Wednesday, January 10, 2007 [[Page D25]] Daily Digest Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S313-S404 Measures Introduced: Twenty-one bills and one resolution were introduced, as follows: S. 235-255, and S. Res. 22. Pages S357-58 Ethics Bill: Senate continued consideration of S. 1, to provide greater transparency in the legislative process, taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: Pages S319-345 Adopted: By 93 yeas to 2 nays (Vote No. 2), Vitter Amendment No. 7 (to Amendment No. 3), to amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to establish criminal penalties for knowingly and willfully falsifying or failing to file or report certain information required to be reported under that Act. Pages S324-25 Salazar/Obama Modified Amendment No. 15 (to Amendment No. 3), to require Senate committees and subcommittees to make available by the Internet a video recording, audio recording, or transcript of any meeting not later than 14 business days after the meeting occurs. Pages S331-32, S345 Rejected: Vitter Amendment No. 5 (to Amendment No. 3), to modify the application of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to Indian tribes. (By 56 yeas to 40 nays (Vote No. 3), Senate tabled the amendment.) Pages S342-44 Vitter Amendment No. 6 (to Amendment No. 3), to prohibit authorized committees and leadership PACs from employing the spouse or immediate family members of any candidate or Federal office holder connected to the committee. (By 54 yeas to 41 nays, 1-present (Vote No. 4), Senate tabled the amendment.) Pages S341-42, S344 Withdrawn: Stevens Amendment No. 16 (to Amendment No. 4), to permit certain travel within State. Pages S334-36, S344 Pending: Reid Amendment No. 3, in the nature of a substitute. Page S319 Reid Amendment No. 4 (to Amendment No. 3), to strengthen the gift and travel bans. Page S319 DeMint Amendment No. 11 (to Amendment No. 3), to strengthen the earmark reform. Pages S320-21 DeMint Amendment No. 12 (to Amendment No. 3), to clarify that earmarks added to a conference report that are not considered by the Senate or the House of Representatives are out of scope. Page S321 DeMint Amendment No. 13 (to Amendment No. 3), to prevent government shutdowns. Page S321 DeMint Amendment No. 14 (to Amendment No. 3), to protect individuals from having their money involuntarily collected and used for lobbying by a labor organization. Pages S321-22 Vitter/Inhofe Amendment No. 9 (to Amendment No. 3), to place certain restrictions on the ability of the spouses of Members of Congress to lobby Congress. Pages S322-23 Vitter Amendment No. 10 (to Amendment No. 3), to increase the penalty for failure to comply with lobbying disclosure requirements. Page S323 Leahy/Pryor Amendment No. 2 (to Amendment No. 3), to give investigators and prosecutors the tools they need to combat public corruption. Pages S332-34 Gregg Amendment No. 17 (to Amendment No. 3), to establish a legislative line item veto. Pages S336-41, S344-45 A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further consideration of the bill at approximately 11 a.m., on Thursday, January 11, 2007. Page S401 Appointments: Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel: The Chair, on behalf of the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance, pursuant to Public Law 106- 170, announced the appointment of the following individual to serve as a member of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel: David L. Miller of South Dakota. Page S401 Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution: The Chair, on behalf of the Vice President, pursuant to the provision of 20 U.S.C., sections 42 and 43, appointed Senator Dodd as a member of the [[Page D26]] Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, vice Senator Frist. Page S401 Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations: Bradley Udall, of Colorado, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation for a term expiring October 6, 2012. P. Robert Fannin, of Arizona, to be Ambassador to the Dominican Republic. William Raymond Steiger, of Wisconsin, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Mozambique. Douglas Menarchik, of Texas, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. Howard Charles Weizmann, of Maryland, to be Deputy Director of the Office of Personnel Management. Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, Navy. Pages S401-04 Messages from the House: Page S355 Measures Read the First Time: Pages S355-56, S401 Petitions and Memorials: Pages S356-57 Additional Cosponsors: Pages S358-59 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S359-95 Additional Statements: Pages S354-55 Amendments Submitted: Pages S395-S400 Notices of Hearings/Meetings: Page S400 Authorities for Committees to Meet: Pages S400-01 Privileges of the Floor: Page S401 Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--4) Pages S324-25, S343-44, S344 Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 6:07 p.m., until 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, January 11, 2006. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S401.) Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) NATIONAL ENERGY SECURITY Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine agriculture and rural America's role in enhancing national energy security, after receiving testimony from Keith Collins, Chief Economist, Department of Agriculture; Philip Sharp, Resources for the Future, Washington, D.C.; J. Read Smith, 25x'25 Renewable Energy Alliance, St. John, Washington; Michael Pacheco, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado; Ron Miller, Aventine Renewable Energy, LLC, Pekin, Illinois, on behalf of the Renewable Fuels Association; Roger P. Webb, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta; Gene Gourley, on behalf of the National Pork Producers Council and the Iowa Pork Producers Association, Webster City; Loni Kemp, Minnesota Project, Canton; and John Sellers, Iowa State Soil Conservation Committee, Corydon. SOMALIA Committee on Armed Services: Committee met in closed session to receive a briefing regarding United States military action in Somalia from Theresa Whelan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense; Janila Howard, Analyst, East Africa Counter-Terrorism, Defense Intelligence Agency; and Brigadier General Otis G. Mannon, USAF, Deputy Director for Special Operations, J-3 Operations Directorate, Joint Chiefs of Staff. GEOPOLITICS OF OIL Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee held a hearing to examine global oil supplies and what it means for United States economic and national security, focusing on U.S. dependence on imported oil, the rapid growth in oil consumption in emerging economies such as China and India and the impact on U.S. energy security, how political stability in the Middle East could affect future oil supplies, and the implications of recent developments in the Russian energy sector for U.S. and global energy security, receiving testimony from General Charles F. Wald, USAF (Ret.), former Deputy Commander, United States European Command, Member, Energy Security Leadership Council, Linda G. Stuntz, Stuntz, Davis, and Staffier, on behalf of the Council on Foreign Relations Independent Task Force, Flynt Leverett, New America Foundation, all of Washington, D.C.; Robert D. Hormats, Goldman Sachs (International), New York, New York; and Fatih Birol, International Energy Agency, Paris, France. Hearing recessed subject to the call. BUSINESS TAX INCENTIVES Committee on Finance: Committee concluded a hearing to examine tax incentives for businesses in response to a minimum wage increase, after receiving testimony from Jared Bernstein, Economic Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.; Joseph J. Sabia, University of Georgia Department of Housing and Consumer Economics, Athens; Matthew F. Kadish, Small Business Council of America, Cleveland, Ohio; Dave [[Page D27]] Ratner, Dave's Soda and Pet City, Agawam, Massachusetts, on behalf of the National Retail Federation; and Bruce G. Obenour, Akwen, LTD, Akron, Ohio. IRAQ Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to examine securing America's interests and the current situation in Iraq, after receiving testimony from Michael O'Hanlon, Brookings Institution, Paul R. Pillar, Georgetown University, and Phebe Marr, all of Washington, D.C.; and Yahia Khairi Said, London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom. HEALTH CARE COVERAGE Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee concluded a hearing to examine challenges and opportunities relating to health care for all Americans, after receiving testimony from Peter Meade, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and