[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 1, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D164-D165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                             Tuesday, March 1, 2011

[[Page D164]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      See Resume of Congressional Activity.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S1023-S1076
Measures Introduced: Eight bills and seven resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 422-429, and S. Res. 80-86.                   
  Page S1060
Measures Reported:
  S. Res. 81, authorizing expenditures by committees of the Senate for 
the periods March 1, 2011, through September 30, 2011, and October 1, 
2011, through September 30, 2012, and October 1, 2012, through February 
28, 2013.                                                    
Page S1060
Measures Passed:
  Pay During Government Shutdown: Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs was discharged from further consideration of S. 
388, to prohibit Members of Congress and the President from receiving 
pay during Government shutdowns, and the bill was then passed. 
                                                         Pages S1051-52
  Read Across America Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 83, designating 
March 2, 2011, as ``Read Across America Day''.               
  Page S1075
  Expressing Support for Sri Lanka: Senate agreed to S. Res. 84, 
expressing support for internal rebuilding, resettlement, and 
reconciliation within Sri Lanka that are necessary to ensure a lasting 
peace.                                                       
  Page S1075
  Condemning the Human Rights Violations in Libya: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 85, strongly condemning the gross and systematic violations of 
human rights in Libya, including violent attacks on protesters 
demanding democratic reforms.                            
  Pages S1075-76
Measures Considered:
  Patent Reform Act--Agreement: Senate continued consideration of S. 
23, to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent 
reform, taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                               Pages S1030-51, S1052-53
Adopted:
  By 97 yeas to 2 nays (Vote No. 27), Leahy Modified Amendment No. 121, 
to improve the bill.                       
Pages S1032, S1034-44, S1050
Rejected:
  Vitter/Toomey Modified Amendment No. 112, to require that the 
Government prioritize all obligations on the debt held by the public in 
the event that the debt limit is reached, provided that the Government 
give equal priority to payment of social security benefits. (By 52 yeas 
to 47 nays (Vote No. 28), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                           Pages S1030, S1044, S1050-51
Withdrawn:
  DeMint (for Vitter) Modified Amendment No. 113, to require that the 
Government give equal priority to payment of social security benefits 
and payment of all obligations on the debt held by the public in the 
event that the debt limit is reached.                    
Pages S1032-33
Pending:
  Leahy Amendment No. 114, to improve the bill.              
Page S1030
  Bennet Amendment No. 116, to reduce the fee amounts paid by small 
entities requesting prioritized examination under Three-Track 
Examination.                                                 
Page S1030
  Bennet Amendment No. 117, to establish additional USPTO satellite 
offices.                                                     
Page S1030
  Lee Amendment No. 115, to express the sense of the Senate in support 
of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.          
Page S1030
  Kirk/Pryor Amendment No. 123, to provide a fast lane for small 
businesses within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to receive 
information and support regarding patent filing issues. 
                                                         Pages S1033-34
  Menendez Amendment No. 124, to provide for prioritized examination 
for technologies important to American competitiveness. 
                                                         Pages S1052-53

[[Page D165]]


  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill, upon disposition of H.J. Res. 44, on 
Wednesday, March 2, 2011.                                    
                                                             Page S1076
  Further Continuing Appropriations--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that at 11 a.m., on Wednesday, March 2, 
2011, Senate begin consideration of H.J. Res. 44, making further 
continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2011; that the Senate then 
vote on passage of the resolution, with no intervening action or 
debate; provided further, that the cloture motion on the motion to 
proceed to H.R. 359, be vitiated.                            
  Page S1075
Messages from the House:                                 
  Pages S1057-58
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S1058
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                     
  Pages S1023, S1058
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S1058-60
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S1060-61
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S1061-70
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S1056-57
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S1070-74
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                                
  Page S1074
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                      
  Pages S1074-75
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--28) 
                                                  Pages S1050, S1050-51
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:32 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 2, 2011. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S1076.)