Wednesday, January 31, 2007 [[Page D117]] Daily Digest HIGHLIGHTS The House agreed to H.J. Res. 20, making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007. Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S1359-S1468 Measures Introduced: Thirty-two bills and fifteen resolutions were introduced, as follows: S. 439-470, S. Res. 52-63, and S. Con. Res. 5- 7. Pages S1409-11 Measures Reported: S. Res. 52, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on the Budget. S. Res. 54, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. S. Res. 55, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. S. Res. 56, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. S. Res. 57, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. S. Res. 58, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. S. Res. 59, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Finance. S. Res. 60, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. S. Res. 63, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Rules and Administration. Page S1409 Measures Passed: National Mentoring Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 61, designating January 2007 as ``National Mentoring Month''. Page S1466 Catholic Schools Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 62, recognizing the goals of Catholic Schools Week and honoring the valuable contributions of Catholic Schools in the United States. Page S1467 Fair Minimum Wage: Senate continued consideration of H.R. 2, to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage, taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: Pages S1364-80 Adopted: Reid (for Baucus) Amendment No. 100, in the nature of a substitute. Page S1364 Rejected: Sessions (for Kyl) Amendment No. 209 (to Amendment No. 100), to extend through December 31, 2012, the increased expensing for small businesses. (By 49 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 37), Senate tabled the amendment.) Pages S1373-75 Withdrawn: McConnell (for Gregg) Amendment No. 101 (to Amendment No. 100), to provide Congress a second look at wasteful spending by establishing enhanced rescission authority under fast-track procedures. Page S1364 Enzi (for Ensign/Inhofe) Amendment No. 152 (to Amendment No. 100), to reduce document fraud, prevent identity theft, and preserve the integrity of the Social Security system. Page S1364 Enzi (for Ensign) Amendment No. 153 (to Amendment No. 100), to preserve and protect Social Security benefits of American workers, including those making minimum wage, and to help ensure greater Congressional oversight of the Social Security system by requiring that both Houses of Congress approve a totalization agreement before the agreement giving foreign workers Social Security benefits, can go into effect. Page S1364 Vitter/Voinovich Amendment No. 110 (to Amendment No. 100), to amend title 44 of the United States Code, to provide for the suspension of fines under certain circumstances for first-time paperwork violations by small business concerns. Page S1364 DeMint Amendment No. 155 (to Amendment No. 100), to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for cooperative governing of individual health insurance coverage offered in interstate commerce, and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 regarding the disposition of unused health [[Page D118]] benefits in cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements and the use of health savings accounts for the payment of health insurance premiums for high deductible health plans purchased in the individual market. Page S1364 DeMint Amendment No. 156 (to Amendment No. 100), to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 regarding the disposition of unused health benefits in cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements. Page S1364 DeMint Amendment No. 157 (to the language proposed to be stricken by Amendment No. 100), to increase the Federal minimum wage by an amount that is based on applicable State minimum wages. Page S1364 DeMint Amendment No. 159 (to Amendment No. 100), to protect individuals from having their money involuntarily collected and used for lobbying by a labor organization. Page S1364 DeMint Amendment No. 160 (to Amendment No. 100), to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow certain small businesses to defer payment of tax. Page S1364 DeMint Amendment No. 161 (to Amendment No. 100), to prohibit the use of flexible schedules by Federal employees unless such flexible schedule benefits are made available to private sector employees not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. Page S1364 DeMint Amendment No. 162 (to Amendment No. 100), to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 regarding the minimum wage. Page S1364 Kennedy (for Kerry) Amendment No. 128 (to Amendment No. 100), to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish a pilot program to provide regulatory compliance assistance to small business concerns. Page S1364 Martinez Amendment No. 105 (to Amendment No. 100), to clarify the house parent exemption to certain wage and hour requirements. Page S1364 Sanders Amendment No. 201 (to Amendment No. 100), to express the sense of the Senate concerning poverty. Page S1364 Gregg Amendment No. 203 (to Amendment No. 100), to enable employees to use employee option time. Page S1364 Burr Amendment No. 195 (to Amendment No. 100), to provide for an exemption to a minimum wage increase