John McDonough, Health Care for All, both of Boston, Massachusetts; Karen Davis, Commonwealth Fund, New York, New York; Debra Ness, National Partnership for Women and Families, Andy Stern, Service Employees International Union, Larry Burton, Business Roundtable, Peter Harbage, New America Foundation, Joseph R. Antos, American Enterprise Institute, and John C. Goodman, National Center for Policy Analysis, all of Washington, D.C.; and Pat Vredevoogd Combs, National Association of Realtors, Grand Rapids, Michigan. GOVERNMENT DATA MINING PROGRAMS Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine balancing privacy and security, focusing on the privacy implications of government data mining programs, including proposed legislation to prevent and mitigate identity theft, to ensure privacy, to provide notice of security breaches, and to enhance criminal penalties, law enforcement assistance, and other protections against security breaches, fraudulent access, and misuse of personally identifiable information, after receiving testimony from former Representative Barr; Jim Harper, CATO Institute, Leslie Harris, Center for Democracy and Technology, and James Jay Carafano, Heritage Foundation, all of Washington, DC; and Kim A. Taipale, Center for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology Policy, New York, New York. BUSINESS MEETING Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to consider pending intelligence matters. Committee recessed subject to the call. House of Representatives Chamber Action Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 39 public bills, H.R. 361-399; and 15 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 22-29; and H. Res. 45-51 were introduced. Pages H341-43 Additional Cosponsors: Pages H343-44 Reports Filed: There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed Representative Hastings of Florida to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today. Page H255 Committee Elections: The House agreed to H. Res. 45, electing the following Members and the Resident Commissioner of the Minority to serve on certain committees of the House of Representatives: Committee on Agriculture: Representatives Everett, Lucas, Moran (KS), Hayes, Johnson (IL), Graves, Bonner, Rogers (AL), King (IA), Musgrave, Neugebauer, Boustany, Kuhl (NY), Foxx, Conaway, Fortenberry, Schmidt, Smith (NE), McCarthy (CA), and Walberg. Committee on Armed Services: Representatives Saxton, McHugh, Everett, Bartlett (MD), McKeon, Thornberry, Jones (NC), Hayes, Calvert, Jo Ann Davis (VA), Akin, Forbes, Miller (FL), Wilson (SC), LoBiondo, Cole (OK), Bishop (UT), Turner, Kline, Miller (MI), Gingrey, Rogers (AL), Franks (AZ), Drake, McMorris Rodgers, Conaway, and Davis (KY). Committee on Education and Labor: Representatives Petri, Hoekstra, Castle, Souder, Ehlers, Biggert, Platts, Keller, Wilson (SC), Kline, Inglis (SC), McMorris Rodgers, Marchant, Price (GA), Fortuno, Boustany, Foxx, Kuhl (NY), Bishop (UT), David Davis (TN), and Walberg. Committee on Energy and Commerce: Representatives Hall, Hastert, Upton, Stearns, Deal (GA), Whitfield, Norwood, Cubin, Shimkus, Wilson (NM), Shadegg, Pickering, Fossella, Buyer, Radanovich, Pitts, Bono, Walden (OR), Terry, Ferguson, Rogers (MI), Myrick, Sullivan, Murphy, and Burgess. Committee on Financial Services: Representatives Baker, Pryce (OH), Castle, King (NY), Royce, Lucas, Paul, Gillmor, LaTourette, Manzullo, Jones (NC), Biggert, [[Page D28]] Shays, Gary G. Miller (CA), Capito, Feeney, Hensarling, Garrett (NJ), Ginny Brown-Waite (FL), Barrett (SC), Renzi, Gerlach, Pearce, Neugebauer, Price (GA), Davis (KY), McHenry, Campbell (CA), Putnam, Blackburn, Bachmann, and Roskam. Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Representatives Burton (IN), Shays, McHugh, Mica, Souder, Platts, Cannon, Duncan, Turner, Issa, Marchant, Westmoreland, McHenry, Foxx, Bilbray, and Sali. Committee on Homeland Security: Representatives Smith (TX), Shays, Souder, Tom Davis (VA), Daniel E. Lungren (CA), Rogers (AL), Jindal, Reichert, McCaul (TX), Dent, Ginny Brown-Waite (FL), Blackburn, Bilirakis, and David Davis (TN). Committee on Foreign Affairs: Smith (NJ), Burton (IN), Gallegly, Rohrabacher, Royce, Chabot, Manzullo, Tancredo, Paul, Flake, Jo Ann Davis (VA), Pence, McCotter, Wilson (SC), Boozman, Barrett (SC), Mack, Fortenberry, McCaul (TX), Poe, Inglis (SC), and