[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 60 (Wednesday, April 25, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D396-D398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                          Wednesday, April 25, 2012

[[Page D396]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed S. 1789, 21st Century Postal Service Act, as 
      amended.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S2663-S2743
Measures Introduced: Twenty-four bills and four resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 2346-2369, and S. Res. 435-438. 
                                                         Pages S2730-31
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Revised Allocation to Subcommittees of 
Budget Totals for Fiscal Year 2013.''. (S. Rept. No. 112-160)
  S. 1119, to reauthorize and improve the Marine Debris Research, 
Prevention, and Reduction Act, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute. (S. Rept. No. 112-161)
  S. 1952, to improve hazardous materials transportation safety and for 
other purposes. (S. Rept. No. 112-162)
  H.R. 298, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 500 East Whitestone Boulevard in Cedar Park, Texas, 
as the ``Army Specialist Matthew Troy Morris Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 1423, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 115 4th Avenue Southwest in Ardmore, Oklahoma, as 
the ``Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office''.
  H.R. 2079, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 10 Main Street in East Rockaway, New York, as the 
``John J. Cook Post Office''.
  H.R. 2213, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 801 West Eastport Street in Iuka, Mississippi, as 
the ``Sergeant Jason W. Vaughn Post Office''.
  H.R. 2244, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 67 Castle Street in Geneva, New York, as the 
``Corporal Steven Blaine Riccione Post Office''.
  H.R. 2660, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 122 North Holderrieth Boulevard in Tomball, Texas, 
as the ``Tomball Veterans Post Office''.
  H.R. 2767, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 8 West Silver Street in Westfield, Massachusetts, as 
the ``William T. Trant Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 3004, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 260 California Drive in Yountville, California, as 
the ``Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 3246, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 15455 Manchester Road in Ballwin, Missouri, as the 
``Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office Building''.
  H.R. 3247, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1100 Town and Country Commons in Chesterfield, 
Missouri, as the ``Lance Corporal Matthew P. Pathenos Post Office 
Building''.
  H.R. 3248, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 112 South 5th Street in Saint Charles, Missouri, as 
the ``Lance Corporal Drew W. Weaver Post Office Building''.
  S. Res. 419, expressing the sense of the Senate that public servants 
should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the 
United States during Public Service Recognition week.        
Page S2730
Measures Passed:
  21st Century Postal Service Act: By 62 yeas to 37 nays (Vote No. 82), 
Senate passed S. 1789, to improve, sustain, and transform the United 
States Postal Service, by the order of the Senate of Thursday, April 
19, 2011, 60 Senators having voted in the affirmative, after taking 
action on the following amendments proposed thereto:     
  Pages S2683-97
Adopted:
  Bingaman/Udall (NM) Amendment No. 2076 (to Amendment No. 2000), to 
require that State liaisons for States without a district office are 
located within their respective States. (Pursuant to the order of

[[Page D397]]

Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative vote 
threshold, was vitiated.)                                
Pages S2684-85
  Paul Amendment No. 2027 (to Amendment No. 2000), to require the 
closing of post offices in the Capitol Complex. (Pursuant to the order 
of Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative vote 
threshold, was vitiated.)                                    
Page S2685
  Paul Modified Amendment No. 2029 (to Amendment No. 2000), to require 
the Postal Service to take into consideration the impact of regulations 
when developing a profitability plan. (Pursuant to the order of 
Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative vote 
threshold, was vitiated.)                                    
Page S2687
  Carper Amendment No. 2066 (to Amendment No. 2000), to appropriately 
limit the compensation of executives of the Postal Service. (Pursuant 
to the order of Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 
affirmative vote threshold, was vitiated.)               
Pages S2687-88
  Landrieu Amendment No. 2072 (to Amendment No. 2000), to determine the 
impact of certain postal facility closures or consolidations on small 
businesses. (Pursuant to the order of Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the 
requirement of a 60 affirmative vote threshold, was vitiated.) 
                                                         Pages S2689-90
  McCaskill Amendment No. 2030 (to Amendment No. 2000), to improve the 
workers compensation provisions. (Pursuant to the order of Tuesday, 
April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative vote threshold, was 
vitiated.)                                               
Pages S2690-91
  Pryor/Begich Amendment No. 2036 (to Amendment No. 2000), to express 
the sense of the Senate with respect to the closing and consolidation 
of postal facilities and post offices. (Pursuant to the order of 
Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative vote 
threshold, was vitiated.)                                    
Page S2691
  Rockefeller/Cardin Modified Amendment No. 2073 (to Amendment No. 
2000), relative to Medicare educational program for Postal Service 
employees and retirees. (Pursuant to the order of Tuesday, April 24, 
2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative vote threshold, was 
vitiated.)                                                   
Page S2691
  Rockefeller Modified Amendment No. 2074 (to Amendment No. 2000), to 
improve the Postal Service Health Benefits Program. (Pursuant to the 
order of Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative 
vote threshold, was vitiated.)                           
Pages S2691-92
  Schumer Amendment No. 2050 (to Amendment No. 2000), to maintain all 
current door delivery point services. (Pursuant to the order of 
Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative vote 
threshold, was vitiated.)                                    
Page S2692
  Lieberman (for Warner/Mikulski) Modified Amendment No. 2071 (to 
Amendment No. 2000), to require reporting regarding retirement 
processing and modernization. (Pursuant to the order of Tuesday, April 
24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 affirmative vote threshold, was 
vitiated.)                                        
Pages S2683, S2692-93
  Tester/Pryor Amendment No. 2032 (to Amendment No. 2000), to 
appropriately limit the pay of Postal Service executives. (Pursuant to 
the order of Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the requirement of a 60 
affirmative vote threshold, was vitiated.)                   
Page S2693
  Reid (for Lieberman) Modified Amendment No. 2000, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                              
Pages S2683-97
Rejected:
  By 43 yeas to 53 nays (Vote No. 77), Manchin/Rockefeller Amendment 
No. 2079 (to Amendment No. 2000), to extend the moratorium on the 
closing and consolidation of postal facilities or post offices, 
stations, or branches. (Pursuant to the order of Thursday, April 19, 
2012, the amendment having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, was 
not agreed to.)                                              
Page S2683
  By 35 yeas to 64 nays (Vote No. 78), Paul Amendment No. 2028 (to 
Amendment No. 2000), to establish a pilot program to test alternative 
methods for the delivery of postal services. (Pursuant to the order of 
Thursday, April 19, 2012, the amendment having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, was not agreed to.)                   
Pages S2685-87
  By 23 yeas to 76 nays (Vote No. 79), Paul Amendment No. 2039 (to 
Amendment No. 2000), to prohibit employees of the United States Postal 
Service from engaging in collective bargaining. (Pursuant to the order 
of Thursday, April 19, 2012, the amendment having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, was not agreed to.)                       
Page S2688
  By 44 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 80), Casey Amendment No. 2042 (to 
Amendment No. 2000), to maintain current delivery time for market-
dominant products. (Pursuant to the order of Thursday, April 19, 2012, 
the amendment having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, was not 
agreed to.)                                              
Pages S2688-89
  By 46 yeas to 53 nays (Vote No. 81), DeMint Amendment No. 2046 (to 
Amendment 2000), to provide protections for postal workers with respect 
to their right not to subsidize union nonrepresentational activities. 
(Pursuant to the order of Thursday, April 19, 2012, the amendment 
having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, was not agreed to.) 
                                                             Page S2690
  Congratulating the Boston College Men's Ice Hockey Team: Senate 
agreed to S. Res. 437, congratulating the Boston College men's ice 
hockey

[[Page D398]]

team on winning its fifth National Collegiate Athletic Association 
Division I Men's Hockey Championship.                    
  Pages S2741-42
  National Safe Digging Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 438, to support 
the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month.         
  Page S2742
Measures Considered:
  Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act--Agreement: Senate began 
consideration of S. 1925, to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act 
of 1994, after agreeing to the motion to proceed. 
                                            Pages S2664-83, S2697-S2720
  A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, 
April 26, 2012, that the Senate be in a period of debate only until 
11:30 a.m., and that after the remarks of the two Leaders, the time 
until 11:30 a.m. be equally divided and controlled between the two 
Leaders, or their designees, with the Republicans controlling the first 
45 minutes and the Majority controlling the second 45 minutes. 
                                                         Pages S2697-98
  Costa and Guaderrama Nominations--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time 
agreement was reached providing that at 11:30 a.m., on Thursday, April 
26, 2012, Senate begin consideration of the nominations of Gregg 
Jeffrey Costa, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the 
Southern District of Texas, and David Campos Guaderrama, of Texas, to 
be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas; that 
there be 30 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 in the order 
listed; that no further motions be in order; and that following the 
votes on confirmation of the nominations, the Majority Leader be 
recognized.                                                  
  Page S2722
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Terrence G. Berg, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for 
the Eastern District of Michigan.
  Jesus G. Bernal, of California, to be United States District Judge 
for the Central District of California.
  Shelly Deckert Dick, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge 
for the Middle District of Louisiana.
  Lorna G. Schofield, of New York, to be United States District Judge 
for the Southern District of New York.
  Charles R. Breyer, of California, to be a Member of the United States 
Sentencing Commission for a term expiring October 31, 2015.
  A routine list in the Army.                            
Pages S2742-43
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S2725
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S2725
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                     
  Pages S2725, S2742
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S2725-27
Petitions and Memorials:                                 
  Pages S2727-30
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S2730
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S2731-32
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S2732-37
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S2724-25
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S2737-41
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S2741
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--82) 
                                           Pages S2684, S2687-90, S2696
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 6:33 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, 2012. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S2742.)