[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 111 (Thursday, July 12, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D963-D965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                            Thursday, July 12, 2007

[[Page D963]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S9069-S9187
Measures Introduced: Fourteen bills and two resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 1772-1785, and S. Res. 269-270.   
  Page S9135
Measures Considered:
  National Defense Authorization Act: Senate continued consideration of 
H.R. 1585, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel, taking action on the following 
amendments proposed thereto:                          
  Pages S9076-S9124
Adopted:
  Levin (for Durbin) Amendment No. 2131 (to Amendment No. 2019), to 
require the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive plan for 
the provision to members of the Armed Forces with traumatic brain 
injury or post-traumatic stress disorder the services that best meet 
their individual needs.                                      
Page S9102
  Levin (for Graham) Amendment No. 2154 (to Amendment No. 2011), to 
improve the distribution of benefits under Traumatic Servicemembers' 
Group Life Insurance.                                        
Page S9103
  Levin (for Craig/Akaka) Amendment No. 2115 (to Amendment No. 2019), 
to require the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the Center of 
Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and 
Rehabilitation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder collaborates to the 
maximum extent practicable with the National Center for Post-Traumatic 
Stress Disorder of the Department of Veterans Affairs, institutions of 
higher education, and other appropriate public and private entities. 
                                                             Page S9103
  Levin (for Craig/Akaka) Amendment No. 2114 (to Amendment No. 2019), 
to require the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the Center of 
Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and 
Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury collaborates to the maximum 
extent practicable with the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and 
private entities.                                            
Page S9103
  Levin (for Lieberman) Amendment No. 2089 (to Amendment No. 2019), to 
require the development of a program on comprehensive pain management 
in the Center of Excellence in the Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, 
Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 
                                                             Page S9103
  Levin (for Lieberman) Amendment No. 2090 (to Amendment No. 2019), to 
require the development of a program on comprehensive pain management 
in the Center of Excellence in the Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, 
Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury. 
                                                         Pages S9103-04
  Levin (for Snowe) Amendment No. 2162 (to Amendment No. 2019), to 
prohibit upon appeal a reduction in disability rating once such rating 
has been assigned by an informal physical evaluation board of the 
Department of Defense.                                       
Page S9104
  By 90 yeas to 5 nays (Vote No. 245), Sessions Modified Amendment No. 
2024 (to Amendment No. 2011), to state the policy of the United States 
on the protection of the United States and its allies against Iranian 
ballistic missiles.                            
Pages S9076-79, S9112-13
  Levin (for Akaka) Amendment No. 2132, to provide and enhance 
rehabilitative treatment and services to veterans with traumatic brain 
injury and to improve health care and benefits programs for veterans. 
                                                             Page S9115
  Levin (for Nelson (NE)/Graham) Modified Amendment No. 2160 (to 
Amendment No. 2019), to provide extended benefits under the TRICARE 
program for the primary caregivers of members of the uniformed services 
who incur a serious injury or illness on active duty.        
Page S9115
  Levin (for Nelson (NE)/Graham) Modified Amendment No. 2159 (to 
Amendment No. 2019), to provide for the reimbursement of certain former 
members of the uniformed services with service-connected disabilities 
for follow-on specialty care and related services.           
Page S9115
  By a unanimous vote of 94 yeas (Vote No. 246), Levin Amendment No. 
2019 (to Amendment No.

[[Page D964]]

