January 15, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S631 

time; that it be referred, with accompanying papers, to the Committee on 

Foreign Relations and ordered to be 

printed; and that the President’s message be printed in the RECORD. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

The message of the President is as 

follows: 

To the Senate of the United States: 

I transmit herewith, for Senate advice and consent to ratification, the 

Convention Between the Government 

of the United States of America and 

the Government of Malta for the 

Avoidance of Double Taxation and the 

Prevention of Fiscal Evasion With Respect to Taxes on Income, signed on 

August 8, 2008, at Valletta (the ‘‘proposed Convention’’). I also transmit for 

the information of the Senate the report of the Department of State, which 

includes an Overview of the proposed 

Convention. 

The proposed Convention provides for 

reduced withholding rates on cross-border payments of dividends, interest, 

royalties, and other income. The proposed Convention contains a restrictive 

provision designed to prevent ‘‘treaty 

shopping,’’ which is the inappropriate 

use of a tax treaty by third-country 

residents. The proposed Convention 

also provides for the exchange of information between the competent authorities to facilitate the administration of each country’s tax laws. 

I recommend that the Senate give 

early and favorable consideration to 

the proposed Convention and give its 

advice and consent to ratification. 

GEORGE W. BUSH.

THE WHITE

f 

HOUSE, January 15, 2009. 

THANKING THE PRESIDING 

OFFICER AND STAFF 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I apologize 

to all of the staff—we have had a long, 

hard week—for keeping everybody 

around, but we have had some very important business Senator MCCONNELL

and I have been working on for 3 days 

and we just could not leave without 

completing that. I know it is tough to 

be out here and have a quorum call and 

not getting things done, but when we 

are not out here, it does not mean we 

are not doing things. So I apologize to 

the Presiding Officer and the wonderful 

staff, but I appreciate your patience. 

f 

ORDERS FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 

16, 2009 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate 

completes its business today, it stand 

in adjournment until 10 a.m. tomorrow, 

January 16; that following the prayer 

and pledge, the Journal of proceedings 

be approved to date, the morning hour 

be deemed expired, the time for the two 

leaders be reserved for their use later 

in the day, and there be a period of 

morning business, with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes 

each. I further ask consent that Senator SALAZAR be recognized to speak 

following leader remarks in order to 

give his farewell remarks. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

PROGRAM 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, at 11 

o’clock tomorrow morning, Senatorappointee TED KAUFMAN will take the 

oath of office and become a U.S. Senator, replacing our soon-to-be Vice 

President, JOE BIDEN. 

There will be no rollcall votes tomorrow. 

f 

ADJOURNMENT UNTIL 10 A.M. 

TOMORROW 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, if there is 

no further business to come before the 

Senate, I ask unanimous consent that 

it stand adjourned under the previous 

order. 

There being no objection, the Senate, 

at 8:32 p.m., adjourned until Friday, 

January 16, 2009, at 10 a.m. 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE