U.S. Senate Seal Print Icon

ON THE SENATE FLOOR

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Mrs. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, from the State of New York, called the Senate to order at 9:30 a.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mrs. Gillibrand led the Senate in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.

The Journal

Pursuant to the order of yesterday, the Journal of the proceedings of the Senate was deemed approved to date.

Certain Procedures Dispensed With

Pursuant to the order of yesterday, the morning hour being deemed expired, and the times for the recognition of the two leaders being reserved.

Transaction of Morning Business

Pursuant to the order of yesterday, the Senate proceeded to a period for the transaction of morning business.

Legislative Business (Wednesday, June 20)

S. 1940 (Sen. Johnson, of SD): An original bill to amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, to restore the financial solvency of the flood insurance fund, and for other purposes.
-- Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
-- Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate.
S. 3187 (Sen. Harkin): To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs and medical devices, to establish user-fee programs for generic drugs and biosimilars, and for other purposes.
-- Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
S. 3240 (Sen. Stabenow): An original bill to reauthorize agricultural programs through 2017, and for other purposes.
-- Considered by Senate.
-- Motion by Senator Lee to recommit to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry with instructions rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 29 - 70. Record Vote Number: 152
-- Motion by Senator Johnson WI to recommit to Senate Committee on Agriculture , Nutrition, and Forestry with instructions rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 40 - 59. Record Vote Number: 153
S.Amdt. 2195 (Sen. Ayotte): To require a GAO report on crop insurance fraud .
-- Amendment SA 2195 proposed by Senator Stabenow for Senator Ayotte.
-- Amendment SA 2195 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
S.Amdt. 2202 (Sen. Bennet): To improve agricultural land easements .
-- Amendment SA 2202 proposed by Senator Stabenow for Senator Bennet.
-- Amendment SA 2202 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
S.Amdt. 2204 (Sen. Leahy): To support the State Rural Development Partnership .
-- Amendment SA 2204 proposed by Senator Leahy.
-- Amendment SA 2204 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2226 (Sen. Toomey): To eliminate biorefinery, renewable chemical, and biobased product manufacturing assistance.
-- Amendment SA 2226 proposed by Senator Toomey.
-- Amendment SA 2226 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 36 - 63. Record Vote Number: 150
S.Amdt. 2242 (Sen. Nelson, of NE): To amend section 520 of the Housing Act of 1949 to revise the census data and population requirements for areas to be considered as rural areas for purposes of such Act.
-- Amendment SA 2242 proposed by Senator Nelson NE.
-- Amendment SA 2242 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2246 (Sen. Blunt): To assist military veterans in agricultural occupations.
-- Amendment SA 2246 proposed by Senator Stabenow for Senator Blunt.
-- Amendment SA 2246 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
S.Amdt. 2254 (Sen. Sanders): To improve the community wood energy programs .
-- Amendment SA 2254 proposed by Senator Sanders.
-- Amendment SA 2254 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2273 (Sen. DeMint): To eliminate the authority of the Secretary to increase the amount of grants provided to eligible entities relating to providing access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas .
-- Amendment SA 2273 proposed by Senator DeMint.
-- Amendment SA 2273 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 44 - 55. Record Vote Number: 141
S.Amdt. 2287 (Sen. Carper): To modify a provision relating to a high-priority research and extension initiatives.
-- Amendment SA 2287 proposed by Senator Carper.
-- Amendment SA 2287 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2289 (Sen. Coburn): To reduce funding for the market access program and to prohibit the use of funds for reality television shows, wine tastings, animal spa products, and cat or dog food.
-- Amendment SA 2289 proposed by Senator Coburn.
-- Amendment SA 2289 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 30 - 69. Record Vote Number: 142
S.Amdt. 2293 (Sen. Coburn): To limit subsidies for millionaires .
-- Amendment SA 2293 proposed by Senator Coburn.
-- Amendment SA 2293 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 63 - 36. Record Vote Number: 143
S.Amdt. 2295 (Sen. Udall, of CO): To increase the amounts authorized to be appropriated for the designation of treatment areas.
-- Amendment SA 2295 proposed by Senator Udall CO.
-- Amendment SA 2295 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 77 - 22. Record Vote Number: 146
S.Amdt. 2299 (Sen. Klobuchar): To require the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study on rural transportation issues.
-- Amendment SA 2299 proposed by Senator Klobuchar.
-- Amendment SA 2299 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2313 (Sen. Lee): To repeal the forest legacy program .
-- Amendment SA 2313 proposed by Senator Lee.
-- Amendment SA 2313 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 21 - 77. Record Vote Number: 147
S.Amdt. 2314 (Sen. Lee): To repeal the conservation stewardship program and the conservation reserve program.
-- Amendment SA 2314 proposed by Senator Lee.
-- Amendment SA 2314 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 15 - 84. Record Vote Number: 148
S.Amdt. 2340 (Sen. Chambliss): To move the sugar import quota adjustment date forward in the crop year.
-- Amendment SA 2340 proposed by Senator Chambliss.
-- Amendment SA 2340 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2345 (Sen. Manchin): To require national dietary guidelines for pregnant women and children from birth until the age of 2 .
-- Amendment SA 2345 proposed by Senator Manchin.
-- Amendment SA 2345 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2354 (Sen. Kyl): To prohibit assistance to North Korea under title II of the Food for Peace Act.
-- Amendment SA 2354 proposed by Senator Kyl.