for certain employers who contribute to their employees health benefit expenses. Page S1364 Kennedy (for Feinstein) Amendment No. 167 (to Amendment No. 118), to improve agricultural job opportunities, benefits, and security for aliens in the United States. Page S1364 Enzi (for Allard) Amendment No. 169 (to Amendment No. 100), to prevent identity theft by allowing the sharing of social security data among government agencies for immigration enforcement purposes. Pages S1364-65 Enzi (for Cornyn) Amendment No. 135 (to Amendment No. 100), to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the Federal unemployment surtax. Page S1365 Enzi (for Cornyn) Amendment No. 138 (to Amendment No. 100), to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand workplace health incentives by equalizing the tax consequences of employee athletic facility use. Page S1365 Division I of Sessions (for Kyl) Amendment No. 210 (to Amendment No. 100), to provide for the permanent extension of increasing expensing for small businesses, the depreciation treatment of leasehold, restaurant, and retail space improvements, and the work opportunity tax credit. Page S1365 Division II of Sessions (for Kyl) Amendment No. 210 (to Amendment No. 100), to provide for the permanent extension of increasing expensing for small businesses, the depreciation treatment of leasehold, restaurant, and retail space improvements, and the work opportunity tax credit. Page S1365 Division III of Sessions (for Kyl) Amendment No. 210 (to Amendment No. 100), to provide for the permanent extension of increasing expensing for small businesses, the depreciation treatment of leasehold, restaurant, and retail space improvements, and the work opportunity tax credit. Page S1365 Division IV of Sessions (for Kyl) Amendment No. 210 (to Amendment No. 100), to provide for the permanent extension of increasing expensing for small businesses, the depreciation treatment of leasehold, restaurant, and retail space improvements, and the work opportunity tax credit. Page S1365 Division V of Sessions (for Kyl) Amendment No. 210 (to Amendment No. 100), to provide for the permanent extension of increasing expensing for small businesses, the depreciation treatment of leasehold, restaurant, and retail space improvements, and the work opportunity tax credit. Page S1365 Durbin Amendment No. 221 (to Amendment No. 157), to change the enactment date. Page S1365 During consideration of this measure today, the Senate also took the following action: By 46 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 38), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate rejected the motion to waive section 505(a) of H. Con. Res. 95, Congressional Budget Resolution, with respect to Kyl Amendment No. 115 (to Amendment No. 100), to extend through December 31, 2008, the depreciation treatment of leasehold, restaurant, and retail space [[Page D119]] improvements. Subsequently, the point of order that the amendment increases mandatory spending and would cause an increase in the deficit in excess of levels permitted by H. Con. Res. 95, was sustained, and the amendment thus fell. Pages S1376-79 By 88 yeas to 8 nays (Vote No. 39), 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 bill. Page S1380 A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that on Tuesday, February 1, 2007, following the votes on the confirmations of Lawrence Joseph O'Neill, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California, Valerie L. Baker, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, and Gregory Kent Frizzell, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Senate continue consideration of the bill; provided further that the time consumed during the adjournment of the Senate on Wednesday, January 31, 2007, and during the period of morning business on Thursday, February 1, 2007, be counted against the time for debate on the bill, pursuant to Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate. Page S1466 Nominations--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing that at 11:45 a.m., on Thursday, February 1, 2007, Senate begin consideration of the following nominations en bloc: Lawrence Joseph O'Neill, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California, Valerie L. Baker, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, and Gregory Kent Frizzell, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma; that there be 10 minutes for debate on the nominations, equally divided between the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary, or their designees; that at the conclusion, or yielding back of time, Senate vote on the confirmation of the nomination of Lawrence Joseph O'Neill, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California; that following that vote Senate vote on the confirmation of the nomination of Valerie L. Baker, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; that following that vote Senate vote on the confirmation of the nomination of Gregory Kent Frizzell, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma; that there be 2 minutes for debate between the second and third votes; that the Senate then return to legislative session and that all time consumed in executive session, including the time consumed during votes, count against the time post-cloture on H.R. 2. Page S1466 Messages From the House: Page S1408 Messages Referred: Page S1408 Measures Read the First Time: Pages S1408, S1467 Executive Communications: Pages S1408-09 Executive Reports of Committees: Page S1409 Additional Cosponsors: Page S1411 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S1411-65 Additional Statements: Pages S1406-08 Authorities for Committees to Meet: Pages S1465-66 Privileges of the Floor: Page S1466 Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--39) Pages S1375, S1379, S1380 Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 8:27 p.m., until 10 a.m., on Thursday, February 1, 2007. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S1467.) Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the roles of Federal food assistance programs in family economic security and nutrition, focusing on payment errors and trafficking that have declined despite increased program participation, after receiving testimony from Sigurd R. Nilsen, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues, Government Accountability Office; Robert Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, D.C.; Robert Dostis, Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, Burlington; Bill Bolling, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta, Georgia; Luanne Francis, Kingsley House, New Orleans, Louisiana; Melinda Newport, Chickasaw Nation, Ada, Oklahoma; Frank Kubik, Focus: Hope, Detroit, Michigan; and Rhonda Stewart, Hamilton, Ohio. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution (S. Res. 57) authorizing expenditures by the Committee and adopted its rules of procedure for the 110th Congress. [[Page D120]] IRAQ Committee on Armed Services: Committee met in closed session to receive a briefing regarding the Iraq ``surge'' plan from Eric S. Edelman, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; Barbara J. Stephenson, Deputy Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Coordinator for Iraq, Department of State; and Lieutenant General Douglas E. Lute, USA, Director for Operations, J-3, and Rear Admiral David J. Dorsett, USN, Director for Intelligence, J-2, both of The Joint Staff. CONTRACTING Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support concluded hearings to examine abusive practices in Department of Defense contracting for services and inter-agency contracting, after receiving testimony from Marcia G. Madsen, Chair, Jonathan L. Etherton, and James A. (Ty) Hughes, both a Member, all of the Acquisition Advisory Panel; Paul A. Denett, Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget; and Shay Assad, Director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. U.S.-CHINA Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the Department of the Treasury's report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policy (IEERP) and the U.S.-China strategic economic dialogue, after receiving testimony from Henry M. Paulson, Secretary of the Treasury; and Richard L. Trumka, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Michael Campbell, Arch Chemicals, Inc., National Association of Manufacturers, Albert Keidel, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and C. Fred Bergsten, Peterson Institute for International Economics, all of Washington, D.C. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution (S. Res. 56) authorizing expenditures by the Committee. Also, committee adopted its rules of procedure for the 110th Congress and announced the following subcommittee assignments: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions: Senators Johnson (Chairman), Tester, Menendez, Akaka, Reed, Schumer, Bayh, Carper, Hagel, Bennett, Allard, Sununu, Bunning, Crapo, and Dole. Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development: Senators Schumer (Chairman), Akaka, Casey, Reed, Carper, Brown, Tester, Menendez, Crapo, Dole, Martinez, Allard, Enzi, Hagel, and Sununu. Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment: Senators Reed (Chairman), Menendez, Johnson, Schumer, Bayh, Casey, Akaka, Tester, Allard, Enzi, Sununu, Bennett, Hagel, Bunning, and Crapo. Subcommittee on Security and International Trade and Finance: Senators Bayh (Chairman), Brown, Johnson, Casey, Dodd, Martinez, Enzi, Dole, and Bennett. Subcommittee on Economic Policy: Senators Carper (Chairman), Brown, and Bunning. FISCAL CHALLENGES Committee on the Budget: Committee concluded a hearing to examine solutions to long-term fiscal challenges, after receiving testimony from Robert L. Bixby, The Concord Coalition, Arlington, Virginia; and Joseph J. Minarik, The Committee for Economic Development, Jason Furman, The Brookings Institution, and Stuart M. Butler, The Heritage Foundation, all of Washington, D.C. PROMOTING TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded a hearing to examine economic and security concerns relating to promoting travel to America, after receiving testimony from Stevan Porter, InterContinental Hotels Group, Atlanta, Georgia, on behalf of the Discover America Partnership; Jay Rasulo, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Burbank, California, on behalf of the Travel Industry Association and the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board; Jonathan M. Tisch, Loews Hotels, New York, New York, on behalf of the Travel Business Roundtable and the Travel Industry Association; and James C. May, Air Transport Association, Washington, D.C. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably reported the following bills: S. 202, to provide for the conveyance of certain Forest Service land to the city of Coffman Cove, Alaska; S. 216, to provide for the exchange of certain Federal land in the Santa Fe National Forest and certain non-Federal land in the Pecos National Historical Park in the State of New Mexico; S. 220, to authorize early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within the A & B Irrigation District in the State of Idaho; S. 232, to make permanent the authorization for watershed restoration and enhancement agreements; S. 235, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain buildings and lands of the Yakima [[Page D121]] Project, Washington, to the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District; S. 240, to reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992; S. 241, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements to protect natural resources of units of the National Park System through collaborative efforts on land inside and outside of units of the National Park System; S. 245, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to designate the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home in Hope, Arkansas, as a National Historic Site and unit of the National Park System; S. 255, to provide assistance to the State of New Mexico for the development of comprehensive State water plans; S. 260, to establish the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area, with an amendment; S. 262, to rename the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in the State of Idaho as the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in honor of the late Morley Nelson, an international authority on birds of prey, who was instrumental in the establishment of this National Conservation Area; S. 263, to amend the Oregon Resource Conservation Act of 1996 to reauthorize the participation of the Bureau of Reclamation in the Deschutes River Conservancy; S. 264, to authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to participate in the rehabilitation of the Wallowa Lake Dam in Oregon, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 265, 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 Subbasins in Oregon; S. 266, to provide for the modification of an amendatory repayment contract between the Secretary of the Interior and the North Unit Irrigation District; S. 268, to designate the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail; S. 275, to establish the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in the State of New Mexico, with amendments; S. 277, to modify the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park to include certain land within the GT Park Subdivision; S. 283, to amend the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003; S. 320, to provide for the protection of paleontological resources on Federal lands; H.R. 57, to repeal certain sections of the Act of May 26, 1936, pertaining to the Virgin Islands; and S. 200, to require the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Geological Survey, to conduct a study on groundwater resources in the State of Alaska. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Environment and Public Works: On January 17, 2007, Committee announced the following subcommittee assignments: Subcommittee on Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight, and Children's Health Protection: Senators Boxer (Chairman), Lieberman, Carper, Klobuchar, Whitehouse, Alexander, Craig, Bond, and Thomas. Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Senators Baucus (Chairman), Carper, Clinton, Cardin, Sanders, Isakson, Warner, Voinovich, and Vitter. Subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection: Senators Lieberman (Chairman), Baucus, Lautenberg, Sanders, Warner, Thomas, and Isakson. Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety: Senators Carpers (Chairman), Lieberman, Clinton, Sanders, Voinovich, Isakson, and Alexander. Subcommittee on Superfund and Environmental Health: Senators Clinton (Chairman), Baucus, Lautenberg, Cardin, Craig, Vitter, and Bond. Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality: Senators Lautenberg (Chairman), Cardin, Klobuchar, Whitehouse, Vitter, Bond, and Voinovich. Senators Boxer and Inhofe are ex officio members of each of the Subcommittees. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Finance: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution (S. Res. 59) authorizing expenditures by the Committee. Also, committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Michael J. Astrue, of Massachusetts, to be Commissioner of Social Security, and Dean A. Pinkert, of Virginia, and Irving A. Williamson, of New York, each to be a Member of the United States International Trade Commission. IRAQ Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee continued hearings to examine securing America's interests in Iraq, focusing on the remaining options in Iraq in the strategic context, receiving testimony from Henry A. Kissinger, Kissinger McLarty Associates, New York, New York, and Madeleine K. Albright, The Albright Group LLC, Washington, D.C., both a former Secretary of State. Hearings to continue on Thursday, February 1. [[Page D122]] BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 358, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and An original resolution (S. Res. 54) authorizing expenditures by the Committee. Also, committee adopted its rules of procedure for the 110th Congress and announced the following subcommittee assignments: Subcommittee on Children and Families: Senators Dodd (Chairman), Bingaman, Murray, Reed, Clinton, Obama, Sanders, Alexander, Gregg, Murkowski, Hatch, Roberts, and Allard. Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety: Senators Murray (Chairman), Dodd, Harkin, Mikulski, Clinton, Obama, Brown, Isakson, Burr, Murkowski, Roberts, Allard, and Coburn. Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging: Mikulski (Chairman), Harkin, Bingaman, Reed, Sanders, Brown, Burr, Gregg, Alexander, Isakson, and Hatch. Senators Kennedy and Enzi are ex officio members of each of the Subcommittees. IRAQ STUDY GROUP REPORT Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the Iraq Study Group report, focusing on recommendations for improvements to Iraq's police and criminal justice system, including S. 119, to prohibit profiteering and fraud relating to military action, relief, and reconstruction efforts, after receiving testimony from former Representative Lee H. Hamilton, Co-Chair, and Edwin Meese III, Member, both of the Iraq Study Group. US-VISIT PROGRAM Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security concluded a hearing to examine challenges and strategies for securing the border of the United States, focusing on the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program, and strategic, operational, and technological challenges at land ports of entry, after receiving testimony from Richard C. Barth, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development, and Robert A. Mocny, Acting Director, US-VISIT, both of the Department of Homeland Security; Richard M. Stana, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, Government Accountability Office; Phillip J. Bond, Information Technology Association of America, Arlington, Virginia; and C. Stewart Verdery, Jr., Monument Policy Group, LLC, Washington, D.C. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Rules and Administration: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution (S. Res. 63) authorizing expenditures by the Committee and adopted its rules of procedure for the 110th Congress. SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS FEDERAL PROCUREMENT AND ASSISTANCE Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee concluded an oversight hearing to examine Federal small business assistance programs for veterans and reservists, after receiving testimony from Linda Bithell Oliver, Acting Director, Office of Small Business Programs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics; Scott F. Denniston, Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the Center for Veterans Enterprise, Department of Veterans Affairs; William D. Elmore, Associate Administrator for Veterans Business Development, U.S. Small Business Administration; Louis J. Celli, Jr., Northeast Veteran's Business Resource Center, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts; Captain Ann S. Yahner, USN (Ret.), Penobscot Bay Media, LLC, Camden, Maine; Bob Hesser, HI Tech Services, Inc., and Allied Technical Services Group, LLC, Herndon, Virginia; and Ted Daywalt, VetJobs, Marietta, Georgia. MEDICARE PART D Special Committee on Aging: Committee concluded a hearing to examine if Medicare Part D is working for Low Income Subsidy (LIS) eligible beneficiaries, after receiving testimony from S. Lawrence Kocot, Senior Advisor to the Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services; Beatrice Disman, New York Regional Commissioner of Social Security, Social Security Administration; and Howard Bedlin, National Council on Aging, and Ellen Leitzer, Health Assistance Partnership, both of Washington, D.C. [[Page D123]] House of Representatives Chamber Action Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 55 public bills, H.R. 740-794; 2 private bills, H.R. 795-796; and 12 resolutions, H.J. Res. 21; H. Con. Res. 48-52; and H. Res. 117-123 were introduced. Pages H1149-52 Additional Cosponsors: Pages H1152-54 Reports Filed: There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed Representative Pomeroy to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today. Page H1057 Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Rev. Dr. John F. Ross, Pastor, Wayzata Community Church, Wayzata, Minnesota. Page H1057 Suspensions--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures which were debated on Tuesday, January 30: Supporting the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week: H. Res. 59, to support the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 417 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 64; Pages H1068-69 Honoring the life of Percy Lavon Julian, a pioneer in the field of organic chemistry research and development and the first and only African American chemist to be inducted into the National Academy of Sciences: H. Con. Res. 34, to honor the life of Percy Lavon Julian, a pioneer in the field of organic chemistry research and development and the first and only African American chemist to be inducted into the National Academy of Sciences, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 418 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 65; and Pages H1069-70 Expressing support for the designation and goals of ``Hire a Veteran Week'' and encouraging the President to issue a proclamation supporting those goals: H. Con. Res. 5, to express support for the designation and goals of ``Hire a Veteran Week'' and