[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 95 (Thursday, June 21, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D638-D640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                            Thursday, June 21, 2012

[[Page D638]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed S. 3240, Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act, as 
      amended.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S4379-4431
Measures Introduced: Twelve bills and one resolution were introduced, 
as follows: S. 3325-3336, and S. Con. Res. 49.           
  Pages S4417-18
Measures Reported:
  S. 250, to protect crime victims' rights, to eliminate the 
substantial backlog of DNA samples collected from crime scenes and 
convicted offenders, to improve and expand the DNA testing capacity of 
Federal, State, and local crime laboratories, to increase research and 
development of new DNA testing technologies, to develop new training 
programs regarding the collection and use of DNA evidence, to provide 
post conviction testing of DNA evidence to exonerate the innocent, to 
improve the performance of counsel in State capital cases, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.                     
Page S4417
Measures Passed:
  Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act: By 64 yeas to 35 nays (Vote 
No. 164), Senate passed S. 3240, to reauthorize agricultural programs 
through 2017, by the order of the Senate of Monday, June 18, 2012, 60 
Senators having voted in the affirmative, after taking action on the 
following amendments proposed thereto:                
  Pages S4381-S4400
Adopted:
  By 95 yeas to 4 nays (Vote No. 162), Coburn Amendment No. 2214, to 
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prohibit the use of public 
funds for political party conventions, and to provide for the return of 
previously distributed funds for deficit reduction. (Pursuant to the 
order of Monday, June 18, 2012, the amendment having achieved 60 
affirmative votes, was agreed to.)                       
Pages S4384-85
  Murray Modified Amendment No. 2455, to require the Office of 
Management and Budget, the President and the Department of Defense to 
submit detailed reports to Congress on effects of defense and 
nondefense budget sequestration for fiscal year 2013. (A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing that the requirement of a 60 
affirmative vote threshold, be vitiated.)                
Pages S4385-88
Rejected:
  By 47 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 158), Boxer Amendment No. 2456, of a 
perfecting nature. (Pursuant to the order of Monday, June 18, 2012, the 
amendment having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, was not agreed 
to.)                                                     
Pages S4381-82
  By 56 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 159), Johanns Amendment No. 2372, to 
prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from 
conducting aerial surveillance to inspect agricultural operations or to 
record images of agricultural operations. (Pursuant to the order of 
Monday, June 18, 2012, the amendment having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, was not agreed to.)                       
Page S4382
  By 58 yeas to 41 nays (Vote No. 160), Toomey Amendment No. 2247, to 
reduce unnecessary paperwork burdens on community water systems. 
(Pursuant to the order of Monday, June 18, 2012, the amendment having 
failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, was not agreed to.) 
                                                             Page S4382
  By 26 yeas to 73 nays (Vote No. 161), Sanders/Boxer Amendment No. 
2310, to permit States to require that any food, beverage, or other 
edible product offered for sale have a label on indicating that the 
food, beverage, or other edible product contains a genetically 
engineered ingredient. (Pursuant to the order of Monday, June 18, 2012, 
the amendment having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, was not 
agreed to.)                                              
Pages S4383-84
  By 45 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 163), Rubio Amendment No. 2166, to 
amend the National Labor Relations Act to permit employers to pay 
higher wages to their employees. (Pursuant to the order of Monday, June 
18, 2012, the amendment having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, 
was not agreed to.)                                          
Page S4389

[[Page D639]]


  A unanimous-consent request was granted permitting Senator Landrieu 
to change her yea vote to a nay vote on Vote No. 143 changing the 
outcome of the vote to 62 yeas to 37 nays relative to Coburn Amendment 
No. 2293 (adopted on June 20, 2012).                         
Page S4400
  Church Plan Investment Clarification Act: Committee on Banking, 
Housing, and Urban Affairs was discharged from further consideration of 
H.R. 33, to amend the Securities Act of 1933 to specify when certain 
securities issued in connection with church plans are treated as 
exempted securities for purposes of that Act, and the bill was then 
passed.                                                      
  Page S4428
  Commending the Women of the American Red Cross: Committee on the 
Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 471, 
commending the efforts of the women of the American Red Cross 
Clubmobiles for exemplary service during the Second World War, and the 
resolution was then agreed to, after agreeing to the following 
amendment proposed thereto:                                  
  Page S4428
  Reid (for Collins) Amendment No. 2466, to amend the preamble. 
                                                             Page S4429
Measures Considered:
Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act--Agreement: Senate 
continued consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 
1940, to amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, to restore the 
financial solvency of the flood insurance fund. 
                                               Pages S4379-81, S4400-09
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 96 yeas to 2 nays (Vote No. 165), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed 
to the motion to close further debate on the motion to proceed to 
consideration of the bill.                                   
Page S4400
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that Senate 
resume consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of the 
bill post-cloture at approximately 2 p.m., on Monday, June 25, 2012; 
and at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after 
consultation with the Republican Leader, but no later than 5:30 p.m., 
the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill, be agreed to. 
                                                         Pages S4424-25
House Messages:
Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act-Agreement: 
Senate began consideration of the amendment of the House of 
Representatives to S. 3187, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for 
prescription drugs and medical devices, to establish user-fee programs 
for generic drugs and biosimilars, taking action of the following 
motions and amendments proposed thereto:                     
  Page S4409
Pending:
  Reid motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the bill. 
                                                         Pages S4409-10
  Reid motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the bill, with 
Reid Amendment No. 2461, to change the enactment date.       
Page S4410
  Reid Amendment No. 2462 (to Amendment No. 2461), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                      
Page S4410
  Reid motion to refer the message of the House on the bill to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, with instructions, 
Reid Amendment No. 2463, to change the enactment date.       
Page S4410
  Reid Amendment No. 2464 (to (the instructions) Amendment No. 2463), 
of a perfecting nature.                                      
Page S4410
  Reid Amendment No. 2465 (to Amendment No. 2464), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                      
Page S4410
  A motion was entered to close further debate on Reid motion to concur 
in the amendment of the House to the bill, and, in accordance with the 
provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, and 
pursuant to the unanimous-consent agreement of Thursday, June 21, 2012, 
a vote on cloture will occur at 5:30 p.m., on Monday, June 25, 2012. 
                                                             Page S4429
Rosenbaum Nomination--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement was 
reached providing that notwithstanding Rule XXII of the Standing Rules 
of the Senate, at 11:30 a.m., on Tuesday, June 26, 2012, Senate begin 
consideration of the nomination of Robin S. Rosenbaum, of Florida, to 
be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida; 
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 nomination; and 
that no further motions be in order.                         
  Page S4425
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  William B. Pollard III, of New York, to be a Judge of the United 
States Court of Military Commission Review.
  Scott L. Silliman, of North Carolina, to be a Judge of the United 
States Court of Military Commission Review.
  5 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  7 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  7 Marine Corps nominations in the rank of general.
  31 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.

[[Page D640]]


  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, Marine Corps, 
and Navy.                                                
Pages S4429-31
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S4416-17
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S4417
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S4418-19
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S4419-23
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S4414-16
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S4423-24
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S4424
Record Votes: Eight record votes were taken today. (Total--165) 
                                 Pages S4382-85, S4389, S4397-98, S4400
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10:30 a.m. and adjourned at 5:40 p.m., 
until 2 p.m. on Monday, June 25, 2012. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S4429.)