[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 6, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D2-D3]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Tuesday, January 6, 2009

[[Page D2]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate convened the first session of the One Hundred Eleventh 
      Congress.

      The Honorable Nancy Pelosi of California was elected Speaker of 
      the House of Representatives.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S1-S152
Measures Introduced: One hundred forty-three bills and thirteen 
resolutions were introduced, as follows: S. 1-10, 21, 31-162, S.J. Res. 
1-3, S. Res. 1-8, and S. Con. Res. 1-2.
  Pages S39-44
Measures Passed:
  Quorum of House and Senate: Senate agreed to S. Res. 1, informing the 
President of the United States that a quorum of each House is 
assembled.
  Page S5
  Quorum of the Senate: Senate agreed to S. Res. 2, informing the House 
of Representatives that a quorum of the Senate is assembled.
  Page S5
  Counting of Electoral Votes: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 1, to 
provide for the counting on January 8, 2009, of the electoral votes for 
President and Vice President of the United States.
  Page S5
  Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies: Senate agreed 
to S. Con. Res. 2, extending the life of the Joint Congressional 
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
  Page S6
  Hour of Daily Meeting of the Senate: Senate agreed to S. Res. 3, 
fixing the hour of daily meeting of the Senate.
  Page S6
  Secretary of the Interior Compensation and Emoluments: Senate passed 
S.J. Res. 3, ensuring that the compensation and other emoluments 
attached to the office of Secretary of the Interior are those which 
were in effect on January 1, 2005.
  Pages S150-51
  Death of former Senator Claiborne de Borda Pell: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 8, relative to the death of the Honorable Claiborne de Borda Pell, 
former United States Senator for the State of Rhode Island.
  Page S151
Measures Considered:
Objection: Pursuant to rule XIV, paragraph 1, of the Standing Rules of 
the Senate, Senator Coburn objected to the introduction of a bill, to 
designate certain land components of the National Wilderness 
Preservation System, to authorize certain programs and activities in 
the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, by 
Senator Bingaman.
  Page S27
Appointments:
  Congressional Oversight Panel: The Chair, on behalf of the Republican 
Leader, pursuant to provisions of Public Law 110-343, appointed the 
following individual as a member of the Congressional Oversight Panel: 
Senator John Sununu, of New Hampshire, vice Senator Judd Gregg, of New 
Hampshire.
  Pursuant to the order of the Senate of December 11, 2008, authorizing 
appointments to be made during the recess or adjournment of the Senate, 
the Chair lays before the Senate an appointment made on December 18, 
2008, which shall be printed in the Record.
Page S150
111th Congress--Unanimous Consent Agreements:
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that for the 
duration of the 111th Congress, the Ethics Committee be authorized to 
meet during the session of the Senate.
Page S6
   A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that for the 
duration of the 111th Congress, there be a limitation of 15 minutes 
each upon any roll call vote, with the warning signal to be sounded

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at the midway point, beginning at the last 7\1/2\ minutes, and when 
roll call votes are of 10-minute duration, the warning signal be 
sounded at the beginning of the last 7\1/2\ minutes.
Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that during the 
111th Congress, it be in order for the Secretary of the Senate to 
receive reports at the desk when presented by a Senator at any time 
during the day of the session of the Senate.
Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the Majority 
and Minority Leaders may daily have up to 10 minutes each on each 
calendar day following the prayer and disposition of the reading of, or 
the approval of, the Journal.
Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the 
Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives and his five assistants 
be given the privileges of the floor during the 111th Congress. 
                                                                Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that, 
notwithstanding the provisions of rule XVIII, conference reports and 
statements accompanying them not be printed as Senate reports when such 
conference reports and statements have been printed as a House report 
unless specific request is made in the Senate in each instance to have 
such a report printed.
Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the 
Committee on Appropriations be authorized during the 111th Congress to 
file reports during adjournments or recesses of the Senate on 
appropriations bills, including joint resolutions, together with any 
accompanying notices of motions to suspend rule XVI, pursuant to rule 
V, for the purpose of offering certain amendments to such bills or 
joint resolutions, which proposed amendments shall be printed. 
                                                                Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that for the 
duration of the 111th Congress, the Secretary of the Senate be 
authorized to make technical and clerical corrections in the 
engrossments of all Senate-passed bills and resolutions, Senate 
amendments to House bills and resolutions, Senate amendments to House 
amendments to Senate amendments to House bills or resolutions. 
                                                                Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that for the 
duration of the 111th Congress, when the Senate is in recess or 
adjournment, the Secretary of the Senate is authorized to receive 
messages from the President of the United States, and--with the 
exception of House bills, joint resolutions and concurrent 
resolutions--messages from the House of Representatives; and that they 
be appropriately referred; and that the President of the Senate, the 
President pro tempore, and the Acting President pro tempore be 
authorized to sign duly enrolled bills and joint resolutions.
Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that for the 
duration of the 111th Congress, Senators be allowed to leave at the 
desk with the Journal Clerk the names of two staff members who will be 
granted the privilege of the floor during the consideration of the 
specific matter noted, and that the Sergeant-at-Arms be instructed to 
rotate such staff members as space allows.
Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that for the 
duration of the 111th Congress, it be in order to refer treaties and 
nominations on the day when they are received from the President, even 
when the Senate has no executive session that day.
Page S6
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that for the 
duration of the 111th Congress, Senators may be allowed to bring to the 
desk, bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions and simple 
resolutions, for referral to appropriate committees.
Page S6
Messages from the House:
  Pages S30-31
Measures Referred:
  Page S31
Measures Read the First Time:
  Pages S31, S151
Enrolled Bills Presented:
  Page S31
Executive Communications:
  Pages S8, S31-39
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S44-S150
Additional Statements:
  Page S30
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:
  Page S150
Quorum Calls:
  One quorum call was taken today. (Total--1)
Pages S4-5
Adjournment: Senate convened at 12:01 p.m. and adjourned, as a further 
mark of respect to the memory of the late Honorable Claiborne de Borda 
Pell, former United States Senator for the State of Rhode Island, in 
accordance with S. Res. 8, at 7:45 p.m., until 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 
January 7, 2009. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting 
Majority Leader in today's Record on page S152.)