[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 187 (Friday, December 7, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1587-D1588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Friday, December 7, 2007

[[Page D1587]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S15003-S15037
Measures Introduced: Three bills and four resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 2433-2435, S.J. Res. 26, and S. Res. 395-397. 
                                                            Page S15031
Measures Reported:
  S. 2062, to amend the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 to reauthorize that Act, with amendments. (S. 
Rept. No. 110-238)
Page S15031
Measures Passed:
  National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 395, 
expressing the sense of the Senate regarding National Pearl Harbor 
Remembrance Day.
  Pages S15010-11
  Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology: Senate agreed to 
S. Res. 397, recognizing the 2007-2008 Siemens Competition in Math, 
Science and Technology and celebrating the first time in the history of 
the competition that young women have won top honors.
  Page S15037
  Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 
Temporary Extension: Senate passed H.R. 4252, to provide for an 
additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act 
and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 through May 23, 2008, 
clearing the measure for the President.
  Page S15037
Measures Considered:
Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act--House 
Message: Senate began consideration of the House amendments to the 
Senate amendments to accompany H.R. 6, to move the United States toward 
greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of 
clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers from price gouging, to 
increase the energy efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to 
promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage 
options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal 
Government.
  Pages S15004-09
Pending:
  Senator Reid entered a motion to concur in the amendments of the 
House to the Senate amendments to the bill.
Page S15007
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 53 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 416), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to close further debate on the motion to concur in 
the House amendments to the Senate amendments to the bill. 
                                                        Pages S15004-09
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the House 
message be returned to the Secretary's desk.
Pages S15012-13
Farm Bill Extension Act: Senate resumed consideration of H.R. 2419, to 
provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal 
year 2012, taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                        Pages S15013-25
Withdrawn:
  Reid (for Dorgan/Grassley) Amendment No. 3508 (to Amendment No. 
3500), to strengthen payment limitations and direct the savings to 
increased funding for certain programs.
Page S15013
  Reid Amendment No. 3509 (to Amendment No. 3508), to change the 
enactment date.
Page S15013
  Reid Amendment No. 3510 (to the language proposed to be stricken by 
Amendment No. 3500), to change the enactment date.
Page S15013
  Reid Amendment No. 3511 (to Amendment No. 3510), to change the 
enactment date.
Page S15013
  Motion to commit the bill to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry, with instructions to report back forthwith, with Reid 
Amendment No. 3512.
Page S15013
  Reid Amendment No. 3512 (to the instructions of the motion to commit 
to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, with 
instructions), to change the enactment date.
Page S15013
  Reid Amendment No. 3513 (to the instructions of the motion to 
recommit), to change the enactment date.
Page S15013
  Reid Amendment No. 3514 (to Amendment No. 3513), to change the 
enactment date.
Page S15013

[[Page D1588]]

Pending:
  Harkin Amendment No. 3500, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                            Page S15013
  Harkin (for Dorgan/Grassley) Amendment No. 3695 (to Amendment No. 
3500), to strengthen payment limitations and direct the savings to 
increase funding for certain programs.
Page S15014
  Brown Amendment No. 3819 (to Amendment No. 3500), to increase funding 
for critical Farm Bill programs and improve crop insurance. 
                                                            Page S15014
  Klobuchar Amendment No. 3810 (to Amendment No. 3500), to improve the 
adjusted gross income limitation and use the savings to provide 
additional funding for certain programs and reduce the Federal deficit.
                                                        Pages S15014-19
  Chambliss (for Lugar) Amendment No. 3711 (to Amendment No. 3500), 
relative to traditional payments and loans.
Page S15019
  Chambliss (for Cornyn) Amendment No. 3687 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
prevent duplicative payments for agricultural disaster assistance 
already covered by the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund. 
                                                            Page S15025
  Chambliss (for Coburn) Amendment No. 3807 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
ensure the priority of the farm bill remains farmers by eliminating 
wasteful Department of Agriculture spending on casinos, golf courses, 
junkets, cheese centers, and aging barns.
Page S15025
  Chambliss (for Coburn) Amendment No. 3530 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
limit the distribution to deceased individuals, and estates of those 
individuals, of certain agricultural payments.
Page S15025
  Chambliss (for Coburn) Amendment No. 3632 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
modify a provision relating to the Environmental Quality Incentive 
Program.
Page S15025
   A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 3 p.m., on Monday, December 
10, 2007.
Page S15037
Treaties Approved: The following treaties having passed through their 
various parliamentary stages, up to and including the presentation of 
the resolution of ratification, upon division, two-thirds of the 
Senators present having voted in the affirmative, the resolutions of 
ratification were agreed to:
  Patent Law Treaty and Regulations Under Patent Law Treaty (Treaty 
Doc. 109-12) with one reservation;
  Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International 
Registration of Industrial Designs (Treaty Doc. 109-21) with nine 
declarations; and
  Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (Treaty Doc. 110-2) with 
one condition.
Pages S15036-37
Messages from the House:
  Pages S15030-31
Measures Referred:
  Page S15031
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S15031-32
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S15032-34
Additional Statements:
  Page S15030
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S15034-36
Privileges of the Floor:
  Page S15036
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--416) 
                                                            Page S15009
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9 a.m. and adjourned at 3:14 p.m., 
until 3 p.m. on Monday, December 10, 2007. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S15037.)