[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D564-D566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Wednesday, April 25, 2007

[[Page D564]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      The House agreed to the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 1591, 
      U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq 
      Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S5013-S5121
Measures Introduced: Twenty-one bills and three resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 1204-1224, S.J. Res. 12, and S. Res. 171-
172.
  Pages S5085-86
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Further Revised Allocation to Subcommittees 
of Budget Totals for Fiscal Year 2007''. (S. Rept. No. 110-56)
  S. Res. 116, designating May 2007 as ``National Autoimmune Diseases 
Awareness Month'' and supporting efforts to increase awareness of 
autoimmune diseases and increase funding for autoimmune disease 
research.
  S. Res. 125, designating May 18, 2007, as ``Endangered Species Day'', 
and encouraging the people of the United States to become educated 
about, and aware of, threats to species, success stories in species 
recovery, and the opportunity to promote species conservation 
worldwide.
  S. Res. 146, designating June 20, 2007, as ``American Eagle Day'', 
and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the American bald 
eagle, the national symbol of the United States.
  S. Res. 162, commemorating and acknowledging the dedication and 
sacrifice made by the men and women who have lost their lives while 
serving as law enforcement officers.
Pages S5084-85
Measures Passed:
  America COMPETES Act: By 88 yeas and 8 nays (Vote No. 146), Senate 
passed S. 761, to invest in innovation and education to improve the 
competitiveness of the United States in the global economy, and after 
taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                         Pages S5020-72
Adopted:
  Bingaman (for McCaskill/DeMint) Modified Amendment No. 931, to 
provide for a review by the Comptroller General of the activities, 
grants, and programs carried out under the Act.
Pages S5030-31
  Bingaman (for Obama) Modified Amendment No. 923, to expand the 
pipeline of individuals entering the science, technology, engineering, 
and mathematics fields to support United States innovation and 
competitiveness.
Pages S5030-31
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that 
notwithstanding adoption of the Obama Amendment No. 923 as modified, 
that the DeMint Amendment No. 929 agreed to on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, 
still be in order.
Page S5045
  Bingaman (for Snowe/Kohl) Amendment No. 941, to clarify the types of 
expenses available to Regional Centers under the Hollings Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership program in meeting their non-Federal funding 
commitment.
Pages S5030-31
  Bingaman (for Levin/Voinovich) Amendment No. 960, to include the 
Great Lakes in research, development, and science education programs of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Pages S5030-31
  Bingaman (for Obama) Modified Amendment No. 905, to require the 
Director of Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education to 
establish a program to recruit and provide mentors for women and 
underrepresented minorities who are interested in careers in 
mathematics, science, and engineering.
Pages S5033-34
  Inhofe Modified Amendment No. 955, to protect American 
competitiveness.
Pages S5033, S5046
  Kohl Amendment No. 942, to increase the amounts authorized to be 
appropriated for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program. 
                                                  Pages S5045-46, S5057

[[Page D565]]


