January 7, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S169 

S. 24. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue 

Code of 1986 to strengthen the earned income 

tax credit; to the Committee on Finance. 

By Mr. SANDERS: 

S. 25. A bill to ensure access to basic 

broadcast television after the Digital Television Transition, and for other purposes; to 

the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation. 

By Mrs. LINCOLN: 

S. 26. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue 

Code of 1986 to reset the income threshold 

used to calculate the refundable portion of 

the child tax credit and to repeal the sunset 

for certain prior modifications made to the 

credit; to the Committee on Finance. 

By Mr. SCHUMER (for himself, Mrs. 

CLINTON, and Mr. KENNEDY): 

S. 27. A bill to establish the Daniel Webster 

Congressional Clerkship Program; to the 

Committee on Rules and Administration. 

By Mr. SCHUMER: 

S. 28. A bill to ensure that the courts of the 

United States may provide an impartial 

forum for claims brought by United States 

citizens and others against any railroad organized as a separate legal entity, arising 

from the deportation of United States citizens and others to Nazi concentration camps 

on trains owned or operated by such railroad, and by the heirs and survivors of such 

persons; to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

By Mr. BROWN: 

S. 29. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue 

Code of 1986 to increase the credit for the 

health insurance costs of eligible individuals, to expand such credit to individuals 

covered under COBRA, and to extend the period of COBRA continuation coverage for 

certain individuals; to the Committee on Finance. 

By Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself, Ms. SNOWE, Mrs. MCCASKILL, and 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR): 

S. 30. A bill to amend the Communications 

Act of 1934 to prohibit manipulation of caller 

identification information; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 

By Mr. ENSIGN (for himself, Mr. BAYH, 

Mr. ISAKSON, Mrs. MCCASKILL, and 

Mr. SPECTER): 

S. 163. A bill to amend the National Child 

Protection Act of 1993 to establish a permanent background check system; to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

By Mr. ENSIGN: 

S. 164. A bill to improve consumer access 

to passenger vehicle loss data held by insurers; to the Committee on Commerce, 

Science, and Transportation. 

By Mr. KOHL (for himself and Mr. DURBIN): 

S. 165. A bill to amend the Truth in Lending Act, to prevent credit card issuers from 

taking unfair advantage of college students 

and their parents, and for other purposes; to 

the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

Urban Affairs. 

By Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself, Mr. 

CORNYN, Mr. BURR, Mr. ALEXANDER, 

Mr. ENZI, and Mr. VOINOVICH): 

S. 166. A bill to amend title VII of the Civil 

Rights Act of 1964 to clarify the filing period 

applicable to charges of discrimination, and 

for other purposes; to the Committee on 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions . 

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SUBMISSION OF CONCURRENT AND 

SENATE RESOLUTIONS 

The following concurrent resolutions 

and Senate resolutions were read, and 

referred (or acted upon), as indicated: 

By Mr. LUGAR (for himself, Mr. 

VOINOVICH, and Ms. MIKULSKI): 

S. Res. 9. A resolution commemorating 90 

years of U.S.-Polish diplomatic relations, 

during which Poland has proven to be an exceptionally strong partner to the United 

States in advancing freedom around the 

world; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. 

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ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS 

S. 1

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 1, a bill 

to create jobs, restore economic 

growth, and strengthen America’s middle class through measures that modernize the nation’s infrastructure, enhance America’s energy independence, 

expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health 

care, provide tax relief, and protect 

those in greatest need, and for other 

purposes. 

S. 2

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 2, a bill 

to improve the lives of middle class 

families and provide them with greater 

opportunity to achieve the American 

dream. 

S. 3

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 3, a bill 

to protect homeowners and consumers 

by reducing foreclosures, ensuring the 

availability of credit for homeowners, 

businesses, and consumers, and reforming the financial regulatory system, 

and for other purposes. 

S. 4

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 4, a bill 

to guarantee affordable, quality health 

coverage for all Americans, and for 

other purposes. 

S. 5

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 5, a bill 

to improve the economy and security 

of the United States by reducing the 

dependence of the United States on foreign and unsustainable energy sources 

and the risks of global warming, and 

for other purposes. 

S. 6

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 6, a bill 

to restore and enhance the national security of the United States. 

