[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 191 (Thursday, December 13, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1622-D1625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                        Thursday, December 13, 2007

[[Page D1622]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate completed action on H.R. 6, CLEAN Energy Act.
      Senate passed H.J. Res. 69, Continuing Appropriations.

      The House passed H.J. Res. 69, making further continuing 
      appropriations for the fiscal year 2008.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S15379-S15577
Measures Introduced: Twenty two bills and two resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 2463-2484, and S. Res. 404-405. 
                                                        Pages S15460-61
Measures Reported:
  S. Res. 388, designating the week of February 4 through February 8, 
2008, as ``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention 
Week''.
  S. Res. 396, expressing the sense of the Senate that the hanging of 
nooses for the purpose of intimidation should be thoroughly 
investigated by Federal, State, and local law enforcement authorities 
and that any criminal violations should be vigorously prosecuted, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute and with an amended 
preamble.
  S. 1829, to reauthorize programs under the Missing Children's 
Assistance Act, with an amendment.
  S. 2344, to create a competitive grant program to provide for age-
appropriate Internet education for children.
Page S15460
Measures Passed:
  Continuing Appropriations: Senate passed H.J. Res. 69, making further 
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2008, clearing the 
measure for the President.
  Page S15432
  C. Clyde Atkins United States Courthouse: Committee on Environment 
and Public Works was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
2671, to designate the United States courthouse located at 301 North 
Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida, as the ``C. Clyde Atkins United States 
Courthouse'', and the bill was then passed, clearing the measure for 
the President.
  Page S15568
  Public Health Service Act: Senate passed S. 1916, to amend the Public 
Health Service Act to modify the program for the sanctuary system for 
surplus chimpanzees by terminating the authority for the removal of 
chimpanzees from the system for research purposes, after agreeing to 
the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                        Pages S15568-69
  Henry John Hyde Life and Contributions: Senate agreed to S. Res. 405, 
recognizing the life and contributions of Henry John Hyde. 
                                                            Page S15569
  Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human 
Development: Senate passed S. 2484, to rename the National Institute of 
Child Health and Human Development as the Eunice Kennedy Shriver 
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 
                                                        Pages S15570-71
  Republic of Georgia Presidential Elections: Committee on Foreign 
Relations was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 391, 
calling on the President of the United States to engage in an open 
discussion with the leaders of the Republic of Georgia to express 
support for the planned presidential elections and the expectation that 
such elections will be held in a manner consistent with democratic 
principles, and the resolution was then agreed to.
  Page S15571
  Milo C. Huempfner Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic: 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further 
consideration of H.R. 2408, to designate the Department of Veterans 
Affairs outpatient clinic in Green Bay, Wisconsin, as the ``Milo C. 
Huempfner Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic'', and the 
bill was then passed, clearing the measure for the President. 
                                                            Page S15571

[[Page D1623]]

  Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia: 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further 
consideration of S. 1396, to authorize a major medical facility project 
to modernize inpatient wards at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and the bill was then passed. 
                                                        Pages S15571-72
  Ernest Childers Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic: 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further 
consideration of S. 1585, to designate the Department of Veterans 
Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the ``Ernest Childers 
Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic'', and the bill was 
then passed.
  Page S15572
  Lieutenant Colonel Clement C. Van Wagoner Department of Veterans 
Affairs Clinic: Committee on Veterans' Affairs was discharged from 
further consideration of S. 2339, to designate the Department of 
Veterans Affairs clinic in Alpena, Michigan, as the ``Lieutenant 
Colonel Clement C. Van Wagoner Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic'', 
and the bill was then passed.
  Page S15572
  Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act: Senate passed S. 1858, to amend 
the Public Health Service Act to establish grant programs to provide 
for education and outreach on newborn screening and coordinated 
followup care once newborn screening has been conducted, to reauthorize 
programs under part A of title XI of such Act, after agreeing to the 
committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and the following 
amendment proposed thereto:
  Pages S15572-77
  Harkin (for Dodd) Amendment No. 3852, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                            Page S15574
Measures Considered:
  Farm Bill Extension Act: Senate continued 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 S15380-85, S15390-S15421, S15433-52
Adopted:
  Chambliss (for Coburn) Modified Amendment No. 3530 (to Amendment No. 
3500), to limit the distribution to deceased individuals, and estates 
of those individuals, of certain agricultural payments. 
                                                        Pages S15417-18
  Harkin Amendment No. 3851 (to Amendment No. 3500), to promote legal 
certainty, enhance competition, and reduce systemic risk in markets for 
futures and over-the-counter derivatives.
Pages S15441-48
Withdrawn:
  By yeas 56 to nays 43 (Vote No. 424), Harkin (for Dorgan/Grassley) 
Modified Amendment No. 3695 (to Amendment No. 3500), to strengthen 
payment limitations and direct the savings to increase funding for 
certain programs. (A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing 
that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, be 
withdrawn).
Pages S15380-85
  Schumer Amendment No. 3720 (to Amendment No. 3500), to improve crop 
insurance and use resulting savings to increase funding for certain 
conservation programs.
Pages S15398-99
  By 48 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. 426), 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. (A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to 
achieve 60 affirmative votes, be withdrawn).
Pages S15412-17, S15418
  By 40 yeas to 55 nays (Vote No. 427), Tester Amendment No. 3666 (to 
Amendment No. 3500), to modify the provision relating to unlawful 
practices under the Packers and Stockyards Act. (A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to 
achieve 60 affirmative votes, be withdrawn).
Pages S15392-98, S15418
  By 32 yeas to 63 nays (Vote No. 428), Brown Amendment No. 3819 (to 
Amendment No. 3500), to increase funding for critical Farm Bill 
programs and improve crop insurance. (A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, be withdrawn).
Pages S15404-12, S15418-20
  By 37 yeas to 58 yeas (Vote No. 429), Craig Amendment No. 3640 (to 
Amendment No. 3500), to prohibit the involuntary acquisition of 
farmland and grazing land by Federal, State, and local governments for 
parks, open space, or similar purposes. (A unanimous-consent agreement 
was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, be withdrawn).
Pages S15399-S15404, S15420-21
  Harkin/Kennedy Amendment 3830 (to Amendment No. 3500), relative to 
public safety officers.
Page S15447
  Wyden Amendment No. 3736 (to Amendment No. 3500), to modify a 
provision relating to bioenergy crop transition assistance. 
                                                            Page S15450
Pending:
  Harkin Amendment No. 3500, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                            Page S15380

[[Page D1624]]


