Senate Floor Activity - Monday, December 15, 2014

Mr. Joe Donnelly, from the State of Indiana, called the Senate to order at 10 a.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mr. Donnelly 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 Saturday, December 13, 2014, the Journal of the proceedings of the Senate was deemed approved to date.

Certain Procedures Dispensed With

Pursuant to the order of Saturday, December 13, 2014, 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 Saturday, December 13, 2014, the Senate proceeded to a period for the transaction of morning business.

Legislative Business (Monday, December 15)

H.R. 1068 (Rep. Goodlatte): To enact title 54, United States Code, "National Park Service and Related Programs", as positive law.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 1206 (Rep. Wittman): To grant the Secretary of the Interior permanent authority to authorize States to issue electronic duck stamps, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 1378 (Rep. Peters): To designate the United States Federal Judicial Center located at 333 West Broadway in San Diego, California, as the "John Rhoades Federal Judicial Center" and to designate the United States courthouse located at 333 West Broadway in San Diego, California, as the "James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep United States Courthouse" .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 2754 (Rep. Butterfield): To amend the Hobby Protection Act to make unlawful the provision of assistance or support in violation of that Act, and for other purposes.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 2866 (Rep. Terry): To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of Boys Town, and for other purposes.

-- Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 4120 (Sen. Johanns): To provide that surcharges received from the sale of coins under the Act are used to reduce the national debt .

-- Amendment SA 4120 proposed by Senator Walsh for Senator Johanns.

-- Amendment SA 4120 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 2901 (Rep. Blumenauer): To strengthen implementation of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 by improving the capacity of the United States Government to implement, leverage, and monitor and evaluate programs to provide first-time or improved access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene to the world's poorest on an equitable and sustainable basis, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

H.R. 3027 (Rep. Gosar): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 442 Miller Valley Road in Prescott, Arizona, as the "Barry M. Goldwater Post Office".

-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 3572 (Rep. McIntyre): To revise the boundaries of certain John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System units.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4276 (Rep. Cassidy): To extend and modify a pilot program on assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injury .

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4416 (Rep. Kirkpatrick): To redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 161 Live Oak Street in Miami, Arizona, as the "Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza Post Office Building".

-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4651 (Rep. Stockman): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 601 West Baker Road in Baytown, Texas as the "Specialist Keith Erin Grace Jr. Memorial Post Office".

-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5050 (Rep. Simpson): To repeal the Act of May 31, 1918, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5185 (Rep. Wasserman Schultz): To reauthorize the Young Women's Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act of 2009 .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5331 (Rep. Cook): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 73839 Gorgonio Drive in Twentynine Palms, California, as the "Colonel M.J. 'Mac' Dube, USMC Post Office Building" .

-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5562 (Rep. Capps): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 801 West Ocean Avenue in Lompoc, California, as the "Federal Correctional Officer Scott J. Williams Memorial Post Office Building".

-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5687 (Rep. Hahn): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 101 East Market Street in Long Beach, California, as the "Juanita Millender-McDonald Post Office".

-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5771 (Rep. Camp): To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions and make technical corrections, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the tax treatment of ABLE accounts established under State programs for the care of family members with disabilities, and for other purposes.

-- Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.

H.R. 5816 (Rep. Royce): To extend the authorization for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 706 (Sen. Feinstein): To provide the Department of Justice with additional tools to target extraterritorial drug trafficking activity, and for other purposes.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 1744 (Sen. Tester): To strengthen the accountability of individuals involved in misconduct affecting the integrity of background investigations, to update guidelines for position designation, and for other purposes .

-- Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote

Executive Business (Monday, December 15)

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 39. Record Vote Number: 358

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 43. Record Vote Number: 355

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 43. Record Vote Number: 356

PN1377-3: Sharon Lee Cromer, in the Foreign Service

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1567: 4 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Michael A. Lally and ending with John E. Simmons

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1568: 11 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Andrew J. Billard and ending with Brenda Vanhorn

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1569: 456 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Melinda Masonis and ending with Jeffrey R. Zihlman

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 39. Record Vote Number: 357

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

-- Considered by Senate.

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

-- Considered by Senate.

PN2137: James D. Lindley, in the Foreign Service

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Walsh, at 8:09 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 10 a.m. tomorrow.