[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 24, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1034-D1036]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                             Tuesday, July 24, 2007

[[Page D1034]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed S. 1642, Higher Education Amendments Act.
      Senate passed H.J. Res. 44, Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act 
      Renewal Approval.
      The House passed H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the 
      Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, 
      and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
      2008.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S9795-S9855
Measures Introduced: Ten bills and four resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 1859-1868, S. Res. 278-280, and S. Con. Res. 42. 
                                                         Pages S9831-32
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Further Revised Allocation to Subcommittees 
of Budget Totals from the Concurrent Resolution for Fiscal Year 2008''. 
(S. Rept. No. 110-133)
  S. 1859, making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2008. (S. Rept. No. 110-134)
  S. 423, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2007, the rates of 
compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the 
rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of 
certain disabled veterans. (S. Rept. No. 110-135)
  S. 1500, to support democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe. (S. Rept. 
No. 110-136)
  S.J. Res. 16, approving the renewal of import restrictions contained 
in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.
Page S9831
Measures Passed:
  Higher Education Amendments Act: By a unanimous vote of 95 yeas (Vote 
No. 275), Senate passed S. 1642, to extend the authorization of 
programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, agreeing to the 
committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and after taking 
action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                      Pages S9797-S9811
Adopted:
  By a unanimous vote of 93 yeas (Vote No. 274), Kennedy/Coburn 
Modified Amendment No. 2381 (to Amendment No 2369), to provide for a 
demonstration and certification regarding the use of certain Federal 
funds.
Pages S9797-S9811
  Coburn Amendment No. 2369, to certify that taxpayers' dollars and 
students' tuition support educational rather than lobbying activities. 
                                                      Pages S9797-S9811
During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
    following action:
  A unanimous-consent request was granted permitting Senator Landrieu 
to change her yea vote to a nay vote on Vote No. 273 changing the 
outcome of the vote to 37 yeas to 54 nays relative to Brown Amendment 
No. 2376, rejected on July 23, 2007.
Page S9811
  Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act Renewal Approval: By a vote of 93 
yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 276), Senate passed H.J. Res. 44, approving the 
renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and 
Democracy Act of 2003, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                         Pages S9819-22
  Second Higher Education Extension Act: Senate passed S. 1868, to 
temporarily extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
                                                             Page S9824
  Social Security Act Amendment: Committee on Finance was discharged 
from further consideration of H.R. 2429, to amend title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act to provide an exception to the 60-day limit on 
Medicare reciprocal billing arrangements between two physicians during 
the period in which one of the physicians is ordered to active duty as 
a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, and the

[[Page D1035]]

bill was then passed, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                             Page S9852
  Honoring the Life of Dame Lois Browne Evans: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
248, honoring the life and achievements of Dame Lois Browne Evans, 
Bermuda's first female barrister and Attorney General, and the first 
female Opposition Leader in the British Commonwealth.
  Pages S9852-53
  Expressing Appreciation for Donald Jeffry Herbert: Senate agreed to 
S. Res. 261, expressing appreciation for the profound public service 
and educational contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fondly known as 
``Mr. Wizard''.
  Pages S9852-53
  National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week: Senate agreed 
to S. Con. Res. 42, recognizing the need to pursue research into the 
causes, treatment, and eventual cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, 
supporting the designation of a National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis 
Awareness Week.
  Pages S9853-54
  Congratulating Anaheim Ducks: Senate agreed to S. Res. 280, 
congratulating the Anaheim Ducks for winning the 2007 Stanley Cup 
Championship.
  Page S9854
Measures Considered:
  Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act: Senate began 
consideration of H.R. 2638, making appropriations for the Department of 
Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, taking 
action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                               Pages S9811-19, S9823-24
Pending:
  Byrd/Cochran Amendment No. 2383, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                         Pages S9812-17
  Bingaman Amendment No. 2388 (to Amendment No. 2383), to provide 
financial aid to local law enforcement officials along the Nation's 
borders.
Pages S9823-24
During consideration of this measure, Senate also took the following 
    action:
  Senate sustained a point of order against Vitter Amendment No. 2384 
(to Amendment No. 2383), to allow for expanded uses of funding 
allocated to Louisiana under the hazard mitigation program while 
preserving the goals of the program to reduce future damage from 
disasters through mitigation, 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.
Page S9817
   A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 
July 25, 2007.
Page S9854
Nominations Reported: The following nominations were reported and 
placed on the Executive Calendar:
  Roslynn Renee Mauskopf, of New York, to be United States District 
Judge for the Eastern District of New York, which was sent to the 
Senate on January 9, 2007, from the Committee on the Judiciary.
  William Lindsay Osteen, Jr., of North Carolina, to be United States 
District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, which was 
sent to the Senate on January 9, 2007, from the Committee on the 
Judiciary.
  Martin Karl Reidinger, of North Carolina, to be United States 
District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina, which was 
sent to the Senate on January 9, 2007, from the Committee on the 
Judiciary.
  Timothy D. DeGiusti, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge 
for the Western District of Oklahoma, which was sent to the Senate on 
February 15, 2007, from the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Janis Lynn Sammartino, of California, to be United States District 
Judge for the Southern District of California, which was sent to the 
Senate on March 19, 2007, from the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Joe W. Stecher, of Nebraska, to be United States Attorney for the 
District of Nebraska for the term of four years, which was sent to the 
Senate on April 30, 2007, from the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Charles L. Hopkins, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs (Operations, Preparedness, Security and Law 
Enforcement), which was sent to the Senate on April 11, 2007, from the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Page S9831
Messages from the House:
  Page S9826
Measures Referred:
  Page S9827
Measures Placed on the Calendar:
  Page S9827
Enrolled Bills Presented:
  Page S9827
Executive Communications:
  Pages S9827-29
Petitions and Memorials:
  Pages S9829-31
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S9831
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S9832-34
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S9834-39
Additional Statements:
  Pages S9825-26
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S9839-51
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:
  Pages S9851-52
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Page S9852
Privileges of the Floor:
  Page S9852
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--276) 
                                                     Pages S9811, S9822

[[Page D1036]]

Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:45 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 25, 2007. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on pages S9854-
55.)