2011), to provide for the care and management of wounded warriors, as 
amended.                                    
Pages S9086-S9102, S9107-24
  Sununu Amendment No. 2184 (to Amendment No. 2135), of a perfecting 
nature.                                        
Pages S9113-16, S9919-24
Pending:
  Nelson (NE) (for Levin) Amendment No. 2011, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                            
Page S9076-S9124
  Nelson (FL) Amendment No. 2013 (to Amendment No. 2012), to change the 
enactment date.                                              
Page S9076
  Levin Amendment No. 2087 (to Amendment No. 2011), to provide for a 
reduction and transition of United States forces in Iraq. 
                                                     Pages S9076, S9079
  Reed Amendment No. 2088 (to Amendment No. 2087), to change the 
enactment date.                                              
Page S9076
  Cornyn Amendment No. 2100 (to Amendment No. 2011), to express the 
sense of the Senate that it is in the national security interest of the 
United States that Iraq not become a failed state and a safe haven for 
terrorists.                                              
Pages S9116-19
  Dorgan/Conrad Amendment No. 2135, relative to bringing Osama bin 
Laden and other leaders of al-Qaeda to justice.          
Pages S9117-19
  A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 9 a.m. on Friday, July 13, 
2007; that the time until 9:30 a.m. be for debate on Dorgan/Conrad 
Amendment No. 2135 (listed above), as amended, and that Senator Dorgan 
and Senator Sununu each control 10 minutes; provided further, Senate 
vote on or in relation to Dorgan/Conrad Amendment No. 2135 at 
approximately 9:30 a.m.                                      
Page S9186
Appointments:
  National Council on the Arts: The Chair, on behalf of the Majority 
Leader, pursuant to Public Law 105-83, announced the appointment of the 
following individual to serve as a member of the National Council on 
the Arts: Senator Whitehouse.
  British-American Interparliamentary Group: The Chair, on behalf of 
the President pro tempore, and upon the recommendation of the Majority 
Leader, pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2761, as amended, appointed the following 
Senator as a delegate of the Senate delegation to the British-American 
Interparliamentary Group conference during the 110th Congress: Senator 
Sanders.
  British-American Interparliamentary Group: The Chair, on behalf of 
the President pro tempore, and upon the recommendation of the 
Republican Leader, pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2761, as amended, appointed 
the following Senators as delegates to the British-American 
Interparliamentary Group conference during the 110th Congress: Senators 
Grassley, Shelby, and Gregg.
  Vietnam Education Foundation: The Chair, on behalf of the President 
pro tempore, and upon the recommendation of the Majority Leader, 
pursuant to Public Law 106-554, appointed Senator Webb to the Board of 
Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation.
  Senate National Security Working Group: The Chair announced, on 
behalf of the Republican Leader, pursuant to the provisions of S. Res. 
105 (adopted April 13, 1989), as amended by S. Res. 149 (adopted 
October 5, 1993), as amended by the Public Law 105-275, further amended 
by S. Res. 75 (adopted March 25, 1999), as amended by S. Res. 383 
(adopted October 27, 2000), and amended by S. Res. 355 (adopted 
November 13, 2002), and further amended by S. Res. 480 (adopted 
November 20, 2004), the appointment of the following Senator to serve 
as a member of the Senate National Security Working Group for the 110th 
Congress: Senator Coleman.                                   
  Page S9186
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, the initial assessment report relative 
to the Iraqi benchmarks; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations. (PM-20)                                           
Page S9129
Removal of Injunction of Secrecy: The injunction of secrecy was removed 
from the following treaty:
  International Convention for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism 
(Treaty Doc. No. 110-4).
  The treaty was transmitted to the Senate today, considered as having 
been read for the first time, and referred, with accompanying papers, 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed. 
                                                         Pages S9185-96
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Thomas P. O'Brien, of California, to be United States Attorney for 
the Central District of California for the term of four years.
  Edward Meacham Yarbrough, of Tennessee, to be United States Attorney 
for the Middle District of Tennessee for the term of four years vice 
James K. Vines, resigned.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Navy.            
Pages S9186-87
Executive Communications:                                    
  Page S9129
Petitions and Memorials:                                 
  Pages S9129-25
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S9135-38

[[Page D965]]

Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S9138-54
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S9127-28
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S9154-84
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                                
  Page S9184
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                      
  Pages S9184-85
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S9185
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--246) 
                                                  Pages S9112-13, S9116
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 7:06 p.m., 
until 9 a.m. on Friday, July 13, 2007. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S9186.)