Tuesday, January 23, 2007 [[Page D75]] Daily Digest Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S873-S1001 Measures Introduced: Eleven bills and one resolution were introduced, as follows: S. 360-370 and S. Res. 37. Pages S911-12 Measures Passed: Adjournment Resolution: Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 41, providing for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives. Page S1000 Page Board Composition: Senate passed to H.R. 475, to revise the composition of the House of Representatives Page Board to equalize the number of members representing the majority and minority parties and to include a member representing the parents of pages and a member representing former pages, clearing the measure for the President. Page S1000 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 S880-88, S888-S904 Adopted: By a unanimous vote of 99 yeas (Vote No. 20), Enzi (for Snowe) Modified Amendment No. 103 (to Amendment No. 100), in the nature of a substitute. Pages S880-81, S888-90 Roberts/Dodd Amendment No. 102 (to Amendment No. 100), to establish a small business child care grant program. Pages S890-93 Sessions Modified Amendment No. 108 (to Amendment No. 100), to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to study the costs and barriers to businesses if the advance earned income tax credit program included all EITC recipients. Pages S880, S903-04 By a unanimous vote of 98 yeas (Vote No. 21), Sessions Modified Amendment No. 106 (to Amendment No. 100), to express the sense of the Senate that increasing personal savings is a necessary step toward ensuring the economic security of all the people of the United States upon retirement. Pages S880, S893-95, S898-S903 Withdrawn: Sessions Amendment No. 107 (to Amendment No. 100), to impose additional requirements to ensure greater use of the advance payment of the earned income credit and to extend such advance payment to all taxpayers eligible for the credit. Pages S880, S903 Pending: Reid (for Baucus) Amendment No. 100, in the nature of a substitute. Pages S880-88, S888-S904 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 S880 Sununu Amendment No. 112 (to Amendment No. 100), to prevent the closure and defunding of certain women's business centers. Pages S881-82 Kyl Amendment No. 115 (to Amendment No. 100), to extend through December 31, 2008, the depreciation treatment of leasehold, restaurant, and retail space improvements. Page S882 Bunning Amendment No. 119 (to Amendment No. 100), to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 income tax increase on Social Security benefits. Pages S895-97 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. Pages S897-98 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. Pages S897-98 Enzi (for Ensign) Amendment No. 154 (to Amendment No. 100), to improve access to affordable health care. Pages S897-98 [[Page D76]] A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further consideration of the bill at approximately 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, January 24, 2007; that there be one hour of debate prior to the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Gregg Amendment No. 101 (listed above), with the time equally divided and controlled between the Majority and Republican Leaders, or their designees; that at 11:30 a.m., Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Gregg Amendment No. 101; provided further, that members have until 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, January 24, 2007, to file second-degree amendments. Pages S1000-01 Messages From the President: Senate received the following message from the President of the United States: Transmitting the report on the State of the Union delivered to a Joint Session of Congress on January 23, 2007; which was ordered to lie on the table. (PM-2) Pages S907-11 Messages From the House: Page S907 Messages Referred: Page S911 Executive Communications: Page S911 Additional Cosponsors: Page S912 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S912-23 Additional Statements: Pages S906-07 Amendments Submitted: Pages S924-90 Notices of Hearings/Meetings: Pages S990-91 Authorities for Committees to Meet: Page S991 Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--21) Pages S890, S904 Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m., and adjourned at 10:11 p.m., until 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, January 24, 2006. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S1001.) Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) NOMINATION Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Lieutenant General David H. Petraeus, USA, to be General and Commander, Multi-National Forces--Iraq, after the nominee testified and answered questions in his own behalf. TAX GAP Committee on the Budget: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the growing tax gap--the difference between the tax amounts taxpayers pay voluntarily and on time and what they should pay under the law, and strategies for reducing it, after receiving testimony from Michael Brostek, Director, Tax Issues, Strategic Issues Team, Government Accountability Office; and Robert S. McIntyre, Citizens for Tax Justice; and John S. Satagaj, Small Business Legislative Council, on behalf of the Coalition for Fairness in Tax Compliance (CFTC), both of Washington, DC. IRAQ Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee held a hearing to examine the remaining options relating to securing