Monday, April 18, 2005 Daily Digest Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S3767-S3863 Measures Introduced: Fifteen bills were introduced, as follows: S. 823- 837. Page S3817 Measures Passed: Mental Health Courts Authorization: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of S. 289, to authorize an annual appropriation of $10,000,000 for mental health courts through fiscal year 2011, and the bill was then passed. Page S3862 Supplemental Appropriations: Senate resumed consideration of H.R. 1268, making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, to establish and rapidly implement regulations for State driver's license and identification document security standards, to prevent terrorists from abusing the asylum laws of the United States, to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence, taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: Pages S3775-S3812 Adopted: By 61 yeas to 31 nays (Vote No. 96), Byrd Amendment No. 464, to express the sense of the Senate on future requests for funding for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Pages S3786-94 Cochran (for Reid) Amendment No. 496, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make a technical correction regarding the entities eligible to participate in the Health Care Infrastructure Improvement Program. Page S3810 Cochran Amendment No. 473, to limit the use of funds to deny the provision of certain business and industry direct and guaranteed loans. Pages S3810-11 Cochran (for Bond) Amendment No. 536, to make a technical correction to mortgage insurance fee requirements contained in the fiscal year 2005 Omnibus Appropriations bill. Page S3811 Cochran (for McConnell) Amendment No. 491, to provide deferral and rescheduling of debt to tsunami-affected countries. Page S3811 Cochran (for Leahy) Amendment No. 492, to express the sense of the Senate in support of the immediate release from detention of political detainees and the restoration of constitutional liberties and democracy in Nepal. Page S3811 Pending: Mikulski Amendment No. 387, to revise certain requirements for H-2B employers and require submission of information regarding H-2B nonimmigrants. Page S3775 Feinstein Amendment No. 395, to express the sense of the Senate that the text of the REAL ID Act of 2005 should not be included in the conference report. Page S3775 Bayh Amendment No. 406, to protect the financial condition of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who are ordered to long- term active duty in support of a contingency operation. Page S3775 Durbin Amendment No. 427, to require reports on Iraqi security services. Page S3775 Salazar Amendment No. 351, to express the sense of the Senate that the earned income tax credit provides critical support to many military and civilian families. Page S3775 Dorgan/Durbin Amendment No. 399, to prohibit the continuation of the independent counsel investigation of Henry Cisneros past June 1, 2005 and request an accounting of costs from GAO. Page S3775 Reid Amendment No. 445, to achieve an acceleration and expansion of efforts to reconstruct and rehabilitate Iraq and to reduce the future risks to United States Armed Forces personnel and future costs to United States taxpayers, by ensuring that the people of Iraq and other nations do their fair share to secure and rebuild Iraq. Page S3775 Frist (for Chambliss/Kyl) Amendment No. 432, to simplify the process for admitting temporary alien agricultural workers under section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, to increase access to such workers. Page S3775 Frist (for Craig/Kennedy) Modified Amendment No. 375, to provide for the adjustment of status of certain foreign agricultural workers, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform the H-2A worker program under that Act, to provide a stable, legal agricultural workforce, to extend basic legal protections and better working conditions to more workers. Page S3775 DeWine Amendment No. 340, to increase the period of continued TRICARE coverage of children of members of the uniformed services who die while serving on active duty for a period of more than 30 days. Page S3775 DeWine Amendment No. 342, to appropriate $10,000,000 to provide assistance to Haiti using Child Survival and Health Programs funds, $21,000,000 to provide assistance to Haiti using Economic Support Fund funds, and $10,000,000 to provide assistance to Haiti using International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement funds, to be designated as an emergency requirement. Page S3775 Schumer Amendment No. 451, to lower the burden of gasoline prices on the economy of the United States and circumvent the efforts of OPEC to reap windfall oil profits. Page S3775 Reid (for Reed/Chafee) Amendment No. 452, to provide for the adjustment of status of certain nationals of Liberia to that of lawful permanent residence. Page S3775 Chambliss Modified Amendment No. 418, to prohibit the termination of the existing joint-service multiyear procurement contract for C/KC-130J aircraft. Pages S3775-79 Bingaman Amendment No. 483, to increase the appropriation to Federal courts by $5,000,000 to cover increased immigration-related filings in the southwestern United States. Pages S3779, S3780-86 