Thursday, July 13, 2006 [[Page D765]] Daily Digest HIGHLIGHTS Senate passed H.R. 5441, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations. The House passed H.R. 9--Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S7451-S7544 Measures Introduced: Eleven bills and three resolutions were introduced, as follows: S. 3651-3661, S. Res. 528-529, and S. Con. Res. 109. Page S7511 Measures Reported: H.R. 5672, making appropriations for Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-280) S. 3660, making appropriations for the government of the District of Columbia and other activities chargeable in whole or in part against the revenues of said District for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007. (S. Rept. No. 109-281) S. 418, to protect members of the Armed Forces from unscrupulous practices regarding sales of insurance, financial, and investment products, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-282) H.R. 1036, To amend title 17, United States Code, to make technical corrections relating to Copyright Royalty Judges, with an amendment. Page S7511 Measures Passed: Homeland Security Appropriations: By a unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 203), Senate passed H.R. 5441, making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, after taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: Pages S7455-S7504 Adopted: Gregg (for Allard) Amendment No. 4633, to require the Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security to submit a report on the costs and need for establishing a sub-office in Greeley, Colorado. Pages S7470-72 Gregg (for Murray) Amendment No. 4640, to direct funds to construct radiological laboratories at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Pages S7470-72 Gregg (for Landrieu) Amendment No. 4648, to require a report on the location of Coast Guard facilities and assets in the Federal City Project in New Orleans, Louisiana. Pages S7470-72 Gregg (for Murray) Amendment No. 4639, to provide that funds appropriated for United States Coast Guard Acquisition, Construction, and Improvement may be used to acquire law enforcement patrol boats. Pages S7470-72 Gregg (for Levin) Amendment No. 4617, to ensure that methodologies and technologies used by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to screen for and detect the presence of chemical, nuclear, biological, and radiological weapons in municipal solid waste are as effective as the methodologies and technologies used by the Bureau to screen for those materials in other items of commerce entering the United States through commercial motor vehicle transport. Pages S7470-72 Gregg (for Voinovich) Modified Amendment No. 4594, to increase appropriations for emergency management performance grants. Pages S7470-72 Gregg (for Lott) Modified Amendment No. 4570, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security Inspector General to investigate the conduct of insurers [[Page D766]] in settling certain claims resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Pages S7470-72 Feinstein Amendment No. 4556, to amend chapter 27 of title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the unauthorized construction, financing, or, with reckless disregard, permitting the construction or use on one's land, of a tunnel or subterranean passageway between the United States and another country and to direct the United States Sentencing Commission to modify the sentencing guidelines to account for such prohibition. Pages S7455, S7470-72 Gregg (for Stabenow) Amendment No. 4657, to provide collections and expenditures for the Customs User Fee Account. Pages S7475-78 Gregg (for Obama) Modified Amendment No. 4573, to assist individuals displaced by a major disaster in locating family members. Pages S7475-78 Gregg (for Dodd/DeWine) Modified Amendment No. 4626, to increase appropriations for firefighter assistance grants. Pages S7475-78 Gregg (for Cantwell) Amendment No. 4636, to provide for interoperable communications systems planning in connection with the 2010 Olympics. Pages S7475-78 Gregg (for Lautenberg/Menendez) Amendment No. 4653, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a classified report to Congress on the security vulnerabilities of the bridges and tunnels connecting New Jersey to New York City. Pages S7475-78 Reed Amendment No. 4613, to limit the reduction in operations within the Civil Engineering Program of the Coast Guard. Page S7488 Dayton Amendment No. 4663, to increase the amount appropriated for United States Customs and Border Protection salaries and expenses by $44,000,000 to place an additional 236 border patrol agents along the Northern Border and to fully offset that amount with corresponding reductions in the appropriations for administrative travel and printing. Pages S7488-89 Gregg (for Dayton) Amendment No. 4618, to prohibit the use of appropriated funds to take an action that would violate Executive Order 13149 (relating to greening the government through Federal fleet and transportation efficiency). Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Durbin) Amendment No. 4616, to provide funding for mass evacuation exercises. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Warner) Amendment No. 4578, to increase funding for the Office of National Capital Region Coordination. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Feingold) Amendment No. 4592, to require the Under Secretary of Transportation for Transportation Security to assist in the coordination of the voluntary provision of emergency services during commercial flights. