[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 165 (Tuesday, November 1, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1160-D1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Tuesday, November 1, 2011

[[Page D1160]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      See Resume of Congressional Activity.
      Senate passed H.R. 2112, Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, 
      Justice, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
      Related Programs Appropriations Act, as amended.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S6931-S7012
Measures Introduced: Nine bills and two resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 1770-1778, S.J. Res. 29, and S. Res. 308.        
  Page S7005
Measures Passed:
  Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation, and 
Housing and Urban Development, and Related Programs Appropriations Act: 
By 69 yeas to 30 nays (Vote No. 194), Senate passed H.R. 2112, making 
consolidated appropriations for the Departments of Agriculture, 
Commerce, Justice, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, 
and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, as 
amended, after taking action on the following amendments proposed 
thereto:                                                 
  Pages S6932-80
Adopted:
  Durbin Amendment No. 921 (to the title of the bill), to amend the 
title.                                                       
Page S6979
Rejected:
  By 13 yeas to 85 nays (Vote No. 189), Coburn Amendment No. 800 (to 
Amendment No. 738), to reduce funding for the Rural Development Agency.
                                                         Pages S6932-33
  By 38 yeas to 60 nays (Vote No. 190), Paul Amendment No. 821 (to 
Amendment No. 738), to reallocate 10 percent of the amounts 
appropriated for capital investments in surface transportation 
infrastructure from transportation enhancement activities to the 
highway bridge program. (Pursuant to the order of Thursday, October 20, 
2011, the amendment having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, was 
not agreed to.)                                          
Pages S6933-34
  By 44 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 191), Blunt (for DeMint) Amendment No 
763 (to Amendment No. 738), to prohibit the use of funds to implement 
regulations regarding the removal of essential-use designation for 
epinephrine used in oral pressurized metered-dose inhalers. 
                                                             Page S6934
  By 41 yeas to 57 nays (Vote No. 192), Coburn Amendment No. 801 (to 
Amendment No. 738), to eliminate funding for the Small Community Air 
Service Development Program.                                 
Page S6936
  By 39 yeas to 60 nays (Vote No. 193), Lee Motion to recommit the bill 
to the Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report the same 
back to the Senate with reductions in spending in each division 
required to bring the overall spending for the division to fiscal year 
2011 levels which shall not exceed $130,559,669,000 for division A 
(Ag), $58,786,478,000 for division B (CJS), and $55,368,096,000 for 
division C (THUD).                                       
Pages S6936-37
Withdrawn:
  Crapo Amendment No. 814 (to Amendment No. 738), to provide for the 
orderly implementation of the provisions of title VII of the Dodd-Frank 
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.          
Pages S6934-36
  Coburn Amendment No. 794 (to Amendment No. 738), to provide taxpayers 
with an annual report disclosing the cost of, performance by, and areas 
for improvements for Government programs.                    
Page S6937
  Coburn Amendment No. 795 (to Amendment No. 738), to collect more than 
$500,000,000 from developers for failed, botched, and abandoned 
projects.                                                    
Page S6937
  Coburn Amendment No. 797 (to Amendment No. 738), to delay or cancel 
new construction, purchasing, leasing, and renovation of Federal 
buildings and office space.                                  
Page S6937

[[Page D1161]]


  Coburn Amendment No. 799 (to Amendment No. 738), to prohibit the use 
of funds to carry out the Rural Energy for America Program. 
                                                             Page S6937
  Coburn Amendment No. 833 (to Amendment No. 738), to end the outdated 
direct payment program and to begin restoring the farm safety net as a 
true risk management tool.                                   
Page S6937
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  Chair sustained a point of order that Blunt (for DeMint) Amendment No 
764 (to Amendment No. 738), to eliminate a certain increase in funding, 
was not germane, and the amendment thus fell.                
Page S6937
  Subsequently the motion to invoke cloture on the bill was rendered 
moot.
  Drive Safer Sunday: Senate agreed to S. Res. 308, designating 
November 27, 2011, as ``Drive Safer Sunday''.                
  Page S7010
Measures Considered:
  Rebuild America Jobs Act--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
motion to proceed to consideration of S. 1769, to put workers back on 
the job while rebuilding and modernizing America.        
  Pages S7009-10
  A motion was entered to close further debate on the motion to proceed 
to consideration of 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 Thursday, November 3, 2011.                     
Pages S7009-10
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill at 
approximately 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, November 2, 2011.    
Page S7010
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 continuation 
of the national emergency relative to the actions and policies of the 
Government of Sudan as declared in Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 
1997; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs. (PM-31)                                       
Page S7003
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Patricia M. Loui, of Hawaii, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a term expiring 
January 20, 2015.
  Larry W. Walther, of Arkansas, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a term 
expiring January 20, 2013.                           
Pages S7010, S7012
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Thomas Hoenig, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for a term of six years.
  Rebecca M. Blank, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of Commerce.
  Ajit Varadaraj Pai, of Kansas, to be a Member of the Federal 
Communications Commission for a term of five years from July 1, 2011.
  Jessica Rosenworcel, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the Federal 
Communications Commission for a term of five years from July 1, 2010.
  Larry Leon Palmer, of Georgia, to be Ambassador to Barbados, and to 
serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to 
St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth 
of Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
  Coral Wong Pietsch, of Hawaii, to be a Judge of the United States 
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for the term of fifteen years.
  Michael A. Sheehan, of New Jersey, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Defense.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, and Navy.        
Pages S7010-11
Nomination Withdrawn: Senate received notification of withdrawal of the 
following nomination:
  Thomas Hoenig, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for a term expiring 
December 12, 2015, which was sent to the Senate on October 20, 2011. 
                                                             Page S7012
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                     
  Pages S6931, S7003
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S7003-05
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S7005-07
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S7007-09
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S7000-03
Amendments Submitted:                                        
  Page S7009
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                                
  Page S7009
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S7009
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--194) 
                                               Pages S6933-34, S6936-37
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:57 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 2, 2011. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S7010.)

[[Page D1162]]