Bingaman (for Grassley) Amendment No. 417, to provide emergency funding to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Pages S3779-80 Isakson Amendment No. 429, to establish and rapidly implement regulations for State driver's license and identification document security standards, to prevent terrorists from abusing the asylum laws of the United States, to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, and to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence. Page S3793 Byrd Amendment No. 463, to require a quarterly report on audits conducted by the Defense Contract Audit Agency of task or delivery order contracts and other contracts related to security and reconstruction activities in Iraq and Afghanistan and to address irregularities identified in such reports. Pages S3794-95 Warner Amendment No. 499, relative to the aircraft carriers of the Navy. Pages S3795-96 Sessions Amendment No. 456, to provide for accountability in the United Nations Headquarters renovation project. Pages S3796-97 Boxer/Bingaman Amendment No. 444, to appropriate an additional $35,000,000 for Other Procurement, Army, and make the amount available for the fielding of Warlock systems and other field jamming systems. Pages S3798-99 Lincoln Amendment No. 481, to modify the accumulation of leave by members of the National Guard. Pages S3799-S3810 Reid (for Durbin) Amendment No. 443, to affirm that the United States may not engage in torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment under any circumstances. Pages S3811-12 Reid (for Bayh) Amendment No. 388, to appropriate an additional $742,000,000 for Other Procurement, Army, for the procurement of up to 3,300 Up Armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (UAHMMVs). Pages S3811-12 Reid (for Biden) Amendment No. 537, to provide funds for the security and stabilization of Iraq and Afghanistan and for other defense-related activities by suspending a portion of the reduction in the highest income tax rate for individual taxpayers. Pages S3811-12 Reid (for Feingold) Amendment No. 459, to extend the termination date of Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, expand the duties of the Inspector General, and provide additional funds for the Office. Pages S3811-12 A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further consideration of the bill at approximately 9:45 a.m., on Tuesday, April 19, 2005; that the time until 11:45 a.m. be equally divided, with one half of the time under the control of Senator Chambliss and the other half of the time under the control of Senators Craig and Kennedy; and that at 11:45 a.m., the Senate proceed to votes, on the motions to invoke cloture on certain amendments. Pages S3862-63 Enrolled Bills Presented: Page S3815 Executive Communications: Pages S3816-17 Additional Cosponsors: Pages S3817-19 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S3819-32 Additional Statements: Pages S3813-15 Amendments Submitted: Pages S3832-62 Notices of Hearings/Meetings: Page S3862 Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--96) Page S3794 Adjournment: Senate convened at 1 p.m., and adjourned at 7:41 p.m., until 9:45 a.m., on Tuesday, April 19, 2005. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S3863.) Committee Meetings No committee meetings were held. House of Representatives Chamber Action Measures Introduced: 4 public bills, H.R. 6, 1674-1676; and 1 private bill, H.R. 1677 were introduced. Page H2106 Additional Cosponsors: Page H2106 Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows: H.R. 1541, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to enhance energy infrastructure properties in the United States and to encourage the use of certain energy technologies, amended (H. Rept. 109-45); H.R. 739, to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to provide for adjudicative flexibility with regard to the filing of a notice of contest by an employer following the issuance of a citation or proposed assessment of a penalty by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (H. Rept. 109-46); and H.R. 740, to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to provide for greater efficiency at the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, amended (H. Rept. 109-47). Page H2106 Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Radanovich to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today. Page H2105 Quorum Calls--Votes: There were no votes or quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 2 p.m. and adjourned at 2:04 p.m. Page H2105 Committee Meetings No committee meetings were held. NEW PUBLIC LAWS (For last listing of Public Laws, see Daily Digest, p. D278) H.R. 1134, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the proper tax treatment of certain disaster mitigation payments. Signed on April 15, 2005 (Pub. L. 109-7). COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2005 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, to hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2006 for the Library of Congress, the Open World Leadership Center, and the Government Accountability Office, 10:30 a.m., SD- 116. Committee on Armed Services: to hold hearings to examine the nominations of Gordon England, of Texas, to be Deputy Secretary of Defense, and Admiral Michael G. Mullen, USN, for reappointment, to the grade of admiral and to be Chief of Naval Operations, 9:30 a.m., SD-106. Subcommittee on SeaPower, to hold hearings to examine the United States Marine Corps ground and rotary wing programs and seabasing in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2006, 3 p.m., SR-232A. Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: to hold hearings to examine proposals to improve the regulation of the Housing Government Sponsored Enterprises, 3 p.m., SD-538. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: to hold hearings to examine offshore hydrocarbon production and the future of alternate energy resources on the outer Continental Shelf, focusing on recent technological advancements made in the offshore exploration and production of traditional forms of energy, and the future of deep shelf and deepwater production; enhancements in worker safety, and steps taken by the offshore oil and gas industry to meet environmental challenges, 10 a.m., SD-366. Subcommittee on Water and Power, to hold hearings to examine S. 166, to amend the Oregon Resource Conservation Act of 1996 to reauthorize the participation of the Bureau of Reclamation in the Deschutes River Conservancy, S. 251, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to conduct a water resource feasibility study for the Little Butte/Bear Creek Sub-basins in Oregon, S. 310, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District in the State of Nevada, S. 519, to amend the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize additional projects and activities under that Act, and S. 592, to extend the contract for the Glendo Unit of the Missouri River Basin Project in the State of Wyoming, 2:30 p.m., SD-366. Committee on Finance: business meeting to consider proposed Highway Reauthorization and Excise Tax Simplification Act of 2005, and S. 661, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the modernization of the United States Tax Court, 10 a.m., SD- 628. Committee on Foreign Relations: to hold hearings to examine the Near East and South Asian experience relating to combating terrorism through education, 9:30 a.m., SD-419. Full Committee, business meeting to consider the nominations of John Robert Bolton, of Maryland, to be U.S. Representative to United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador and U.S. Representative in the Security Council of the United Nations, and Representative to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, 2:15 p.m., S-116, Capitol. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: to hold hearings to examine S. 334, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the importation of prescription drugs, 10 a.m., SD-430. Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, to hold hearings to examine SBC/ATT and Verizon/MCI mergers, focusing on remaking the telecommunication industry, 2:30 p.m., SD-226. Committee on Veterans' Affairs: business meeting to consider the nomination of Jonathan Brian Perlin, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health; to be followed by a hearing on ``Back from the Battlefield, Part II: Seamless Transition to Civilian Life,'' 10:15 a.m., SR-418. Select Committee on Intelligence: to hold hearings to examine the USA Patriot Act, 2:30 p.m., SH-216. House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, on public witnesses, 10 a.m., 2358 Rayburn. Subcommittee on the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies, on the IRS, 2 p.m., 2358 Rayburn. Committee on Education and the Workforce, hearing on College Access: Is Government Part of the Solution, or Part of the Problem? 2 p.m., 2175 Rayburn. Committee on Financial Services, hearing on the State of the International Financial System, 3 p.m., 2128 Rayburn. Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources, hearing entitled ``Federal Health Programs and Those Who Cannot Care for Themselves: What Are Their Rights, and Our Responsibilities?'' 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn. Subcommittee on Federalism and the Census, hearing entitled ``Halfway to the 2010 Census: The Countdown and Components to a Successful Decennial Census,'' 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn. Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and Agency Organization, hearing entitled ``Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs): Can They Improve the Thrift Savings Plan?'' 2 p.m., 2203 Rayburn. Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science, and Technology, to mark up the following: H.R. 1544, Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act of 2005; and a measure to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for homeland security technology development and transfer, 1:30 p.m., 210 Cannon. Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attacks, hearing entitled ``DHS Coordination of Nuclear Detection Efforts, Part 1,'' 9 a.m., 210 Cannon. Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations, hearing on the UN Commission on Human Rights: Protector or Accomplice? 2 p.m., 2172 Rayburn. Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, oversight hearing on the Implementation of the USA PATRIOT Act: Effect of Sections 203(b) and (d) on Information Sharing, 2 p.m., 2141 Rayburn. Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans, hearing on H.R. 1489, Coastal Ocean Observation System Integration and Implementation Act of 2005, 1 p.m., 1324 Longworth. Committee on Rules, to consider H.R. 6, Energy Policy Act of 2005, 5 p.m., H-313 Capitol. Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health, hearing on Long Term Care, 4 p.m., 1100 Longworth. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (USPS 087ÿ09390). The public proceedings of each House of Congress, as reported by the Official Reporters thereof, are printed pursuant to directions of the Joint Committee on Printing as authorized by appropriate provisions of Title 44, United States Code, and published for each day that one or both Houses are in session, excepting very infrequent instances when two or more unusually small consecutive issues are printed at one time. Public access to the Congressional Record is available online through GPO Access, a  service of the Government Printing Office, free of charge to the  user. The online database is updated each day the Congressional  Record is published. The database includes both text and graphics  from the beginning of the 103d Congress, 2d session (January 1994)  forward. It is available through GPO Access at  www.gpo.gov/gpoaccess. Customers can also access this information  with WAIS client software, via telnet at swais.access.gpo.gov, or  dial-in using communications software and a modem at (202) 512ÿ091661.  Questions or comments regarding this database or GPO Access can be  directed to the GPO Access User Support Team at: E-Mail:  gpoaccess@gpo.gov; Phone 1ÿ09888ÿ09293ÿ096498 (toll-free), 202ÿ09512ÿ091530  (D.C. area); Fax: 202ÿ09512ÿ091262. The Team's hours of availability are  Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, except Federal holidays. ÿ1AThe Congressional Record paper and 24x  microfiche edition will be furnished by mail to subscribers, free of postage,  at the following prices: paper edition, $217.00 for six months,  $434.00 per year, or purchased for $6.00 per issue, payable in  advance; microfiche edition, $141.00 per year, or purchased for $1.50  per issue payable in advance. The semimonthly Congressional Record  Index may be purchased for the same per issue prices. To place an  order for any of these products, visit the U.S. Government Online  Bookstore at: bookstore.gpo.gov. Mail orders to: Superintendent of  Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250ÿ097954, or phone  orders to (866) 512ÿ091800 toll free, (202) 512ÿ091800 (D.C. Area), or  fax to (202) 512ÿ092250. Remit check or money order, made payable to  the Superintendent of Documents, or use VISA, MasterCard, Discover,  American Express, or GPO Deposit Account. ÿ1AFollowing each session  of Congress, the daily Congressional Record is revised, printed,  permanently bound and sold by the Superintendent of Documents in  individual parts or by sets. ÿ1AWith the exception of copyrighted  articles, there are no restrictions on the republication of material  from the Congressional Record. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Record, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402,   Along with the entire Mailing label from the last issue received. ``Periodicals'' postage is paid at Washington, D.C. _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 9:45 a.m., Tuesday, April 19 Senate Chamber Program for Tuesday: Senate will continue consideration of H.R. 1268, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations. At 11:45 a.m., Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Frist (for Chambliss/Kyl) Amendment No. 432; to be followed by a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Frist (for Craig/Kennedy) Modified Amendment No. 375. Also, at 4:30 p.m., if the Senate is not proceeding post-cloture, Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Mikulski Amendment No. 387, to be followed by a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the bill. (Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. for their respective party conferences.) Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 19 House Chamber Program for Tuesday: Consideration of Suspensions: (1) H. Con. Res. 53, expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the issuance of the 500,000th design patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office; (2) S. 167, Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2005; (3) H.R. 1038, Multidistrict Litigation Restoration Act of 2005; (4) H.R. 683, Trademark Dilution Revision Act of 2005; (5) H.J. Res. 19, providing for the appointment of Shirley Ann Jackson as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution; and (6) H.J. Res. 20, providing for the appointment of Robert P. Kogod as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Boehlert, Sherwood, N.Y., E675 Cardin, Benjamin L., Md., E676 Chabot, Steve, Ohio, E677 Chandler, Ben, Ky., E676 Costa, Jim, Calif., E675, E675, E676, E677 Feeney, Tom, Fla., E678 Lantos, Tom, Calif., E677 Porter, Jon C., Nev., E676 Radanovich, George, Calif., E675, E676 Royce, Edward R., Calif., E677 Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr., Wisc., E678