Senate Floor Activity - Friday, December 21, 2012

Mr. Sheldon Whitehouse, from the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, called the Senate to order at 1 p.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mr. Whitehouse 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 (Friday, December 21)

H.R. 1 (Rep. Rogers): Making appropriations for the Department of Defense and the other departments and agencies of the Government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Motion by Senator Reid to commit to Senate Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report back forthwith with amendment SA 3400 fell when cloture was invoked on SA 3395 in Senate.

S.Amdt. 3395 (Sen. Reid): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Cloture on SA 3395 invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 91 - 1. Record Vote Number: 230

-- Point of order that the amendment violates section 314(e) of the CBA raised in Senate with respect to amendment SA 3395.

-- Motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to amendment SA 3395 (the section within the amendment regarding an emergency designation) rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 57 - 34. Record Vote Number: 231

-- The emergency designation within amendment SA 3395 was stricken.

S.Amdt. 3396 (Sen. Reid): To change the enactment date.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Proposed amendment SA 3396 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 3397 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 3397 fell when SA 3396 was withdrawn.

S.Amdt. 3398 (Sen. Reid): To change the enactment date.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Proposed amendment SA 3398 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 3399 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 3399 fell when SA 3398 was withdrawn.

S.Amdt. 3400 (Sen. Reid): To change the enactment date.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 3400 fell when cloture invoked on SA3395.

S.Amdt. 3401 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 3401 fell when SA 3400 fell.

S.Amdt. 3402 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 3402 fell when SA 3401 fell.

H.R. 1339 (Rep. Tierney): To designate the City of Salem, Massachusetts, as the Birthplace of the National Guard of the United States .

-- Senate Committee on Armed Services discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 1845 (Rep. Brady): To provide a demonstration project providing Medicare coverage for in-home administration of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) and to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act with respect to the application of Medicare secondary payer rules for certain claims .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4212 (Rep. Rigell): To prevent the introduction into commerce of unsafe drywall, to ensure the manufacturer of drywall is readily identifiable, to ensure that problematic drywall removed from homes is not reused, and for other purposes.

-- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 3432 (Sen. Vitter): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 3432 proposed by Senator Reid for Senator Vitter.

-- Amendment SA 3432 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4310 (Rep. McKeon): To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.

-- Conference report considered in Senate.

-- Senate agreed to conference report by Yea-Nay Vote. 81 - 14. Record Vote Number: 229

-- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

H.R. 5859 (Rep. Harper): To repeal an obsolete provision in title 49, United States Code, requiring motor vehicle insurance cost reporting .

-- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6364 (Rep. Poe): To establish a commission to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I, to provide for the designation of memorials to the service of members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, and for other purposes.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 3433 (Sen. McCaskill): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 3433 proposed by Senator Reid for Senator McCaskill.

-- Amendment SA 3433 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 3709 (Sen. Vitter): To require a Government Accountability Office examination of transactions between large financial institutions and the Federal Government, and for other purposes.

-- Introduced in the Senate, read twice.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 3434 (Sen. Vitter): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 3434 proposed by Senator Reid for Senator Vitter.

-- Amendment SA 3434 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 613 (Sen. Lieberman): A resolution urging the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization and impose sanctions, and urging the President to provide information about Hizballah to the European allies of the United States and to support to the Government of Bulgaria in investigating the July 18, 2012, terrorist attack in Burgas.

-- Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice.

Executive Business (Friday, December 21)

PN1681: Matthew W. Brann, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1682: Malachy Edward Mannion, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1730: Jon S. Tigar, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2024: William S. Greenberg, of New Jersey, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for the term of fifteen years

-- Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Harry Reid, at 7:19 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 12 noon on Monday, December 24, 2012.