-- Amendment SA 2354 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 43 - 56. Record Vote Number: 145
S.Amdt. 2355 (Sen. Boozman): To support the dissemination of objective and scholarly agricultural and food law research and information .
-- Amendment SA 2355 proposed by Senator Boozman.
-- Amendment SA 2355 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2360 (Sen. Boozman): To provide for emergency food assistance, and for other purposes.
-- Amendment SA 2360 proposed by Senator Boozman.
-- Amendment SA 2360 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 35 - 63. Record Vote Number: 149
S.Amdt. 2363 (Sen. Vitter): To ensure that extras in film and television who bring personal, common domesticated household pets do not face unnecessary regulations and to prohibit attendance at an animal fighting venture .
-- Amendment SA 2363 proposed by Senator Stabenow for Senator Vitter.
-- Amendment SA 2363 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
-- Senate vitiated previous adoption of amendment SA 2363.
-- Amendment SA 2363 as modified, under the order of 6/20/2012, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 88 - 11. Record Vote Number: 154
S.Amdt. 2382 (Sen. Merkley): To require the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to provide crop insurance for organic crops under similar terms and conditions to crop insurance provided for other crops.
-- Amendment SA 2382 proposed by Senator Merkley.
-- Amendment SA 2382 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 63 - 36. Record Vote Number: 140
S.Amdt. 2388 (Sen. Wyden): To modify a provision relating to purchases of locally produced foods.
-- Amendment SA 2388 proposed by Senator Wyden.
-- Amendment SA 2388 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2403 (Sen. Moran): To increase the minimum level of nonemergency food assistance.
-- Amendment SA 2403 proposed by Senator Stabenow for Senator Moran.
-- Amendment SA 2403 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
S.Amdt. 2427 (Sen. Schumer): To support State and tribal government efforts to promote research and education related to maple syrup production, natural resource sustainability in the maple syrup industry, market promotion of maple products, and greater access to lands containing maple trees for maple-sugaring activities, and for other purposes.
-- Amendment SA 2427 proposed by Senator Stabenow for Senator Schumer.
-- Amendment SA 2427 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2432 (Sen. Chambliss): To repeal mandatory funding for the farmers market and local food promotion program.
-- Amendment SA 2432 proposed by Senator Chambliss.
-- Amendment SA 2432 not agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2433 (Sen. Toomey): To reform the sugar program.
-- Amendment SA 2433 proposed by Senator Toomey.
-- Amendment SA 2433 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 53. Record Vote Number: 151
S.Amdt. 2437 (Sen. Thune): To limit the amount of premium subsidy provided by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation on behalf of any person or legal entity with an average adjusted gross income in excess of $750,000, with a delayed application of the limitation until completion of a study on the effects of the limitation.
-- Amendment SA 2437 proposed by Senator Thune.
-- Amendment SA 2437 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 44 - 55. Record Vote Number: 156
S.Amdt. 2438 (Sen. Chambliss): To establish highly erodible land and wetland conservation compliance requirements for the Federal crop insurance program .
-- Amendment SA 2438 proposed by Senator Chambliss.
-- Amendment SA 2438 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 47. Record Vote Number: 155
S.Amdt. 2439 (Sen. Durbin): To limit the amount of premium subsidy provided by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation on behalf of any person or legal entity with an average adjusted gross income in excess of $750,000 with a delayed application of the limitation until completion of a study on the effects of the limitation.
-- Amendment SA 2439 proposed by Senator Coburn for Senator Durbin.
-- Amendment SA 2439 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 66 - 33. Record Vote Number: 157
S.Amdt. 2442 (Sen. Wyden): To establish a pilot loan program to support healthy foods for the hungry.
-- Amendment SA 2442 proposed by Senator Wyden.
-- Amendment SA 2442 agreed to in Senate by Division Vote.
S.Amdt. 2443 (Sen. Moran): To improve farm safety at the local level .
-- Amendment SA 2443 proposed by Senator Stabenow for Senator Moran.
-- Amendment SA 2443 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
S.Amdt. 2453 (Sen. Stabenow): To provide assistance for certain losses .
-- Amendment SA 2453 proposed by Senator Stabenow.
-- Amendment SA 2453 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2454 (Sen. Kerry): To prohibit assistance to North Korea under title II of the Food for Peace Act unless the President issues a national interest waiver.
-- Amendment SA 2454 proposed by Senator Kerry.
-- Amendment SA 2454 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 59 - 40. Record Vote Number: 144
S.Amdt. 2457 (Sen. Warner): To improve access to broadband telecommunication services in rural areas.
-- Amendment SA 2457 proposed by Senator Warner.
-- Amendment SA 2457 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
S.J.Res. 37 (Sen. Inhofe): A joint resolution to disapprove a rule promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency relating to emission standards for certain steam generating units.
-- Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
-- Motion to proceed to consideration of measure rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 53. Record Vote Number: 139
S.Res. 500 (Sen. Murray): A resolution celebrating the accomplishments of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, and recognizing the need to continue pursuing the goal of equal educational opportunities for all women and girls.
-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
S.Res. 501 (Sen. Crapo): A resolution supporting National Men's Health Week .
-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
S.Res. 502 (Sen. Leahy): A resolution celebrating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the First Morrill Act.
-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Ms. Stabenow, at 7:15 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.