Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 110 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 110 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 153 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2007 No. 191 Senate The Senate met at 8:30 a.m. and was Bless our Senators. Lift their I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the called to order by the Honorable JON thoughts above the mundane and help United States of America, and to the Repub- TESTER, a Senator from the State of them to see their challenges from a di- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Montana. vine perspective. Deliver them from indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. paltry and parochial interests and en- PRAYER able them to fulfill their challenging f duties in ways that conform to Your The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- will. fered the following prayer: APPOINTMENT OF ACTING Be a shield to them as they look to PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Let us pray. You for help, and strengthen them as God of the stars, the Sun, and the they seek to accomplish Your purposes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Moon, You bring peace to our past, We pray in the name of Him who prom- clerk will please read a communication power to our present, and hope to our ised to never forsake us. Amen. future. We praise You for being our to the Senate from the President pro f guide even in the darkest night. Con- tempore (Mr. BYRD). tinue to show us the path of life and PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The assistant legislative clerk read sustain us with the joy of Your pres- The Honorable JON TESTER led the the following letter: ence. Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: NOTICE If the 110th Congress, 1st Session, adjourns sine die on or before December 21, 2007, a final issue of the Congres- sional Record for the 110th Congress, 1st Session, will be published on Friday, December 28, 2007, in order to permit Members to revise and extend their remarks. All material for insertion must be signed by the Member and delivered to the respective offices of the Official Reporters of Debates (Room HT–60 or S–123 of the Capitol), Monday through Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. through Thursday, December 27. The final issue will be dated Friday, December 28, 2007, and will be delivered on Wednesday, January 2, 2008. None of the material printed in the final issue of the Congressional Record may contain subject matter, or relate to any event that occurred after the sine die date. Senators’ statements should also be formatted according to the instructions at http://webster/secretary/conglrecord.pdf, and submitted electronically, either on a disk to accompany the signed statement, or by e-mail to the Official Reporters of Debates at ‘‘[email protected]’’. Members of the House of Representatives’ statements may also be submitted electronically by e-mail, to accompany the signed statement, and formatted according to the instructions for the Extensions of Remarks template at http:// clerk.house.gov/forms. The Official Reporters will transmit to GPO the template formatted electronic file only after receipt of, and authentication with, the hard copy, and signed manuscript. Deliver statements to the Official Reporters in Room HT–60. Members of Congress desiring to purchase reprints of material submitted for inclusion in the Congressional Record may do so by contacting the Office of Congressional Publishing Services, at the Government Printing Office, on 512–0224, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. By order of the Joint Committee on Printing. ROBERT A. BRADY, Chairman. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S15379 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 00:40 Dec 14, 2007 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 8633 E:\CR\FM\A13DE6.000 S13DEPT1 cnoel on PRODPC60 with SENATE_CN S15380 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 13, 2007 U.S. SENATE, FARM, NUTRITION, AND Thune (for Bond) amendment No. 3771 (to PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, BIOENERGY ACT OF 2007 amendment No. 3500), to amend title 7, Washington, DC, December 13, 2007. United States Code, to include provisions re- To the Senate: The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- lating to rulemaking. Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, pore. Under the previous order, the Tester amendment No. 3666 (to amendment of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby Senate will resume consideration of No. 3500), to modify the provision relating to appoint the Honorable JON TESTER, a Sen- H.R. 2419, which the clerk will report. unlawful practices under the Packers and ator from the State of Montana, to perform The assistant legislative clerk read Stockyards Act. the duties of the Chair. as follows: Schumer amendment No. 3720 (to amend- ment No. 3500), to improve crop insurance ROBERT C. BYRD, A bill (H.R. 2419) to provide for the con- and use resulting savings to increase funding President pro tempore. tinuation of agricultural programs for fiscal for certain conservation programs. Mr. TESTER thereupon assumed the year 2012, and for other purposes. Sanders amendment No. 3826 (to amend- chair as Acting President pro tempore. Pending: ment No. 3822), to provide for payments f Harkin amendment No. 3500, in the nature under subsections (a) through (e) of section of a substitute. 2604 of the Low-Income Home Energy Assist- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY Harkin (for Dorgan/Grassley) modified ance Act of 1981, and restore supplemental LEADER amendment No. 3695 (to amendment No. agricultural disaster assistance from the Ag- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- 3500), to strengthen payment limitations and ricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund. pore. The majority leader is recog- direct the savings to increase funding for Wyden amendment No. 3736 (to amendment certain programs. No. 3500), to modify a provision relating to nized. Brown amendment No. 3819 (to Amendment bioenergy crop transition assistance. f No. 3500), to increase funding for critical Harkin/Kennedy amendment 3830 (to farm bill programs and improve crop insur- amendment No. 3500), relative to public safe- SCHEDULE ance. ty officers. Mr. REID. Mr. President, this morn- Klobuchar amendment No. 3810 (to amend- Harkin/Murkowski amendment No. 3639 (to ing the Senate will immediately re- ment No. 3500), to improve the adjusted gross amendment No. 3500), to improve nutrition income limitation and use the savings to sume consideration of the farm bill and standards for foods and beverages sold in provide additional funding for certain pro- schools. conduct a period of debate until 9:15. grams and reduce the Federal deficit. Harkin amendment No. 3844 (to amend- This debate time is equally divided be- Chambliss (for Cornyn) amendment No. ment No. 3830), relative to public safety offi- tween the leaders or their designees. 3687 (to amendment No. 3500), to prevent du- cers. At 9:15 the Senate will conduct two plicative payments for agricultural disaster The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- assistance already covered by the Agricul- back-to-back rollcall votes. The first pore. Under the previous order, the vote will be in relation to the Dorgan- tural Disaster Relief Trust Fund. Chambliss (for Coburn) modified amend- time until 9:15 a.m. shall be equally di- Grassley payment limitations amend- ment No. 3807 (to amendment No. 3500), to vided between the leaders or their des- ment. That amendment is subject to a ensure the priority of the farm bill remains ignees and shall be for debate only. 60-vote threshold. farmers by eliminating wasteful Department Mr. REID. Mr. President, I designate The second vote will be a cloture of Agriculture spending on golf courses, jun- 5 minutes to Senator BINGAMAN and 5 kets, cheese centers, and aging barns. vote on the motion to concur to an minutes to Senator CANTWELL, two Chambliss (for Coburn) amendment No. amendment to H.R. 6, the Energy bill. Senators who have been instrumental Mr. President, we will continue with 3530 (to amendment No. 3500), to limit the distribution to deceased individuals, and es- in bringing this bill to where we are other amendments and votes with re- tates of those individuals, of certain agricul- today on energy. spect to the farm bill today, so Mem- tural payments. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- bers can expect other votes. Salazar amendment No. 3616 (to amend- pore. The Senator from New Mexico. I would remind all Members that we ment No. 3500), to amend the Internal Rev- Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I will likely be in recess from 2 to 3 p.m. enue Code of 1986 to provide incentives for thank the majority leader for yielding because Admiral McConnell and Attor- the production of all cellulosic biofuels. me 5 minutes to discuss this bill we are ney General Mukasey will conduct a Thune (for McConnell) amendment No. 3821 (to amendment No. 3500), to promote the nu- going to vote on, the cloture vote we secret briefing in room 407. This is pref- tritional health of school children, with an are going to have in relation to the en- atory to the debate that will take place offset. ergy legislation a little later this soon on the FISA bill. Craig amendment No. 3640 (to amendment morning. We are going to do our very best to No. 3500), to prohibit the involuntary acqui- One of the objections that has been finish the farm bill today. We have 23 sition of farmland and grazing land by Fed- raised to this legislation is that it still amendments left on the farm bill.