  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 S15380
  Chambliss (for Coburn) Modified 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 golf 
courses, junkets, cheese centers, and aging barns.
Page S15380
  Salazar Amendment No. 3616 (to Amendment No. 3500), to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide incentives for the production 
of all cellulosic biofuels.
Page S15380
  Thune (for McConnell) Amendment No. 3821 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
promote the nutritional health of school children, with an offset. 
                                                            Page S15380
  Thune (for Roberts/Brownback) Amendment No. 3549 (to Amendment No. 
3500), to modify a provision relating to regulations.
Page S15380
  Domenici Amendment No. 3614 (to Amendment No. 3500), to reduce our 
Nation's dependency on foreign oil by investing in clean, renewable, 
and alternative energy resources.
Page S15380
  Thune (for Gregg) Amendment No. 3674 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude charges of 
indebtedness on principal residences from gross income.
Page S15380
  Thune (for Gregg) Amendment No. 3822 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
provide nearly $1,000,000,000 in critical home heating assistance to 
low-income families and senior citizens for the 2007-2008 winter 
season, and reduce the Federal deficit by eliminating wasteful farm 
subsidies.
Page S15380
  Thune (for Grassley/Kohl) Amendment No. 3823 (to Amendment No. 3500), 
to provide for the review of agricultural mergers and acquisitions by 
the Department of Justice.
Pages S15380, S15433-41
  Thune (for Stevens) Amendment No. 3569 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
make commercial fishermen eligible for certain operating loans. 
                                                            Page S15380
  Thune (for Bond) Amendment No. 3771 (to Amendment No. 3500), to amend 
title 7, United States Code, to include provisions relating to 
rulemaking.
Page S15380
  Sanders Amendment No. 3826 (to Amendment No. 3822), to provide for 
payments under subsections (a) through (e) of section 2604 of the Low-
Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, and restore supplemental 
agricultural disaster assistance from the Agricultural Disaster Relief 
Trust Fund.
Page S15380
  Harkin/Murkowski Amendment No. 3639 (to Amendment No. 3500), to 
improve nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold in schools. 
                                                            Page S15380
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  Harkin Amendment No. 3844 (to Amendment No. 3830), relative to public 
safety officers, fell when Harkin Amendment No. 3830 (to Amendment No. 
3500) (listed above), was withdrawn.
Page S15447
  By 78 yeas to 12 nays (Vote No. 431), 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 Harkin Amendment No. 3500 
(listed above).
Page S15450
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 10:00 a.m., on Friday, 
December 14, 2007, and that all time during any recess or adjournment 
count post-cloture.
Page S15577
House Messages:
Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act--House 
Message: By 86 yeas to 8 nays (Vote No. 430), Senate concurred in the 
House amendment to the Senate amendment to the text of 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, with Reid Amendment No. 3850, in the nature 
of a substitute.
  Pages S15385-90, S15421-32
Withdrawn:
  Senator Reid motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the 
Senate amendment to the text of the bill.
Page S15421
During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
    following action:
  By 59 yeas to 40 nays (Vote No. 425), 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 amendment to the Senate amendment with an amendment to the 
text of the bill.
Page S15389
  Senator Reid motion to concur in the amendments of the House to the 
Senate amendments to the bill, was ruled out of order.
  Reid Amendment No. 3841 (to the House amendment to the Senate 
amendment to the text), in the nature of a substitute, was ruled out of 
order.

[[Page D1625]]


  Reid Amendment No. 3842 (to Amendment No. 3841), to change the 
enactment date, fell when Reid Amendment No. 3841was ruled out of 
order.
Special Postage Stamp: Senate concurred in the amendments of the House 
of Representatives to S. 597, to extend the special postage stamp for 
breast cancer research for 4 years, clearing the measure for the 
President.
  Page S15568
FHA Modernization Act--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement 
was reached providing that at a time to be determined by the Majority 
Leader, following consultation with the Republican Leader, Senate begin 
consideration of S. 2338, to modernize and update the National Housing 
Act and enable the Federal Housing Administration to more effectively 
reach underserved borrowers, that the only first-degree amendments in 
order be the following: Senators Dodd and Shelby amendment relating to 
a moratorium and Coburn amendment relating to reverse mortgages, and 
that debate on Coburn Amendment be limited to 60 minutes equally 
divided and controlled in the usual form; provided further, that there 
be 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled on the bill, and 
that following the use or yielding back of time Senate vote on passage 
of the bill.
  Page S15568
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Amul R. Thapar, of Kentucky, to be United States District Judge for 
the Eastern District of Kentucky.
  Ronald Jay Tenpas, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Attorney General.
  Diane J. Humetewa, of Arizona, to be United States Attorney for the 
District of Arizona for the term of four years.
  Gregory A. Brower, of Nevada, to be United States Attorney for the 
District of Nevada for the term of four years.
  Edmund A. Booth, Jr., of Georgia, to be United States Attorney for 
the Southern District of Georgia for the term of four years.
  Routine lists in the Coast Guard.
Page S15577
Messages from the House:
  Page S15459
Measures Referred:
  Page S15459
Measures Placed on the Calendar:
  Page S15459
Measures Read the First Time:
  Pages S15459-60
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Page S15460
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S15461-62
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S15462-76
Additional Statements:
  Pages S15457-59
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S15476-S15566
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Pages S15566-67
Privileges of the Floor:
  Page S15567
Record Votes: Eight record votes were taken today. (Total--431) 
        Pages S15385, S15389, S15418, S15420, S15420-21, S15432, S15450
Adjournment: Senate convened at 8:30 a.m. and adjourned at 10:48 p.m., 
until 10 a.m. on Friday, December 14, 2007. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S15577.)