Monday, December 3, 2007 [[Page D1558]] Daily Digest HIGHLIGHTS See Resume of Congressional Activity. Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S14671-S14707 Measures Introduced: Five bills and one resolution were introduced, as follows: S. 2400-2404, and S. Con. Res. 57. Page S14700 Measures Reported: Reported on Tuesday, November 27, during the adjournment: S. 1661, to communicate United States travel policies and improve marketing and other activities designed to increase travel in the United States from abroad, with amendments. (S. Rept. No. 110-233) Page S14699 Measures Passed: Los Angeles to San Fernando Valley Metro Rail Project: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 238, to repeal a prohibition on the use of certain funds for tunneling in certain areas with respect to the Los Angeles to San Fernando Valley Metro Rail project, California, and the bill was then passed, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: Page S14706 Salazar (for Dodd/Shelby) Amendment No. 3802, to amend section 5307 of title 49, United States Code, to extend the special rule for the allocation of urbanized area formula grants through fiscal year 2009. Page S14706 Measures Considered: United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act: Senate began consideration of H.R. 3688, to implement the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. Pages S14680-95 A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the statutory time be reduced to 10 hours, equally divided as provided for under the statute; that when Senate continues consideration of the bill at approximately 11 a.m., on Tuesday, December 4, 2007, there be 90 minutes remaining for debate, equally divided; and that upon the use or yielding back of time, the measure be set aside until 2:15 p.m., and Senate then vote on passage of the bill. Page S14678 Removal of Injunction of Secrecy: The injunction of secrecy was removed from the following treaty: Treaty with Australia Concerning Defense Trade Cooperation (Treaty Doc. No. 110-10). The treaty was transmitted to the Senate today, considered as having been read for the first time, and referred, with accompanying papers, to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed. Page S14706 Executive Reports of Committees: Senate received the following executive reports of a committee: Received on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 during the adjournment of the Senate: Report to accompany Patent Law Treaty and Regulations Under Patent Law Treaty (Treaty Doc. 109-12) (Ex. Rept. 110-6); Report to accompany Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (Treaty Doc. 109-21) (Ex. Rept. 110-7); and Report to accompany Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (Treaty Doc. 110-2) (Ex. Rept. 110-8). Pages S14699-S14700 Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations: Michael E. Fryzel, of Illinois, to be a Member of the National Credit Union Administration Board for a term expiring August 2, 2013. Francis Mulvey, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board for a term expiring December 31, 2012. Jonathan Steven Adelstein, of South Dakota, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission for a term expiring June 30, 2013. David R. Hill, of Missouri, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. [[Page D1559]] Charles W. Larson, Jr., of Iowa, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Latvia. Neil Romano, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor. 1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general. 3 Army nominations in the rank of general. Routine lists in the Army, Navy. Page S14707 Nomination Withdrawn: Senate received notification of withdrawal of the following nomination: John A. Gastright, of South Carolina, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Coordinator for Afghanistan, Department of State, which was sent to the Senate on August 2, 2007. Page S14707 Messages from the House: Page S14699 Measures Referred: Page S14699 Measures Placed on the Calendar: Page S14699 Executive Reports of Committees: Pages S14699-S14700 Additional Cosponsors: Pages S14700-03 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S14703-05 Additional Statements: Pages S14697-98 Amendments Submitted: Page S14705 Notices of Hearings/Meetings: Pages S14705-06 Privileges of the Floor: Page S14706 Adjournment: Senate convened at 2 p.m. and adjourned at 6:13 p.m., until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 4, 2007. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S14706.) Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) No committee meetings were held. House of Representatives Chamber Action The House was not in session today. The House is scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 4, 2007, pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 259. Committee Meetings No committee meetings were held. NEW PUBLIC LAWS (For last listing of Public Laws, see Daily Digest, p. D1547) H.R. 2602, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility in Iron Mountain, Michigan, as the ``Oscar G. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility''. Signed on November 16, 2007. (Public Law 110-118) S.J. Res. 7, providing for the reappointment of Roger W. Sant as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Signed on November 16, 2007. (Public Law 110-119) S. 2206, to provide technical corrections to Public Law 109-116 (2 U.S.C. 2131a note) to extend the time period for the Joint Committee on the Library to enter into an agreement to obtain a statue of Rosa Parks. Signed on November 19, 2007. (Public Law 110-120) H.R. 2089, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 701 Loyola Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana, as the ``Louisiana Armed Services Veterans Post Office''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-121) H.R. 2276, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 203 North Main Street in Vassar, Michigan, as the ``Corporal Christopher E. Esckelson Post Office Building''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-122) H.R. 3297, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 950 West Trenton Avenue in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, as the ``Nate DeTample Post Office Building''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-123) H.R. 3307, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 570 Broadway in Bayonne, New Jersey, as the ``Dennis P. Collins Post Office Building''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-124) H.R. 3308, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 216 East Main Street in Atwood, Indiana, as the ``Lance Corporal David K. Fribley Post Office''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-125) H.R. 3325, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 235 Mountain Road in Suffield, Connecticut, as the ``Corporal Stephen R. [[Page D1560]] Bixler Post Office''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-126) H.R. 3382, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 200 North William Street in Goldsboro, North Carolina, as the ``Philip A. Baddour, Sr. Post Office''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-127) H.R. 3446, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 202 East Michigan Avenue in Marshall, Michigan, as the ``Michael W. Schragg Post Office Building''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-128) H.R. 3518, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1430 South Highway 29 in Cantonment, Florida, as the ``Charles H. Hendrix Post Office Building''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-129) H.R. 3530, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in Inverness, Florida, as the ``Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post Office Building''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-130) H.R. 3572, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4320 Blue Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri, as the ``Wallace S. Hartsfield Post Office Building''. Signed on November 30, 2007. (Public Law 110-131) COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2007 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: business meeting to consider S. 1581, to establish an interagency committee to develop an ocean acidification research and monitoring plan and to establish an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, S. 2307, to amend the Global Change Research Act of 1990, S. 2355, to amend the National Climate Program Act to enhance the ability of the United States to develop and implement climate change adaptation programs and policies, and S. 2332, to promote transparency in the adoption of new media ownership rules by the Federal Communications Commission, and to establish an independent panel to make recommendations on how to increase the representation of women and minorities in broadcast media ownership, and promotion lists in the United States Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commission Corps (NOAA), 2:30 p.m., SR-253. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: to hold hearings to examine developing a comprehensive response to food safety, 10:30 a.m., SD-430. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to hold hearings to examine credit card practices, focusing on unfair interest rate increases, 9:30 a.m., SD-106. Ad Hoc Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration, to hold hearings to examine the earthquake zone within the central Mississippi Valley, extending from northeast Arkansas, through southeast Missouri, western Tennessee, western Kentucky to southern Illinois, known as the Madrid Seismic Zone, 2:30 p.m., SD-342. Committee on the Judiciary: to hold hearings to examine electronic prescribing of controlled substances, addressing health care and law enforcement priorities, 10 a.m., SD-226. CONGRESSIONAL PROGRAM AHEAD Week of December 3 through December 8, 2007 Senate Chamber On Tuesday, at 11:00 a.m., Senate will continue consideration of H.R. 3688, United States-Peru Trade Promotion Act and vote on its passage at 2:15 p.m. During the balance of the week, Senate may consider any cleared legislative and executive business. Senate Committees (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Committee on Armed Services: December 6, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, to hold hearings to examine the report of the Commission on Army Acquisition and Program Management in Expeditionary Operations entitled ``Urgent Reform Required: Army Expeditionary Contracting'', 2:30 p.m., SR-222. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: December 4, business meeting to consider S. 1581, to establish an interagency committee to develop an ocean acidification research and monitoring plan and to establish an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, S. 2307, to amend the Global Change Research Act of 1990, S. 2355, to amend the National Climate Program Act to enhance the ability of the United States to develop and implement climate change adaptation programs and policies, and S. 2332, to promote transparency in the adoption of new media ownership rules by the Federal Communications Commission, and to establish an independent panel to make recommendations on how to increase the representation of women and minorities in broadcast media ownership, and promotion lists in the United States Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commission Corps (NOAA), 2:30 p.m., SR-253. Committee on Environment and Public Works: December 5, business meeting to consider S. 2191, to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, and the nominations of John S. Bresland, of New Jersey, to be Chairperson, and Charles Russell Horner Shearer, of Delaware, both to be Members of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, William H. [[Page D1561]] Graves, of Tennessee, Susan Richardson Williams, of Tennessee, and Thomas C. Gilliland, of Georgia, all to be Members of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority, 9 a.m., SD-406. Committee on Foreign Relations: December 6, Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs and International Environmental Protection, to hold hearings to examine the United States foreign assistance to Pakistan, 2:30 p.m., SD-419. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: December 4, to hold hearings to examine developing a comprehensive response to food safety, 10:30 a.m., SD-430. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: December 4, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to hold hearings to examine credit card practices, focusing on unfair interest rate increases, 9:30 a.m., SD-106. December 4, Ad Hoc Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration, to hold hearings to examine the earthquake zone within the central Mississippi Valley, extending from northeast Arkansas, through southeast Missouri, western Tennessee, western Kentucky to southern Illinois, known as the Madrid Seismic Zone, 2:30 p.m., SD-342. Committee on the Judiciary: December 4, to hold hearings to examine electronic prescribing of controlled substances, addressing health care and law enforcement priorities, 10 a.m., SD-226. December 5, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (Public Law 93-415), focusing on protecting children and communities, 10 a.m., SD-226. December 5, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the foreclosure crisis, focusing on helping families save their homes, 2:30 p.m., SD-226. December 6, Full Committee, business meeting to consider S. 344, to permit the televising of Supreme Court proceedings, S. 1638, to adjust the salaries of Federal justices and judges, S. 1829, to reauthorize programs under the Missing Children's Assistance Act, S. 431, to require convicted sex offenders to register online identifiers, S. 352, to provide for media coverage of Federal court proceedings, S. 2344, to create a competitive grant program to provide for age-appropriate Internet education for children, and the nomination of Ronald Jay Tenpas, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Attorney General, 10 a.m., SD-226. Committee on Veterans' Affairs: December 5, to hold hearings to examine the nomination of James B. Peake, of the District of Columbia, to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 9:30 a.m., SD-G50. Select Committee on Intelligence: December 5, closed meeting of conferees on proposed legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 2008 for the intelligence community, 3 p.m., S-407, Capitol. Special Committee on Aging: December 5, to hold hearings to examine the elderly who have been displaced by war, poverty, and persecution abroad, 10:30 a.m., SD-106. House Committees Committee on Armed Services, December 5, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, hearing on Provincial Reconstruction Teams-- Historical and Current Perspectives on Doctrine and Strategy, 2 p.m., 2212 Rayburn. Committee on the Budget, December 5, hearing on the State of the U.S. Economy and Implications for the Federal Budget, 10 a.m., 210 Cannon. Committee on Education and Labor, December 5, to mark up a resolution to add a Rules 24 to the Rules of the Committee to Provide a Process for Taking Depositions, 12 p.m., 2175 Rayburn. Committee on Energy and Commerce, December 4, Subcommittee on Health, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1343, Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007; H.R. 2915, National Health Service Corps Scholarship and Loan Replacement Programs Reauthorization Act of 2007; and H.R. 4230, School-Based Health Clinic Act of 2007, 2 p.m., 2322 Rayburn. Committee on Financial Services, December 5, Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, hearing entitled ``Affordable Housing Needs of America's Low Income Veterans,'' 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn. December 5, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission: Media Ownership,'' 9:30 a.m., 2322 Rayburn. December 6, full Committee, hearing entitled ``Accelerating Loan Modifications, Improving Foreclosure Prevention and Enhancing Enforcement,'' 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn. Committee on Foreign Affairs, December 5, hearing on After Annapolis: Next Steps in the Middle East Peace Process, 2:30 p.m., 2128 Rayburn. Committee on House Administration, December 6, Subcommittee on Elections, oversight hearing on the Use of Robocalls in Federal Compaigns, 11 a.m., 1310 Longworth. Committee on the Judiciary, December 6, Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, hearing on H.R. 3396, Sales Tax Fairness and Simplification Act, 10 a.m., 2237 Rayburn. December 6, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, hearing on Promoting Inmate Rehabilitation and Successful Release Planning, 11 a.m., 2141 Rayburn. Committee on Natural Resources, December 5, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, oversight hearing entitled ``Rebuilding overfished fisheries under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management Act,'' 11 a.m., 1334 Longworth. Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, December 5, hearing on Executive Pay and the Role of Compensation Consultants, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn. Committee on Small Business, December 6, hearing to review legislation to improve the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn. Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, December 5, full Committee, executive, briefing on Iran, 10 a.m., H-405 Capitol. [[Page D1562]] December 6, Subcommittee on Intelligence Community Management, hearing on DNI's 500 Day Plan, 9:30 a.m., 2212 Rayburn. December 6, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence, executive, briefing on Colombia, 2 p.m., H-405 Capitol. Joint Meetings Joint Hearing: December 5, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, closed meeting of conferees on proposed legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 2008 for the intelligence community, 3 p.m., S-407, Capitol. *These figures include all measures reported, even if there was no accompanying report. A total of 514 reports have been filed in the Senate, a total of 457 reports have been filed in the House. [[Page D1563]] Resume of Congressional Activity FIRST SESSION OF THE ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS The first table gives a comprehensive resume of all legislative business transacted by the Senate and House. The second table accounts for all nominations submitted to the Senate by the President for Senate confirmation. DATA ON LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY January 4 through November 30, 2007 Senate House Total Days in session............... 171 154 .. Time in session............... 1,266 hrs., 20 1,390 hrs., 45 .. Congressional Record: Pages of proceedings........... 14,661 14,086 .. Extensions of Remarks.......... .. 2,459 .. Public bills enacted into law. 30 86 .. Private bills enacted into law .. .. .. Bills in conference........... 7 7 .. Measures passed, total........ 534 1,022 1,556 Senate bills................... 78 31 .. House bills.................... 117 472 .. Senate joint resolutions....... 5 1 .. House joint resolutions........ 4 5 .. Senate concurrent resolutions.. 23 7 .. House concurrent resolutions... 30 85 .. Simple resolutions............. 277 421 .. Measures reported, total...... *393 *439 832 Senate bills................... 231 2 .. House bills.................... 71 297 .. Senate joint resolutions....... 5 .. .. House joint resolutions........ 1 .. .. Senate concurrent resolutions.. 8 .. .. House concurrent resolutions... 6 7 .. Simple resolutions............. 71 133 .. Special reports............... 20 8 .. Conference reports............ 1 10 .. Measures pending on calendar.. 316 43 .. Measures introduced, total.... 2,859 5,412 8,271 Bills.......................... 2,391 4,250 .. Joint resolutions.............. 25 64 .. Concurrent resolutions......... 56 263 .. Simple resolutions............. 387 835 .. Quorum calls.................. 6 8 .. Yea-and-nay votes............. 412 589 .. Recorded votes................ .. 525 .. Bills vetoed.................. 1 4 .. Vetoes overridden............. 1 1 .. DISPOSITION OF EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS January 4 through November 30, 2007 Civilian nominations, totaling 445, disposed of as follows: Confirmed..........................................234... Unconfirmed........................................185... Withdrawn...........................................25... Returned to White House..............................1... Other Civilian nominations, totaling 3,805, disposed of as follows: Confirmed........................................2,644... Unconfirmed......................................1,161... Air Force nominations, totaling 6,075, disposed of as follows: Confirmed........................................6,069... Unconfirmed..........................................6... Army nominations, totaling 6,136, disposed of as follows: Confirmed........................................6,002... Unconfirmed........................................134... Navy nominations, totaling 4,651, disposed of as follows: Confirmed........................................4,649... Unconfirmed..........................................2... Marine Corps nominations, totaling 1,342, disposed of as follows: Confirmed........................................1,341... Unconfirmed..........................................1... Summary Total nominations carried over from the First Session....0 Total nominations received this Session.............22,454 Total confirmed.....................................20,939 Total unconfirmed....................................1,489 Total withdrawn.........................................25 Total returned to the White House........................1 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. 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[[Page D1564]] _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 10 a.m., Tuesday, December 4 Senate Chamber Program for Tuesday: After the transaction of any morning business (not to extend beyond 60 minutes), Senate will continue consideration of H.R. 3688, United States-Peru Trade Promotion Act and vote on passage of the bill at 2:15 p.m. (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 2 p.m., Tuesday, December 4 House Chamber Program for Tuesday: To be announced.