[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 27, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D308-D309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                            Tuesday, March 27, 2012

[[Page D308]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S2039-S2114
Measures Introduced: Four bills and one resolution were introduced, as 
follows: S. 2238-2241, and S. Res. 407.                      
  Page S2085
Measures Passed:
  MF Global Bankruptcy: Senate agreed to S. Res. 407, expressing the 
sense of the Senate that executives of the bankrupt firm MF Global 
should not be rewarded with bonuses while customer money is still 
missing.                                                     
  Page S2113
Measures Considered:
  Oil Tax Subsidies--Agreement: Senate began consideration of S. 2204, 
to eliminate unnecessary tax subsidies and promote renewable energy and 
energy conservation, after agreeing to the motion to proceed, and 
taking action on the following amendments and motions proposed thereto:
                                                  Pages S2048-54, S2055
Pending:
  Reid Amendment No. 1968, to change the enactment date.     
Page S2055
  Reid Amendment No. 1969 (to Amendment No. 1968), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                      
Page S2055
  Reid motion to commit the bill to the Committee on Finance with 
instructions, Reid Amendment No. 1970, to change the enactment date. 
                                                             Page S2055
  Reid Amendment No. 1971 (to (the instructions) Amendment No. 1970), 
of a perfecting nature.                                      
Page S2055
  Reid Amendment No. 1972 (to Amendment No. 1971), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                      
Page S2055
   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 will occur on Thursday, March 29, 2012.   
Page S2055
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the filing 
deadline for first-degree amendments to the bill be at 11 a.m., on 
Wednesday, March 28, 2012.                                   
Page S2113
21st Century Postal Service Act--Cloture: Senate resumed consideration 
of the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 1789, to improve, 
sustain, and transform the United States Postal Service.     
  Page S2054
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 51 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. 60), 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 proceed to 
consideration of the bill.                               
Pages S2054-55
  Subsequently, Senator Reid entered a motion to reconsider the vote by 
which cloture was not invoked on the motion to proceed to consideration 
of the bill.                                                 
Page S2055
Paying a Fair Share Act--Agreement: Senate began consideration of the 
motion to proceed to consideration of S. 2230, to reduce the deficit by 
imposing a minimum effective tax rate for high-income taxpayers. 
                                               Pages S2055-65, S2065-68
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill, at 
approximately 10 a.m., on Wednesday, March 28, 2012, with the first 
hour equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their 
designees with Republicans controlling the first 30 minutes and the 
Majority controlling the second 30 minutes.                  
Page S2113
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act 
Return of Papers--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that the Senate agree to the House of Representatives request 
to return the papers on H.R. 5, to improve patient access to health 
care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the 
excessive burden the liability system places on the health care 
delivery system, and authorize the Secretary of the Senate to return 
the papers on H.R. 5 to the House of Representatives.        
  Page S2113
Du and Morgan Nominations--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time 
agreement was reached providing that at 5 p.m., on Wednesday, March 28, 
2012, Senate resume consideration of the nominations of Miranda Du, of 
Nevada, to be United States District Judge for the District of Nevada, 
and Susie

[[Page D309]]

Morgan, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the 
Eastern District of Louisiana; that there be 60 minutes for debate 
equally divided in the usual form; that upon the use or yielding back 
of time, Senate vote, without intervening action or debate, on 
confirmation of the nominations of Miranda Du, of Nevada, to be United 
States District Judge for the District of Nevada, and Susie Morgan, of 
Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District 
of Louisiana, in that order; and that no further motions be in order. 
                                                             Page S2113
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Michael Peter Huerta, of the District of Columbia, to be 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for the term of 
five years.
  Brett H. McGurk, of Connecticut, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Iraq.
  Michele Jeanne Sison, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Democratic 
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and to serve concurrently and without 
additional compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of Maldives.
  James C. Miller III, of Virginia, to be a Governor of the United 
States Postal Service for the term expiring December 8, 2017. 
                                                             Page S2114
Messages from the House:                                 
  Pages S2082-83
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                             
  Page S2083
Measures Read the First Time:                                
  Page S2083
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S2083-84
Executive Reports of Committees:                         
  Pages S2084-85
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S2085-87
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S2087-92
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S2081-82
Amendments Submitted:                                 
  Pages S2092-S2112
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:                                
  Page S2112
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                      
  Pages S2112-13
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--60)   
  Page S2055
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 8:01 p.m., 
until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28, 2012. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on pages 
S2113-14.)