[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 116 (Wednesday, July 29, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D935-D937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                           Wednesday, July 29, 2009

[[Page D935]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 3183, Energy and Water Appropriations Act.

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S8215-S8500
Measures Introduced: Ten bills and five resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 1530-1539, and S. Res. 226-230.              
  Pages S8271-72
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Further Revised Allocation to Subcommittees 
of Budget Totals from the Concurrent Resolution, Fiscal Year 2010''. 
(S. Rept. No. 111-62)
  S. 1533, to provide an extension of public transportation programs 
authorized under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. (S. Rept. No. 111-61)
  Report to accompany S.J. Res. 17, approving the renewal of import 
restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 
2003. (S. Rept. No. 111-63)                                  
Page S8269
Measures Passed:
  Energy and Water Appropriations Act: By 85 yeas to 9 nays (Vote No. 
248), Senate passed H.R. 3183, making appropriations for energy and 
water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2010, as amended, after taking action on the following 
amendments proposed thereto:                           
  Pages S8216-8263
Adopted:
  Reid Amendment No. 1846 (to Amendment No. 1813), to modify provisions 
relating to the Department of the Interior.          
Pages S8216, S8221
  Dorgan Amendment No. 1844 (to Amendment No. 1813), to provide a 
technical correction to a Corps of Engineers project.    
Pages S8221-22
  Dorgan Amendment No. 1845 (to Amendment No. 1813), to provide 
transfer authority for the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of 
Reclamation.                                             
Pages S8221-22
  Dorgan Amendment No. 1855 (to Amendment No. 1813), to require all 
agencies to include a separate category for administrative expense when 
submitting their appropriation requests to the Office of Management and 
Budget for fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter. 
                                                         Pages S8234-35
  Sanders Amendment No. 1903 (to Amendment No. 1813), to provide 
additional amounts for technical assistance grants.      
Pages S8243-44
  Coburn Modified Amendment No. 1878 (to Amendment No. 1813), to 
require public disclosure of reports required in appropriations bills. 
                                                             Page S8245
  By 79 yeas to 18 nays (Vote No. 246), Dorgan/Bennett Amendment No. 
1895 (to Amendment No. 1813), to provide requirements regarding the 
authority of the Department of Energy to enter into certain contracts. 
                                                  Pages S8244, S8250-51
  Hutchison Modified Amendment No. 1864 (to Amendment No. 1813), of a 
perfecting nature.                                       
Pages S8251-52
  Dorgan (for Boxer/Feinstein) Modified Amendment No. 1859 (to 
Amendment No. 1813), to permit certain water transfers. 
                                                         Pages S8253-59
  Dorgan (for Merkley) Modified Amendment No. 1867 (to Amendment No. 
1813), to clarify that the Secretary of Energy is required to consider 
low-risk finance programs that substantially reduce or eliminate 
upfront costs for building owners to renovate or retrofit existing 
buildings to install energy efficiency or renewable energy technologies 
as eligible for certain loan guarantees.                     
Page S8253
  Dorgan (for Tester) Amendment No. 1842 (to Amendment No. 1813), to 
extend the period for offering certain leases for cabin sites at Fort 
Peck Lake, Montana.                                          
Page S8253
  Dorgan (for Landrieu/Vitter) Modified Amendment No. 1888 (to 
Amendment No. 1813), to require the Secretary of the Army to conduct a 
study

[[Page D936]]