S. 7

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 7, a bill 

to expand educational opportunities for 

all Americans by increasing access to 

high-quality early childhood education 

and after school programs, advancing 

reform in elementary and secondary 

education, strengthening mathematics 

and science instruction, and ensuring 

that higher education is more affordable, and for other purposes. 

S. 8

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 8, a bill 

to return the Government to the people 

by reviewing controversial ‘‘midnight 

regulations’’ issued in the waning days 

of the Bush Administration. 

S. 9

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 9, a bill 

to strengthen the United States economy, provide for more effective border 

and employment enforcement, and for 

other purposes. 

S. 10

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) 

was added as a cosponsor of S. 10, a bill 

to restore fiscal discipline and begin to 

address the long-term fiscal challenges 

facing the United States, and for other 

purposes. 

S. 21

At the request of Mr. REID, the name 

of the Senator from Montana (Mr. 

TESTER) was added as a cosponsor of S. 

21, a bill to reduce unintended pregnancy, reduce abortions, and improve 

access to women’s health care. 

S. 35

At the request of Mrs. HUTCHISON, the 

names of the Senator from Wyoming 

(Mr. ENZI) and the Senator from South 

Dakota (Mr. THUNE) were added as cosponsors of S. 35, a bill to provide a 

permanent deduction for State and 

local general sales taxes. 

S. 42

At the request of Mr. ENSIGN, the 

name of the Senator from Kansas (Mr. 

ROBERTS) was added as a cosponsor of 

S. 42, a bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to preserve and protect Social Security benefits of American workers 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. 

S. 45

At the request of Mr. ENSIGN, the 

names of the Senator from Tennessee 

(Mr. ALEXANDER) and the Senator from 

South Carolina (Mr. DEMINT) were 

added as cosponsors of S. 45, a bill to 

improve patient access to health care 

services and provide improved medical 

care by reducing the excessive burden 

the liability system places on the 

health care delivery system. 

At the request of Mr. THUNE, his 

name was added as a cosponsor of S. 45, 

supra. 

S. 46

At the request of Mr. ENSIGN, the 

names of the Senator from Iowa (Mr. 

HARKIN) and the Senator from South 

Dakota (Mr. JOHNSON) were added as 

cosponsors of S. 46, a bill to amend 

title XVIII of the Social Security Act 

to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps. 


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S170 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 7, 2009 

S. 47

At the request of Mr. ENSIGN, the 

names of the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. THUNE) and the Senator from 

Arizona (Mr. MCCAIN) were added as cosponsors of S. 47, a bill to amend the 

Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal 

the excise tax on telephone and other 

communication services. 

S. 132

At the request of Mrs. FEINSTEIN, the 

name of the Senator from Kansas (Mr. 

ROBERTS) was added as a cosponsor of 

S. 132, a bill to increase and enhance 

law enforcement resources committed 

to investigation and prosecution of violent gangs, to deter and punish violent 

gang crime, to protect law-abiding citizens and communities from violent 

criminals, to revise and enhance criminal penalties for violent crimes, to expand and improve gang prevention programs, and for other purposes. 

S. 133

At the request of Mrs. FEINSTEIN, the 

name of the Senator from Washington 

(Mrs. MURRAY) was added as a cosponsor of S. 133, a bill to prohibit any recipient of emergency Federal economic 

assistance from using such funds for 

lobbying expenditures or political contributions, to improve transparency, 

enhance accountability, encourage responsible corporate governance, and for 

other purposes. 

S. 160

At the request of Mr. LIEBERMAN, the 

names of the Senator from Missouri 

(Mrs. MCCASKILL), the Senator from 

Delaware (Mr. CARPER) and the Senator 

from Louisiana (Ms. LANDRIEU) were 

added as cosponsors of S. 160, a bill to 

provide the District of Columbia a voting seat and the State of Utah an additional seat in the House of Representatives. 

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STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED 

BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS 

ON JANUARY 6, 2009 

By Mr. SPECTER (for himself 

and Mr. CASEY): 

S. 32. A bill to require the Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission to hold 

at least 1 public hearing before 

issuance of a permit affecting public or 

private land use in a locality; to the 

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. 

Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I seek 

recognition to speak on legislation I 

am introducing that will require the 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to hold at least one public hearing 

before issuance of a permit affecting 

public or private land use in a locality. 