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Boxer) Modified Amendment No. 4638, to direct the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in conjunction with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to submit a record outlining Federal earthquake response plans for high risk earthquake regions in the United States. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Pryor) Modified Amendment No. 4642, to increase funding for technical assistance. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Durbin) Modified Amendment No. 4619, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish procedures for expeditiously clearing individuals whose names have been mistakenly placed on the Transportation Security Administration Watch List. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Carper) Modified Amendment No. 4635, to provide airlines with technical assistance for coordinating reservations and ticketing with the Transportation Security Administration Watch List. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Specter/Mikulski) Modified Amendment No. 4550, to address funding for high-threat nonprofit organizations. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Obama/Coburn) Modified Amendment No. 4624, to provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available for expenses in carrying out the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act may be used to enter into non-competitive contracts based upon the unusual and compelling urgency exception under Federal contracting law unless the contract is limited in time, scope, and value as necessary to respond to the immediate emergency. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Lautenberg) Modified Amendment No. 4661, to provide, with an offset, an additional $5,000,000 for Operating Expenses for the Coast Guard for the National Capital Region Air Defense mission of the Coast Guard. Pages S7494-96 Gregg (for Baucus) Amendment No. 4669, to express the sense of the Senate that Customs and Border Protection should continue to focus on reporting and analysis of trade flows to prevent the spread of methamphetamine. Pages S7496-97 Gregg (for Kyl) Amendment No. 4670, to increase the total number of Department of Homeland Security additional detention bed spaces by 1,700 beds in fiscal year 2007. Pages S7496-97 Gregg (for Schumer) Amendment No. 4671, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report to Congress addressing its compliance with the recommendations from the July 6, 2006 Inspector General Report ``Progress in Developing the National Asset Database''. Pages S7496-97 [[Page D767]] Gregg (for Grassley/Nelson (FL)) Amendment No. 4672, to require the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security to review each Secure Border Initiative contract valued at more than $20,000,000 and to report the findings of such reviews to the Secretary of Homeland Security and to Congress. Pages S7496-97 Gregg (for Levin/Stabenow) Amendment No. 4673, to provide that, of the amount appropriated by title VI for Customs and Border Protection for air and marine interdiction, operations, maintenance, and procurement, such funds as are necessary may be available for the final Northern border air wing site in Michigan. Pages S7496-97 By 84 yeas to 16 nays (Vote No. 202), Vitter Modified Amendment No. 4615, to prohibit the confiscation of a firearm during an emergency or major disaster if the possession of such firearm is not prohibited under Federal or State law. Pages S7455, S7458, S7489-94, S7497 Gregg (for Biden/Carper) Amendment No. 4608, to require passenger and baggage screeners at New Castle Airport in Wilmington, Delaware as long as commercial air service is provided at that airport. Pages S7497-98 Gregg (for Coleman/Schumer) Modified Amendment No. 4574, to provide funding for an integrated scanning system for ports. Pages S7497-98 Boxer Amendment No. 4674, to prohibit the use of certain funds for travel by officers or employees of the Department of Homeland Security until the Under Secretary for Preparedness has implemented the recommendations in the report by the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security titled ``Progress in Developing the National Asset Database'', dated June 2006. Page S7498 Gregg (for Domenici) Modified Amendment No. 4598, to expand the responsibilities of the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center in the Department of Homeland Security. Page S7498 Gregg (for Chambliss) Modified Amendment No. 4649, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security and Measurements (NCRP) in preparing guidance and recommendations for protecting emergency responders, recovery networks, and the general public from radiological terrorism, threats, and events. Pages S7498-99 Clinton Modified Amendment No. 4582, to prohibit the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) from removing any item from the current list of items prohibited from being carried aboard a passenger aircraft. Pages S7474, S7475, S7499 Rejected: By 36 yeas to 64 nays (Vote No. 198), Menendez Modified Amendment No. 4634, to provide that appropriations under this Act may not be used for the purpose of providing certain grants, unless all such grants meet certain conditions for allocation. Pages S7455, S7464-70, S7472, S7484-85, S7485-86, S7487 By 29 yeas to 71 nays (Vote No. 200), Sessions/Ensign Modified Amendment No. 4659, to appropriate an