[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 125 (Wednesday, August 1, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1106-D1109]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Wednesday, August 1, 2007

[[Page D1106]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S10531-S10683
Measures Introduced: Twenty-four bills and four resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 1910-1933, and S. Res. 288-291. 
                                                        Pages S10604-05
Measures Reported:
  S. 793, to provide for the expansion and improvement of traumatic 
brain injury programs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
(S. Rept. No. 110-140)
  H.R. 1260, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 6301 Highway 58 in Harrison, Tennessee, as the 
``Claude Ramsey Post Office''.
  H.R. 1335, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 508 East Main Street in Seneca, South Carolina, as 
the ``S Sgt Lewis G. Watkins Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 1425, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 4551 East 52nd Street in Odessa, Texas, as the 
``Staff Sergeant Marvin ``Rex'' Young Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 1434, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 896 Pittsburgh Street in Springdale, Pennsylvania, 
as the ``Rachel Carson Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 1617, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 561 Kingsland Avenue in University City, Missouri, 
as the ``Harriett F. Woods Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 1722, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 601 Banyan Trail in Boca Raton, Florida, as the 
``Leonard W. Herman Post Office''.
  H.R. 2025, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 11033 South State Street in Chicago, Illinois, as 
the ``Willye B. White Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 2077, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 20805 State Route 125 in Blue Creek, Ohio, as the 
``George B. Lewis Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 2078, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 14536 State Route 136 in Cherry Fork, Ohio, as the 
``Staff Sergeant Omer T. `O.T.'' Hawkins Post Office'.
  H.R. 2127, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 408 West 6th Street in Chelsea, Oklahoma, as the 
``Clem Rogers McSpadden Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 2563, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 309 East Linn Street in Marshalltown, Iowa, as the 
``Major Scott Nisely Post Office''.
  H.R. 2570, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 301 Boardwalk Drive in Fort Collins, Colorado, as 
the ``Dr. Karl E. Carson Post Office Building''.
  S. 1011, to change the name of the National Institute on Drug Abuse 
to the National Institute on Diseases of Addiction and to change the 
name of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to the 
National Institute on Alcohol Disorders and Health, with an amendment.
  S. 1539, to designate the post office located at 309 East Linn 
Street, Marshalltown, Iowa, as the ``Major Scott Nisely Post Office''.
  S. 1596, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 103 South Getty Street in Uvalde, Texas, as the 
``Dolph S. Briscoe, Jr. Post Office Building''.
  S. 1693, to enhance the adoption of a nationwide interoperable health 
information technology system and to improve the quality and reduce the 
costs of health care in the United States, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute.
  S. 1732, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 301 Boardwalk Drive in Fort Collins, Colorado, as 
the ``Dr. Karl E. Carson Post Office Building''.
  S. 1772, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 127 South Elm Street in Gardner, Kansas, as the 
``Private First Class Shane R. Austin Post Office''.
  S. 1781, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 118 Minner Avenue in Bakersfield, California, as the 
``Buck Owens Post Office''.
  S. 1896, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 11 Central Street in

[[Page D1107]]

