[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 169 (Saturday, December 18, 2010)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1215-D1217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                        Saturday, December 18, 2010

[[Page D1215]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate agreed to the motion to concur in the amendment of the 
      House to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 2965, Enhancing 
      Small Business Research and Innovation Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S10647-S10704
Measures Introduced: One bill and two resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 4049, and S. Res. 703-704.                      
  Page S10693
Measures Reported:
  Report to accompany S. 3817, to amend the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, the 
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978, 
and the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 1988 to reauthorize the 
Acts. (S. Rept. No. 111-378)                                
Page S10693
Measures Passed:
  Military Museum of Texas: Committee on Environment and Public Works 
was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6510, to direct the 
Administrator of General Services to convey a parcel of real property 
in Houston, Texas, to the Military Museum of Texas, and the bill was 
then passed.                                            
  Pages S10695-96
  Airport and Airway Extension Act: Senate passed H.R. 6473, to amend 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure 
authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, to amend title 49, 
United States Code, to extend the airport improvement program. 
                                                            Page S10696
  Local Community Radio Act: Senate passed H.R. 6533, to implement the 
recommendations of the Federal Communications Commission report to the 
Congress regarding low-power FM service.                    
  Page S10696
  Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act: Committee on Finance 
was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4915, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make technical corrections to the 
pension funding provisions of the Preservation of Access to Care for 
Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010, and the bill was 
then passed, after agreeing to the following amendments proposed 
thereto:                                                    
  Page S10696
  Brown (OH) (for Baucus) Amendment No. 4848, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                 
Page S10696
  Brown (OH) (for Baucus) Amendment No. 4849, to amend the title. 
                                                            Page S10696
  Honoring Ambassador Richard Holbrooke: Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 
335, honoring the exceptional achievements of Ambassador Richard 
Holbrooke and recognizing the significant contributions he has made to 
United States national security, humanitarian causes, and peaceful 
resolutions of international conflict.                  
  Pages S10696-97
  Authorize Printing: Senate agreed to S. Res. 704, to authorize the 
printing of a revised edition of the Senate Election Law Guidebook. 
                                                            Page S10698
  Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act: Senate passed S. 
118, to amend section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959, to improve the 
program under such section for supportive housing for the elderly, 
after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute, and the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                    Pages S10698-S10703
  Brown (OH) (for Dodd) Amendment No. 4850, to comply with the 
Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010.                        
Page S10700
  Honoring Bob Feller: Senate agreed to S. Res. 703, recognizing and 
honoring Bob Feller and expressing the condolences of the Senate to his 
family on his death.                                        
  Page S10703
House Messages:
  Removal Clarification Act: Senate resumed consideration of the 
amendment of the House of Representatives to the amendment of the 
Senate No. 3 to H.R. 5281, to amend title 28, United States

[[Page D1216]]

