[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1360-D1362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Tuesday, October 16, 2007

[[Page D1360]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S12885-S12946
Measures Introduced: Eight bills and two resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 2165-2172, and S. Res. 347-348.              
  Page S12936
Measures Reported:
  S. 1200, to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to revise 
and extend the Act. (S. Rept. No. 110-197)
  Report to accompany S. Res. 89, authorizing expenditures by 
committees of the Senate for the periods March 1, 2007, through 
September 30, 2007, and October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2008, 
and October 1, 2008, through February 28, 2009. (S. Rept. No. 110-198)
  S. 1662, to amend the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to 
reauthorize the venture capital program, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 110-199)              
Page S12936
Measures Passed:
  Commerce and Justice, and Science Appropriations Act: By 75 yeas to 
19 nays (Vote No. 372), Senate passed H.R. 3093, making appropriations 
for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related 
Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, after taking 
action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                    Pages S12894-S12925
  DeMint Amendment No. 3286, to provide that none of the funds made 
available under the Act may be used to circumvent any statutory or 
administrative formula-driven or competitive awarding process to award 
funds to a project in response to a request from a Member of Congress. 
                                                            Page S12894
  By a unanimous vote of 90 yeas (Vote No. 365), DeMint/Shelby 
Amendment No. 3289, to prevent Federal employees from purchasing 
unnecessary first-class or premium-class airline tickets at taxpayers' 
expense.                                     
Pages S12894-95, S12897-98
  By a unanimous vote of 91 yeas (Vote No. 366), Ensign Amendment No. 
3294, to increase funding for the United States Marshals Service to 
ensure full funding for the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act 
of 2006 and offset the increase by reducing funding for the Advanced 
Technology Program.                             
Pages S12895-96, S12905
  Leahy Modified Amendment No. 3249, to appropriate an additional 
$15,000,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and to provide a 
full offset for such amount.
  (Subsequent to its adoption the amendment was further modified) 
                                             Pages S12907-08, S12913-14
  Mikulski (for Kyl) Amendment No. 3279, to increase appropriations for 
personnel, equipment, and other resources to be used for the analysis 
of DNA samples.                                 
Pages S12913, S12914-15
  Mikulski (for Sessions) Amendment No. 3283, to use $10,000,000 from 
the Department of Justice Working Capital Fund for the expansion of 
Operation Streamline, the zero tolerance prosecution policy currently 
in place in the Del Rio and Yuma border sectors.            
Page S12913
  Mikulski (for Smith) Modified Amendment No. 3290, to increase 
appropriations for salaries and expenses for hiring 200 additional 
Assistant United States Attorneys for the prosecution of offenses 
relating to the sexual exploitation of children.            
Page S12913
  Mikulski (for Stevens) Amendment No. 3278, to correct a technical 
error in Public Law 110-53 relating to emergency communications 
modernization.                                              
Page S12913
  Mikulski (for Stevens) Modified Amendment No. 3312, to amend the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to authorize 
the Secretary of Commerce to develop and maintain a list of vessels and 
vessel owners engaged in illegal, unreported, and or unregulated 
fishing.                                                    
Page S12913
  Mikulski (for Sununu) Amendment No. 3314, to make funds available for 
regional coastal disaster assistance, transition, and recovery 
programs.                                          
Pages S12913, S12916
  Mikulski (for Dorgan) Amendment No. 3276, to amend the Mandatory 
Victims' Restitution Act to improve restitution for victims of crime. 
                                                            Page S12913
  Mikulski (for Boxer) Modified Amendment No. 3304, to make $2,000,000 
available for sampling,

[[Page D1361]]

