[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 29, 2014)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D87-D88]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                        Wednesday, January 29, 2014

[[Page D87]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      House agreed to the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 2642, 
      Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S557-S608
Measures Introduced: Five bills and two resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 1969-1973, S. Res. 341, and S. Con. Res. 31.      
  Page S599
Measures Passed:
  Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act: Senate passed S. 
1417, to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize programs 
under part A of title XI of such Act, after agreeing to the committee 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.                  
  Pages S605-07
  OPM IG Act: Senate passed H.R. 2860, to amend title 5, United States 
Code, to provide that the Inspector General of the Office of Personnel 
Management may use amounts in the revolving fund of the Office to fund 
audits, investigations, and oversight activities.             
  Page S607
  Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution: Committee on Rules 
and Administration was discharged from further consideration of S.J. 
Res. 28, providing for the appointment of John Fahey as a citizen 
regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, and the 
resolution was then passed.                                   
  Page S607
  Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution: Committee on Rules 
and Administration was discharged from further consideration of S.J. 
Res. 29, providing for the appointment of Risa Lavizzo-Mourey as a 
citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, 
and the resolution was then passed.                           
  Page S607
  National Blood Donor Month: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 31, 
designating January 2014 as ``National Blood Donor Month''.   
  Page S607
Measures Considered:
Veterans Medical Services and Benefits: Senate began consideration of 
the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 1950, to improve the 
provision of medical services and benefits to veterans.   
  Pages S557-59
Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act--Agreement: Senate began 
consideration of S. 1926, to delay the implementation of certain 
provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 and 
to reform the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers, 
after agreeing to the motion to proceed, and taking action on the 
following amendments proposed thereto:                    
  Pages S565-93
Adopted:
  Hagan/Pryor Amendment No. 2702, to exempt certain loans from the 
escrow requirement under section 102(d)(1) of the Flood Disaster 
Protection Act of 1973.                                   
Pages S565-66
  Rubio Amendment No. 2704, to require the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency to make publicly available data that 
provide the basis for risk premium rates for flood insurance, to allow 
monthly installment payments for premiums, and to ensure that 
mitigation activities completed by an owner or lessee of real property 
are accounted for when determining risk premium rates for flood 
insurance.                                                
Pages S565-66
  King/Collins Amendment No. 2705, to clarify that communities that 
successfully appeal flood elevation determinations based on errors by 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the Scientific 
Resolution Panel are eligible for reimbursements for expenses incurred 
in such appeals.                                          
Pages S565-66
  Blunt Amendment No. 2698, to increase the amount of substantial 
improvement to a property that triggers the loss of flood insurance 
subsidies.                                                
Pages S565-66

[[Page D88]]


  Reed Amendment No. 2703, to require the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency to conduct a study to assess voluntary 
community-based flood insurance options.               
Pages S574, S588
  Whitehouse Amendment No. 2706, to exempt natural resource agencies 
from fees for flood insurance rate map change requests. 
                                                    Pages S571-73, S588
  Gillibrand Amendment No. 2708, to require the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency to issue guidelines for methods, 
other than building elevation, that owners of certain urban residential 
buildings may implement to mitigate against flood risk. 
                                                 Pages S566-68, S588-89
Pending:
  Heller/Lee Amendment No. 2700, to clarify that any private flood 
insurance policy accepted by a State shall satisfy the mandatory 
purchase requirement under the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973. 
                                                              Page S568
  Coburn/McCain Amendment No. 2697, to allow States to opt-out of 
participation in the National Association of Registered Agents and 
Brokers.                                               
Pages S573, S581
  Toomey Modified Amendment No. 2707, to adjust phase-ins of flood 
insurance rate increases.                        
Pages S577-79, S579-81
  Merkley Modified Amendment No. 2709, to establish limitations on 
force-placed insurance.                                       
Page S579
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 64 yeas to 35 nays (Vote No. 15), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed 
to the motion to waive all applicable sections of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974 and applicable budget resolutions with respect to 
the bill. Subsequently, the point of order that the bill was in 
violation of section 201(a) of S. Con. Res. 21, the Concurrent 
Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2008, was not sustained, and 
thus the point of order fell.                       
Pages S573-74, S588
  A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 
30, 2014, with the time until 11:15 a.m. equally divided between the 
two Leaders, or their designees, with the final ten minutes equally 
divided between Senator Menendez, or his designee, and Senator Toomey, 
or his designee, with Senator Toomey controlling the final five 
minutes; that at 11:15 a.m., Senate vote on or in relation to the 
following: Toomey Amendment No. 2707, as modified; Coburn Amendment No. 
2697; Merkley Amendment No. 2709, as modified; and Heller Amendment No. 
2700; that upon disposition of Heller Amendment No. 2700, Senate recess 
until 2 p.m.; at 2 p.m., when the Senate reconvenes, Senate vote on 
passage of the bill, as amended; there be two minutes of debate prior 
to each vote, equally divided in the usual form; and that all after the 
first votes be ten minute votes.                              
Page S593
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, the text of a proposed third amendment 
to the Agreement for Co-operation Between the United States of America 
and the International Atomic Energy Agency; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations. (PM-28)                   
Pages S596-97
Messages from the House:                                      
  Page S597
Measures Referred:                                            
  Page S597
Executive Communications:                                     
  Page S597
Petitions and Memorials:                                  
  Pages S597-98
Executive Reports of Committees:                              
  Page S598
Additional Cosponsors:                                  
  Pages S599-S600
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:               
  Pages S600-04
Additional Statements:                                    
  Pages S594-96
Amendments Submitted:                                     
  Pages S604-05
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                           
  Page S605
Privileges of the Floor:                                      
  Page S605
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--15)    
  Page S588
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:24 p.m., 
until 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 30, 2014. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S608.)