[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 69 (Tuesday, May 15, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D465-D467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                              Tuesday, May 15, 2012

[[Page D465]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 2072, Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S3137-S3179
Measures Introduced: Eleven bills and three resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 3177-3187, S.J. Res. 40, and S. Res. 460-
461.                                                         
  Page S3174
Measures Reported:
  S. 1023, to authorize the President to provide assistance to the 
Government of Haiti to end within 5 years the deforestation in Haiti 
and restore within 30 years the extent of tropical forest cover in 
existence in Haiti in 1990. (S. Rept. No. 112-165)           
Page S3172
Measures Passed:
  Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act: By 78 yeas to 20 nays (Vote 
No. 96), Senate passed H.R. 2072, to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank 
of the United States, 60 Senators having voted in the affirmative, 
after agreeing to the motion to proceed, and taking action on the 
following amendments proposed thereto:         
  Pages S3137-54, S3155-58
Rejected:
  By 12 yeas to 86 nays (Vote No. 91), Lee Amendment No. 2100, to phase 
out the authority of the Export-Import Bank of the United States and to 
require the President to initiate negotiations with other major 
exporting countries to end subsidized export financing programs. (A 
unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the amendment, 
having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, the amendment was not 
agreed to.)                                       
Pages S3146-48, S3155
  By 9 yeas to 89 nays (Vote No. 92), Paul Amendment No. 2101, to 
prohibit the Export-Import Bank of the United States from providing 
financing to a person or for a project in a country the government or 
central bank of which holds debt instruments of the United States. (A 
unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the amendment, 
having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, the amendment was not 
agreed to.)                                              
Pages S3155-56
  By 36 yeas to 62 nays (Vote No. 93), Corker Amendment No. 2102, to 
require the Export-Import Bank of the United States to provide 
financing only for transactions subsidized by export credit agencies of 
other countries or for which private sector financing is unavailable or 
prohibitively expensive and to require the Bank to maintain a ratio of 
capital to the outstanding principal balance of loans and loan 
guarantees of not less than 10 percent. (A unanimous-consent agreement 
was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed to.) 
                                               Pages S3148-50, S3156-57
  By 37 yeas to 61 nays (Vote No. 94), Vitter Amendment No. 2103, to 
clarify the requirement that the Export-Import Bank of the United 
States not make or guarantee loans that are subordinate to other loans, 
to restrict financing of certain fossil fuel projects in foreign 
countries, and to prohibit financing of renewable energy products 
manufactured in foreign countries. (A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed to.) 
                                                  Pages S3150-52, S3157
  By 35 yeas to 63 nays (Vote No. 95), Toomey Amendment No. 2104, to 
prohibit an increase in the lending authority of the Export-Import Bank 
of the United States to more than $100,000,000,000 until the Secretary 
of the Treasury certifies that the Secretary has initiated 
international negotiations to eliminate export financing programs and 
to prohibit an increase in that lending authority to more than 
$120,000,000,000 until a multilateral agreement to eliminate export 
financing programs has been completed. (A unanimous-consent agreement 
was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed to.) 
                                               Pages S3152-54, S3157-58

[[Page D466]]

  National Public Works Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 460, designating 
the week of May 20 through May 26, 2012, as ``National Public Works 
Week''.                                                      
  Page S3177
  Recognizing Teachers Contributions to the United States: Senate 
agreed to S. Res. 461, recognizing the teachers of the United States 
for their contributions to the development and progress of our Nation. 
                                                         Pages S3177-78
Measures Considered:
Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act: Senate began 
consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 2343, to 
amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend the reduced interest 
rate for Federal Direct Stafford Loans.                      
  Page S3158
Budget Resolutions--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement was 
reached providing that following Leader remarks, on Wednesday, May 16, 
2012, Senate proceed to the consideration of motions to proceed to the 
following budget resolutions en bloc: S. Con. Res. 41, setting forth 
the President's budget request for the United States Government for 
fiscal year 2013, and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels 
for fiscal years 2014 through 2022; H. Con. Res. 112, establishing the 
budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013 and 
setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 
through 2022; S. Con. Res. 37, setting forth the congressional budget 
for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013, and setting 
forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 
2022; S. Con. Res. 42, setting forth the congressional budget for the 
United States Government for fiscal year 2013, revising the appropriate 
budgetary levels for fiscal year 2012, and setting forth the 
appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2022; and S. 
Con. Res. 44, setting forth the congressional budget for the United 
States Government for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth the 
appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022; that 
there be six hours of debate on the motions to proceed, equally divided 
between the two Leaders, or their designees; that upon the use or 
yielding back of time, Senate vote on the five motions to proceed in 
the order listed above; that there be two minutes equally divided 
between the votes; that all after the first vote be ten minute votes; 
Notwithstanding the adoption of any motion to proceed; Senate proceed 
to the remaining votes on motions to proceed; provided further, that at 
the conclusion of these votes, Senate resume consideration of the 
budget resolution if a motion to proceed is adopted; if no motion to 
proceed has been adopted, the Majority Leader be recognized. 
                                                         Pages S3154-55
Stein Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination 
of Jeremy C. Stein, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System.                     
  Page S3158
   A motion was entered to close further debate on the 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 on Thursday, 
May, 17, 2012.                                               
Page S3158
Powell Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Jerome H. Powell, of Maryland, to be a Member of the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.        
  Pages S3158-59
  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 
nomination of Jeremy C. Stein, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.            
Page S3159
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Thomas Hart Armbruster, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic 
of the Marshall Islands.
  David Bruce Wharton, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Zimbabwe.
  1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Foreign Service, and Public Health Service. 
                                                         Pages S3178-79
Nomination Withdrawn: Senate received notification of withdrawal of the 
following nomination:
  Arunava Majumdar, of California, to be Under Secretary of Energy, 
which was sent to the Senate on November 30, 2011.           
Page S3179
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                             
  Page S3172
Measures Read the First Time:                        
  Pages S3172, S3178
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S3172-73
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S3174
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S3174-75
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S3175-76
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S3171-72
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S3176-77
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S3177
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S3177
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--96) 
                             Pages S3155, S3156, S3156-57, S3157, S3158
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:36 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 16, 2012. (For Senate's program, see 
the

[[Page D467]]

remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S3178.)