Fortuno. Committee on the Judiciary: Sensenbrenner, Coble, Gallegly, Goodlatte, Chabot, Daniel E. Lungren (CA), Cannon, Keller, Issa, Pence, Forbes, King (IA), Feeney, Franks (AZ), Gohmert, and Jordan. Committee on Natural Resources: Representatives Saxton, Gallegly, Duncan, Gilchrest, Calvert, Cannon, Tancredo, Flake, Renzi, Pearce, Brown (SC), Fortuno, McMorris Rodgers, Jindal, Gohmert, Cole (OK), Bishop (UT), Shuster, Heller (NV), Sali, and Lamborn. Committee on Science and Technology: Sensenbrenner, Smith (TX), Rohrabacher, Calvert, Bartlett (MD), Ehlers, Lucas, Biggert, Akin, Bonner, Feeney, Neugebauer, Inglis (SC), McCaul (TX), Mario Diaz- Balart (FL), Gingrey, Bilbray, and Smith (NE). Committee on Small Business: Representatives Bartlett (MD), Graves, Akin, Shuster, Musgrave, King (IA), Fortenberry, Westmoreland, Gohmert, Heller (NV), David Davis (TN), Fallin, Buchanan, and Jordan. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Representatives Young (AK), Petri, Coble, Duncan, Gilchrest, Ehlers, LaTourette, Baker, LoBiondo, Moran (KS), Gary G. Miller (CA), Hayes, Brown (SC), Johnson (IL), Platts, Graves, Shuster, Boozman, Gerlach, Mario Diaz-Balart (FL), Marchant, Dent, Poe, Reichert, Mack, Kuhl (NY), Westmoreland, Boustany, Schmidt, Miller (MI), Drake, Fallin, and Buchanan. Committee on Veterans Affairs: Representatives Stearns, Burton (IN), Moran (KS), Baker, Brown (SC), Miller (FL), Boozman, Ginny Brown-Waite (FL), Turner, Bilbray, Lamborn, and Bilirakis. Pages H259-60, H289 Committee Elections: The House agreed to H. Res. 46, electing the following Members and Delegate of the Majority to serve on certain standing committees of the House of Representatives: Committee on Armed Services: Representatives Spratt, Ortiz, Taylor, Abercrombie, Meehan, Reyes, Snyder, Smith (WA), Loretta Sanchez (CA), McIntyre, Tauscher, Brady (PA), Andrews, Davis (CA), Langevin, Larsen (WA), Cooper, Marshall, Bordallo, Udall (CO), Boren, Ellsworth, Boyda (KS), Patrick Murphy (PA), Johnson (GA), Shea-Porter, Courtney, Loebsack, Gillibrand, Sestak, Giffords, and Castor. Committee on Education and Labor: Representatives Kildee, Payne, Andrews, Scott (VA), Woolsey, Hinojosa, McCarthy (NY), Tierney, Kucinich, Wu, Holt, Davis (CA), Davis (IL), Grijalva, Bishop (NY), Linda T. Sanchez, Sarbanes, Sestak, Loebsack, Hirono, Altmire, Yarmuth, Hare, Clarke, Courtney, and Shea-Porter. Page H260 Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007: The House passed H.R. 2, to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage by a Recorded vote of 315 ayes to 116 noes, Roll No. 18. Pages H260-88, H289-H308 Point of Order sustained against: McKeon motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Education and Labor with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with amendments. Pages H298-H305 Agreed to table the McKeon motion to appeal the ruling of the Chair by a Yea-and-Nay vote of 232 yeas to 197 nays, Roll No. 16. Pages H305-06 Rejected the second McKeon motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Education and Labor with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with an amendment, by a Recorded vote of 144 ayes to 287 noes, Roll No. 17. Pages H306-08 Title V of H. Res. 6, the portion of the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was agreed to on Friday, January 5. Recess: The House recessed at 2:05 p.m. and reconvened at 3:51 p.m. Page H289 Suspension: Further proceedings on the following measure were postponed until Thursday, January 11: Mourning the passing of President Gerald Rudolph Ford and celebrating his leadership and service to the people of the United States: H. Res. 15, amended, to mourn the passing of President Gerald Rudolph Ford and celebrate his leadership and service to the people of the United States. Page H308 Committee Elections: The House agreed to H. Res. 47, electing the following Members and Delegate of the Majority to serve on a certain standing committee of the House of Representatives: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Representatives Rahall, DeFazio, Costello, Norton, Nadler, Corrine Brown (FL), Filner, Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX), Taylor, Millender-McDonald, Cummings, Tauscher, [[Page D29]] Boswell, Holden, Baird, Larsen (WA), Capuano, Carson, Bishop (NY), Michaud, Higgins, Carnahan, Salazar, Napolitano, Lipinski, Lampson, Space, Hirono, Braley (IA), Altmire, Walz (MN), Shuler, Arcuri, Mitchell, Carney, Hall (NY), Kagen, Cohen, and McNerney. Pages H308-09 Quorum Calls--Votes: One Yea-and-Nay vote and two Recorded votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H306, H307-08, H308. There were no quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 10:00 a.m. and adjourned at 9:01 p.m. Committee Meetings COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION; OVERSIGHT PLAN Committee on Armed Services: Met for organizational purposes. The Committee approved an Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress. COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION Committee on Energy and Commerce: Met for organizational purposes. COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2007 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate Committee on the Budget: to hold hearings to examine the long-term budget outlook, 10:30 a.m., SD-608. Committee on Finance: to hold hearings to examine an overview and economic perspectives for the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, focusing on prescription drug pricing and negotiation, 10 a.m., SD- 215. Committee on Foreign Relations: to hold hearings to examine the remaining options relating to securing America's interests in Iraq, 10 a.m., SD-106. Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the remaining options relating to securing America's interests in Iraq, focusing on troop surge, partition, withdrawal, or strengthening the center, 2 p.m., SD-106. Select Committee on Intelligence: to hold hearings to examine current and projected national security threats, 2:30 p.m., SH-216. House Committee on Armed Services, hearing on the way forward in Iraq, 1 p.m., 2118 Rayburn. Committee on Foreign Affairs, oversight hearing on the Next Steps in the Iran Crisis, 10 a.m., and an oversight hearing on Iraq, 2 p.m., 2172 Rayburn. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (USPS 087ÿ09390). The Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, D.C. 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 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 202ÿ09512ÿ091661. 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. The Congressional Record paper and 24x microfiche edition will be furnished by mail to subscribers, free of postage, at the following prices: paper edition, $252.00 for six months, $503.00 per year, or purchased as follows: less than 200 pages, $10.50; between 200 and 400 pages, $21.00; greater than 400 pages, $31.50, payable in advance; microfiche edition, $146.00 per year, or purchased for $3.00 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 866ÿ09512ÿ091800 (toll free), 202ÿ09512ÿ091800 (D.C. area), or fax to 202ÿ09512ÿ092250. Remit check or money order, made payable to the Superintendent of Documents, or use VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or GPO Deposit Account. Following 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. With 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. [[Page D30]] _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 9:30 a.m., Thursday, January 11 Senate Chamber Program for Thursday: After the transaction of morning business (not to extend beyond 90 minutes), Senate will continue consideration of S. 1, Ethics Bill. Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 10 a.m., Thursday, January 11 House Chamber Program for Thursday: Consideration of H.R. 3--Expanding Stem Cell Research. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Bonner, Jo, Ala., E59, E60 Brown, Henry E., Jr., S.C., E64 Cole, Tom, Okla., E64 Conyers, John, Jr., Mich., E69 Davis, Tom, Va., E59 Dingell, John D., Mich., E69 Farr, Sam, Calif., E69 Graves, Sam, Mo., E62, E63, E63, E64, E64, E66, E67, E68, E68 Hobson, David L., Ohio, E65 Kildee, Dale E., Mich., E63 Lipinski, Daniel, Ill., E60 Marchant, Kenny, Tex., E63, E64 Miller, Gary G., Calif., E65 Musgrave, Marilyn N., Colo., E66 Norton, Eleanor Holmes, D.C., E68 Norwood, Charlie, Ga., E63, E64, E66, E67 Nunes, Devin, Calif., E66 Pastor, Ed, Ariz., E66 Pelosi, Nancy, Calif., E61 Poe, Ted, Tex., E68 Rangel, Charles B., N.Y., E59, E61 Scott, Robert C. ``Bobby'', Va., E68 Stark, Fortney Pete, Calif., E67 Sullivan, John, Okla., E63, E66 Visclosky, Peter J., Ind., E67 Weiner, Anthony D., N.Y., E62 Woolsey, Lynn C., Calif., E65