Monday, September 26, 2005 [[Page D963]] Daily Digest HIGHLIGHTS Senate agreed to the Protocol of Amendment to International Convention on Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (Treaty Doc. 108-6). Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S10395-S10460 Measures Introduced: Seven bills and one resolution were introduced, as follows: S. 1767-1773, and S. Res. 251. Pages S10424-25 Measures Reported: S. 37, to extend the special postage stamp for breast cancer research for 2 years. (S. Rept. No. 109-140) Page S10424 Measures Passed: Quarterly Financial Report Program: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 2385, to extend by 10 years the authority of the Secretary of Commerce to conduct the quarterly financial report program, and the bill was then passed, clearing the measure for the President. Page S10459 Animal Rescue and Care: Senate agreed to S. Res. 251, expressing the sense of the Senate that the President should ensure that Federal response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Katrina include consideration for animal rescue and care. Page S10460 Higher Education Extension Act: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3784, to temporarily extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, and the bill was then passed, clearing the measure for the President. Page S10460 Roberts Nomination: Senate began consideration of the nomination of John G. Roberts, Jr., of Maryland, to be Chief Justice of the United States. Pages S10395-S10414 A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing for further consideration of the nomination at 10:30 a.m., on Thursday, September 29, 2005, and at 11:30 a.m., Senate will vote on confirmation of the nomination. Page S10459 A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing for further consideration of the nomination at 9:45 a.m., on Tuesday, September 27, 2005. Page S10460 Treaty Approved: The following treaty having passed through its various parliamentary stages, up to and including the presentation of the resolution of ratification, two-thirds of the Senators present having voted in the affirmative, the resolution of ratification was agreed to by a unanimous vote of 87 yeas (Vote No. 244): Protocol of Amendment to International Convention on Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (Treaty Doc. 108-6). Pages S10414-15 Measures Placed on Calendar: Pages S10424, S10460 Measures Read First Time: Page S10424 Executive Communications: Page S10424 Additional Cosponsors: Pages S10425-26 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S10426-40 Notices of Hearings/Meetings: Page S10440 Privilege of the Floor: Page S10441 Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--244) Pages S10414-15 Adjournment: Senate convened at 1 p.m., and adjourned at 7:45 p.m., until 9:45 a.m., on Tuesday, September 27, 2005. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S10460.) [[Page D964]] Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense approved for full Committee consideration H.R. 2863, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. House of Representatives Chamber Action Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 4 public bills, H.R. 3893-3896 were introduced. Page H8348 Additional Cosponsors: Page H8348 Reports Filed: There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Boozman to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. Page H8345 Committee Resignation: Read a letter from Representative Sensenbrenner wherein he resigned from the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. Pages H8345-46 Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina--Appointment: The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of Representative Miller of Florida to the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. Page H8346 Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page H8345. Senate Referrals: S. 1752 was held at the desk; S. 1758 was referred to the Committee on Resources; and S. 1764 was referred to the Committees on Budget, Education and the Workforce and Transportation and Infrastructure. Page H8346 Quorum Calls--Votes: There were no votes or quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 2 p.m. and adjourned at 2:05 p.m. Committee Meetings PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT Committee on Resources: On September 23, the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans held a hearing on the following bills: S. 260 and H.R. 2018, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act. Testimony was heard from Matt Hogan, Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses. NEW PUBLIC LAWS (For last listing of Public Laws, see Daily Digest, p. D 959) H.R. 3761, to provide special rules for disaster relief employment under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 for individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Signed on September 23, 2005. (Public Law 109-72) H.R. 3768, to provide emergency tax relief for persons affected by Hurricane Katrina. Signed on September 23, 2005. (Public Law 109-73) COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2005 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate Committee on Armed Services: to hold hearings to examine needed improvements to defense acquisition processes and organizations, 9:30 a.m., SR-325. