[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 158 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1377-D1379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                         Thursday, October 18, 2007

[[Page D1377]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S13029-S13135
Measures Introduced: Sixteen bills and six resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 2191-2206, S.J. Res. 21, S. Res. 351-353, and S. Con. 
Res. 50-51.                                             
  Pages S13077-78
Measures Passed:
  National Character Counts Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 351, 
designating the week beginning October 21, 2007, as ``National 
Character Counts Week''.                                
  Pages S13130-31
  United States-Mongolia Relations: Senate agreed to S. Res. 352, 
expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the 20th anniversary of 
United States-Mongolia relations.                       
  Pages S13131-32
  Fair Elections in Lebanon: Senate agreed to S. Res. 353, expressing 
the sense of the Senate regarding the importance of a sovereign, 
democratic, and prosperous Lebanon and the need for free and fair 
presidential elections in Lebanon without intimidation or foreign 
interference.                                               
  Page S13132
  Lights on Afterschool: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 51, supporting 
``Lights On Afterschool!'', a national celebration of after school 
programs.                                               
  Pages S13132-33
  NASA Langley Research Center Anniversary: Senate agreed to H. Con. 
Res. 222, commending NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia on the 
celebration of its 90th anniversary on October 26 and 27, 2007. 
                                                            Page S13133
  Technical Corrections: Senate passed S. 2206, to provide technical 
corrections to Public Law 109-116 (2 U.S.C. 2131a note) to extend the 
time period for the Joint Committee on the Library to enter into an 
agreement to obtain a statue of Rosa Parks.             
  Pages S13133-34
  Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act: Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
1284, 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, and the bill was then passed, clearing the 
measure for the President.                                  
  Page S13134
  Atlantic Freedom Tour of the Freedom Schooner Amistad: Senate agreed 
to S. Res. 258, recognizing the historical and educational significance 
of the Atlantic Freedom Tour of the Freedom Schooner Amistad, and 
expressing the sense of the Senate that preserving the legacy of the 
Amistad story is important in promoting multicultural dialogue, 
education, and cooperation.                                 
  Page S13134
  Government of Libya: Senate passed S. 1839, to require periodic 
reports on claims related to acts of terrorism against Americans 
perpetrated or supported by the Government of Libya.    
  Pages S13134-35
Measures Considered:
Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Act: Senate continued 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, taking action on the following 
amendments proposed thereto:                            
  Pages S13032-70
Adopted:
  DeMint Amendment No. 3340 (to Amendment No. 3325), 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.               
Pages S13033, S13034
  Dole Amendment No. 3341 (to Amendment No. 3325), to provide funding 
for the National Cord Blood Stem Cell Program.              
Page S13035
  By 90 yeas to 3 nays (Vote No. 374), Harkin Amendment No. 3368 (to 
Amendment No. 3325), to provide funding for activities to reduce 
infections from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 
related infections.                          
Pages S13046-47, S13048-49
  By 89 yeas to 4 nays (Vote No. 375), Byrd Amendment No. 3362 (to 
Amendment No. 3325), to increase funding for the Mine Safety and Health 
Administration.                                 
Pages S13044-46, S13049

[[Page D1378]]