encourage the President to issue a proclamation supporting those goals, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 411 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 73. Page H1113 Congressional Advisers on Trade Policy and Negotiations: The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of the following Members of the House of Representatives as Congressional Advisers on Trade Policy and Negotiations: Representatives Rangel, Levin, Tanner, McCrery, and Herger. Page H1071 Committee on Ways and Means Recommendations: Read a letter from Chairman Rangel of the Committee on Ways and Means wherein he forwarded the Committee's recommendations for certain positions for the 110th Congress. Page H1071 Question of Consideration: The House agreed to consider H.J. Res. 20, making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, by a recorded vote of 222 ayes to 179 noes, Roll No. 68. The House further agreed to the Obey motion to table the motion to reconsider the vote, by a recorded vote of 226 ayes to 180 noes, Roll No. 69. Pages H1071-88 Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007: The House agreed to H.J. Res. 20, to make further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, by a recorded vote of 286 ayes to 140 noes, Roll No. 72. Pages H1059-68, H1070-H1113 Agreed to the Obey motion to table the appeal of the ruling of the chair on a point of order raised by Mr. McHenry, by a yea-and-nay vote of 226 yeas to 184 nays, Roll No. 70. Pages H1088-89 Rejected the Lewis (CA) motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with amendments, by a yea-and-nay vote of 196 yeas to 228 nays, Roll No. 71. Pages H1110-12 H. Res. 116, the rule providing for consideration of the resolution, was agreed to by a recorded vote of 225 ayes to 191 noes, Roll No. 67, after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 227 yeas to 192 nays, Roll No. 66. Pages H1070-71 Calendar Wednesday: Agreed by unanimous consent to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday business of Wednesday, February 7. Page H1116 Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the speaker wherein she appointed Representative Hoyer and Representative Van Hollen to act as Speaker pro tempore to sign enrolled bills and joint resolutions through February 5, 2007. Page H1143 Quorum Calls--Votes: Six yea-and-nay votes and four recorded votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H1068-69, H1069-70, H1070, H1070-71, H1087, H1088, H1089, H1111-12, H1112-13 and H1113. There were no quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and at 7:59 p.m., pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. [[Page D124]] Res. 41, stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Monday, February 5, 2007. Committee Meetings ARMY EQUIPMENT RESET Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces and the Subcommittee on Readiness held a joint hearing on Army equipment reset. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: MG Vincent E. Boles, USA, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4; BG Charles A. Anderson, USA, Director, Force Development, Office of the Chief of Staff, G-8; BG Robert M. Radin, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics and Operations, U.S. Army Materiel Command; and Thomas E. Mullins, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Plans, Programs, and Resources; and William M. Solis, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management Team, GAO. NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION ACT IMPLEMENTATION Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a hearing on the Department of Energy's implementation of the National Nuclear Security Administration Act of 2000. Testimony was heard from Samuel W. Bodman, Secretary of Energy; and the following officials of the Natural Resources and Environment Division, GAO: Gene Aloise, Director; and James Noel, Assistant Director. SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on current manning, equipping and readiness challenges facing Special Operations Forces. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: GEN Doug Brown, USA, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command; LTG Robert W. Wagner, USA, Commander, U.S. Army Special Operations Command; RADM Joseph Maguire, USN, Commander, U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command; LTG Michael M. Wooley, USAF, Commander, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command; and MG Dennis J. Hejlik, USMC, Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command. STRENGTHENING THE MIDDLE CLASS Committee on Education and Labor: Held a hearing on Strengthening America's Middle Class: Evaluating the Economic Squeeze on America's Families. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION Committee on Financial Services: Met for organizational purposes. IRAN CRISIS Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on Understanding the Iran Crisis. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. OVERSIGHT--PRESIDENTIAL SIGNING STATEMENTS Committee on the Judiciary: Held an oversight hearing entitled ``Presidential Signing Statements under the Bush Administration: A Threat to Checks and Balances and the Rule of Law?'' Testimony was heard from John Elwood, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel, Department of Justice; former Representative Mickey Edwards of Oklahoma; and public witnesses. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES Committee on Science and Technology: Ordered reported the following measures: H.R. 547, as amended, Advanced Fuels Infrastructure Research and Development Act; and H. Res. 72, Recognizing the work and accomplishments of Mr. Britt ``Max'' Mayfield, Director of the National Hurricane Center's Tropical Prediction Center upon his retirement. COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION; OVERSIGHT PLAN Committee on Small Business: Met for organizational purposes. The Committee also approved an Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress. FEDERAL RAILROAD SAFETY PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials concluded hearings on Reauthorization of the Federal Rail Safety Program. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 720, Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007; H.R. 569, as amended, Water Quality Investment Act of 2007; and H.R. 700, as amended, Water Quality Financing Act of 2007. MIDDLE CLASS ECONOMIC CHALLENGES Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on the Economic Challenges Facing Middle Class Families. Testimony was heard from Peter R. Orszag, Director, CBO; and public witnesses. [[Page D125]] Joint Meetings MIDDLE-CLASS PROSPERITY Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine ensuring the economic future by promoting middle-class prosperity, after receiving testimony from Robert E. Rubin, Citigroup, New York, New York, and Lawrence H. Summers, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, both a former Secretary of the Treasury; Alan S. Blinder, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; and Richard Vedder, Ohio University, Athens, American Enterprise Institute. COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2007 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate Committee on Armed Services: to hold hearings to examine the nomination of Gen. George W. Casey Jr., USA, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be Chief of Staff, United States Army, 9:30 a.m., SR-325. Committee on the Budget: to hold hearings to examine the current account deficit and the foreign debt of the United States, 10 a.m., SD-608. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: to hold hearings to examine a view from the Federal Communications Commission relating to assessing the communications marketplace, 10 a.m., SR-253. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: to hold hearings to examine accelerated biofuels diversity, focusing on how home-grown, biologically derived fuels can blend into the nation's transportation fuel mix, 9:30 a.m., SDG-50. Committee on Finance: to hold hearings to examine improving the health of America's children relating to the future of Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 10 a.m., SD-215. Committee on Foreign Relations: business meeting to consider an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the committee during the 110th Congress; to be followed by a hearing to examine securing America's interests in Iraq, focusing on the remaining options in Iraq in the strategic context, 9:15 a.m., SH-216. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, to hold hearings to examine privacy implications of the Federal government's health information technology initiative relating to private health records, focusing on the efforts of Department of Health and Human Services to integrate privacy into the Health Information Technology national infrastructure and Office of Personnel Management's efforts to expand the use of Health Information Technology through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and the impact such actions have on Federal employees' health information privacy, 2:30 p.m., SD-342. Committee on Indian Affairs: to hold hearings to examine the nomination of Carl Joseph Artman, of Colorado, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs; to be followed by a business meeting to consider the nomination, 9:30 a.m., SR-485. Select Committee on Intelligence: to hold hearings to examine the nomination of J. Michael McConnell, of Virginia, to be Director of National Intelligence, 2:30 p.m., SD-106. Full Committee, to hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters, 2:30 p.m., SH-219. House No Committee meetings are scheduled. 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. 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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 D126]] _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 10 a.m., Thursday, February 1 Senate Chamber Program for Thursday: After the transaction of any morning business (not to extend beyond 11:45 a.m.), Senate will begin consideration of the nominations of Lawrence Joseph O'Neill, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California, Valerie L. Baker, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, and Gregory Kent Frizzell, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and after a period of debate vote on confirmation of the nominations; following which, Senate will continue consideration of H.R. 2, Fair Minimum Wage. Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2 p.m., Monday, February 5 House Chamber Program for Monday: To be announced. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Fattah, Chaka, Pa., E224 Kucinich, Dennis J., Ohio, E223 Lewis, Ron, Ky., E223 Pelosi, Nancy, Calif., E223