[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 14, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D380-D382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                            Tuesday, April 14, 2015

[[Page D380]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 2, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization 
      Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S2141-S2183
Measures Introduced: Thirty-seven bills and one resolution were 
introduced, as follows: S. 903-939, and S. Res. 135.     
  Pages S2172-73
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Review of Legislative Activity During the 
113th Congress''. (S. Rept. No. 114-31)
  S. 903, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve access 
and administration of the United States Tax Court. (S. Rept. No. 114-
14)
  S. 904, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to remove bond 
requirements and extend filing periods for certain taxpayers with 
limited excise tax liability. (S. Rept. No. 114-15)
  S. 905, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the 
limitation on eligibility for the alternative tax for certain small 
insurance companies. (S. Rept. No. 114-16)
  S. 906, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the 
types of wines taxed as hard cider. (S. Rept. No. 114-17)
  S. 907, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prevent the 
extension of the tax collection period merely because the taxpayer is a 
member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized as a result of combat 
zone injuries. (S. Rept. No. 114-18)
  S. 908, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the 
deductibility of charitable contributions to agricultural research 
organizations. (S. Rept. No. 114-19)
  S. 909, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt private 
foundations from the tax on excess business holdings in the case of 
certain philanthropic enterprises which are independently supervised. 
(S. Rept. No. 114-20)
  S. 910, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify the 
special rules for accident and health plans of certain governmental 
entities. (S. Rept. No. 114-21)
  S. 912, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude 
payments received under the Work Colleges Program from gross income, 
including payments made from institutional funds. (S. Rept. No. 114-22)
  S. 913, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an 
investment tax credit for waste heat to power technology. (S. Rept. No. 
114-23)
  S. 914, to amend title 31, United States Code, to clarify the use of 
credentials by enrolled agents. (S. Rept. No. 114-24)
  S. 915, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt certain 
stock of real estate investment trusts from the tax on foreign 
investments in United States real property interests. (S. Rept. No. 
114-25)
  S. 916, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude certain 
compensation received by public safety officers and their dependents 
from gross income. (S. Rept. No. 114-26)
  S. 917, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to equalize the 
excise tax on liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas. (S. 
Rept. No. 114-27)
  S. 918, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide notice 
to charities and other nonprofit organizations before their tax-exempt 
status is automatically revoked. (S. Rept. No. 114-28)
  S. 919, to exclude from gross income certain clean coal power grants 
to non-corporate taxpayers. (S. Rept. No. 114-29)
  S. 920, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit 
against income tax for amounts paid by a spouse of a member of the 
Armed Forces for a new State license or certification required by 
reason of a permanent change in the duty station of such member to 
another State. (S. Rept. No. 114-30)
  S. 615, to provide for congressional review and oversight of 
agreements relating to Iran's nuclear

[[Page D381]]

program, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                         Pages S2171-72
Measures Passed:
  Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act: By 92 yeas to 8 nays 
(Vote No. 144), Senate passed H.R. 2, to amend title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and 
strengthen Medicare access by improving physician payments and making 
other improvements, to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance 
Program, after taking action on the following amendments and motions 
proposed thereto:                                        
  Pages S2156-61
Rejected:
  By 54 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 137), Cornyn Amendment No. 1114, to 
repeal the individual mandate. (A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, was not agreed to.)                   
Pages S2156-57
  By 42 yeas to 58 nays (Vote No. 139), Lee Amendment No. 1116, to 
strike the provision excluding the budgetary effects of the Act from 
PAYGO requirements.                                          
Page S2158
  By 11 yeas to 89 nays (Vote No. 141), Cotton Amendment No. 1118, to 
provide steady updates of payment rates under the Medicare physician 
fee schedule.                                                
Page S2159
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 50 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 138), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive all applicable budgetary discipline 
pursuant to Section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, with 
respect to Bennet Amendment No. 1115, to protect and retain our 
Children's Health Insurance Program for 4 years (PRO-CHIP). 
Subsequently, the point of order that the amendment was in violation of 
section 201(a) of S. Con. Res. 21, FY08 Congressional Budget 
Resolution, was sustained, and the amendment was ruled out of order. 
                                                         Pages S2157-58
  By 43 yeas to 57 nays (Vote No. 140), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive all applicable budgetary discipline 
pursuant to Section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, with 
respect to Murray Amendment No. 1117, to improve women's access to 
quality health care. Subsequently, the point of order that the 
amendment was in violation of section 201(a) of S. Con. Res. 21, FY08 
Congressional Budget Resolution, was sustained, and the amendment was 
ruled out of order.                                      
Pages S2158-59
  By 58 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 142), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to waive all applicable budgetary discipline 
pursuant to Section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, with 
respect to Cardin Amendment No. 1119, to repeal the therapy cap and 
provide for medical review of outpatient therapy services. 
Subsequently, the point of order that the amendment was in violation of 
section 201(a) of S. Con. Res. 21, FY08 Congressional Budget 
Resolution, was sustained, and the amendment was ruled out of order. 
                                                             Page S2160
  By 71 yeas to 29 nays (Vote No. 143), three-fifths of the Senators 
duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to 
the motion to waive all applicable budgetary discipline pursuant to 
section 311(b) of S. Con Res. 70 with respect to the bill. 
Subsequently, the point of order that the bill was in violation of 
section 311(b) of S. Con Res. 70, was not sustained, and thus the point 
of order fell.                                               
Page S2161
  Authorizing the Use of Emancipation Hall: Senate agreed to H. Con. 
Res. 9, authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor 
Center for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of 
remembrance of victims of the Holocaust.                     
  Page S2183
  Making Minority Party Appointments: Senate agreed to S. Res. 135, 
making minority party appointments for the 114th Congress.   
  Page S2183
Measures Considered:
Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act--Cloture: Senate resumed 
consideration of S. 178, to provide justice for the victims of 
trafficking, taking action on the following amendments proposed 
thereto:                                                 
  Pages S2161-64
Withdrawn:
  Portman Amendment No. 271, to amend the definition of ``homeless 
person'' under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to include 
certain homeless children and youth.                         
Page S2162
  Portman Amendment No. 270, to amend the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act to enable State child protective services systems to 
improve the identification and assessment of child victims of sex 
trafficking.                                                 
Page S2162
Pending:
  McConnell (for Cornyn) Amendment No. 1120, to strengthen the Justice 
for Victims of Trafficking Act by incorporating additional bipartisan 
amendments.                                              
Pages S2162-64
  A motion was entered to close further debate on the McConnell (for 
Cornyn) Amendment No. 1120 to the bill, and, in accordance with the 
provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a

[[Page D382]]

vote on cloture will occur on Thursday, April 16, 2015. 
                                                         Pages S2162-64
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  Vitter Amendment No. 284 (to Amendment No. 271), to amend section 301 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify those classes of 
individuals born in the United States who are nationals and citizens of 
the United States at birth, fell when Portman Amendment No. 271 (listed 
above) was withdrawn.                                        
Page S2162
Presidential Coin Program Referral--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that S. 95, to terminate the $1 
presidential coin program, be discharged from the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs, and be referred to the Committee on 
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.                         
  Page S2183
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report to the United States Congress 
with respect to the proposed rescission of Cuba's designation as a 
state sponsor of terrorism; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations. (PM-13)                                   
Page S2167
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Glyn Townsend Davies, of the District of Columbia, to be Ambassador 
to the Kingdom of Thailand.
  Carol Waller Pope, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the 
Federal Labor Relations Authority for a term of five years expiring 
July 1, 2019.                                                
Page S2183
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S2167
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S2167
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S2168-71
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S2173-74
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S2174-75
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S2166-67
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S2175-82
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                      
  Pages S2182-83
Record Votes: Eight record votes were taken today. (Total--144) 
                                                         Pages S2157-61
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 10:11 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S2183.)