[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 23, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D480-D481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Wednesday, April 23, 2008

[[Page D480]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S3273-S3336
Measures Introduced: Two bills and one resolution were introduced, as 
follows: S. 2901-2902, and S. Res. 529.
  Page S3304
Measures Reported:
  S. Res. 494, expressing the sense of the Senate on the need for 
Iraq's neighbors and other international partners to fulfill their 
pledges to provide reconstruction assistance to Iraq, and with an 
amended preamble.
  S. Res. 523, expressing the strong support of the Senate for the 
declaration of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at the Bucharest 
Summit that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of the alliance.
  S. Con. Res. 74, honoring the Prime Minister of Ireland, Bertie 
Ahern, for his service to the people of Ireland and to the world and 
welcoming the Prime Minister to the United States.
Page S3304
Measures Passed:
  Inspector General Reform Act: Senate passed S. 2324, to amend the 
Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) to enhance the Offices of 
the Inspectors General, to create a Council of the Inspectors General 
on Integrity and Efficiency, after agreeing to the committee 
amendments, and the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                         Pages S3323-32
  Reid (for Kyl) Amendment No. 4575, to modify provisions relating to 
transfers and removals, duties of counsel, and comments on budget 
submissions.
Page S3328
  National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month: Committee on 
the Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of S. Con. Res. 
77, supporting the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault 
Awareness and Prevention Month 2008, and the resolution was then agreed 
to.
  Page S3332
Measures Considered:
Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act: Senate began consideration of S. 
1315, to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance life insurance 
benefits for disabled veterans, after agreeing to the motion to proceed 
to its consideration, and taking action on the following amendment 
proposed thereto:
  Pages S3288-97
Pending:
  Burr Amendment No. 4572, to increase benefits for disabled United 
States veterans and provide a fair benefit to World War II Filipino 
veterans for their service to the United States.
Page S3297
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill on Thursday, April 24, 2008, at approximately 
10:30 a.m.; that the following amendments be the only amendments in 
order to the bill: Burr Amendment No. 4572 (listed above), the 
committee reported amendment in the nature of a substitute, a title 
amendment, and a mangers' technical amendment that has been cleared by 
the mangers and the Leaders; that there be a limit of 60 minutes of 
debate with respect to Burr Amendment No. 4572, with the time equally 
divided and controlled in the usual form and that upon the use or 
yielding back of time, Senate vote on or in relation to the amendment; 
provided further, that upon disposition of the Burr Amendment No. 4572, 
and a mangers technical amendment if cleared, the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute, as amended, if amended, be agreed to; that the 
bill, as amended, be read a third time, and Senate vote on passage of 
the bill and that upon passage, the title amendment be agreed to and 
the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. 
                                                             Page S3332
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act--Agreement: Senate resumed consideration 
of the motion to proceed to consideration of H.R. 2831, to amend title 
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in 
Employment Act of 1967, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 
and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to clarify that a discriminatory 
compensation decision or other practice that is unlawful under such 
Acts occurs each time compensation is paid pursuant to the 
discriminatory compensation decision or other practice. 
                                                  Pages S3273-87, S3288

[[Page D481]]


  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 56 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 110), 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 proceed to 
consideration of the bill.
  Senator Reid entered a motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture 
was not invoked on the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill. 
                                                             Page S3288
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that following disposition of S. 1315, 
Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, Senate begin consideration of H.R. 
493, the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act; that the only amendment in 
order be an amendment in the nature of a substitute to be offered by 
Senators Snowe, Kennedy, and Enzi; provided further, that there be a 
total of 2 hours for debate on the bill and the amendment, with time 
equally divided and controlled between the Majority Leader and the 
Republican Leader or their designees; and that upon the use or yielding 
back of all time, the amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be 
read a third time, and Senate vote on passage of the bill.
                                                             Page S3296
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  C. Steven McGann, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
the Fiji Islands, and to serve concurrently and without additional 
compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of Nauru, the Kingdom of 
Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Republic of Kiribati.
  T. Vance McMahan, of Texas, to be an Alternate Representative of the 
United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the 
United Nations, during his tenure of service as Representative of the 
United States of America on the Economic and Social Council of the 
United Nations.
  Jeffrey Leigh Sedgwick, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Attorney 
General.
  Christine O. Hill, of Georgia, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs (Congressional Affairs).
  4 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  2 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Army, Foreign Service.
Pages S3335-36
Messages from the House:
                                                             Page S3304
Measures Referred:
                                                             Page S3304
Measures Placed on the Calendar:
                                                             Page S3304
Additional Cosponsors:
                                                         Pages S3304-06
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
                                                         Pages S3306-09
Additional Statements:
                                                         Pages S3301-03
Amendments Submitted:
                                                         Pages S3309-22
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:
                                                         Pages S3322-23
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--110) 
                                                             Page S3288
Adjournment: Senate convened at 5:00 p.m. and adjourned at 7:32 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2008. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S3332.)