additional $1,829,400,000 to construct double-layered fencing and vehicle barriers along the southwest border and to offset such increase by reducing all other discretionary amounts on a pro-rata basis. Pages S7478, S7478-83, S7485 By 34 yeas to 66 nays (Vote No. 201), Sessions/Ensign Modified Amendment No. 4660, to appropriate an additional $85,670,000 to enable the Secretary of Homeland Security to hire 800 additional full time active duty investigators to investigate immigration laws violations and to offset such increase on a pro-rata basis. Pages S7478, S7483, S7484, S7485, S7487-88 Withdrawn: Thune/Talent Amendment No. 4610, to establish a program to use amounts collected from violations of the corporate average fuel economy program to expand infrastructure necessary to increase the availability of alternative fuels. Pages S7455, S7483-84 During consideration of this measure today, the Senate also took the following action: By 38 yeas to 62 nays (Vote No. 197), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate rejected the motion to waive section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as made effective by Section 7035(a) of P.L. 109-234, with respect to Dodd/Stabenow Amendment No. 4641, to fund urgent priorities for our Nation's firefighters, law enforcement personnel, emergency medical personnel, and all Americans by reducing the tax breaks for individuals with annual incomes in excess of $1,000,000. Subsequently, the point of order that the amendment would provide spending in excess of the subcommittee's 302(b) allocation was sustained, and the amendment thus fell. Pages S7458-62 Chair sustained a point of order against Kyl Amendment No. 4643, to increase the number of Department of Homeland Security detention bed spaces by 6,700 beds in FY 2007, as being in violation of rule XVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate which prohibits legislation on appropriations matters, and the amendment thus fell. Pages S7456-58, S7463 Chair sustained a point of order against Santorum/Kyl Amendment No. 4575, to increase the number of border patrol agents to 2,500 agents, and offset by increasing the availability of reverse mortgages for seniors, as being in violation of rule XVI of the [[Page D768]] Standing Rules of the Senate which prohibits legislation on appropriations matters, and the amendment thus fell. Pages S7455-56 By 46 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 199), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate rejected the motion to waive section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95, Congressional Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2006, with respect to the emergency designation provision in Schumer Amendment No. 4600, to increase appropriations for disaster relief. Subsequently, a point of order that the emergency designation provision would violate section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 was sustained and the provision was stricken. Also, the Chair sustained a point of order that the amendment would exceed the subcommittee's 302(b) allocation, as made effective by section 7035(a) of P.L. 109-234, and the amendment thus fell. Pages S7472-74, S7474-75, S7486-87 Senate insisted on its amendment, requested a conference with the House thereon, and the Chair was authorized to appoint the following conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators Gregg, Cochran, Stevens, Specter, Domenici, Shelby, Craig, Bennett, Allard, Byrd, Inouye, Leahy, Mikulski, Kohl, Murray, Reid, and Feinstein. Page S7504 Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Senate agreed to S. Res. 528, designating the week beginning on September 10, 2006, as ``National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week''. Pages S7538-39 National Summer Learning Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 529, designating July 13, 2006, as ``National Summer Learning Day''. Page S7539 Commending Canada: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 109, commending the Government of Canada for its renewed commitment to Afghanistan. Pages S7539-40 Improving Outcomes for Children Affected by Meth Act: Senate passed S. 3525, to amend subpart 2 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to improve outcomes for children in families affected by methamphetamine abuse and addiction, to reauthorize the promoting safe and stable families program, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: Pages S7540-43 Frist (for Grassley/Baucus) Amendment No. 4675, to make certain revisions to the bill. Page S7540-43 Public Health Service Act Amendment--House Message: Senate concurred in the amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 655, to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, clearing the measure for the President. Page S7531 Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act--House Message: Senate disagreed to the House amendments to S. 250, to amend the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 to improve the Act, agreed to the House request for a conference, and the Chair was authorized to appoint the following conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators Enzi, Gregg, Frist, Alexander, Burr, Isakson, DeWine, Ensign, Hatch, Sessions, Roberts, Kennedy, Dodd, Harkin, Mikulski, Jeffords, Bingaman, Murray, Reed, and Clinton. Pages S7531-38 Stem Cell Research Legislation--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing that at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, July 