Hillsborough, New Hampshire, as the ``Officer Jeremy Todd Charron Post 
Office''.
  S. 1923, to authorize appropriations for assistance for the Housing 
Assistance Council, the Raza Development Fund, and for the Housing 
Partnership Network (HPN) and its members.
Pages S10603-04
Measures Passed:
  Safety of Seniors Act: Senate passed 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, 
after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute, and the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                        Pages S10676-78
  Casey (for Enzi/Mikulski) Amendment No. 2622, in the nature of a 
substitute.
Pages S10677-78
  National Peripheral Arterial Disease Awareness Month: Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions was discharged from further 
consideration of S. Res. 221, supporting National Peripheral Arterial 
Disease Awareness Month and efforts to educate people about peripheral 
arterial disease, and the resolution was then agreed to.
  Page S10678
  Honoring Coach Bill Walsh: Senate agreed to S. Res. 290, honoring the 
life and career of former San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Bill Walsh. 
                                                        Pages S10678-79
  National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week: Senate 
agreed to S. Res. 291, designating the week beginning September 9, 
2007, as ``National Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
Week''.
  Pages S10679-80
Measures Considered:
Small Business Tax Relief Act: Senate continued consideration of H.R. 
976, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief 
for small businesses, taking action on the following amendments 
proposed thereto:
  Pages S10537-92
Rejected:
  By 26 yeas to 58 nays (Vote No. 287), Grassley (for Ensign) Amendment 
No. 2538 (to Amendment No. 2530), to amend the Internal Revenue Service 
Code of 1986 to create a Disease Prevention and Treatment Research 
Trust Fund.
Pages S10537-40
  By 42 yeas to 53 nays (Vote No. 288), Gregg Amendment No. 2587 (to 
Amendment No. 2530), to limit the matching rate for coverage other than 
for low-income children or pregnant women covered through a waiver and 
to prohibit any new waivers for coverage of adults other than pregnant 
women.
Pages S10537, S10541-42
  By 32 yeas to 64 nays (Vote No. 289), Dole Amendment No. 2554 (to 
Amendment No. 2530), to amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to 
provide for a 60-vote point of order against legislation that includes 
a Federal excise tax rate increase which disproportionately affects 
taxpayers with earned income of less than 200 percent of the Federal 
poverty level.
Pages S10556-58, S10581
  Bunning Amendment No. 2547 (to Amendment No. 2530), to eliminate the 
exception for certain States to cover children under SCHIP whose income 
exceeds 300 percent of the Federal poverty level. (By 53 yeas to 43 
nays (Vote No. 290), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                     Pages S10537, S10577-78, S10581-82
  By 35 yeas to 61 nays (Vote No. 291), Lott Modified Amendment No. 
2593 (to Amendment No. 2530), of a perfecting nature. 
                             Pages S10542-44, S10575, S10589, S10582-83
  By 36 yeas to 60 (Vote No. 292), Kerry Modified Amendment No. 2602 
(to Amendment No. 2530), to provide sufficient funding and incentives 
to increase the enrollment of uninsured children. 
                                  Pages S10558-75, S10578-80, S10583-84
Pending:
  Baucus Amendment No. 2530, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                            Page S10537
  Dorgan Amendment No. 2534 (to Amendment No. 2530), to revise and 
extend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
Page S10537
  McConnell/Specter Amendment No. 2599 (to Amendment No. 2530), to 
express the sense of the Senate that Judge Leslie Southwick should 
receive a vote by the full Senate.
Pages S10544-56
  Thune Amendment No. 2579 (to Amendment No. 2530), to exclude 
individuals with alternative minimum tax liability from eligibility 
from SCHIP coverage.
Pages S10575-77
  Grassley (for Ensign) Amendment No. 2541 (to Amendment No. 2530), to 
prohibit a State from providing child health assistance or health 
benefits coverage to individuals whose family income exceeds 200 
percent of the Federal Poverty Level unless the State demonstrates that 
it has enrolled 95 percent of the targeted low-income children who 
reside in the State.
Pages S10537, S10580-81
  Grassley (for Ensign) Amendment No. 2540 (to Amendment No. 2530), to 
prohibit a State from using SCHIP funds to provide coverage for 
nonpregnant adults until the State first demonstrates that it has 
adequately covered targeted low-income children who reside in the 
State.
Pages S10580-81
  Grassley (for Graham) Amendment No. 2558 (to Amendment No. 2530), to 
sunset the increase in the tax on tobacco products on September 30, 
2012.
Pages S10584-86
  Grassley (for Kyl) Amendment No. 2537 (to Amendment No. 2530), to 
minimize the erosion of private health coverage. 
                                             Pages S10584-86, S10589-92

[[Page D1108]]


