[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 16 (Thursday, February 3, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D71-D72]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                         Thursday, February 3, 2011

[[Page D71]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S499-S564
Measures Introduced: Thirty bills and six resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 262-291, S.J. Res. 5, and S. Res. 41-45.   
  Pages S543-44
Measures Reported:
  S. 23, to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent 
reform, with amendments.                                      
Page S543
Measures Passed:
  Majority Party Committee Membership: Senate agreed to S. Res. 42, to 
constitute the majority party's membership on certain committees for 
the One Hundred Twelfth Congress, or until their successors are chosen.
                                                          Pages S556-57
  Minority Party Committee Membership: Senate agreed to S. Res. 43, to 
constitute the minority party's membership on certain committees for 
the One Hundred Twelfth Congress, or until their successors are chosen.
                                                              Page S557
  Supporting Democracy in Egypt: Senate agreed to S. Res. 44, 
supporting democracy, universal rights, and the peaceful transition to 
a representative government in Egypt.                     
  Pages S557-58
  Congratulating the Eastern Washington University Football Team: 
Senate agreed to S. Res. 45, congratulating the Eastern Washington 
University football team for winning the 2010 National Collegiate 
Athletic Association Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision 
title.                                                    
  Pages S558-59
Measures Considered:
  FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act: 
Senate continued consideration of S. 223, to modernize the air traffic 
control system, improve the safety, reliability, and availability of 
transportation by air in the United States, provide modernization of 
the air traffic control system, reauthorize the Federal Aviation 
Administration, taking action on the following amendments proposed 
thereto:                                         
  Pages S501-09, S531-38
Adopted:
  By 96 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 10), Whitehouse Amendment No. 8, to 
amend title 18, United States Code, to provide penalties for aiming 
laser pointers at airplanes.                        
Pages S503-07, S535
Rejected:
  Paul Amendment No. 19, to limit the application of the Davis-Bacon 
Act in the case of projects funded under this Act. (By 55 yeas to 42 
nays (Vote No. 11), Senate tabled the amendment.)   
Pages S533-35, S536
Pending:
  Wicker Amendment No. 14, to exclude employees of the Transportation 
Security Administration from the collective bargaining rights of 
Federal employees.                            
Pages S501-02, S532, S538
  Blunt Amendment No. 5, to require the Under Secretary of 
Transportation for Security to approve applications from airports to 
authorize passenger and property screening to be carried out by a 
qualified private screening company.                      
Pages S502-03
  Nelson (FL) Amendment No. 34, to strike section 605.        
Page S507
  Paul Amendment No. 21, to reduce the total amount authorized to be 
appropriated for the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal year 
2011 to the total amount authorized to be appropriated for the 
Administration for fiscal year 2008.                          
Page S531
  Rockefeller (for Wyden) Amendment No. 27, to increase the number of 
test sites in the National Airspace System used for unmanned aerial 
vehicles and to require one of those test sites to include a 
significant portion of public lands.                      
Pages S531-32
  Inhofe Amendment No. 6, to provide liability protection to volunteer 
pilot nonprofit organizations that fly for public benefit and to the 
pilots and staff of such nonprofit organizations.             
Page S536
  Inhofe Amendment No. 7, to require the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration to initiate a new rulemaking proceeding with 
respect to the flight time limitations and rest requirements for 
supplemental operations before any of such limitations or requirements 
be altered.                                               
Pages S536-38
  Rockefeller (for Ensign) Amendment No. 32, to improve provisions 
relating to certification and flight

[[Page D72]]

standards for military remotely piloted aerial systems in the National 
Airspace System.                                              
Page S538
Appointments:
  Senate National Security Working Group: The Chair, announced on 
behalf of the Majority Leader, pursuant to the provisions of S. Res. 
105 (adopted April 13, 1989), as amended by S. Res. 149 (adopted 
October 5, 1993), as amended by Public Law 105-275 (adopted October 21, 
1998), further amended by S. Res. 75 (adopted March 25, 1999), amended 
by S. Res. 383 (adopted October 27, 2000), and amended by S. Res. 355 
(adopted November 13, 2002), and further amended by S. Res. 480 
(adopted November 21, 2004), further amended by S. Res. 625 (adopted 
December 6, 2006) and further amended by S. Res. 715 (adopted November 
28, 2008), and amended by S. Res. 706 (adopted December 22, 2010), the 
appointment of the following Senator as a member of the Senate National 
Security Working Group for the 112th Congress: Senator Lieberman. 
                                                              Page S559
  Illegal Border Crossing Financial Assistance--Referral Agreement: A 
unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the Committee on 
Rules and Administration be discharged from further consideration of S. 
126, to reduce the amount of financial assistance provided to the 
Government of Mexico in response to the illegal border crossings from 
Mexico into the United States, which serve to dissipate the political 
discontent with the higher unemployment rate within Mexico, and the 
bill then be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. 
                                                              Page S559
  Atomic Energy Act--Referral Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement 
was reached providing that the Committee on Finance be discharged from 
further consideration of S. 109, to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 
to require congressional approval of agreements for peaceful nuclear 
cooperation with foreign countries, and the bill then be referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations.                           
  Page S559
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Jennifer A. Di Toro, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years.
  Donna Mary Murphy, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years.
  Yvonne M. Williams, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years.
  2 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  4 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and 
Navy.                                                     
Pages S559-64
Measures Read the First Time:                          
  Pages S542, S559
Executive Communications:                                 
  Pages S542-43
Executive Reports of Committees:                              
  Page S543
Additional Cosponsors:                                    
  Pages S544-45
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:               
  Pages S545-53
Additional Statements:                                    
  Pages S541-42
Amendments Submitted:                                     
  Pages S553-56
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                           
  Page S556
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--11) 
                                                          Pages S535-36
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 7:27 p.m., 
until 10 a.m. on Friday, February 4, 2011. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S559.)