17, 2006, Senate begin consideration of S. 3504, to amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of tissue from fetuses gestated for research purposes, S. 2754, to derive human pluripotent stem cell lines using techniques that do not knowingly harm embryos, and H.R. 810, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research; that the time until 8:30 p.m. rotate every half hour between the majority and minority; provided further, that on Tuesday, July 18, 2006, Senate continue consideration of the bills at 10 a.m. until 3:45 p.m., when the Senate will proceed to three consecutive votes as provided under the order of June 29, 2006. Page S7531 Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations: Christopher A. Padilla, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce. Calvin L. Scovel, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of Transportation. Richard W. Graber, of Wisconsin, to be Ambassador to the Czech Republic. Cindy Lou Courville, of Virginia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the African Union, with the rank of Ambassador. Sara Elizabeth Lioi, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio. Nora Barry Fischer, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Pages S7543-44 Messages From the House: Page S7509 Measures Referred: Page S7509 Measures Placed on Calendar: Page S7509 Executive Communications: Pages S7509-11 Executive Reports of Committees: Page S7511 [[Page D769]] Additional Cosponsors: Pages S7512-13 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S7513-25 Additional Statements: Pages S7507-09 Amendments Submitted: Pages S7525-30 Notices of Hearings/Meetings: Page S7530 Authorities for Committees to Meet: Pages S7530-31 Privileges of the Floor: Page S7531 Record Votes: Seven record votes were taken today. (Total--203) Pages S7462, S7486, S7487, S7487-88, S7497, S7504 Adjournment: Senate convened at 9 a.m., and adjourned at 7:51 p.m., until 9:45 a.m., on Friday, July 14, 2006. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S7543.) Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Appropriations: Committee ordered favorably reported the following bills: H.R. 5672, making appropriations for Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and An original bill (S. 3660), making appropriations for the government of the District of Columbia and other activities chargeable in whole or in part against the revenues of said District for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007. HAMDAN V. RUMSFELD Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine military commissions in light of the Supreme Court decision in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, after receiving testimony from Major General Scott C. Black, USA, Judge Advocate General, and Major General Thomas J. Romig, USA (Ret.), former Judge Advocate General, both of the U.S. Army; Rear Admiral James E. McPherson, USN, Judge Advocate General, and Rear Admiral John D. Hutson, USN (Ret.), former Judge Advocate General, both of the U.S. Navy; Major General Jack L. Rives, USAF, Judge Advocate General of the Air Force; and Brigadier General Kevin M. Sandkulher, USMC, Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on the Budget: Committee ordered favorably reported the nomination of Stephen S. McMillin, of Texas, to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded a hearing to examine unmanned aerial systems in Alaska and the Pacific regions as a framework for the United States, after receiving testimony from Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.), Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Nicholas Sabatini, Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation; Rear Admiral Wayne Justice, Assistant Commandant for Response, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security; and John W. Madden, Alaska Department of Homeland Security, Anchorage. REFINERY PERMIT PROCESS SCHEDULE ACT Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a hearing to examine H.R. 5254, to set schedules for the consideration of permits for refineries, after receiving testimony from Robert J. Meyers, Associate Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, Environmental Protection Agency; Glenn McGinnis, Arizona Clean Fuels Yuma, LLC, Phoenix; and S. William Becker, on behalf of the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators, and the Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials, and Bob Slaughter, National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, both of Washington, D.C. PARTICULATE MATTER AIR QUALITY STANDARDS Committee on Environment and Public Works: Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate Change, and Nuclear Safety concluded a hearing to examine the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed revisions to the particulate matter air quality standards, after receiving testimony from William Wehrum, Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, Environmental Protection Agency; Bebe Heiskell, Commissioner, Walker County, Georgia; John A. Paul, Regional Air Pollution Control Agency, Dayton, Ohio, on behalf of the Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials and the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators; Larry J. Gould, Lenawee County Board of Commissioners, Adrian, Michigan; Harry C. Alford, National Black Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C.; Conrad [[Page D770]] G. Schneider, Clean Air Task Force, Boston, Massachusetts; and William F. Christopher, Alcoa, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. NOMINATION Committee on Finance: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Eric Solomon, of New Jersey, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy, after the nominee testified and answered questions in his own behalf. IRAQ Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the current situation relative to Iraq, after receiving testimony from Zalmay Khalilzad, Ambassador to Iraq, Department of State. NOMINATION Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Stephen S. McMillin, of Texas, to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, after the nominee testified and answered questions in his own behalf. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: H.R. 1036, to amend title 17, United States Code, to make technical corrections relating to Copyright Royalty Judges, with an amendment; and The nominations of Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit, Jerome A. Holmes, of Oklahoma, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit, Bobby E. Shepherd, of Arkansas, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit, Gustavo Antonio Gelpi, to be United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico, Daniel Porter Jordan III, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Martin J. Jackley, to be United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, and Brett L. Tolman, to be United States Attorney for the District of Utah, both of the Department of Justice. VOTING RIGHTS ACT Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights concluded a hearing to examine renewing the temporary provisions of the Voting Rights Act relating to legislative options after LULAC v. Perry, after receiving testimony from Roger Clegg, Center for Equal Opportunity, Sterling, Virginia; Sherrilyn A. Ifill, University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore; Nina Perales, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, San Antonio, Texas; Michael A. Carvin, Jones Day, Washington, D.C.; Joaquin G. Avila, Seattle University School of Law, Seattle, Washington; and Abigail Thernstrom, The Manhattan Institute, Lexington, Massachusetts, on behalf of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. VETERANS CLAIMS Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded hearings to examine challenges facing the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, focusing on efforts to address the backlog of cases, after receiving testimony from William P. Greene, Jr., Chief Judge, and Norman Y. Herring, Clerk of the Court, both of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; James P. Terry, Chairman, Board of Veterans' Appeals, and R. Randall Campbell, Assistant General Counsel, Professional Staff Group VII, both of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Joseph A. Violante, Disabled American Veterans, Washington, D.C. MEDICAID Special Committee on Aging: Committee concluded a hearing to examine Medicaid spending growth and options for controlling costs, focusing on the impact of seniors on health care costs in the United States, after receiving testimony from Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Phoenix; Donald B. Marron, Acting Director, Congressional Budget Office; and G. Richard Wagoner, Jr., General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Michigan. [[Page D771]] House of Representatives Chamber Action Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 26 public bills, H.R. 5782- 5807; and 4 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 446-448 and H. Res. 914, were introduced. Pages H5222-23 Additional Cosponsors: Pages H5223-24 Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows: S. 1496, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a pilot program under which up to 15 States may issue electronic Federal migratory bird hunting stamps (H. Rept. 109-556); H.R. 854, to provide for certain lands to be held in trust for the Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe, with an amendment (H. Rept. 109-557); H.R. 4294, 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, with an amendment (H. Rept. 109-558); H.R. 4376, to authorize the National Park Service to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on behalf of Springfield Technical Community College, with an amendment (H. Rept. 109-559); H.R. 5094, to require the conveyance of Mattamuskeet Lodge and surrounding property, including the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, to the State of North Carolina to permit the State to use the property as a public facility dedicated to the conservation of the natural and cultural resources of North Carolina (H. Rept. 109- 560); H.R. 5340, to promote Department of the Interior efforts to provide a scientific basis for the management of sediment and nutrient loss in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, with an amendment (H. Rept. 109- 561); S. 260, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners to restore, enhance, and manage private land to improve fish and wildlife habitats through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (H. Rept. 109-562); and H.R. 4014, to reauthorize the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 109-563). Page H5222 Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006: The House passed H.R. 9, to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965, by a recorded vote of 390 ayes to 33 noes, Roll No. 