  Bingaman (for Grassley) Modified Amendment No. 915, to modify 
provisions relating to the advanced placement and international 
baccalaureate program.
                                                         Pages S5057-58
  Bingaman (for Grassley) Modified Amendment No. 916, to modify 
provisions relating to the summer institutes program.
                                                         Pages S5057-58
  Bingaman (for Obama) Modified Amendment No. 924, to establish summer 
term education programs.
                                                         Pages S5057-59
  Bingaman (for Menendez) Modified Amendment No. 926, to establish a 
laboratory science pilot program at the National Science Foundation. 
                                                         Pages S5057-59
  Bingaman (for Coleman/Pryor) Modified Amendment No. 944, to provide 
for mathematics and science partnership bonus grants.
                                                         Pages S5057-59
  Bingaman (for Baucus) Amendment No. 950, to provide that 21st century 
learning skills are included in the alignment of education programs. 
                                                         Pages S5057-60
  Bingaman (for Baucus) Amendment No. 951, to allow distance learning 
projects as an optional activity for the foreign language partnership 
program.
                                                         Pages S5057-60
  Bingaman (for Baucus) Modified Amendment No. 952, to require the 
Secretary of Commerce to collect data and conduct a study relating to 
export and import of services.
                                                         Pages S5057-60
  Bingaman (for Hatch) Modified Amendment No. 957, to improve the 
provisions relating to eligible recipients in a program designed to 
prepare teachers for a competitive tomorrow.
                                                         Pages S5057-60
  Bingaman (for Dorgan) Amendment No. 958, to provide for a feasibility 
study with regard to a free online college degree program. 
                                                         Pages S5057-60
  Bingaman (for Murray) Modified Amendment No. 965, to improve 
mathematics instruction.
                                                         Pages S5057-62
  Bingaman (for Feingold) Modified Amendment No. 970, to amend the data 
privacy provisions regarding statewide P-16 education data systems. 
                                                         Pages S5057-63
  Bingaman (for Landrieu) Amendment No. 975, to require the Secretary 
of Energy, acting through the Director of Mathematics, Science, and 
Engineering Education, to provide grants to States to assist the States 
in establishing or expanding programs to enhance the quality of science 
education in elementary schools with respect to conventional and 
emerging energy sources and uses.
                                                         Pages S5057-63
  Bingaman (for Murray) Amendment No. 977, to encourage members of 
the Armed Forces to participate in programs for master's degrees in 
mathematics, science, or critical foreign languages education. 
                                                         Pages S5057-63
  Bingaman (for Alexander/Bingaman) Amendment No. 980, to express 
the sense of Senate regarding policies related to deemed export 
control.
                             Pages S5057-63
  Bingaman (for Crapo/Schumer) Amendment No. 956, to express the 
sense of the Senate regarding concerns that United States capital 
markets are losing their competitive edge in intensifying global 
competition, and to recommend that Congress and the Administration 
take the necessary steps to reclaim the preeminent position of the 
Untied States in the global financial services marketplace. 
                                                             Page S5064
  Bingaman (for Snowe) Amendment No. 973, to include the 
Administrator of the Small Business Administration on the 
President's Council on Innovation and Competitiveness.
                               Page S5068
  By 82 yeas and 14 nays (Vote No. 145), Coburn Amendment No. 922, 
to promote transparency at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
                         Pages S5047-52, S5066
Rejected:
  By 24 yeas and 74 nays (Vote No. 141), Bingaman (for Sununu) 
Amendment No. 938, to strike the provisions regarding strengthening the 
education and human resources directorate of the National Science 
Foundation.
Pages S5020-23
  By 22 yeas to 71 nays (Vote No. 142), DeMint Amendment No. 930, to 
prohibit congressional earmarks of funds appropriated pursuant to 
authorizations in the bill.
Pages S5029-30, S5056-57
  By 27 yeas and 67 nays (Vote No. 143), Coburn Amendment No. 918, to 
provide a sunset date.
Pages S5046-47, S5057
  By 39 yeas and 57 nays (Vote No. 144), Coburn Amendment No. 921, to 
discontinue the Advanced Technology Program of the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology.
Pages S5052-56, S5063-64
Withdrawn:
  Bingaman (for Sanders) Amendment No. 936, to increase the 
competitiveness of American workers through the expansion of employee 
ownership.
Page S5023
  Grassley Amendment No. 914, to increase the fee to be paid by 
employers of H-1B nonimmigrants and to set aside 25 percent of such 
fees to improve programs and projects for gifted and talented students.
                                                         Pages S5034-35
  Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the Settlement of Jamestown: 
Senate agreed to S. Res. 172, commemorating the 400th anniversary of 
the settlement of Jamestown.
  Pages S5120-21
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report--Agreement: A 
unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that Senate begin 
consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 1591, making 
emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending 
September 30,

[[Page D566]]

2007, at 10 a.m., on Thursday, April 26, 2007, regardless of whether 
the Senate has received the papers from the House of Representatives, 
that the time until 12:45 p.m., be equally divided between the two 
Leaders, or their designees, and that Senate vote, provided that the 
message has been received in the Senate, on adoption of the conference 
report at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, 2007.
  Page S5120
Messages From the House:
  Page S5080
Measures Referred:
  Page S5080
Petitions and Memorials:
  Pages S5083-84
Executive Communications:
  Pages S5080-83
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S5085
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S5086-88
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S5088-S5112
Additional Statements:
  Pages S5079-80
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S5112-19
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Pages S5119-20
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--146) 
                          Pages S5023, S5057, S5063-64, S5066, S5068-69
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 7:08 p.m., 
until 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, 2007. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S5121.)