Code, to clarify and improve certain provisions relating to the removal 
of litigation against Federal officers or agencies to Federal courts, 
taking action on the following motions and amendments proposed thereto:
                                                        Pages S10665-66
Pending:
  Reid motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the amendment 
of the Senate No. 3 to the bill.                            
Page S10665
  Reid motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the amendment 
of the Senate No. 3 to the bill, with Reid Amendment No. 4822 (to the 
House Amendment to the Senate amendment No. 3), to change the enactment 
date.                                                       
Page S10665
  Reid Amendment No. 4823 (to Amendment No. 4822), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                     
Page S10665
  Reid motion to refer the message of the House on the bill to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, with instructions, Reid Amendment No. 4824, 
to provide for a study.                                     
Page S10665
  Reid Amendment No. 4825 (to (the instructions) Amendment No. 4824), 
to change the enactment date.                               
Page S10665
  Reid Amendment No. 4826 (to Amendment No. 4825), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                     
Page S10665
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 55 yeas to 41 nays (Vote No. 278), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to close further debate on the motion to concur in 
the amendment of the House to the amendment of the Senate No. 3 to the 
bill.                                                   
Pages S10665-66
  Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act: By 65 yeas to 
31 nays (Vote No. 281), Senate agreed to the motion to concur in the 
amendment of the House to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 2965, to 
amend the Small Business Act with respect to the Small Business 
Innovation Research Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer 
Program, after taking action on the following motions and amendments 
proposed thereto:                            
  Pages S10666-67, S10668-84
Withdrawn:
  Reid motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the amendment 
of the Senate to the bill, with Reid Amendment No. 4827 (to the House 
Amendment to the Senate amendment), to change the enactment date. 
                                                            Page S10666
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 63 yeas to 33 nays (Vote No. 279), 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 motion to concur in the 
amendment of the House to the amendment of the Senate to the bill. 
                                                        Pages S10666-67
  Reid motion to refer the message of the House on the bill to the 
Committee on Armed Services, with instructions, Reid Amendment No. 
4829, to provide for a study, fell when cloture was invoked on the 
motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the amendment of the 
Senate to the bill.                                         
Page S10666
  Reid Amendment No. 4830 (to (the instructions) Amendment No. 4829), 
of a perfecting nature, fell when Reid Amendment No. 4829, (listed 
above) fell.                                                
Page S10666
  Reid Amendment No. 4831 (to Amendment No. 4830), of a perfecting 
nature, fell when Reid Amendment No. 4830 (to (the instructions) 
Amendment No. 4829), (listed above) fell.                   
Page S10666
  Reid Amendment No. 4828 (to Amendment No. 4827), to change the 
enactment date, fell when Reid Amendment No. 4827 (listed above), was 
withdrawn.                                                  
Page S10666
  Senator Specter Farewell Speech--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the previous order relating to the 
recognition of Senator Specter on Tuesday, December 21, 2010, be 
modified to provide that he be recognized at 10:30 a.m., that day. 
                                                            Page S10704
  Treaty With Russia on Measures for Further Reduction and Limitation 
of Strategic Offensive Arms--Agreement: Senate continued consideration 
of Treaty Doc. 111-5, between the United States of America and the 
Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation 
of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed in Prague on April 8, 2010, with 
Protocol, taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                        Pages S10684-85
Rejected:
  By 37 yeas to 59 nays (Vote No. 282), McCain/Barrasso Amendment No. 
4814, to amend the preamble to strike language regarding the 
interrelationship between strategic offensive arms and strategic 
defensive arms.                                         
Pages S10684-85
Pending:
  Risch Amendment No. 4839, to amend the preamble to the Treaty to 
acknowledge the interrelationship between non-strategic and strategic 
offensive arms.                                             
Page S10685
  A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the treaty at approximately 12 noon, on Sunday, 
December 19, 2010, that there be three hours of debate with respect to 
Risch Amendment No. 4839 (listed above); with the time divided, as 
follows: one hour under the control of Senator Kerry, or his designee; 
and two hours under the control of Senator Risch, or his

[[Page D1217]]

designee; that no amendment be in order to Risch Amendment No. 4839; 
further that upon the use or yielding back of time, Senate will vote 
with respect to the amendment.                              
Page S10704
  Lohier and Reeves Nominations--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that on Sunday, December 19, 2010, 
following any vote with respect to the Risch Amendment to the START 
Treaty; that the Senate proceed to consideration of the following 
nominations: Raymond Joseph Lohier, Jr., of New York, to be United 
States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit, and Carlton W. Reeves, of 
Mississippi, to be United States District Judge for the Southern 
District of Mississippi; and vote immediately on confirmation of the 
nominations, with 2 minutes of debate prior to each confirmation vote, 
equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Sessions, or 
their designees; further, that after the first vote in this sequence, 
the succeeding votes be limited to 10 minutes each.         
  Page S10704
  Pearson and Martinez Nominations--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time 
agreement was reached providing that at a time to be determined by the 
Majority Leader, following consultation with the Republican Leader, the 
Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following 
nominations: Benita Y. Pearson, of Ohio, to be United States District 
Judge for the Northern District of Ohio; and William Joseph Martinez, 
of Colorado, to be United States District Judge for the District of 
Colorado; that debate on each nomination be limited to 60 minutes, 
equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Sessions, or 
their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of all time, the 
Senate then vote on confirmation of the nominations in the order 
listed; that prior to the second vote, there be 2 minutes of debate, 
divided as specified above; that the second vote be limited to 10 
minutes.                                                    
  Page S10704
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  By unanimous vote of 95 yeas (Vote No. EX. 280), Ellen Lipton 
Hollander, of Maryland, to be United States District Judge for the 
District of Maryland.                           
Pages S10667-68, S10704
  Albert Diaz, of North Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for 
the Fourth Circuit.
  Edmond E-Min Chang, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge 
for the Northern District of Illinois.
  Leslie E. Kobayashi, of Hawaii, to be United States District Judge 
for the District of Hawaii.                        
Pages S10667, S10704
Messages from the House:                                    
  Page S10693
Additional Cosponsors:                                      
  Page S10693
Amendments Submitted:                                   
  Pages S10694-95
Privileges of the Floor:                                    
  Page S10695
Record Votes: Five record votes were taken today. (Total--282) 
                           Pages S10665, S10667, S10668, S10684, S10685
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9 a.m. and adjourned at 5:19 p.m., 
until 12 noon on Sunday, December 19, 2010. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S10704.)