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Senate Floor Activity - Saturday, December 13, 2014

The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 12 noon, the Chaplain 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 (Saturday, December 13)

H.R. 83 (Rep. Christensen): To require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team of technical, policy, and financial experts to address the energy needs of the insular areas of the United States and the Freely Associated States through the development of energy action plans aimed at promoting access to affordable, reliable energy, including increasing use of indigenous clean-energy resources, and for other purposes .

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Cloture on the motion to concur int he House amendment to the Senate amendment invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 77 - 19. Record Vote Number: 352

-- Motion by Senator Reid to refer to Senate Committee on Appropriations the House message to accompany the bill with instructions to report back forthwith with amendment SA 4102 fell when cloture invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment in Senate.

-- Point of order (Cruz Constitutional point of order against the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 83) raised in Senate.

-- By a decision of the Senate the point of order that the measure violates the Constitution on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment was not well taken by Yea-Nay Vote. 22 - 74. Record Vote Number: 353

-- Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 83 by Yea-Nay Vote. 56 - 40. Record Vote Number: 354

S.Amdt. 4100 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Proposed amendment SA 4100 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 4101 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 4101 fell when SA 4100 withdrawn.

S.Amdt. 4102 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 4102 fell when cloture invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment.

S.Amdt. 4103 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 4103 fell when SA 4102 fell.

S.Amdt. 4104 (Sen. Reid): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 4104 fell when SA 4103 fell.

H.R. 2591 (Rep. Grimm): To amend certain provisions of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5859 (Rep. Gerlach): To impose sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation, to provide additional assistance to Ukraine, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

H.J.Res. 131: A joint resolution making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2015, and for other purposes .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

-- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

H.Con.Res. 122 (Rep. Rogers): A concurrent resolution providing for a correction in the enrollment of H.R. 83.

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

Executive Business (Saturday, December 13)

PN1070: Christopher Smith, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Fossil Energy)

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 42. Record Vote Number: 349

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1099: Frank A. Rose, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Verification and Compliance)

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 41. Record Vote Number: 335

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1160: Vivek Hallegere Murthy, of Massachusetts, to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service, subject to qualifications therefor as provided by law and regulations, and to be Surgeon General of the Public Health Service for a term of four years

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 40. Record Vote Number: 331

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1297: John Charles Cruden, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Attorney General

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 42. Record Vote Number: 347

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1345: Stephen R. Bough, of Missouri, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Missouri

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay. 54 - 42. Record Vote Number: 351

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1504: Estevan R. Lopez, of New Mexico, to be Commissioner of Reclamation

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 42. Record Vote Number: 341

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1561: Jonathan Nicholas Stivers, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 42. Record Vote Number: 345

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1732: Marcus Dwayne Jadotte, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 42. Record Vote Number: 343

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1753: Daniel J. Santos, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for a term expiring October 18, 2017

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 41. Record Vote Number: 339

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1808: Carolyn Watts Colvin, of Maryland, to be Commissioner of Social Security for the term expiring January 19, 2019

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 41. Record Vote Number: 329

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

PN1813: Amos L. Mazzant, III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas

-- 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.

PN1814: Robert Lee Pitman, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas

-- 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.

PN1815: Robert William Schroeder III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas

-- 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.

PN1816: Rear Admiral (Selectee) James M. Heinz, in the Coast Guard, to be Rear Admiral

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

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1941: Allison Dale Burroughs, of Massachusetts, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts

-- 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.

PN1942: Amit Priyavadan Mehta, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia

-- 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.

PN1979: Jorge Luis Alonso, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois

-- 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.

PN1980: John Robert Blakey, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois

-- 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.

PN1986: Colette Dodson Honorable, of Arkansas, to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 30, 2017

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 41. Record Vote Number: 337

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1996: Sarah R. Saldana, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 48 - 35. Record Vote Number: 327

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN2000: 7 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Capt. Steven J. Andersen and ending with Capt. David G. Throop

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

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2017: Haywood Stirling Gilliam, Jr., of California, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California

-- 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.

PN2077: Joan Marie Azrack, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York

-- 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.

PN2079: Loretta Copeland Biggs, of North Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina

-- 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.

PN2080: Elizabeth K. Dillon, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia

-- 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.

PN2123: Antony Blinken, of New York, to be Deputy Secretary of State

-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 41. Record Vote Number: 333

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN2142: 76 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Scott E. Anderson and ending with Daniel L. Youngberg

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

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2143: 15 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Elizabeth A. Campbell and ending with Kathleen A. Zygmunt

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

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2144: 2 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Philip R. Prather and ending with Kirby K. Sniffen

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

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2145: 160 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Micah N. Acree and ending with Michael J. Zeruto

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

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Walsh, at 11:42 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 10 a.m. on Monday, December 15, 2014.