of the residual risks associated with the options relating to the 
project for permanent pumps and closure structures, Lake Pontchartrain, 
Louisiana.                                                   
Page S8253
  Dorgan (for Kaufman/Carper) Amendment No. 1891 (to Amendment No. 
1813), to prevent Federal preemption of the planning processes of the 
State of Delaware regarding the Delaware River Main Channel Deepening 
Project.                                                     
Page S8250
  Dorgan (for Kyl/Collins) Amendment No. 1892 (to Amendment No. 1813), 
to prohibit funds appropriated for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve from 
being made available to any person that has engaged in certain 
activities with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran. 
                                                         Pages S8253-54
  Nelson (FL)/Martinez Amendment No. 1852 (to Amendment No. 1813), to 
provide for the Federal share of the cost of Ten Mile Creek Water 
Preserve Area.                                               
Page S8259
  Nelson (FL)/Martinez Modified Amendment No. 1893 (to Amendment No. 
1813), to ensure that previously appropriated funding for the Tampa 
Harbor Big Bend Channel project is used for the original intended 
purpose of the funding and not reprogrammed.             
Pages S8259-62
  Dorgan Amendment No. 1813, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                             Page S8216
Rejected:
  By 35 yeas to 62 nays (Vote No. 245), Coburn Amendment No. 1879 (to 
Amendment No. 1813), to reduce the appropriation for Departmental 
Administration of the Department of Energy so that the Department can 
set an example for all Americans by reducing unnecessary energy usage. 
                                                         Pages S8244-50
  By 26 yeas to 71 nays (Vote No. 247), Coburn Amendment No. 1884 (to 
Amendment No. 1813), to prohibit no bid contracts by requiring the use 
of competitive procedures to award contracts and grants funded under 
this Act.                                         
Pages S8245-46, S8251
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 38 yeas to 59 nays (Vote No. 244), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive pursuant to section 302(f) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, with respect to Alexander Amendment 
No. 1862 (to Amendment No. 1813), to limit disbursement of additional 
funds under the Troubled Asset Relief Program to certain automobile 
manufacturers, to impose fiduciary duties on the Secretary of the 
Treasury with respect to shareholders of such automobile manufacturers, 
to require the issuance of shares of common stock to eligible taxpayers 
which represent the common stock to eligible taxpayers which represent 
the common stock holdings of the United States Government in such 
automobile manufacturers. Subsequently, the point of order that the 
amendment would increase mandatory spending, was sustained, and the 
amendment thus fell.                              
Pages S8216, S8223-25
  Chair sustained a point of order against Nelson (NE) Amendment No. 
1874 (to Amendment No. 1813), to express the sense of the Senate that 
the investment by the Federal Government in the automotive industry of 
the United States is temporary, as being in violation of rule XVI of 
the Standing Rules of the Senate, pursuant to the precedent of May 17, 
2000 (Lott Precedent), which prohibits legislation on an appropriation 
bill, and the amendment thus fell.                
Pages S8222-23, S8227
  Chair sustained a point of order against Corker Modified Amendment 
No. 1865 (to Amendment No. 1813), to authorize the Secretary of the 
Treasury to delegate management authority over troubled assets 
purchased under the Troubled Asset Relief Program, to require the 
establishment of a trust to manage assets of certain designated TARP 
recipients, as being in violation of rule XVI of the Standing Rules of 
the Senate, which prohibits legislation on an appropriation bill, and 
the amendment thus fell.                          
Pages S8217-21, S8227
  Senate insisted on its amendment, requested a conference with the 
House thereon, and the Chair was authorized to appoint the following 
conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators Dorgan, Byrd, Murray, 
Feinstein, Johnson, Landrieu, Reed, Lautenberg, Harkin, Tester, Inouye, 
Bennett, Cochran, McConnell, Bond, Hutchison, Shelby, Alexander, and 
Voinovich.                                                   
Page S8263
  National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week: Senate agreed 
to S. Res. 228, designating the week beginning September 14, 2009, as 
``National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week''. 
                                                             Page S8499
  National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week: Senate 
agreed to S. Res. 229, designating the week beginning August 30, 2009, 
as ``National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week''. 
                                                      Pages S8499-S8500
  Richard A. Baker, Historian Emeritus of U.S. Senate: Senate agreed to 
S. Res. 230, designating Richard A. Baker as Historian Emeritus of the 
United States Senate.                                        
  Page S8500
Highway Trust Fund Act--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement 
was reached providing that on Thursday, July 30, 2009, at a time to be 
determined by the Majority Leader, following consultation with the 
Republican Leader, Senate begin consideration of H.R. 3357, to restore 
sums to the

[[Page D937]]

Highway Trust Fund, and that when the bill is considered, it be 
considered under the following limitations: that there be general 
debate of 20 minutes equally divided and controlled in the usual form, 
with the time under the control of the two Leaders, or their designees; 
that the only amendments in order be the following and that debate time 
on each amendment be limited to 60 minutes equally divided and 
controlled in the usual form; that no other amendments be in order; 
that upon disposition of the listed amendments, the bill, as amended, 
if amended, be read a third time, and Senate vote on passage of the 
bill: Ensign amendment relative to unemployment benefits; Bond 
amendment relative to SAFETEA-LU; Vitter amendment relative to highway 
trust fund; and DeMint amendment relative to offset ui/highway/housing 
substitute; provided further, that upon disposition of the bill, Senate 
begin consideration of H.R. 2997, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food 
and Drug Administration and Related agencies programs; that once the 
bill is reported, Senator Kohl be recognized to offer a substitute 
amendment, which is the text of the Senate committee reported bill, S. 
1406.                                                        
  Page S8262
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Robert D. Hormats, of New York, to be United States Alternate 
Governor of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 
for a term of five years; United States Alternate Governor of the 
Inter-American Development Bank for a term of five years; United States 
Alternate Governor of the African Development Bank for a term of five 
years; United States Alternate Governor of the African Development 
Fund; United States Alternate Governor of the Asian Development Bank; 
and United States Alternate Governor of the European Bank for 
Reconstruction and Development.
  1 Marine Corps nomination in the rank of general.          
Page S8500
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S8268
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S8268
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S8268-69
Executive Reports of Committees:                         
  Pages S8269-71
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S8272-74
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S8274-79
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S8267-68
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S8279-86
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S8286
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S8286
Text of H.R. 2647 as Previously Passed:               
  Pages S8287-S8499
Record Votes: Five record votes were taken today. (Total--248) 
                                Pages S8225, S8250, S8251, S8251, S8263
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 8:57 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2009. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S8500.)