America's interests in Iraq, focusing on Federalism, strategic redeployment or negotiation, receiving testimony from Leslie H. Gelb, Council on Foreign Relations, New York, New York; and Edward N. Luttwak, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Lawrence J. Korb, Center for American Progress; and Robert Malley, International Crisis Group, all of Washington, DC. Hearing recessed subject to the call. IRAQ: ALTERNATIVE PLANS Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee held a hearing to examine the remaining options relating to securing America's interests in Iraq, receiving testimony from Representative Murtha; and former Representative Newt Gingrich, American Enterprise Institute, Washington, DC. Hearing recessed subject to the call. SERVICE MEMBERS Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing to examine Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs collaboration and cooperation to meet the needs of returning military service members, focusing on the delivery of health care and benefits to veterans, after receiving testimony from Gordon H. Mansfield, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and David S.C. Chu, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. INTELLIGENCE REFORM Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee concluded a hearing to examine intelligence reform, focusing on the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (Public Law 108-458), including structural changes within the intelligence community, the collection and analysis of intelligence, science and technology, and information sharing and enterprise architecture in the intelligence community, after receiving testimony from Mary Margaret Graham, [[Page D77]] Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Collection; Thomas Fingar, Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis; Patrick Kennedy, Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Management; Dale Meyerrose, Chief Information Officer; Mark Ewing, Deputy to the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Requirements, and Susan Reingold, Deputy Program Manager, Information Sharing Environment, all of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. House of Representatives Chamber Action Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 18 public bills, H.R. 631-648; and 9 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 41-43 and H. Res. 85, 87-91, were introduced. Pages H885-86 Additional Cosponsors: Pages H886-87 Reports Filed: A report was filed today as follows: H. Res. 86, providing for consideration of H. Res. 78, amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to permit Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to the Congress to cast votes in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union (H. Rept. 110-3). Page H885 Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein she appointed Representative Shuler to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. Page H837 Recess: The House recessed at 11:18 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon. Page H842 Providing for a joint session of Congress to receive a message from the President: The House agreed by unanimous consent to concur in the amendment of the Senate to H. Con. Res. 38, providing for a joint session of Congress to receive a message from the President. Page H847 Adjournment Resolution: The House agreed by unanimous consent to H. Con. Res. 41, providing for an adjournment of the House. Pages H847-48 Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Amending section 5313 of title 31, United States Code, to reform certain requirements for reporting cash transactions: H.R. 323, to amend section 5313 of title 31, United States Code, to reform certain requirements for reporting cash transactions; Pages H848-51 District of Columbia and United States Territories Circulating Quarter Dollar Program Act: H.R. 392, to provide for a circulating quarter dollar coin program to honor the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and Pages H851-55 Directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to streamline the SAFETY Act and anti-terrorism technology procurement processes: H.R. 599, to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to streamline the SAFETY Act and anti-terrorism technology procurement processes, by a \2/3\ yea- and-nay vote of 427 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 47. Pages H855-59 Suspensions--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures which were debated on Monday, January 22: Honoring the contributions of Catholic schools: H. Res. 51, to honor the contributions of Catholic schools, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 428 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 48; Pages H859-60 Amending title 5, United States Code, to make noncreditable for Federal retirement purposes any Member service performed by an individual who is convicted of any of certain offenses committed by that individual while serving as a Member of Congress: H.R. 476, to amend title 5, United States Code, to make noncreditable for Federal retirement purposes any Member service performed by an individual who is convicted of any of certain offenses committed by that individual while serving as a Member of Congress, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 431 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 49; and Page H860 Congratulating Illinois State University as it