[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 1, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D383-D385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Wednesday, April 1, 2009

[[Page D383]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      See Resume of Congressional Activity.

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S4111-S4230
Measures Introduced: Twenty-three bills and two resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 758-780, S. Res. 97, and S. Con. Res. 16. 
                                                         Pages S4171-72


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On Page D383, April 1, 2009 the following language appears: 
Measures Introduced: Twenty-two bills and two resolutions were 
introduced,
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: Measures 
Introduced: Twenty-three bills and two resolutions were 
introduced,


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

Measures Passed:
  Authorizing Use of Capitol Rotunda: Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 54, 
permitting the use of the Rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part 
of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the 
Holocaust.                                                   
  Page S4226
  Commemorating 90 Years of U.S.-Polish Diplomatic Relations: Senate 
agreed to S. Res. 9, commemorating 90 years of U.S.-Polish diplomatic 
relations, during which Poland has proven to be an exceptionally strong 
partner to the United States in advancing freedom around the world. 
                                                             Page S4227
  Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of NATO: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
20, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization.                                                
  Page S4227
  Parliamentary Elections in Moldova: Senate agreed to S. Res. 56, 
urging the Government of Moldova to ensure a fair and democratic 
election process for the parliamentary elections on April 5, 2009. 
                                                         Pages S4227-28
Measures Considered:
Budget Resolution--Agreement: Senate continued consideration of S. Con. 
Res. 13, setting forth the congressional budget for the U.S. Government 
for fiscal year 2010, revising the appropriate budgetary levels for 
fiscal year 2009, and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels 
for fiscal years 2011 through 2014, taking action on the following 
amendments proposed thereto:                             
  Pages S4112-64
Adopted:
  Lincoln Amendment No. 775, to enhance future GI Bill benefits for 
members of the National Guard and Reserve by ensuring those benefits 
keep pace with the national average cost of tuition.     
Pages S4121-22
  Lincoln Amendment No. 774, to provide a deficit-neutral reserve fund 
for improving child welfare.                             
Pages S4122-23
  Lieberman Amendment No. 763, to protect the American people from 
potential spillover violence from Mexico by providing $550 million in 
additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security and the 
Department of Justice and supporting the Administration's efforts to 
combat drug, gun, and cash smuggling by the cartels, by providing: $260 
million for Customs and Border Protection to hire, train, equip, and 
deploy additional officers and canines and conduct exit inspections for 
weapons and cash; $130 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
to hire, train, equip and deploy additional investigators; $50 million 
to Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to hire, train, equip, 
and deploy additional agents and inspectors; $20 million for the Human 
Smuggling and Trafficking Center; $10 million for the Office of 
International Affairs and the Management Directorate at DHS for 
oversight of the Merida Initiative; $30 million for Operation 
Stonegarden; $10 million to the Department of Justice for competitive 
grants to support local, State, and Tribal law enforcement agencies 
located along the southern border and in High Intensity Drug 
Trafficking Areas to address drug-related criminal activity; $20 
million to DHS for tactical radio communications; and $20 million for 
upgrading the Traveler Enforcement Communications System. 
                                              Pages S4112, S4144, S4145
  Casey Amendment No. 783, to establish a reserve fund to fully fund 
the Long-Term Stability/Housing for Victims Program. 
                                                  Pages S4113-14, S4146

[[Page D384]]


