The Focus of Today's Session will be the
Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003

                   6:00 P.M.         

By a vote of 78-17 the Senate approved Senator Boxer's second amendment and Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut s currently on the floor speaking about environmental issues.  There will be no more votes this evening.  The Senate will return tomorrow morning to resume consideration of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003.

                   5:35 P.M.         

The Boxer amendment was agreed to on a vote of 94-3.  The Senate is now voting on a second Boxer amendment, S.Amdt.2026.  This amendment would direct the EPA to provide each of its regional offices with a mobile air pollution monitoring network to monitor the emissions of hazardous air pollutants in areas declared a disaster by the Federal Government.

                   5:15 P.M.         

The Senate is currently in a roll call vote on an amendment by Senator Barbara Boxer of California, S.Amdt.2025, that would authorize a medical monitoring program for firefighters exposed to dangerous toxins as a result of a federally declared disaster.  Immediately following the vote on this amendment, there will be another vote on Senator Boxer's amendment S.Amdt.2026.

                   4:25 P.M.         

The Senate has just completed a vote on the Cochran amendment, which passed by a vote of 97-1.  The Senate will continue consideration of the Healthy Forests Restoration bill throughout the afternoon

                   3:15 P.M.         

Senator Cochran has asked that a vote be held on his amendment be held at 3:45.  Recently Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke about the spruce bark beetle that has affected forests in her home state of Alaska.  Currently Senator John Ensign of Nevada is speaking about the importance of healthy forests. 

                   2:15 P.M.         

Debate over the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 has continued this afternoon with Senator Dianne Feinstein of California speaking on the floor about the wild fires in Southern California.  At this time Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico is currently on the floor.  The pending amendment is the Cochran S.Amdt.1828.

                   12:30 P.M.         

Shortly after the debate of the Healthy Forest Restoration bill began, Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho asked his colleagues for a limited number of amendments to this bill, in hopes of passing the bill quickly.  Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa spoke next, asking that the Senate give an appropriate amount of time to the consideration of this bill and not rush it through the Senate.

                   11:30 A.M.         

The Senate voted 43-54 not to suspend Rule 16 with respect to Senator Byron Dorgan's amendment S.Amdt.2000.  Rule 16 prohibits members from legislating on appropriations bills and must be passed with a 2/3 majority.  The Senate will now begin consideration of H.R.1904, the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003.

                   9:30 A.M.         

The Senate begins this morning with a period of morning business lasting for half an hour. At 10:00, debate on H.R.2800, the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, will continue with the consideration of Senator Byron Dorgan's amendment #2000 about the September 11th Commission. A vote related to this amendment is scheduled to take place at 10:40.