[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 166 (Tuesday, October 30, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1441-D1442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Tuesday, October 30, 2007

[[Page D1441]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed S. 294, Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement 
      Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S13531-S13588
Measures Introduced: Nine bills and one resolution were introduced, as 
follows: S. 2258-2266, and S. Res. 360.
  Pages S13579-80
Measures Passed:
  Third Higher Education Extension Act: Senate passed S. 2258, to 
temporarily extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, 
to amend the definition of an eligible not-for-profit holder. 
                                                        Pages S13532-33
  Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act: By 70 yeas to 22 nays 
(Vote No. 400), Senate passed S. 294, to reauthorize Amtrak, and after 
taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                        Pages S13536-67
Adopted:
  Bond (for DeMint) Modified Amendment No. 3469, to clarify the level 
of detail to be included in the modern financial accounting and 
reporting system required under section 203.
Page S13548
  Lautenberg (for Vitter) Amendment No. 3486, to require the rail 
cooperative research program to include research designed to review 
rail crossing safety improvements, including improvements using new 
safety technology.
Page S13548
  Lautenberg (for Schumer) Modified Amendment No. 3489, to authorize a 
passenger rail study.
Page S13548
Rejected:
  By 24 yeas to 67 nays (Vote No. 397), Coburn Amendment No. 3474, to 
require Amtrak to regularly report to Congress on the profits or losses 
relating to the provision of food and beverage service and to limit 
such service on Amtrak rail lines that incur losses.
Pages S13537-41
  By 27 yeas to 65 nays (Vote No. 399), Bond (for DeMint) Amendment No. 
3467, to require Amtrak to disclose the Federal subsidy of every ticket 
sold for transportation on Amtrak.
Pages S13541-48
Withdrawn:
  Bond (for DeMint) Amendment No. 3468, to increase competition in the 
American rail system by allowing any qualified rail operator or 
transportation company to compete for passenger rail service. 
                                                   Pages S13537, S13543
  Bond (for DeMint) Amendment No. 3470, to require the Performance 
Improvement Plan to address reaching financial solvency by eliminating 
routes and services that do not make a profit.
Pages S13537, S13543
During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
    following action:
  By 79 yeas to 13 nays (Vote No. 398), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed 
to the motion to close further debate on the bill.
Page S13541
  Condolences Regarding Tragic Fire In Ocean Isle Beach, North 
Carolina: Senate agreed to S. Res. 360, offering condolences regarding 
the tragic fire in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, which killed 6 
University of South Carolina students and 1 student from Clemson 
University on October 28, 2007.
  Page S13587
  Essential Air Service Subsidies Extension: Senate passed S. 2265, to 
extend the existing provisions regarding the eligibility for essential 
air service subsidies through fiscal year 2008.
  Page S13587
  The Andrew Larochelle God, Family, and Country Act: Senate passed S. 
2198, to require the Architect of the Capitol to permit the 
acknowledgment of God on flag certificates.
  Page S13587
Appointments:
  United States Commission on Civil Rights: The Chair, on behalf of the 
President pro tempore and upon the recommendation of the Republican 
Leader, pursuant to Section 2 (b) of Public Law 98-183, as amended by 
Public Law 103-419, appointed Gail

[[Page D1442]]

Heriot, of California, to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, 
for a term of six years.
  Page S13587
  State Children's Health Insurance Program--Agreement: A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing that at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, 
October 31, 2007, Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed 
to consideration of the H.R. 3963, to amend title XXI of the Social 
Security Act to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance 
Program; and that the vote on the motion to invoke on the motion to 
proceed to its consideration not occur prior to 6:30 p.m., on 
Wednesday, October 31, 2007, or at a time to be determined by the two 
Leaders on Wednesday.
Page S13588
Messages from the House:
  Page S13577
Measures Referred:
  Page S13577
Measures Read the First Time:
  Pages S13577, S13588
Enrolled Bills Presented:
  Page S13577
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S13579
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S13580-81
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S13581-86
Additional Statements:
  Pages S13575-77
Amendments Submitted:
  Page S13586
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:
  Pages S13586-87
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Page S13587
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total--400) 
                                        Pages S13540-41, S13548, S13551
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 7:16 p.m., 
until 12 noon on Wednesday, October 31, 2007. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S13588.)