[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1337-D1338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                         Tuesday, November 17, 2009

[[Page D1337]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 3082, Military Construction and Veterans 
      Affairs Appropriations Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S11393-11440
Measures Introduced: Eleven bills were introduced, as follows: S. 2780-
2790.                                                       
  Page S11430
Measures Passed:
  Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act: By 
unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 348), Senate passed H.R. 3082, 
making appropriations for military construction, the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2010, as amended, after taking action on the following 
amendments proposed thereto:                 
  Pages S11403-07, S11407-11
Adopted:
  Inouye Modified Amendment No. 2754 (to Amendment No. 2730), to permit 
$68,500,000, as requested by the Missile Defense Agency of the 
Department of Defense, to be used for the construction of a test 
facility to support the Phased Adaptive Approach for missile defense in 
Europe, with an offset.                            
Pages S11403, S11404
  Johnson (for Cochran) Amendment No. 2763 (to Amendment No. 2730), to 
provide for the modification of a restriction of alienation of certain 
real property in Gulfport, Mississippi.             
Pages S11405, 11406
  By 98 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 346), Johnson Amendment No. 2733 (to 
Amendment No. 2730), to increase by $50,000,000 the amount available 
for the Department of Veterans Affairs for minor construction projects 
for the purpose of converting unused Department of Veterans Affairs 
structures into housing with supportive services for homeless veterans, 
and to provide an offset.                           
Pages S11403, 11405
  Feingold/Sanders Modified Amendment No. 2748 (to Amendment 2730), to 
make available $5,000,000 for grants to community-based organizations 
and State and local government entities to conduct outreach to veterans 
in under-served areas.                          
Pages S11403, S11405-06
  Johnson (for Warner) Modified Amendment No. 2775 (to Amendment No. 
2730), to require a study on the capacity of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to address combat stress in women veterans.         
Page S11406
  Johnson (for Klobuchar) Amendment No. 2777 (to Amendment No 2730), to 
require a study to identify the improvements to the information 
technology infrastructure of the Department of Veterans Affairs that 
are required to furnish health care services to veterans using 
telehealth platforms.                                   
Pages S11406-07
  Johnson (for Boxer) Modified Amendment No. 2783 (to Amendment No. 
2730), to make available from Medical Services, $1,000,000 for 
education debt reduction for mental health care professionals who agree 
to employment at the Department of Veterans Affairs.    
Pages S11406-07
  Johnson/Hutchison Amendment No. 2730, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                             Pages S11403-07, S11407-11
Rejected:
  DeMint (for Inhofe) Amendment No. 2774 (to Amendment No. 2730), to 
prohibit the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available by 
this Act to construct or modify a facility in the United States or its 
territories to permanently or temporarily hold any individual held at 
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (By 57 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 347), Senate 
tabled the amendment.)                          
Pages S11403, S11407-09
  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 Johnson, Inouye, 
Landrieu, Byrd, Murray, Reed, Nelson (NE), Pryor, Leahy, Hutchison, 
Brownback, McConnell, Collins, Murkowski, and Cochran.      
Page S11411
Appointments:
  Library of Congress Trust Fund Board: The Chair, on behalf of the 
Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, pursuant 
to Public

[[Page D1338]]

Law 95-277, as amended by Public Law 102-246, appointed the following 
individuals as members of the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board for 
five year terms: Elaine Wynn of Nevada, vice Bernard Rapoport, and Tom 
Girardi of California, vice Leo Hindery.                    
  Page S11439
Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act--Agreement: A 
unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing that upon 
disposition of the nomination of David F. Hamilton, of Indiana, to be 
United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, that Senate begin 
consideration of S. 1963, to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
provide assistance to caregivers of veterans, to improve the provision 
of health care to veterans; and that the bill be considered under the 
following limitations: that debate on the bill be limited to 30 
minutes, equally divided and controlled between Senators Akaka and 
Burr, or their designees; that the only amendment in order be a Coburn 
amendment regarding funding priorities; that debate on the amendment be 
limited to three hours, with two hours under the control of Senator 
Coburn, and 60 minutes under the control of Senator Akaka, or his 
designee; that upon use or yielding back of all time, Senate vote on or 
in relation to the Coburn amendment; that upon disposition of the 
Coburn amendment, Senate vote on passage of the bill.       
  Page S11422
Senator Rockefeller--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that at approximately 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, 
November 18, 2009, Senator Rockefeller be recognized to speak. 
                                                            Page S11439
Hamilton Nomination--Agreement: Senate resumed consideration of the 
nomination of David F. Hamilton, of Indiana, to be United States 
Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit.                  
  Pages S11411-25
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 70 yeas to 29 nays (Vote No. 349), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed 
to the motion to close further debate on the nomination. 
                                                        Pages S11421-22
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the nomination at approximately 11:30 a.m., on 
Wednesday, November 18, 2009, and that the post-cloture time count 
during any adjournment, recess, or period of morning business. 
                                                            Page S11439
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Julie Simone Brill, of Vermont, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner 
for the term of seven years from September 26, 2009.
  Edith Ramirez, of California, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner for 
the term of seven years from September 26, 2008.
  Earl F. Gohl, Jr., of the District of Columbia, to be Federal 
Cochairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
  Scott H. DeLisi, of Minnesota, to be Ambassador to the Federal 
Democratic Republic of Nepal.
  Beatrice Wilkinson Welters, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the 
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  2 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  1 Navy nomination in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Foreign 
Service.                                                
Pages S11439-40
Messages from the House:                                    
  Page S11427
Measures Referred:                                          
  Page S11427
Executive Communications:                               
  Pages S11427-28
Executive Reports of Committees:                        
  Pages S11428-30
Additional Cosponsors:                                  
  Pages S11430-31
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:             
  Pages S11432-38
Additional Statements:                                  
  Pages S11426-27
Amendments Submitted:                                       
  Page S11438
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                               
  Page S11438
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                     
  Pages S11438-39
Privileges of the Floor:                                    
  Page S11439
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total--349) 
                                   Pages S11405, S11409, S11410, S11422
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:24 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S11439.)