[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 194 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1646-D1648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                         Tuesday, December 18, 2007

[[Page D1646]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed S. 2499, Medicare/Medicaid/SCHIP Programs 
      Extension.
      Senate completed action on H.R. 2764, Department of State, 
      Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act 
      (Omnibus).
      Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 61, Adjournment Resolution.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S15793-S15943
Measures Introduced: Twenty-four bills and twelve resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 2495-2518, S. Res. 409-416, and S. Con. Res. 
59-62.
  Pages S15910-11
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Further Revised Allocation to Subcommittees 
of Budget Totals From the Concurrent Resolution, Fiscal Year 2008''. 
(S. Rept. No. 110-250)
  Special Report entitled ``The 2007 Joint Economic Report''. (S. Rept. 
No. 110-251)
  H.R. 3571, to amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to 
permit individuals who have served as employees of the Office of 
Compliance to serve as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, 
or General Counsel of the Office, and to permit individuals appointed 
to such positions to serve one additional term.
  S. 901, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide additional 
authorizations of appropriations for the health centers program under 
section 330 of such Act, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.
  S. 1551, to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to 
making progress toward the goal of eliminating tuberculosis, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Page S15909
Measures Passed:
  Commending Senator Trent Lott: Senate agreed to S. Res. 409, 
commending the service of the Honorable Trent Lott, a Senator from the 
State of Mississippi.
  Pages S15794-15818
  Medicare/Medicaid/SCHIP Programs Extension: Senate passed S. 2499, to 
amend titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act to extend 
provisions under the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP programs. 
                                                        Pages S15834-43
  Adjournment Resolution: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 61, providing 
for a conditional adjournment or recess of the Senate, and a 
conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives.
  Page S15935
  1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation between the 
Kingdom of Chosun (Korea) and the United States: Committee on Foreign 
Relations was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 279, 
expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the 125th anniversary of 
the 1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation between the 
Kingdom of Chosun (Korea) and the United States, and the resolution was 
then agreed to, after agreeing to the following amendments proposed 
thereto:
  Pages S15935-36
  Pryor (for Biden) Amendment No. 3880, to strike a reference to the 
2007 Free Trade Agreement and to add environmental protection to the 
list of bilateral goals that should be addressed by the United States 
and the Republic of Korea.
Page S15936
  Pryor (for Biden) Amendment No. 3883, to amend the preamble. 
                                                            Page S15936
  Condemning Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia: Committee on 
Foreign Relations was discharged from further consideration of S. Con. 
Res. 53, condemning the kidnapping and hostage-taking of 3 United 
States citizens for over 4 years by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of 
Colombia (FARC), and demanding their immediate and unconditional 
release, and the resolution was then agreed to, after

[[Page D1647]]

agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:
  Page S15936
  Pryor (for Nelson (FL)) Amendment No. 3881, to amend the preamble. 
                                                            Page S15936
  Race Day in America: Senate agreed to S. Res. 410, designating 
February 17, 2008, as ``Race Day in America'' and highlighting the 50th 
running of the Dayton 500.
  Page S15936
  Honoring Dr. Hector P. Garcia: Senate agreed to S. Res. 411, honoring 
the life and recognizing the accomplishments of Texas civil rights 
pioneer Dr. Hector P. Garcia.
  Pages S15936-37
  Commending Appalachian State University Football Team: Senate agreed 
to S. Res. 412, commending the Appalachian State University 
Mountaineers of Boone, North Carolina, for winning the 2007 National 
Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 Football Championship 
Subdivision (formerly Division 1-AA) Championship.
  Page S15937
  Commending Wake Forest University Soccer Team: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 413, commending the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons of 
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for winning the 2007 National Collegiate 
Athletic Association Men's Soccer National Championship. 
                                                        Pages S15937-38
  National Stalking Awareness Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 414, 
designating January 2008 as ``National Stalking Awareness Month''. 
                                                            Page S15938
  Honoring William Karnet ``Bill'' Willis: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
415, honoring the life and recognizing the accomplishments of William 
Karnet ``Bill'' Willis, pioneer and Hall of Fame football player for 
both Ohio State University and the Cleveland Browns.
  Page S15938
  Recognizing United States Air Force: Senate agreed to S. Res. 416, 
recognizing the 60th anniversary of the United States Air Force as an 
independent military service.
  Pages S15938-39
  Enrollment Correction: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 62, to correct 
the enrollment of H.R. 660.
  Page S15939
  Essential Air Service Subsidies Extension: Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation was discharged from further consideration 
of S. 2260, to extend the existing provisions regarding the eligibility 
for essential air service subsidies through fiscal year 2008, and the 
bill was then passed.
  Pages S15939-40
  Ernest Childers Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic: 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further 
consideration of H.R. 366, 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, clearing the measure for the President.
  Page S15940
  Internal Revenue Commissioner: Senate passed S. 2436, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify the term of the Commissioner 
of Internal Revenue.
  Page S15940
  Child Soldiers Accountability Act: Senate passed S. 2135, to prohibit 
the recruitment or use of child soldiers, to designate persons who 
recruit or use child soldiers as inadmissible aliens, to allow the 
deportation of persons who recruit or use child soldiers, after 
agreeing to the committee amendment, and the following amendment 
proposed thereto:
  Pages S15941-43
  Pryor (for Feingold) Amendment No. 3882, to exclude groups assembled 
solely for non-violent political association from the definition of an 
armed force or group.
Page S15943
House Messages:
Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Act--House Message: By 76 yeas to 17 nays, 1 voting 
present (Vote No. 441), Senate concurred in House amendment No. 1 to 
the Senate amendment to the text of H.R. 2764, making appropriations 
for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, after taking action on 
the following amendments proposed thereto:
  Pages S15830-34, S15843-88
Adopted:
  By 70 yeas to 25 nays (Vote No. 439), McConnell motion to concur in 
the House Amendment No. 2 to the Senate Amendment to the bill, with 
McConnell Amendment No. 3874, to make emergency supplemental 
appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008.
Pages S15844-45, S15860-61
Withdrawn:
  By 24 yeas to 71 nays (Vote No. 437), Feingold Amendment No. 3875 (to 
Amendment No. 3874), to provide for the safe redeployment of United 
States troops from Iraq. (A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 affirmative 
votes, be withdrawn).
Pages S15845-53
  By 50 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 438), Levin Amendment No. 3876 (to 
Amendment No. 3874), to express the sense of Congress on the transition 
of the missions of United States Forces in Iraq to a more limited set 
of missions as specified by the President on September 13, 2007. (A 
unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the amendment, 
having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, be withdrawn). 
                                                        Pages S15853-60

[[Page D1648]]


  By 48 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. 440), Reid motion to concur in the 
House Amendment No. 1, to the Senate amendment to the bill, with Reid 
Amendment No. 3877, relative to AMT relief. (A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to 
achieve 60 affirmative votes, be withdrawn).
                                                        Pages S15861-63
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 44 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 436), 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 amendment to the text of the bill. 
                                                            Page S15844
Lott Tributes--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that tributes to Senator Lott in the Congressional Record be 
printed as a Senate Document and that Senators be permitted to submit 
statements in tribute until January 30, 2008.
  Page S15935
Lott Letter of Resignation--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement 
was reached providing that the Chair lay before the Senate the letter 
of resignation of Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi and that the letter 
be deemed read and spread upon the Journal.
  Page S15943
Nomination Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nomination:
  By a unanimous vote of 93 yeas (Vote No. EX. 442), John Daniel 
Tinder, of Indiana, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh 
Circuit.
                                                        Pages S15888-91
Messages from the House:
  Pages S15906-07
Executive Communications:
  Pages S15907-09
Executive Reports of Committees:
  Pages S15909-10
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S15912-13
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S15913-21
Additional Statements:
  Pages S15903-06
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S15921-34
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Pages S15934-35
Privileges of the Floor:
  Page S15935
Record Votes: Seven record votes were taken today. (Total--442) 
                Pages S15844, S15853, S15860-61, S15863, S15888, S15891
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 12:10 a.m., on 
Wednesday, December 19, 2007 until 11:30 a.m. on the same day. (For 
Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in 
today's Record on page S15943.)