analysis, and clean-up related to the disposal of obsolete vessels 
owned or operated by the Federal Government in Suisun Bay, California. 
                                                Pages S12913, S12915-16
  Mikulski (for Landrieu) Modified Amendment No. 3228, to provide funds 
for bycatch reduction devices for shrimpers in areas of the Gulf Coast 
impacted by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.                    
Page S12913
  Mikulski (for Bingaman/Smith) Modified Amendment No. 3208, to amend 
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to clarify that 
territories and Indian tribes are eligible to receive grants for 
confronting the use of methamphetamine.                 
Pages S12913-14
  Mikulski Amendment No. 3311, to extend the numerical limitation 
exception for H-2B nonimmigrants.                       
Pages S12913-14
  Mikulski (for Bingaman) Amendment No. 3209, to make certain forestry 
workers eligible for legal assistance.                  
Pages S12913-14
Rejected:
  Ensign Amendment No. 3295, to increase funding for the State Criminal 
Alien Assistance Program and offset the increase by reducing NASA 
funding. (By 68 yeas to 25 nays (Vote No. 367), Senate tabled the 
amendment.)                                  
Pages S12895-96, S12904-06
  Thune Amendment No. 3317, to provide, in a fiscally responsible 
manner, additional funding for United States attorneys to prosecute 
violent crimes in Indian country. (By 62 yeas to 31 nays (Vote No. 
368), Senate tabled the amendment.)      
Pages S12899-S12904, S12906-07
  Dole Amendment No. 3313, to set aside $75,000,000 of the funds 
appropriated under the heading State and Local Law Enforcement 
Assistance for activities that support State and local law enforcement 
agencies in their efforts to assist the Federal Government's 
enforcement of immigration laws. (By 50 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 369), 
Senate tabled the amendment.)                           
Pages S12908-10
  Vitter Amendment No. 3277, to prohibit funds from being used in 
contravention of section 642(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and 
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. (By 52 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 
370), Senate tabled the amendment.)          
Pages S12896-97, S12910-13
  By 44 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 371) McConnell motion to commit the 
bill to the Committee on Appropriations, with instructions. 
                                                        Pages S12921-24
Withdrawn:
  Inouye Amendment No. 3214, to establish a fact-finding Commission to 
extend the study of a prior Commission to investigate and determine 
facts and circumstances surrounding the relocation, internment, and 
deportation to Axis countries of Latin Americans of Japanese descent 
from December 1941 through February 1948, and the impact of those 
actions by the United States, and to recommend appropriate remedies. 
                                                   Pages S12894, S12898
  During consideration of this measure today, the Senate also took the 
following action:
  Mikulski (for Dorgan) Modified Amendment No. 3227, to provide 
adequate funding for the Drug Courts program, previously agreed to on 
Thursday, October 4, 2007, was modified by a unanimous consent. 
                                                        Pages S12913-14
  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: Mikulski, Inouye, Leahy, 
Kohl, Harkin, Dorgan, Feinstein, Reed, Lautenberg, Byrd, Shelby, Gregg, 
Stevens, Domenici, McConnell, Hutchison, Brownback, Alexander, and 
Cochran.                                                    
Page S12925
  National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 326, supporting the goals and ideals of a National Day of 
Remembrance for Murder Victims.                             
  Page S12943
  Recognizing Hunters Commitment to Safety: Senate agreed to H. Con. 
Res. 193, recognizing all hunters across the United States for their 
continued commitment to safety.                             
  Page S12943
  Red Ribbon Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 348, supporting the goals 
and ideals of Red Ribbon Week.                          
  Pages S12943-44
Labor/HHS/Education Appropriation Act--Agreement: A unanimous consent 
agreement was reached providing that at approximately 11:00 a.m. on 
Wednesday October 17, 2007, Senate begin consideration of H. R 3043, 
making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2008.                                  
  Page S12944
Nomination Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nomination:
  Williamson Evers, of California, to be Assistant Secretary for 
Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, Department of Education. 
(Prior to this action, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions was discharged from further consideration.) 
                                                   Pages S12943, S12946
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Joseph J. Murin, of Pennsylvania, to be President, Government 
National Mortgage Association.
  Simon Charles Gros, of New Jersey, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Transportation.
  Deborah K. Jones, of New Mexico, to be Ambassador to the State of 
Kuwait.

[[Page D1362]]


  Patrick Francis Kennedy, of Illinois, to be an Under Secretary of 
State (Management).
  Gus P. Coldebella, of Massachusetts, to be General Counsel, 
Department of Homeland Security.
  Brian Stacy Miller, of Arkansas, to be United States District Judge 
for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
  1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general.
  3 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, Public Health Service.                  
Pages S12944-46
Nomination Withdrawn: Senate received notification of withdrawal of the 
following nomination:
  Andrew R. Cochran, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, 
Environmental Protection Agency, which was sent to the Senate on July 
31, 2007.                                                   
Page S12946
Messages from the House:                                    
  Page S12933
Measures Referred:                                          
  Page S12933
Executive Communications:                               
  Pages S12933-36
Additional Cosponsors:                                  
  Pages S12936-38
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:             
  Pages S12938-42
Additional Statements:                                  
  Pages S12932-33
Amendments Submitted:                                   
  Pages S12942-43
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                         
  Page S12943
Record Votes: Eight record votes were taken today. (Total--372) 
      Pages S12898, S12905, S12906, S12907, S12909-10, S12913, S12924, 
                                                                 S12925
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10:00 a.m. and adjourned at 8:08 p.m., 
until 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 17, 2007. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S12944.)