  By 81 yeas to 12 nays (Vote No. 376), Brown/Voinovich Amendment No. 
3348 (to Amendment No. 3325), to provide funding for the Underground 
Railroad Educational and Cultural Program.      
Pages S13036, S13049-50
  Coburn/Kyl Amendment No. 3321 (to Amendment No. 3325), to provide 
additional care for pregnant women, mothers, and infants by eliminating 
a $1,000,000 earmark for a museum dedicated to Woodstock. (By 42 yeas 
to 52 nays (Vote No. 377), Senate earlier failed to table the 
amendment.)                                  
Pages S13036-41, S13050-51
  Brown Amendment No. 3349 (to Amendment No. 3325), to prohibit the 
Secretary of Education from using funds with respect to an evaluation 
for the Upward Bound Program until congressional examination of the 
regulation providing for such review.           
Pages S13036, S13057-59
  By 68 yeas to 25 nays (Vote No. 378), Harkin (for Reid) Amendment No. 
3395 (to Amendment No. 3325), to clarify the application of current 
law.                                            
Pages S13059, S13061-62
  Landrieu Amendment No. 3402 (to Amendment No. 3325), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                 
Pages S13066-67
  Harkin (for Coburn) Amendment No. 3323 (to Amendment No. 3325), to 
provide an annual report card for the Department of Education. 
                                                            Page S13067
  Harkin (for Alexander) Amendment No. 3337 (to Amendment No. 3325), to 
express the sense of the Senate regarding science teaching and 
assessment.                                                 
Page S13067
  Harkin (for Salazar) Amendment No. 3355 (to Amendment No. 3325), to 
allocate funds to the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model Systems of 
Care Program.                                               
Page S13067
  Harkin (for Alexander/Bingaman) Amendment No. 3375 (to Amendment No. 
3325), to provide funds for partnership grants for teacher preparation 
under title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965.         
Page S13067
Rejected:
  By 34 yeas to 61 nays (Vote No. 373), DeMint Amendment No. 3338 (to 
Amendment No. 3325), to provide a limitation on funds with respect to 
the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service. 
                                             Pages S13033-34, S13041-42
  By 41 yeas to 52 nays (Vote No. 379), Vitter Amendment No. 3330 (to 
Amendment No. 3325), to prohibit the provision of funds to grantees who 
perform abortions.                              
Pages S13059-61, S13062
  By 46 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. 380), Sessions Amendment No. 3373 (to 
Amendment No. 3325), to increase the amount of funds available for the 
Office of Labor-Management Standards.        
Pages S13051-57, S13062-64
Withdrawn:
  Kyl Amendment No. 3356 (to Amendment No. 3325), to modify provisions 
relating to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. 
                                                            Page S13051
Pending:
  Harkin/Specter Amendment No. 3325, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                        Pages S13032-33
  Vitter Amendment No. 3328 (to Amendment No. 3325), to provide a 
limitation on funds with respect to preventing the importation by 
individuals of prescription drugs from Canada.              
Page S13032
  Dorgan Amendment No. 3335 (to Amendment No. 3325), to increase 
funding for the State Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.             
Page S13032
  Thune Amendment No. 3333 (to Amendment No. 3325), to provide 
additional funding for the telehealth activities of the Health 
Resources and Services Administration.                      
Page S13032
  Dorgan Amendment No. 3345 (to Amendment No. 3325), to require that 
the Secretary of Labor report to Congress regarding jobs lost and 
created as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement. 
                                                            Page S13032
  Menendez Amendment No. 3347 (to Amendment No. 3325), to provide 
funding for the activities under the Patient Navigator Outreach and 
Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005.                     
Page S13032
  Ensign Amendment No. 3342 (to Amendment No. 3325), to prohibit the 
use of funds to administer Social Security benefit payments under a 
totalization agreement with Mexico.                         
Page S13043
  Ensign Amendment No. 3352 (to Amendment No. 3325), to prohibit the 
use of funds to process claims based on illegal work for purposes of 
receiving Social Security benefits.                         
Page S13043
  Lautenberg/Snowe Amendment No. 3350 (to Amendment No. 3325), to 
prohibit the use of funds to provide abstinence education that includes 
information that is medically inaccurate.               
Pages S13047-48
  Roberts Amendment No. 3365 (to Amendment No. 3325), to fund the small 
business child care grant program.                          
Page S13048
  Reed Amendment No. 3360 (to Amendment No. 3325), to provide funding 
for the trauma and emergency medical services programs administered 
through the Health Resources and Services Administration.   
Page S13064
  Allard Amendment No. 3369 (to Amendment No. 3325), to reduce the 
total amount appropriated to any program that is rated ineffective by 
the Office of Management and Budget through the Program Assessment 
Rating Tool (PART).                                     
Pages S13064-66
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 10 a.m. on Friday, October 
19, 2007;

[[Page D1379]]

provided further, that all first-degree amendments be filed at the desk 
by 1 p.m. on Friday, October 19, 2007.                      
Page S13135
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report on the continuation of the 
national emergency that was declared with respect to significant 
narcotics traffickers centered in Colombia; which was referred to the 
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (PM-28) 
                                                        Pages S13076-77
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Allan I. Mendelowitz, of Connecticut, to be a Director of the Federal 
Housing Finance Board for a term expiring February 27, 2014.
  Joaquin F. Blaya, of Florida, to be a Member of the Broadcasting 
Board of Governors for a term expiring August 13, 2008.
  Joaquin F. Blaya, of Florida, to be a Member of the Broadcasting 
Board of Governors for a term expiring August 13, 2011.
  Edward E. Kaufman, of Delaware, to be a Member of the Broadcasting 
Board of Governors for a term expiring August 13, 2009.
  Susan M. McCue, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Broadcasting Board 
of Governors for a term expiring August 13, 2010.
  Dennis M. Mulhaupt, of California, to be a Member of the Broadcasting 
Board of Governors for a term expiring August 13, 2008.
  Dennis M. Mulhaupt, of California, to be a Member of the Broadcasting 
Board of Governors for a term expiring August 13, 2011.
  Steven J. Simmons, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the Broadcasting 
Board of Governors for a term expiring August 13, 2009.
  4 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Navy.                     
Page S13135
Messages from the House:                                    
  Page S13077
Measures Referred:                                          
  Page S13077
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                            
  Page S13077
Measures Read the First Time:                               
  Page S13077
Additional Cosponsors:                                  
  Pages S13078-80
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:         
  Pages S13080-S13101
Additional Statements:                                  
  Pages S13075-76
Amendments Submitted:                                   
  Pages S13101-12
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                         
  Page S13112
Privileges of the Floor:                                    
  Page S13112
Text of H.R. 3093, as Previously Passed:                
  Pages S13112-30
Record Votes: Eight record votes were taken today. (Total--380) 
                                   Pages S13042, S13049, S13050, S13062
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 8:24 p.m., 
until 10 a.m. on Friday, October 19, 2007. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S13135.)