  Kerry/Lugar Amendment No. 732, to restore full funding for the 
President's request for the international affairs budget, in support of 
development programs in Pakistan and Afghanistan, nuclear 
nonproliferation, foreign assistance, fighting global AIDS, promoting 
sustainable development, and other efforts, with an offset. 
                                                  Pages S4117-19, S4146
  Isakson Amendment No. 762, to provide for a deficit-neutral reserve 
fund for providing a nonrefundable Federal income tax credit for the 
purchase of a principal residence during a 1-year period. 
                                                  Pages S4128-29, S4146
  Shaheen Amendment No. 776, to establish a reserve fund for monitoring 
of FHA-insured lending.                           
                                                  Pages S4129-30, S4146
  By a unanimous vote of 98 yeas (Vote No. 121), Ensign Amendment No. 
804, to protect middle-income taxpayers from tax increases by providing 
a point of order against legislation that increase taxes on them, 
including taxes that arise, directly or indirectly, from Federal 
revenues derived from climate change or similar legislation. 
                                               Pages S4114-17, S4146-47
  By 82 yeas to 16 nays (Vote No. 122), Cornyn Amendment No. 806, to 
protect small businesses from higher taxes.      
Page S4119-21, S4147,  S4150-51
  Reed Amendment No. 836, to increase funding for the Low-Income Home 
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by $1.9 billion in FY 2010. 
                                                  Pages S4135-41, S4148
  By 67 yeas to 31 nays (Vote No. 126), Johanns Amendment No. 735, to 
prohibit the use of reconciliation in the Senate for climate change 
legislation involving a cap and trade system. 
                                        Pages S4112, S4141-44, S4149-50
Rejected:
  By 43 yeas to 55 nays (Vote No. 119), Alexander Amendment No. 747, to 
create runaway debt point of order against consideration of a budget 
resolution that projects the ratio of public debt to GDP for any fiscal 
year in excess of 90 percent to ensure the continued viability of U.S. 
dollar and prevent doubling or tripling the debt burden on future 
generations.                                         
Pages S4112, S4145
  By 40 yeas to 58 nays (Vote No. 120), Sessions Modified Amendment No. 
772, to restore the budget discipline of the Federal Government by 
freezing nondefense discretionary spending for fiscal years 2010 and 
2011, and limiting the growth of nondefense discretionary spending to 1 
percent annually for fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014. 
                                                  Pages S4112, S4144-46
  By 44 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 123), Gregg Amendment No. 835, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to address our Nation's long 
term fiscal problems.                   
Pages S4123-25, S4129, S4147-48
  By 43 yeas to 55 nays (Vote No. 124), Crapo Amendment No. 844, to 
protect the fiscal discipline on discretionary spending exercised by 
the reported budget resolution by extending the resolution's 
discretionary spending limits to exactly the same level as already 
assumed in the resolution to make sure that debt is not increased 
further than contemplated by this budget resolution as a result of 
subsequent budget resolutions or appropriation bills. 
                                                  Pages S4130-35, S4148
  By 44 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 127), Kyl Amendment No. 793, to 
protect all patients by prohibiting the use of data obtained from 
comparative effectiveness research to deny coverage of items or 
services under Federal health care programs and to ensure that 
comparative effectiveness research accounts for advancement in genomics 
and personalized medicine, the unique needs of health disparity 
populations, and differences in the treatment response and the 
treatment preferences of patients.                
Pages S4125-28, S4150
Pending:
  Ensign Amendment No. 805, to require certain higher-income 
beneficiaries enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug benefit to pay 
higher premiums, as is currently required for physicians' services and 
outpatient services, and as proposed in the budget of the U.S. 
Government most recently submitted by the President.         
Page S4132
  McCain Amendment No. 882, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                         Pages S4151-53
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 42 yeas to 56 nays (Vote No. 125), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive pursuant to section 904 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, with respect to Whitehouse/Boxer 
Amendment No. 869, relative to a deficit-neutral reserve fund to invest 
in clean energy and preserve the environment. Subsequently, the point 
of order that the amendment was in violation of section 305(b)(2) of 
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, was sustained, and the amendment 
thus fell.                                               
Pages S4148-49
  A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the resolution at 10 a.m., on Thursday, April 2, 2009, 
and that there be 90 minutes remaining for debate, equally divided and 
controlled between the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on the 
Budget, or their designees; with 40 minutes of that time for debate 
relative to the McCain Amendment No. 882 (listed above), with 20 
minutes deducted for each manager, with the time for debate on McCain 
Amendment No. 882, equally divided and controlled

[[Page D385]]

in the usual form; provided that the vote sequence of amendments be 
established with the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on the 
Budget, concurring on any order; provided that during any sequence of 
votes established, that there be 2 minutes of debate prior to any vote, 
equally divided and controlled in the usual form; provided further, 
that after the first vote in any sequence, the remaining votes be 10 
minutes in duration.                                         
Page S4228
Civil Access to Justice Act--Referral Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the Committee on the Judiciary be 
discharged from further consideration S. 718, to amend the Legal 
Services Corporation Act to meet special needs of eligible clients, 
provide for technology grants, improve corporate practices of the Legal 
Services Corporation, and the bill then be referred to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.                      
  Page S4226
Messages from the House:                                 
  Pages S4169-70
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S4170
Executive Reports of Committees:                         
  Pages S4170-71
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S4172-74
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S4174-97
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S4168-69
Amendments Submitted:                                 
  Pages S4197-S4226
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S4226
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S4226
Record Votes: Nine record votes were taken today. (Total--127) 
      Page S4145, S4146, S4146-47, S4147, S4148, S4149, S4149-50, S4150
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 8:56 p.m., 
until 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2009. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S4228.)