[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 149 (Thursday, September 18, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1117-D1118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                       Thursday, September 18, 2008

[[Page D1117]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S8963-S9168
Measures Introduced: Fourteen bills and four resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 3514-3527, and S. Res. 665-668.
  Page S9025
Measures Reported:
  S. 1070, to amend the Social Security Act to enhance the social 
security of the Nation by ensuring adequate public-private 
infrastructure and to resolve to prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, 
and prosecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 110-470)
  H.R. 3247, to improve the provision of disaster assistance for 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute. (S. Rept. No. 110-471)
  S. 3155, to reauthorize and improve the Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 110-472)
  S. 2969, to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the 
capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain 
nurses and other critical health-care professionals, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 110-473)
  S. Res. 540, recognizing the historical significance of the sloop-of-
war USS Constellation as a reminder of the participation of the United 
States in the transatlantic slave trade and of the efforts of the 
United States to end the slave trade.
  S. 3136, to encourage the entry of felony warrants into the NCIC 
database by States and provide additional resources for extradition, 
with amendments.
Pages S9024-25
Measures Passed:
  National Save for Retirement Week: Committee on the Judiciary was 
discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 601, designating 
October 19 through October 25, 2008, as ``National Save for Retirement 
Week'', and the resolution was then agreed to.
  Pages S9164-65
  Lander Trail 150th Anniversary: Committee on the Judiciary was 
discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 623, recognizing the 
importance of the role of the Lander Trail in the settlement of the 
American West on the 150th anniversary of the Lander Trail, and the 
resolution was then agreed to.
  Pages S9164-65
  National Neighbor Day, National Good Neighbor Day, and National 
Neighborhood Day: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged from 
further consideration of S. Res. 650, recognizing the importance of 
National Neighbor Day, National Good Neighbor Day, and National 
Neighborhood Day, and the resolution was then agreed to. 
                                                         Pages S9164-65
  National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
667, designating September 2008 as ``National Prostate Cancer Awareness 
Month''.
  Pages S9164-65
  Bennett Freeze: Senate passed S. 531, to repeal section 10(f) of 
Public Law 93-531, commonly known as the ``Bennett Freeze''. 
                                                         Pages S9165-66
  United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act: Senate passed 
S. 2606, to reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, after 
agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and 
the following amendment proposed thereto:
  Pages S9166-67
  Casey (for Lieberman/Collins) Amendment No. 5631, in the nature of a 
substitute.
Page S9167
Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-
time agreement was reached providing that on Tuesday, September 23, 
2008, Senate begin consideration of H.R. 6049, to amend the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 to provide incentives for energy production and 
conservation, to extend certain expiring provisions, to provide 
individual income tax relief, and that the bill be considered under the 
following limitations: that there be 60 minutes of general debate on 
the bill, equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders, or 
their designees; provided further, that the only first-degree 
amendments in order be the following, with no other amendments in 
order, they be subject to an affirmative 60-vote threshold, that if

[[Page D1118]]

the amendment achieves that threshold, then it be agreed to, that if 
the amendment does not achieve that threshold, then it be withdrawn, 
and that each amendment be subject to a debate time limitation of 60 
minutes, equally divided and controlled in the usual form: Baucus-
Grassley amendment in the nature of a substitute relative to energy tax 
extenders with offset; Reid or designee perfecting amendment relative 
to AMT with offset; Baucus-Grassley perfecting amendment relative to 
tax extenders/AMT without full offset; that it be in order for Senator 
Conrad to raise a budget point of order against the amendment; and that 
once the debate time has been used or yielded back, a motion to waive 
the applicable point of order be considered to have been made; provided 
further, that if the motion to waive is successful, then the amendment 
be agreed to, and that if the motion to waive is not successful, the 
amendment be withdrawn; that Senator Conrad control up to 10 minutes of 
time during the debate on this amendment; provided further, that 
regardless of the outcome of the vote with respect to the Baucus-
Grassley amendment in the nature of a substitute, that Senate vote on 
or in relation to the remaining 2 amendments covered in this agreement; 
that the votes on or in relation to the above-listed amendments occur 
in the order listed after the use or yielding back of time; that upon 
disposition of all amendments, the bill be read a third time, and 
Senate vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended; and that 
the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to consideration 
of the bill be withdrawn.
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the motion 
to proceed to consideration of H.R. 6049 be withdrawn. 
                                                      Page S9009, S9167
Advancing America's Priorities Act--Cloture: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the motion to invoke cloture on 
the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 3297, to advance America's 
priorities, be withdrawn.
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report on the continuation of the 
national emergency that was originally declared on September 23, 2001, 
with respect to persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support 
terrorism; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs. (PM-64)
Pages S9022-23
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  One Army nomination in the rank of general.
  A routine list in the Army.
Page S9168
Messages from the House:
  Page S9023
Measures Read the First Time:
  Page S9023
Executive Communications:
  Pages S9023-24
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S9025-27
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S9027-40
Additional Statements:
  Pages S9015-22
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S9040-42
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
  Page S9042
Privileges of the Floor:
  Page S9042
Text of S. 3001, S. 3002, S. 3003, S. 3004 as Previously Passed: 
                                                       Page S9042-S9164
Recess: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and recessed at 8:49 p.m., until 3 
p.m. on Monday, September 22, 2008. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S9168.)