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: to hold hearings to examine S. 1701, to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to improve the reclamation of abandoned mines, and S. 961, to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to reauthorize and reform the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program, 10 a.m., SD-366. Committee on Foreign Relations: to hold hearings to examine the nomination of John J. Danilovich, of California, to be Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge Corporation, 9:30 a.m., SD- 419. Subcommittee on International Economic Policy, Export and Trade Promotion, to hold hearings to examine energy supplies in Eurasia and implications for U.S. energy security, 2:30 p.m., SD-419. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, [[Page D965]] the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, to hold hearings to examine assessing progress in the Federal government regarding alternative personnel systems, focusing on systems to learn where personnel systems have been successfully employed and what steps have been taken in their development to ensure effective implementation and operation, 10 a.m., SD-342. Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security, to hold hearings to examine housing-related programs for the poor, focusing on existing challenges in measuring improper rent subsidy payments in housing assistance programs at HUD, as well as Federal oversight of the Low- Income Home Energy Assistance Program, 2:30 p.m., SD-342. Select Committee on Intelligence: to receive a closed briefing regarding certain intelligence matters, 2:30 p.m., SH-219. House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies, hearing on Department of Housing and Urban Development (Hurricane Katrina), 9:30 a.m., 2358 Rayburn. Committee on Armed Services, to mark up a resolution disapproving the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission as submitted by the President on September 15, 2005, 7 p.m., 2118 Rayburn. Committee Defense Review Threat Panel, hearing on Threats in Asia, 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn. Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, hearing entitled ``Hurricane Katrina: Assessing the Present Environmental Status,'' 2 p.m., 2123 Rayburn. Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology, hearing entitled ``IDA-14: Historic Advance or Incremental Change in Debt and Development Policy,'' 2 p.m., 2128 Rayburn. Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and Agency Organization, hearing entitled ``It's Time to React-- Reauthorizing Executive Authority to Consolidate Tasks: Establishing Results and Sunset Commissions (H.R. 3276 and H.R. 3277),'' 2 p.m., 2247 Rayburn. Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, hearing on H.R. 1956, Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2005, 1 p.m., 2141 Rayburn. Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, hearing on H.R. 3889, Methamphetamine Epidemic Elimination Act, 4 p.m., 2141 Rayburn. Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 679, To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey a parcel of real property to Beaver County, Utah; H.R. 2069, Utah Recreational Land Exchange Act of 2005; H.R. 3462, To provide for the conveyance of the Bureau of Land Management parcels known as the White Acre and Gambel Oak properties and related real property to Park City, Utah; and H.R. 3818, Forest Service Partnership Enhancement Act of 2005, 10 a.m., 1334 Longworth. Subcommittee on Water and Power, hearing on the following measures: H.R. 1564, Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District Conveyance Act of 2005; H.R. 2873, Albuquerque Biological Park Title Clarification Act; H.R. 2925, To amend the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to extend the authority for drought assistance; H.R. 3443, To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain water distribution facilities to the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District; and a measure regarding a water supply project near Madera, California, 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth. Committee on Rules, to consider H.R. 3402, Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2006 through 2009, 5 p.m., H313 Capitol. Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security and the Subcommittee on Human Resources, joint hearing on the Commissioner of Social Security's proposed regulation to improve the disability determination process, 4 p.m., 1100 Longworth. Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina, hearing entitled ``Hurricane Katrina: the Role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency,'' 10 a.m., 2154 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. 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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 D966]] Next Meeting of the SENATE 9:45 a.m., Tuesday, September 27 Senate Chamber Program for Tuesday: Senate will continue consideration of the nomination of John G. Roberts, Jr., of Maryland, to be Chief Justice of the United States. (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, September 27 House Chamber Program for Tuesday: Consideration of Suspensions: (1) H.R. 3863, Natural Disaster Student Aid Fairness Act; (2) H.J. Res. 66, Supporting the goals and ideals of ``Lights On Afterschool!'', a national celebration of after school programs; (3) H.R. 3703, Staff Sergeant Michael Schafer Post Office Building Designation Act; (4) H.R. 2062, Randall D. Shughart Post Office Building Designation Act; (5) H.R. 438, Maudelle Shirek Post Office Building Designation Act; and (6) H. Con. Res. 209, Supporting the goals and ideals of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Ackerman, Gary L., N.Y., E1945 Capps, Lois, Calif., E1946 Engel, Eliot L., N.Y., E1946 Ney, Robert W., Ohio, E1945, E1945 Rahall, Nick J., II, W.Va., E1945 Tancredo, Thomas G., Colo., E1945 Tiahrt, Todd, Kans., E1946 Woolsey, Lynn C., Calif., E1946