[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 57 (Monday, May 2, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D427-D428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                                Monday, May 2, 2011

[[Page D427]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      See Resume of Congressional Activity.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S2559-S2587
Measures Introduced: Three bills and two resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 864-866, S. Res. 158, and S. Con. Res. 14. 
                                                         Pages S2580-81
Measures Reported:
  S. 680, to authorize the Administrator of General Services to convey 
a parcel of real property in the District of Columbia to provide for 
the establishment of a National Women's History Museum, with 
amendments. (S. Rept. No. 112-14)
  S. 782, to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
1965 to reauthorize that Act, with an amendment. (S. Rept. No. 112-15) 
                                                             Page S2580
Measures Considered:
  SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act--Cloture: Senate resumed consideration 
of S. 493, to reauthorize and improve the SBIR and STTR programs, 
taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                         Pages S2572-73
Pending:
  Vitter Amendment No. 178, to require the Federal Government to sell 
off unused Federal real property.                            
Page S2572
  Cornyn Amendment No. 186, to establish a bipartisan commission for 
the purpose of improving oversight and eliminating wasteful government 
spending.                                                    
Page S2572
  Paul Amendment No. 199, to cut $200,000,000,000 in spending in fiscal 
year 2011.                                                   
Page S2572
  Sanders Modified Amendment No. 207, to express the sense of the 
Senate that Social Security benefits for current and future 
beneficiaries should not be cut and that the Social Security program 
should not be privatized as part of any legislation to reduce the 
Federal deficit.                                             
Page S2572
  Hutchison Amendment No. 197, to delay the implementation of the 
health reform law in the United States until there is final resolution 
in pending lawsuits.                                         
Page S2572
  Pryor Amendment No. 229, to establish the Patriot Express Loan 
Program under which the Small Business Administration may make loans to 
members of the military community wanting to start or expand small 
business concerns.                                           
Page S2572
  Landrieu (for Cardin) Amendment No. 240, to reinstate the increase in 
the surety bond guarantee limits for the Small Business Administration.
                                                             Page S2572
  Landrieu (for Snowe) Amendment No. 253, to prevent fraud in small 
business contracting.                                        
Page S2572
  A motion was entered to close further debate on the bill, and, in 
accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of 
the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur on Wednesday, May 4, 2011. 
                                                         Pages S2572-73
Appointments:
  Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China: 
The Chair, on behalf of the President of the Senate, and after 
consultation with the Majority Leader, pursuant to Public Law 106-286, 
appointed the following Member to serve as Co-Chairman of the 
Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China:
  The Honorable Sherrod Brown of Ohio.                       
Page S2585
Morning Business--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement was 
reached providing that at approximately 10 a.m., on Tuesday, May 3, 
2011, Senate be in a period of morning business until 5 p.m. for debate 
only, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes 
each, with the first hour equally divided and controlled between the 
two Leaders or their designees, with the Republicans controlling the 
first 30 minutes and the Majority controlling the next 30 minutes. 
                                                             Page S2585

[[Page D428]]

Resignation of Senator John Ensign: Senator John Ensign, of Nevada, 
submitted a letter of resignation from the United States Senate, 
effective May 3, 2011.                                       
  Page S2585
Removal of Injunction of Secrecy: The injunction of secrecy was removed 
from the following treaties:
  Protocols 1, 2, and 3 to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty 
(Treaty Doc. No. 112-2); and
  Protocols I and II to the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty 
(Treaty Doc. No. 112-3).
  The treaties were transmitted to the Senate today, considered as 
having been read for the first time, and referred, with accompanying 
papers, to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be 
printed.                                                 
Pages S2584-85
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Roy Bale Dalton, Jr., of Florida, to be United States District Judge 
for the Middle District of Florida.               
Pages S2569-72, S2587
  By a unanimous vote of 89 yeas (Vote No. Ex. 62), Kevin Hunter Sharp, 
of Tennessee, to be United States District Judge for the Middle 
District of Tennessee.                            
Pages S2569-72, S2587
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  3 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. 
                                                         Pages S2585-86
McConnell, Jr. Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of John J. McConnell, Jr., of Rhode Island, to be United 
States District Judge for the District of Rhode Island.      
  Page S2573
   A motion was entered to close further debate on the nomination, and, 
in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of 
the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur upon disposition of the 
cloture vote on S. 493.                                      
Page S2573
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S2578
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S2578
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                             
  Page S2578
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S2578-80
Petitions and Memorials:                                     
  Page S2580
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S2581-84
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S2577-78
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                                
  Page S2584
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--62)   
  Page S2572
Adjournment: Senate convened at 2 p.m. and adjourned at 6:47 p.m., 
until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S2585.)