[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 8, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D388-D389]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                             Tuesday, April 8, 2008

[[Page D388]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S2709-S2765
Measures Introduced: Four bills and three resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 2828-2831, S. Res. 505-506, and S. Con. Res. 74. 
                                                             Page S2743
Measures Reported:
  Report to accompany 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. (S. Rept. No. 110-280)
  S. 2162, to improve the treatment and services provided by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans with post-traumatic stress 
disorder and substance use disorders, with an amendment in the nature 
of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 110-281)
Page S2743
Measures Passed:
  Commending the University of Kansas Men's Basketball Team: Senate 
agreed to S. Res. 505, commending The University of Kansas men's 
basketball team for winning the 2008 National Collegiate Athletic 
Association (NCAA) Division I Basketball Championship.
  Pages S2764-65
Measures Considered:
New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer 
Protection Act and the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax 
Act: Senate continued consideration of H.R. 3221, moving the United 
States toward greater energy independence and security, developing 
innovative new technologies, reducing carbon emissions, creating green 
jobs, protecting consumers, increasing clean renewable energy 
production, and modernizing our energy infrastructure, and to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax incentives for the 
production of renewable energy and energy conservation, and taking 
action on the following amendments proposed thereto:
  Pages S2722-38
Pending:
  Dodd/Shelby Amendment No. 4387, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                             Page S2722
  Sanders Modified Amendment No. 4401 (to Amendment No. 4387), to 
establish a maximum rate of interest for loans insured under title II 
of the National Housing Act.
Pages S2722-23
  Cardin/Ensign Amendment No. 4421 (to Amendment No. 4387), to amend 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against income tax 
for the purchase of a principal residence by a first-time homebuyer. 
                                                             Page S2722
  Ensign Amendment No. 4419 (to Amendment No. 4387), to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the limited continuation 
of clean energy production incentives and incentives to improve energy 
efficiency in order to prevent a downturn in these sectors that would 
result from a lapse in the tax law.
Page S2722
  Alexander Amendment No. 4429 (to Amendment No. 4419), to provide a 
longer extension of the renewable energy production tax credit and to 
encourage all emerging renewable sources of electricity.
Page S2722
  Nelson (FL)/Coleman Amendment No. 4423 (to Amendment No. 4387), to 
provide for the penalty-free use of retirement funds to provide 
foreclosure recovery relief for individuals with mortgages on their 
principal residences.
Page S2722
  Lincoln Amendment No. 4382 (to Amendment No. 4387), to provide an 
incentive to employers to offer group legal plans that provide a 
benefit for real estate and foreclosure review.
Page S2722
  Lincoln (for Snowe) Amendment No. 4433 (to Amendment No. 4387), to 
modify the increase in volume cap for housing bonds in 2008. 
                                                             Page S2722
  Landrieu Amendment No. 4404 (to Amendment No. 4387), to amend the 
provisions relating to qualified mortgage bonds to include relief for 
persons in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. 
                                                             Page S2722
  Sanders Amendment No. 4384 (to Amendment No. 4387), to provide an 
increase in specially adapted housing benefits for disabled veterans. 
                                                             Page S2722

[[Page D389]]


  Murray Amendment No. 4478 (to Amendment No. 4387), to increase 
funding for housing counseling with an offset.
                                                             Page S2722
  Mikulski Amendment No. 4494 (to Amendment No. 4478), to make 
additional funds available to the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation 
to increase legal assistance available to homeowners at risk of 
foreclosure and assistance to community organizations working to 
preserve homeownership and prevent foreclosure, with an offset. 
                                                             Page S2722
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
   By 92 yeas to 6 nays (Vote No. 93), 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 motion to close further 
debate on Dodd/Shelby Amendment No. 4387 (listed above).
                                                             Page S2726
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, 
April 9, 2008, and that all time during any morning business, recess, 
or adjournment of the Senate count post-cloture.
                                                             Page S2765
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, the legislation and supporting 
documents to implement the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion 
Agreement; which was referred to the Committee on Finance. (PM-43) 
                                                         Pages S2740-41
Removal of Injunction of Secrecy: The injunction of secrecy was removed 
from the following treaty:
  Amendments to the Constitution and Convention of the International 
Telecommunication Union (Geneva, 1992) (Treaty Doc. No. 110-16).
  The treaty was transmitted to the Senate today, considered as having 
been read for the first time, and referred, with accompanying papers, 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed. 
                                                             Page S2765
Executive Communications:
  Pages S2741-42
Petitions and Memorials:
  Pages S2742-43
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S2743-45
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S2745-57
Additional Statements:
  Pages S2739-40
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S2757-63
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Pages S2763-64
Privileges of the Floor:
  Page S2764
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--93)
  Page S2726
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:35 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2008. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S2765.)