  Grassley (for Kyl) Amendment No. 2562 (to Amendment No. 2530), to 
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and modify the 15-
year straight-line cost recovery for qualified leasehold improvements 
and qualified restaurant improvements and to provide a 15-year 
straight-line cost recovery for certain improvements to retail space. 
                                                        Pages S10584-86
  Baucus (for Specter) Amendment No. 2557 (to Amendment No. 2530), to 
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reset the rate of tax under 
the alternative minimum tax at 24 percent.
                                                        Pages S10586-88
  Webb Amendment No. 2618 (to Amendment No. 2530), to eliminate the 
deferral of taxation on certain income of United States shareholders 
attributable to controlled foreign corporations.
                                                        Pages S10588-89
  A motion was entered to close further debate on Baucus Amendment No. 
2530, and, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur on Friday, 
August 3, 2007.
                                                            Page S10589
  A motion was entered to close further debate on the bill, and, in 
accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of 
the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur on Friday, August 3, 2007. 
                                                            Page S10589
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill upon disposition of the House message on S. 
1.
Page S10682
Appointments:
  Board of Visitors of the U.S. Military Academy: The Chair, on behalf 
of the Vice President, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 4355(a), appointed the 
following Senators to the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Military 
Academy: Senator Hutchison, from the Committee on Appropriations, 
Senator Landrieu, from the Committee on Appropriations, Senator Reed, 
designated by the Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, and 
Senator Collins, at Large.
Page S10676
  Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy: The Chair, on behalf of 
the Vice President, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 6968(a), appointed the 
following Senators to the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy: 
Senator Cochran, from the Committee on Appropriations, Senator 
Mikulski, from the Committee on Appropriations, Senator McCain, 
designated by the Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, and 
Senator Cardin, at Large.
Page S10676
FISA Legislation--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that when the Majority Leader, or his designee, introduces 
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) legislation, on Thursday, 
August 2, 2007, they be considered as having received their first 
reading on the Legislative day of Wednesday, August 1, 2007. 
                                                            Page S10680
Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act--Agreement: A 
unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at approximately 
9:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 2, 2007, Senate resume consideration of 
the amendment of the House to S. 1, to provide greater transparency in 
the legislative process; that there be two hours of debate prior to a 
vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the 
amendment of the House; provided further, that the Majority Leader and 
the Republican Leader be permitted to use their Leadership Time at the 
expiration of the two hours, with the Majority Leader speaking 
immediately prior to the vote on the motion to invoke cloture; provided 
further, that upon the use of all time, Senate to vote on the motion to 
invoke cloture.
  Page S10682
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  David C. Geary, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the National Board for Education Sciences for a term expiring 
November 28, 2010.
  Bijan Rafiekian, of California, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a term 
expiring January 20, 2011.
  Peter B. McCarthy, of Wisconsin, to be an Assistant Secretary of the 
Treasury.
  Charles L. Hopkins, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs (Operations, Preparedness, Security and Law 
Enforcement).
  Joe W. Stecher, of Nebraska, to be United States Attorney for the 
District of Nebraska for the term of four years.
  Jill E. Sommers, of Kansas, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission for the remainder of the term expiring April 
13, 2009.
  (Prior to this action, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry was discharged from further consideration.)
  Bartholomew H. Chilton, of Delaware, to be a Commissioner of the 
Commodity Futures Trading Commission for the remainder of the term 
expiring April 13, 2008.
  (Prior to this action, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry was discharged from further consideration.)
  Miguel Campaneria, of Puerto Rico, to be a Member of the National 
Council on the Arts for a term expiring September 3, 2012.
  Thomas P. D'Agostino, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary for Nuclear 
Security, Department of Energy.

[[Page D1109]]


  Eric G. John, of Indiana, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of 
Thailand.
  (Prior to this action, Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged 
from further consideration.)
  Diane Auer Jones, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary for 
Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
  Diane G. Farrell, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a term 
expiring January 20, 2011.
  Michael W. Michalak, of Michigan, to be Ambassador to the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam.
  (Prior to this action, Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged 
from further consideration.)
  David H. McCormick, of Pennsylvania, to be an Under Secretary of the 
Treasury.
  31 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  25 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  5 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Navy.
Pages S10604, S10682-83
Messages from the House:
  Page S10602
Measures Placed on the Calendar:
  Page S10602
Measures Read the First Time:
  Pages S10585, S10680
Executive Communications:
  Pages S10602-03
Petitions and Memorials:
  Page S10603
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S10604
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S10605-06
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S10606-28
Additional Statements:
  Pages S10600-01
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S10628-58
Authorities for Committees To Meet:
  Pages S10658-60
Privileges of the Floor:
  Page S10660
Text of H.R. 2638 as Previously Passed:
  Pages S10660-76
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--292) 
                Pages S10539-40, S10542, S10581, S10582, S10583, S10584
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 8:39 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 2, 2007. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S10682.)