of Maryland, to be United States Executive 
Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 
for a term of two years.
  S. Ward Casscells, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.

[[Page D438]]


  William Charles Ostendorff, of Virginia, to be Principal Deputy 
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration.
  3 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  10 Marine Corps nominations in the rank of general.
  3 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, Marine Corps, 
Navy.                                   
Pages S4221-22, S4227, S4228-29
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Jennifer Walker Elrod, of Texas, to be United States Circuit Judge 
for the Fifth Circuit.
  2 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  9 Coast Guard nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Navy.                      
Page S4228
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S4158
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S4158
Measures Held at the Desk:                                   
  Page S4221
Enrolled Bills Presented:                                    
  Page S4158
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S4158-59
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S4159
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S4161-63
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:           
  Pages S4163-S4219
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S4156-58
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                                
  Page S4219
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                      
  Pages S4291-20
Record Votes: Five record votes were taken today. (Total--126) 
                                Pages S4083, S4084, S4085, S4088, S4093
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9 a.m, on Thursday, March 29, 2007, and 
adjourned pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 103, at 6:22 p.m, 
until 10 a.m., on Tuesday, April 10, 2007. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S4227.)