[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 9, 2010)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D643-D644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                            Wednesday, June 9, 2010

[[Page D643]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S4709-S4786
Measures Introduced: Eleven bills and two resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 3464-3474, and S. Res. 547-548.           
  Pages S4744-45
Measures Reported:
  S. 1507, to amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, to 
reform Postal Service retiree health benefits funding, with amendments. 
(S. Rept. No. 111-203)                                       
Page S4744
Measures Passed:
  Oil Pollution Act: Senate passed S. 3473, to amend the Oil Pollution 
Act of 1990 to authorize advances from Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund 
for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.                         
  Page S4785
House Messages:
  American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act: Senate continued 
consideration of the amendment of the House of Representatives to the 
amendment of the Senate to H.R. 4213, to amend the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions, taking action on 
the following amendments proposed thereto:               
  Pages S4711-41
Adopted:
  By 58 yeas to 41 nays (Vote No. 182), Baucus Amendment No. 4326 (to 
Amendment No. 4301), to increase transparency regarding debt 
instruments of the United States held by foreign governments, to assess 
the risks to the United States of such holdings.         
Pages S4736-38
  Cornyn/Kyl Modified Amendment No. 4302 (to Amendment No. 4301), to 
increase transparency regarding debt instruments of the United States 
held by foreign governments, to assess the risks to the United States 
of such holdings. (By 38 yeas to 61 nays (Vote No. 183), Senate earlier 
failed to table the amendment.)            
Pages S4711, S4735-36, S4738
Rejected:
  Roberts Amendment No. 4325 (to Amendment No. 4301), to exempt 
pediatric medical devices from the medical device tax. (By 55 yeas to 
44 nays (Vote No. 180), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                  Pages S4728-29, S4733
Pending:
  Baucus motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the 
amendment of the Senate to the bill, with Baucus Amendment No. 4301 (to 
the amendment of the House to the amendment of the Senate to the bill), 
in the nature of a substitute.                               
Page S4711
  Franken Amendment No. 4311 (to Amendment No. 4301), to establish the 
Office of the Homeowner Advocate for purposes of addressing problems 
with the Home Affordable Modification Program.               
Page S4711
  Sanders Amendment No. 4318 (to Amendment No. 4301), to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to eliminate big oil and gas company tax 
loopholes, and to use the resulting increase in revenues to reduce the 
deficit and to invest in energy efficiency and conservation. 
                                               Pages S4738-39, S4739-41
  Vitter Amendment No. 4312 (to Amendment No. 4301), to ensure that any 
new revenues to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund will be used for the 
purposes of the fund and not used as a budget gimmick to offset deficit 
spending.                                                    
Page S4739
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 57 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 179), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive all applicable budget points of order, 
with respect to Cardin Amendment No. 4304 (to Amendment No. 4301), to 
provide for the extension of dependent coverage under the Federal 
Employees Health Benefits Program. Subsequently, the Chair sustained a 
point of order against Cardin Amendment No. 4304 (to Amendment No. 
4301), as being in violation of section 311 of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974, and the amendment thus fell.         
Pages S4711, S4732-33
  By 57 yeas to 41 nays (Vote No. 181), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive all applicable budget points of order, 
with respect to Sessions/McCaskill Modified Amendment No. 4303 (to 
Amendment No. 4301), to establish 3-year discretionary spending caps. 
Subsequently, the Chair sustained a point of order against Sessions/
McCaskill Modified Amendment No. 4303 (to

[[Page D644]]

Amendment No. 4301), as being in violation of section 306 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and the amendment thus fell. 
                                 Pages S4711, S4719, S4729-32, S4734-35
  EPA Greenhouse Gases Resolution--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that on Thursday, June 10, 2010, 
following any Leader remarks, Senate begin consideration of the motion 
to proceed to consideration of S.J. Res. 26, disapproving a rule 
submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to the 
endangerment finding and the cause or contribute findings for 
greenhouse gases under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act, and that 
the debate time on the motion to proceed be allotted in 30 minute 
alternating blocks, with Senator Murkowski controlling the first 30 
minute block, and with the first block commencing at 9:45 a.m., on 
Thursday, June 10, 2010.                                     
  Page S4785
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to the suspensions 
under section 902(a)(3) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 with respect to issuance of permanent 
munitions export licenses for exports to the People's Republic of China 
insofar as such restrictions pertain to the Light Scanner 32 System 
used for gene mutation genotyping for individualized cancer treatment; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (PM-61) 
                                                             Page S4744
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Mimi E. Alemayehou, Executive Vice President of the Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the 
African Development Foundation for a term expiring September 22, 2015.
  Johnnie Carson, an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs), to 
be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development 
Foundation for a term expiring September 27, 2015.
  Edward W. Brehm, of Minnesota, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the African Development Foundation for a term expiring 
September 22, 2011.
  James Frederick Entwistle, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  Mark Lloyd Ericks, of Washington, to be United States Marshal for the 
Western District of Washington for the term of four years.
  Joseph Patrick Faughnan, Sr., of Connecticut, to be United States 
Marshal for the District of Connecticut for the term of four years.
  Harold Michael Oglesby, of Arkansas, to be United States Marshal for 
the Western District of Arkansas for the term of four years.
  Donald Martin O'Keefe, of California, to be United States Marshal for 
the Northern District of California for the term of four years.
  Charles Thomas Weeks II, of Oklahoma, to be United States Marshal for 
the Western District of Oklahoma for the term of four years.
  Kenneth James Runde, of Iowa, to be United States Marshal for the 
Northern District of Iowa for the term of four years.
  Robert E. O'Neill, of Florida, to be United States Attorney for the 
Middle District of Florida for the term of four years.       
Page S4786
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S4744
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S4744
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                             
  Page S4744
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S4744
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S4745-46
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S4746-53
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S4742-43
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S4753-84
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S4785
Record Votes: Five record votes were taken today. (Total--183) 
                                              Pages S4733, S4735, S4738
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:48 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 10, 2010. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S4786.)