Senate Floor Activity - Tuesday, December 9, 2014

The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 10 a .m., Reverend Claude Pomerleau, Congregation of Holy Cross Priests in Portland, OR offered a prayer, and the President pro tempore 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 (Tuesday, December 9)

H.R. 1067 (Rep. Goodlatte): To make revisions in title 36, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current and make technical corrections and improvements.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 1204 (Rep. Thompson): To amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) to establish an Aviation Security Advisory Committee, 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.

-- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

S.Amdt. 3977 (Sen. Rockefeller): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 3977 proposed by Senator Reid for Senator Rockefeller.

-- Amendment SA 3977 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 2719 (Rep. Hudson): To require the Transportation Security Administration to implement best practices and improve transparency with regard to technology acquisition programs, 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.

-- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

S.Amdt. 3978 (Sen. Ayotte): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 3978 proposed by Senator Reid for Senator Ayotte.

-- Amendment SA 3978 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 3979 (Rep. Barletta): To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that emergency services volunteers are not taken into account as employees under the shared responsibility requirements contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Motion by Senator Reid to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment made in Senate.

-- Cloture motion on the motion to concur int he House amendment to the Senate amendment presented in Senate.

-- Motion by Senator Reid to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment with an amendment (SA 3984) made in Senate.

-- Motion by Senator Reid to refer to Senate Committee on Armed Services the House message to accompany the bill with instructions to report back forthwith with amendment SA 3986 made in Senate.

S.Amdt. 3984 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment SA 3984 proposed by Senator Reid.

S.Amdt. 3985 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment SA 3985 proposed by Senator Reid to Amendment SA 3984.

S.Amdt. 3986 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment SA 3986 (the instructions to the motion) proposed by Senator Reid.

S.Amdt. 3987 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment SA 3987 proposed by Senator Reid to Amendment SA 3986.

S.Amdt. 3988 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment SA 3988 proposed by Senator Reid to Amendment SA 3987.

H.R. 4199 (Rep. Flores): To name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Waco, Texas, as the "Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center".

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4681 (Rep. Rogers): To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes .

-- Senate Select Committee on Intelligence discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 3995 (Sen. Feinstein): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 3995 proposed by Senator Schatz for Senator Feinstein.

-- Amendment SA 3995 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

H.Con.Res. 107 (Rep. Ros-Lehtinen): A concurrent resolution denouncing the use of civilians as human shields by Hamas and other terrorist organizations in violation of international humanitarian law.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title and an amended preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S. 1474 (Sen. Begich): To amend the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 to repeal a special rule for the State of Alaska, and for other purposes.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- The committee reported substitute was withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 3981 (Sen. Begich): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 3981 proposed by Senator Begich.

-- Amendment SA 3981 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 3982 (Sen. Begich): To amend the title.

-- Amendment SA 3982 proposed by Senator Begich.

-- Amendment SA 3982 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 413 (Sen. Coons): A resolution recognizing 20 years since the genocide in Rwanda, and affirming it is in the national interest of the United States to work in close coordination with international partners to help prevent and mitigate acts of genocide and mass atrocities .

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate with an amendment and an amended preamble by Voice.

S.Amdt. 3993 (Sen. Coons): To provide that nothing in the resolution shall be construed as an authorization for the use of force or a declaration of war .

-- Amendment SA 3993 proposed by Senator Schatz for Senator Coons.

-- Amendment SA 3993 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 3994 (Sen. Coons): To amend the preamble.

-- Amendment SA 3994 proposed by Senator Schatz for Senator Coons.

-- Amendment SA 3994 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

Executive Business (Tuesday, December 9)

PN1171: Tony Hammond, of Missouri, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission for a term expiring October 14, 2018

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1174: Nanci E. Langley, of Hawaii, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission for a term expiring November 22, 2018

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 63 - 32. Record Vote Number: 318

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 86 - 12. Record Vote Number: 320

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 65 - 31. Record Vote Number: 319

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 86 - 12. Record Vote Number: 321

PN1992: Peter Michael McKinley, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2074: Richard Rahul Verma, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Republic of India

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Schatz, at 8:53 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.