374, after ordering the previous question. Pages H5143-H5207 Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. Page H5177 Rejected: Norwood amendment (No. 1 printed in H. Rept. 109-554) which sought to update the formula in section 4 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) that determines which states and jurisdictions will be covered under Section 5 of the VRA. This updated formula would be a rolling test based off of the last three presidential elections. Any state would be subject to Section 5 if it currently has a discriminatory test in place or voter turnout of less than 50% in any of the three most recent presidential elections (by a recorded vote of 96 ayes to 318 noes, Roll No. 370); Pages H5178-86, H5204-05 Gohmert amendment (No. 2 printed in H. Rept. 109-554) which sought to make the reauthorization period 10 years, rather than the 25 years proposed in H.R. 9 (by a recorded vote of 134 ayes to 288 noes, Roll No. 371); Pages H5186-91, H5205 King of Iowa amendment (No. 3 printed in H. Rept. 109-554) which sought to strike sections 7 and 8 of the bill. These sections relate to multilingual ballots and use of American Community Survey census data, and they would automatically expire in 2007 (by a recorded vote of 185 ayes to 238 noes, Roll No. 372); and Pages H5191-98, H5205-06 Westmoreland amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 109-554) which sought to provide for an expedited, proactive procedure to bail out from coverage under the preclearance portions of the Voting Rights Act, by requiring the Department of Justice to assemble a list of all jurisdictions eligible for bailout and to notify the jurisdictions. The Department of Justice is then required to consent to the entry of a declaratory judgment allowing bailout if a jurisdiction appears on the list. Adds a three-year initial time period (and annually thereafter) for assembly of the bailout list by the Department of Justice (by a recorded vote of 118 ayes to 302 noes, Roll No. 373). Pages H5198-H5204, H5206-07 H. Res. 910, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was agreed to by voice vote, after agreeing to order the previous question without objection. Pages H5133-43 [[Page D772]] Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, July 17th, for Morning-Hour Debate. Page H5209 Calendar Wednesday: Agreed to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday business of Wednesday, July 19th. Page H5209 Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page H5133. Senate Referrals: S. Con. Res. 108 was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and S. Con. Res. 96 was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Pages H5220-21 Quorum Calls--Votes: Five recorded votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H5204-04, H5205, H5205-06, H5206-07, and H5207. There were no quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 7:40 p.m. Committee Meetings OVERSIGHT--CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION PROGRAM Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held an oversight hearing on the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Program. Testimony was heard from Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, EPA; and Anu K. Mittal, Director, Natural Resources and Environment Team, GAO. MEDICAL LIABILITY SOLUTIONS Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled ``Innovative Solutions to Medical Liability.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses. SECURITY CLEARANCE INVESTIGATIONS--FOREIGN INFLUENCE FACTORS Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Can You Clear Me Now?: Weighing `Foreign Influence' Factors in Security Clearance Investigations.'' Testimony was heard from Robert Andrews, Deputy Under Secretary, Counterintelligence and Security, Department of Defense; J. William Leonard, Director, Information Security and Oversight Office, National Archives and Records Administration; and public witnesses. NEW YORK 9/11 ASSISTANCE FRAUD Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight, to continued hearings entitled ``Federal 9/ 11 Assistance to New York: Lessons Learned in Fraud Detection, Prevention, and Control.'' Part 2, ``Recovery.'' Testimony was heard from Ruth Ritzema, Special Agent in Charge for New York, Office of Inspector General, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Eric Thorson, Inspector General, SBA; Douglas Small, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training, Department of Labor; Leroy Frazer, Bureau Chief, Special Prosecutions Bureau, District Attorney's Office, New York County; and public witnesses. The Subcommittee concluded hearings on this subject, focusing on Part 3, ``Rebuilding.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Transportation: Bernard Cohen, Lower Manhattan Recovery Office, Federal Transit Administration; and Todd J. Zinser, Acting Inspector General; Michael Nestor, Director, Office of Investigations, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; and a public witness. VENEZUELA AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation held a hearing on Venezuela: Terrorism Hub of South America? Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of State: Frank C. Urbancic, Jr., Principal Deputy Coordinator, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism; and Charles Shapiro, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. OVERSIGHT--ABANDONED MINE LANDS Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on Opportunities for Good Samaritan Cleanup of Hard Rock Abandoned Mine Lands. Testimony was heard from Brent Fewell, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, EPA; Joseph Pizarchik, Director, Bureau of Mining and Reclamation, Department of Environmental Protection, State of Pennsylvania; and public witnesses. OVERSIGHT--WORKING RANCHES/OPEN SPACES Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held an oversight hearing on Working Ranches, Healthy Range and Maintaining Open Space, focusing on the importance of federal grazing programs and working ranches to the landscape. Testimony was heard from Joel Holtrop, Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service, USDA; the following officials of the Department of the Interior: Ed Shepard, Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning, Bureau of Land Management; and Kenneth McDermond, Deputy Manager, California-Nevada Operations, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; [[Page D773]] Anette Rink, Laboratory Supervisor, Animal Disease and Food Safety Laboratory, State of Nevada; and public witnesses. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 383, Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Designation Act of 2005; H.R. 4581, Easement Owners Fair Compensation Claims Act of 2005; and H.R. 5132, River Raisin National Battlefield Study Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives Dingell and Akin; Christopher Jarvi, Associate Director, Partnerships, Interpretation and Education, Volunteers, and Outdoor Recreation, National Park Service, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses. SMALL MANUFACTURERS REGULATORY REFORM Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight held a hearing entitled ``An Update on Administration Action To Reduce Unnecessary Regulatory Burdens on America's Small Manufacturers.'' Testimony was heard from Steve Aitken, Acting Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB; Richard D. Otis, Jr., Deputy Associate Administrator, Policy, Economics, and Innovation, EPA; Veronica Vargas Stidvent, Assistant Secretary, Policy, Department of Labor; and public witnesses. VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PROMOTION ACT Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 3082, Veteran-Owned Small Business Promotion Act of 2005. MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT OF PHYSICIAN-ADMINISTERED DRUGS Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on Medicare reimbursement of physician-administered drugs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: Herb B. Kuhn, Director, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and Robert A. Vito, Regional Inspector General, Evaluations and Inspections; Bruce Steinwald, Director, Health Care, Economic and Payment Issues, GAO; and Mark Miller, Executive Director, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission; and public witnesses. TAX ADVICE PATENTING ADVICE Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures held a hearing on issues relating to the patenting of tax advice. Testimony was heard from James Toupin, General Counsel, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce; Mark Everson, Commissioner, IRS, Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses. BRIEFING--GLOBAL UPDATES/HOTSPOTS Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to receive a briefing on Global Updates/Hotspots. The Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses. COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2006 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate No meetings/hearings scheduled. 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. 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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 D774]] _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 9:45 a.m., Friday, July 14 Senate Chamber Program for Friday: Senate will be in a period of morning business. Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 12:30 p.m., Monday, July 17 House Chamber Program for Monday: To be announced. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Bishop, Timothy H., N.Y., E1409 Boozman, John, Ark., E1410 Brown-Waite, Ginny, Fla., E1401 Burgess, Michael C., Tex., E1407 Capito, Shelley Moore, W.Va., E1399, E1400 Carson, Julia, Ind., E1410 Clay, Wm. Lacy, Mo., E1402 Cleaver, Emanuel, Mo., E1410 Coble, Howard, N.C., E1404 Cummings, Elijah E., Md., E1412 Davis, Danny K., Ill., E1399, E1399 Davis, Lincoln, Tenn., E1414 DeLauro, Rosa L., Conn., E1403 Edwards, Chet, Tex., E1405 Ehlers, Vernon J., Mich., E1408 Everett, Terry, Ala., E1409 Frank, Barney, Mass., E1401 Frelinghuysen, Rodney P., N.J., E1408 Goode, Virgil H., Jr., Va., E1401 Issa, Darrell E., Calif., E1409 Johnson, Sam, Tex., E1401 Johnson, Timothy V., Ill., E1399, E1400 Jones, Stephanie Tubbs, Ohio, E1411, E1413 Kanjorski, Paul E., Pa., E1406 Kilpatrick, Carolyn C., Mich., E1407 Kucinich, Dennis J., Ohio, E1401 Lantos, Tom, Calif., E1415 Lungren, Daniel E., Calif., E1415 Manzullo, Donald A., Ill., E1414 Meek, Kendrick B., Fla., E1414 Miller, Jeff, Fla., E1404 Moran, Jerry, Kans., E1404 Norton, Eleanor Holmes, D.C., E1403 Oberstar, James L., Minn., E1404 Pence, Mike, Ind., E1399, E1405 Rangel, Charles B., N.Y., E1411, E1413 Ruppersberger, C.A. Dutch, Md., E1403 Schakowsky, Janice D., Ill., E1411 Serrano, Jose E., N.Y., E1411 Skelton, Ike, Mo., E1407, E1407 Tiahrt, Todd, Kans., E1407 Walden, Greg, Ore., E1408 Weldon, Dave, Fla., E1400 Wicker, Roger F., Miss., E1405 Wilson, Joe, S.C., E1400