Senate Floor Activity - Wednesday, December 3, 2014

The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 9:30 a.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mr. Leahy 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, December 3)

H.R. 43 (Rep. Bachmann): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14 Red River Avenue North in Cold Spring, Minnesota, as the "Officer Tommy Decker Memorial Post Office" .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 451 (Rep. Posey): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 500 North Brevard Avenue in Cocoa Beach, Florida, as the "Richard K. Salick Post Office".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 1391 (Rep. Stivers): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 25 South Oak Street in London, Ohio, as the "London Fallen Veterans Memorial Post Office".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 3085 (Rep. Lipinski): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3349 West 111th Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the "Captain Herbert Johnson Memorial Post Office Building" .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 3375 (Rep. Lamborn): To designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be constructed at 3141 Centennial Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the "PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic".

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 3682 (Rep. Walz): To designate the community based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 1961 Premier Drive in Mankato, Minnesota, as the "Lyle C. Pearson Community Based Outpatient Clinic".

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 3957 (Rep. Meeks): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 218-10 Merrick Boulevard in Springfield Gardens, New York, as the "Cynthia Jenkins Post Office Building".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4189 (Rep. Stivers): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4000 Leap Road in Hilliard, Ohio, as the "Master Sergeant Shawn T. Hannon, Master Sergeant Jeffrey J. Rieck and Veterans Memorial Post Office Building".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4443 (Rep. Rangel): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 90 Vermilyea Avenue, in New York, New York, as the "Corporal Juan Mariel Alcantara Post Office Building".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4919 (Rep. Tiberi): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 715 Shawan Falls Drive in Dublin, Ohio, as the "Lance Corporal Wesley G. Davids and Captain Nicholas J. Rozanski Memorial Post Office".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5106 (Rep. Thompson): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 Admiral Callaghan Lane in Vallejo, California, as the "Philmore Graham Post Office Building".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5681 (Rep. Royce): To provide for the approval of the Amendment to the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for Cooperation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defense Purposes .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 229 (Sen. Toomey): To designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 3900 Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the "Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center".

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 2523 (Sen. Klobuchar): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14 3rd Avenue, NW., in Chisholm, Minnesota, as the "James L. Oberstar Memorial Post Office Building".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 2759 (Sen. McCaskill): To release the City of St. Clair, Missouri, from all restrictions, conditions, and limitations on the use, encumbrance, conveyance, and closure of the St. Clair Regional Airport .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 2921 (Sen. Durbin): To designate the community based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 310 Home Boulevard in Galesburg, Illinois, as the "Lane A. Evans VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic".

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 531 (Sen. Feinstein): A resolution honoring the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Louis Zamperini and expressing condolences on his passing .

-- Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate with an amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 3971 (Sen. Feinstein): To amend the resolving clause.

-- Amendment SA 3971 proposed by Senator Blumenthal for Senator Feinstein.

-- Amendment SA 3971 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 540 (Sen. Cardin): A resolution recognizing September 15, 2014, as the International Day of Democracy, affirming the role of civil society as a cornerstone of democracy, and encouraging all governments to stand with civil society in the face of mounting restrictions on civil society organizations.

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

S.Res. 585 (Sen. Isakson): A resolution designating December 3, 2014, as "National Phenylketonuria Awareness Day".

-- Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.

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

S.Res. 593 (Sen. Collins): A resolution designating December 13, 2014, as "Wreaths Across America Day".

-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

Executive Business (Wednesday, December 3)

PN1069: Ellen Dudley Williams, of Maryland, to be Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Department of Energy

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum under Rule XXII waived.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/4/2014.

PN1073: Franklin M. Orr, Jr., of California, to be Under Secretary for Science, Department of Energy

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 71 - 25. Record Vote Number: 306

-- Considered by Senate.

PN1255: Joseph S. Hezir, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Energy

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 68 - 27. Record Vote Number: 307

-- Considered by Senate.

PN1565: Lydia Kay Griggsby, of Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum under Rule XXII waived.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/4/2014.

PN1776: Mark A. Kearney, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 60 - 36. Record Vote Number: 304

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1777: Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum under Rule XXII waived.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/4/2014.

PN1778: Gerald J. Pappert, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 67 - 28. Record Vote Number: 305

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1805: David J. Hale, of Kentucky, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 65 - 31. Record Vote Number: 303

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1807: Gregory N. Stivers, of Kentucky, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum under Rule XXII waived.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/4/2014.

PN1978: P. David Lopez, of Arizona, to be General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term of four years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 43. Record Vote Number: 302

PN1987: Virginia Tyler Lodge, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2019

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum under Rule XXII waived.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/9/2014.

PN1988: Ronald Anderson Walter, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2019

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum under Rule XXII waived.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/9/2014.

PN2028: Charlotte A. Burrows, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term expiring July 1, 2019

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 93 - 2. Record Vote Number: 301

PN2124: Lauren McGarity McFerran, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board for the term of five years expiring December 16, 2019

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum under Rule XXII waived.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/4/2014.

PN2135: Jeffery Martin Baran, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 30, 2018

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum under Rule XXII waived.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/4/2014.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Blumenthal, at 7:44 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.