celebrates its sesquicentennial: H. Res. 57, to congratulate Illinois State University as it celebrates its sesquicentennial, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 423 yeas with none voting ``nay,'' Roll No. 50. Pages H860-61 Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution--Appointment: The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of Representatives Becerra [[Page D78]] and Matsui to the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Page H863 Select Intelligence Oversight Panel of the Committee on Appropriations--Appointment: The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of the following Members of the House of Representatives to the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel of the Committee on Appropriations: Representative Holt, Chairman; Representatives Obey, Murtha, Reyes, Dicks, Lowey, Cramer, Schiff, LaHood (Ranking Minority Member), Lewis (CA), Young (FL), Hoekstra, and Frelinghuysen. Page H863 Committee Elections: The House agreed to H. Res. 85, electing the following Members to serve on certain standing committees of the House of Representatives: Committee on Financial Services: Representative Wexler (to rank immediately after Representative Donnelly). Committee on the Judiciary: Representative Wasserman Schultz (to rank immediately after Representative Davis of AL). Committee on Science and Technology: Representative Kanjorski (to rank immediately after Representative McNerney) and Representative Hooley (to rank immediately after Representative Kanjorski). Committee on Small Business: Representatives Millender-McDonald, Jefferson, Shuler, Gonzalez, Larsen (WA), Grijalva, Michaud, Bean, Cuellar, Lipinski, Moore (WI), Altmire, Braley (IA), Clarke, Ellsworth, Johnson (GA), and Sestak. Page H875 Recess: The House recessed at 4:46 p.m. and reconvened at 8:41 p.m. Page H880 State of the Union Address: President George W. Bush delivered his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 38. He was escorted into the House Chamber by a committee comprised of Representatives Hoyer, Clyburn, Emanuel, Larson of Connecticut, Boehner, Blunt, Putnam, McCotter and Senators Reid, Durbin, Schumer, Murray, Dorgan, Stabenow, McConnell, Lott, Kyl, Cornyn, Hutchison, Ensign, and Stevens. The President's message was referred to the Committee on the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered printed (H. Doc. 110-1). Pages H880-84 Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on pages H842-43. Quorum Calls--Votes: Four yea-and-nay votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H859, H859-60, H860, and H861. There were no quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 10:30 a.m. and adjourned at 10:10 p.m. Committee Meetings COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION Committee on Agriculture: Met for organizational purposes. IRAQ'S EFFECT ON TOTAL FORCES READINESS Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on implications of Iraq policy on total force readiness. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: GEN Peter J. Schoomaker, USA, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army; GEN James T. Conway, USMC, Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps; 1SG Ciaran T. Allison, USA, A Co. 2-23 IN, Ft. Lewis, MA; and public witnesses. WHY DEFICITS MATTER Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Why Deficits Matter. Testimony was heard from David M. Walker, Comptroller General, GAO; and public witnesses. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION; OVERSIGHT PLAN Committee on Foreign Affairs: Favorably considered the following resolutions and adopted a motion urging the Chairman to request that they be considered on the Suspension Calendar: H. Res. 24, amended, Establishing the House Democracy Assistance Commission for the One Hundred Tenth Congress; and H. Con. Res. 20, Calling on the Government of the United Kingdom to immediately establish a full, independent, and public judicial inquiry into the murder of Northern Ireland defense attorney Patrick Finucane, as recommended by Judge Peter Cory as part of the Weston Park Agreement, in order to move forward on the Northern Ireland peace process. Prior to this action, the committee met for organizational purposes. The committee adopted an Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress. COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION; OVERSIGHT PLAN Committee on Homeland Security: Met for organizational purposes. The Committee adopted an Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress. DELEGATES FLOOR VOTE Committee on Rules: Granted by a vote of 9 to 3, a structured rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate in the House on H. Res. 78, Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to permit Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to the Congress to cast votes in the Committee of the [[Page D79]] Whole House on the state of the Union, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules. The rule waives all points of order against the resolution and against its consideration and provides that the resolution shall be considered as read. The rule makes in order the amendment printed in the Rules Report accompanying this resolution, if offered by Rep. Kirk of Illinois. The amendment shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the question. The rule also waives all points of order against the amendment printed in the report, and contains one motion to recommit which may not contain instructions. Finally, the rule provides that, notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, the Chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to a time designated by the Speaker. Testimony was heard from Delegates Faleomavaega and Bordallo; and Representative Kirk. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a hearing on the State of Economic Development. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. STATE OF U.S. ECON0MY Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on the State of the U.S. Economy. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. SUBCOMMITTEE ORGANIZATION Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight met for organizational purposes. COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2007 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: organizational business meeting to consider an original resolution authorizing expenditures for committee operations, committee's rules of procedure for the 110th Congress, and subcommittee assignments; to be followed by a hearing to examine the potential impact of airline mergers and industry consolidation relating to the state of the airline industry, 10 a.m., SR-253. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: organizational business meeting to consider an original resolution authorizing expenditures for committee operations, committee's rules of procedure for the 110th Congress, and subcommittee assignments; to be followed by a hearing to examine an analysis completed by the Energy Information Administration entitled ``Energy Market and Economic Impacts of a Proposal to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Intensity with a Cap and Trade System'', 9:45 a.m., SD-366. Committee on Finance: to hold hearings to examine the nomination of Michael J. Astrue, of Massachusetts, to be Commissioner of Social Security, 10 a.m., SD-215. Committee on Foreign Relations: business meeting to consider S. Con. Res. 2, expressing the bipartisan resolution on Iraq, and subcommittee assignments and jurisdiction for the 110th Congress, 9 a.m., SH-216. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: organizational business meeting to consider an original resolution authorizing expenditures for committee operations, committee's rules of procedure for the 110th Congress, and subcommittee assignments; committee will also consider the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, Time to be announced, Room to be announced. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: organizational business meeting to consider an original resolution authorizing expenditures for committee operations, committee's rules of procedure for the 110th Congress, and subcommittee assignments, 10 a.m., SD-342. House Committee on Education and Labor, to meet for organizational purposes, 10:30 a.m., 2175 Rayburn. Committee on Foreign Affairs, hearing and briefing on South Sudan: The Comprehensive Peace Agreement on Life Support, 10:30 a.m., 2172 Rayburn. Committee on the Judiciary, to meet for organizational purposes, 10:15 a.m., 2141 Rayburn. Committee on Science and Technology, to meet for organizational purposes; followed by a markup of the following: H.R. 365, Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007; H. Res. 59, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week; and H. Con. Res. 34, 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, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, hearing on Surface Transportation System: Challenges for the Future, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn. Committee on Ways and Means, hearing on Economic and Societal Costs of Poverty, 10 a.m. 1100 Longworth. Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, executive, hearing on Intelligence Support to the Policy Maker, 10 a.m., H-405 Capitol. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (USPS 087ÿ09390). 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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 D80]] _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 24 Senate Chamber Program for Wednesday: After the transaction of any morning business (not to extend beyond 10:30 a.m.), Senate will continue consideration of H.R. 2, Fair Minimum Wage, with a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Gregg Amendment No. 101 to occur at approximately 11:30 a.m. Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 10 a.m., Wednesday, January 24 House Chamber Program for Wednesday: Consideration of H. Res. 78, to amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to permit Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to the Congress to cast votes in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Bilbray, Brian P., Calif., E173, E176 Bishop, Timothy H., N.Y., E178 Butterfield, G.K., N.C., E175, E179 Castor, Kathy, Fla., E175 Donnelly, Joe, Ind., E173 Granger, Kay, Tex., E174 Higgins, Brian, N.Y., E177 Johnson, Eddie Bernice, Tex., E176 Knollenberg, Joe, Mich., E174 McCarthy, Carolyn, N.Y., E177 McCollum, Betty, Minn., E173 Ortiz, Solomon P., Tex., E174 Pascrell, Bill, Jr., N.J., E179 Payne, Donald M., N.J., E179 Pomeroy, Earl, N.D., E173, E176 Radanovich, George, Calif., E173, E176 Reyes, Silvestre, Tex., E178 Rogers, Mike, Ala., E174, E178 Ryan, Tim, Ohio, E179 Schakowsky, Janice D., Ill., E177 Turner, Michael R., Ohio, E177 Van Hollen, Chris, Md., E178 Waxman, Henry A., Calif., E175