[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 48 (Thursday, March 19, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D288-D289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Thursday, March 19, 2009

[[Page D288]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 146, Revolutionary War and War of 1812 
      Battlefield Protection Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S3381-S3582
Measures Introduced: Twenty-six bills and three resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 638-663, S. Res. 79-80, and S. Con. Res. 11.
                                                         Pages S3550-51
Measures Passed:
Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act: By 77 
yeas to 20 nays (Vote No. 106), Senate passed H.R. 146, to designate 
certain land as components of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System, to authorize certain programs and activities in the Department 
of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, as amended, after 
taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                      Pages S3385-S3513
Adopted:
  Coburn Amendment No. 682 (to Amendment No. 684), to protect 
scientists and visitors to federal lands from unfair penalties for 
collecting insignificant rocks.                   
Pages S3385, S3388-89
  Bingaman Amendment No. 684, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                      Pages S3385-S3513
  Bingaman Amendment No. 686, to amend the title.            
Page S3513
Rejected:
  Coburn Amendment No. 677 (to Amendment No. 684), to require Federal 
agencies to determine on an annual basis the quantity of land that is 
owned by each Federal agency and the cost to taxpayers of the ownership 
of the land. (By 58 yeas to 39 nays (Vote No. 104), Senate tabled the 
amendment.)                                
Pages S3385, S3386-87, S3388
  Coburn Amendment No. 683 (to Amendment No. 684), to prohibit funding 
for congressional earmarks for wasteful and parochial pork projects. 
(By 70 yeas to 27 nays (Vote No. 105), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                              Pages S3385, S3387, S3389
  National Safe Place Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 80, designating 
the week beginning March 15, 2009, as ``National Safe Place Week''. 
                                                             Page S3578
Measures Considered:
Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act--Cloture 
Agreement: Senate began consideration of the motion to proceed to 
consideration of H.R. 1388, to reauthorize and reform the national 
service laws.                                                
  Page S3577
   A motion was entered to close further debate on the motion to 
proceed to consideration of the bill, and, in accordance with the 
provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, and 
pursuant to the unanimous-consent agreement of Thursday, March 19, 
2009, a vote on cloture will occur at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2009, 
and that if cloture is invoked, then post-cloture time count as if 
cloture had been invoked at 3 p.m., on Monday, March 23, 2009. 
                                                             Page S3577
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that Senate 
resume consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of the 
bill at approximately 3 p.m., on Monday, March 23, 2009.     
Page S3578
Appointments:
  U.S.-Russia Interparliamentary Group: The Chair, on behalf of the 
Majority Leader, pursuant to Section 154 of Public Law 108-199, 
appointed the following Senator as Chairman of the Senate Delegation to 
the U.S.-Russia Interparliamentary Group conference during the 111th 
Congress: Senator E. Benjamin Nelson.                        
  Page S3578
  U.S.-Russia Interparliamentary Group: The Chair, on behalf of the 
Republican Leader, pursuant to Section 154 of Public Law 108-199, 
appointed the following Senator as Vice Chairman of the Senate 
Delegation to the U.S.-Russia Interparliamentary Group conference 
during the 111th Congress: Senator Gregg.                    
  Page S3578

[[Page D289]]

  Congressional Award Board: The Chair, on behalf of the Republican 
Leader, pursuant to Public Law 96-114, as amended, appointed the 
following individual to the Congressional Award Board: Wiley Dobbs of 
Idaho.                                                       
  Page S3578
  Technology Policy Committee: The Chair, on behalf of the Republican 
Leader, pursuant to Public Law 111-5, appointed the following 
individual to the Health Information Technology Policy Committee: 
Richard Chapman of Kentucky.                                 
  Page S3578
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  By 61 yeas 31 nays (Vote No. EX. 107), Elena Kagan, of Massachusetts, 
to be Solicitor General of the United States.
  Jane Lubchenco, of Oregon, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere.
  John P. Holdren, of Massachusetts, to be Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy.
  Routine lists in the Coast Guard.     
Pages S3520-36, S3577-78, S3582
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Kathleen A. Merrigan, of Massachusetts, to be Deputy Secretary of 
Agriculture.
  April S. Boyd, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce.
  Michelle DePass, of New York, to be an Assistant Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency.
  Peter Cunningham, of Illinois, to be Assistant Secretary for 
Communications and Outreach, Department of Education.
  Brian Vincent Kennedy, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Labor.
  4 Army nominations in the rank of general.                 
Page S3582
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S3548
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                             
  Page S3548
Measures Read the First Time:                        
  Pages S3548, S3578
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S3548-49
Petitions and Memorials:                                     
  Page S3549
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S3550
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S3551-52
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S3552-76
Additional Statements:                                       
  Page S3547
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S3576-77
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                                
  Page S3577
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S3577
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total--107) 
                                       Pages S3388, S3389, S3394, S3536
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:31 a.m. and adjourned at 6:49 p.m., 
until 2 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2009. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S3578.)