I introduced legislation on this issue at 

the end of the 110th Congress, and fully 

expect it to remain relevant as we 

move forward with upgrades to our energy infrastructure, possibly as part of 

an economic stimulus package. The 

legislation has been updated; namely, 

it now allows for a second hearing 

when officially requested by a county 

or local government to address issues 

not addressed at the original hearing. 

Increasing demand for electricity 

throughout the Northeast is putting a 

strain on energy infrastructure in my 

State, necessitating new transmission 

lines and natural gas pipelines and the 

expansion of existing ones. In southwestern and northeast Pennsylvania 

transmission line expansions are 

planned over hundreds of miles of private property, while in the southeast 

natural gas pipeline expansions are underway. 

There is no doubt these projects can 

be invasive, and rarely do they fail to 

be controversial. I make a point of 

touching all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties each year. In traveling Pennsylvania this Fall I heard a lot of complaints, which didn’t come as a surprise. I heard frequently from constituents who oppose these infrastructure 

projects, and who felt their concerns 

were being ignored by the energy companies and by FERC. 

I realize there will always be some 

opposition to large infrastructure 

projects. What is unacceptable, however, is for the people of my State to 

feel that their voices were not heard, 

that their issues were ignored. It may 

be the case that these projects are necessary. The Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission is the authority, and in 

exercising its authority it must be sensitive to local concerns. 

To address this I propose simply that 

FERC hold a hearing in these affected 

communities. In many cases this is already done, but my legislation makes 

it mandatory. State Public Utility 

Commissions, who have a great say in 

these matters, are beyond Congress’ 

reach. But where the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission is involved we 

can take steps to ensure that our constituents’ concerns receive due consideration. Holding a hearing may not 

lead to all sides agreeing on the proper 

route forward, but at the very least my 

Pennsylvania constituents will come 

away with the satisfaction of having 

publicly aired their grievances. 

To ensure that constituent concerns 

are given all due consideration, my legislation allows for affected parties to 

petition for a second hearing, provided 

certain conditions are met. In order for 

a second hearing to occur, a county 

government, or a municipal government within the affected county, must 

petition the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a second hearing. A second hearing will only occur 

to address an issue that was not addressed at the initial hearing, and the 

hearing shall occur between 30 and 60 

days after approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. 

The safeguards included in this legislation are critical to protecting individual property rights. As the Nation 

moves forward in making needed updates to its infrastructure, defending 

citizens’ constitutional right to redress 

their government with their concerns 

should be paramount for this Congress. 

I will continue to fight to allow my 

constituents to be heard when Federal 

projects will affect their rights as 

homeowners and landowners. 

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STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED 

BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS 

By Mr. BINGAMAN: 

S. 22. A bill to designate certain land 

components of the National Wilderness 

Preservation System, to authorize certain programs and activities in the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, and for other 

purposes; read the first time. 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I 

rise to speak to Senator BINGAMAN’s introduction today of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. I 

strongly support this bill and Senator 

BINGAMAN’s leadership in sponsoring it, 

and urge my colleagues to vote for its 

prompt passage. 

This omnibus legislation includes no 

fewer than 20 bills of interest to California, including 14 bills to increase 

our water supply and to restore our rivers and groundwater quality, 3 bills to 

designate additional wilderness areas, 

and 3 other National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest 

Service bills. 

I would like to speak at some length 

about one of these bills, the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement 

Act, which I have introduced with Senator BOXER to bring to a close 18 years 

of litigation between the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Friant 

Water Users Authority and the U.S. 

Department of the Interior. Before I 

discuss the San Joaquin bill, however, 

I would like to review the other 19 California bills in the omnibus legislation 

introduced today. These include the 

following: 

ADDITIONS TO NATIONAL WILDERNESS

PRESERVATION SYSTEM

Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wilderness, 

Riverside County Wilderness, and the 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National 

Parks Wilderness; 

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of 

the Tuolumne Rancheria land exchange; 

FOREST SERVICE

Mammoth Community Water District land conveyance; 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICES

Tule Lake Segregation Center Resource Study; 

BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

San Diego Intertie feasibility study, 

Madera Water Supply Enhancement 

Project authorization, 

Rancho California Water District 

project authorization, 

Santa Margarita River project authorization, 

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District project authorization, 

North Bay Water Reuse Authority 

project authorization, 

Prado Basin Natural Treatment System Project authorization, 

Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin 

project authorization, 


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