Senate Floor Activity - Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 10 a .m., the Rabbi Harold Kravitz, Senior Rabbi at Adath Jeshurum Congregation, Minnetonka, MN 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, June 9)

H.R. 1735 (Rep. Thornberry): To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 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.

-- Considered by Senate.

S.Amdt. 1456 (Sen. McCain): To require additional information supporting long-range plans for construction of naval vessels.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1463 (Sen. McCain): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1473 (Sen. Vitter): To limit the retirement of Army combat units .

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1485 (Sen. Hoeven): To express the sense of the Senate on the nuclear force improvement program of the Air Force.

-- Amendment SA 1485 proposed by Senator McCain for Senator Hoeven to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1485 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1486 (Sen. Cornyn): To require reporting on energy security issues involving Europe and the Russian Federation, and to express the sense of Congress regarding ways the United States could help vulnerable allies and partners with energy security.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1510 (Sen. Heller): To require a report on the interoperability between electronic health records systems of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

-- Amendment SA 1510 proposed by Senator McCain for Senator Heller to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1510 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1520 (Sen. Rounds): To require the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive plan to support civil authorities in response to cyber attacks by foreign powers.

-- Amendment SA 1520 proposed by Senator McCain for Senator Rounds to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1520 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1521 (Sen. Reed): To limit the availability of amounts authorized to be appropriated for overseas contingency operations pending relief from the spending limits under the Budget Control Act of 2011.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Amendment SA 1521 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 51. Record Vote Number: 205

S.Amdt. 1538 (Sen. Wicker): To allow for improvements to the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

-- Amendment SA 1538 proposed by Senator McCain for Senator Wicker to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1538 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1543 (Sen. Paul): To strengthen employee cost savings suggestions programs within the Federal Government.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1559 (Sen. Durbin): To prohibit the award of Department of Defense contracts to inverted domestic corporations.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1564 (Sen. Blumenthal): To increase civil penalties for violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1569 (Sen. Burr): To ensure criminal background checks of employees of the military child care system and providers of child care services and youth program services for military dependents.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1579 (Sen. Ernst): To express the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should maintain and enhance robust military intelligence support to force protection for installations, facilities, and personnel of the Department of Defense and family members of such personnel .

-- Amendment SA 1579 proposed by Senator McCain for Senator Ernst to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1579 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1622 (Sen. Moran): To express the sense of Congress on reviewing and considering findings and recommendations of the Council of Governors regarding cyber capabilities of the Armed Forces.

-- Amendment SA 1622 proposed by Senator McCain for Senator Moran to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1622 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1645 (Sen. Markey): To express the sense of Congress that exports of crude oil to United States allies and partners should not be determined to be consistent with the national interest if those exports would increase energy prices in the United States for American consumers or businesses or increase the reliance of the United States on imported oil .

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1677 (Sen. Udall): To require the Secretary of Defense to submit information to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to the exposure of members of the Armed Forces to airborne hazards and open burn pits .

-- Amendment SA 1677 proposed by Senator Reed for Senator Udall to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1677 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1701 (Sen. Wyden): To improve the provisions relating to adoption of retired military working dogs.

-- Amendment SA 1701 proposed by Senator Reed for Senator Wyden to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1701 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1733 (Sen. Stabenow): To require a report on plans for the use and availability of airfields in the United States for homeland defense missions.

-- Amendment SA 1733 proposed by Senator Reed for Senator Stabenow to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1733 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1739 (Sen. McCaskill): To require a conflict of interest certification for Inspector General investigations relating to whistleblower retaliation .

-- Amendment SA 1739 proposed by Senator Reed for Senator McCaskill to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1739 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1744 (Sen. Feinstein): To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out certain major medical facility projects for which appropriations were made for fiscal year 2015.

-- Amendment SA 1744 proposed by Senator Reed for Senator Feinstein to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1744 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1781 (Sen. Heitkamp): To improve the report on the strategy to protect United States national security interests in the Arctic region .

-- Amendment SA 1781 proposed by Senator Reed for Senator Heitkamp to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1781 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1791 (Sen. Rubio): To authorize a land exchange at Navy Outlying Field, Naval Air Station, Whiting Field, Florida.

-- Amendment SA 1791 proposed by Senator McCain for Senator Rubio to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1791 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1796 (Sen. Cardin): To express the sense of the Senate on finding efficiencies within the working capital fund activities of the Department of Defense.

-- Amendment SA 1796 proposed by Senator Reed for Senator Cardin to Amendment SA 1463.

-- Amendment SA 1796 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1825 (Sen. Fischer): To authorize appropriations for national security aspects of the Merchant Marine for fiscal years 2016 and 2017, and for other purposes.

-- Amendment SA 1825 proposed by Senator Fischer to Amendment SA 1463.

S.Amdt. 1889 (Sen. McCain): To reaffirm the prohibition on torture .

-- Amendment SA 1889 proposed by Senator Feinstein for Senator McCain to Amendment SA 1463.

S.Amdt. 1921 (Sen. Burr): To improve cybersecurity in the United States through enhanced sharing of information about cybersecurity threats .

-- Amendment SA 1921 proposed by Senator Burr to Amendment SA 1569.

S. 611 (Sen. Wicker): To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize technical assistance to small public water systems, and for other purposes .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 653 (Sen. Cardin): To amend the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to reauthorize grants for and require applied water supply research regarding the water resources research and technology institutes established under that Act.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 196 (Sen. Burr): A resolution designating July 10, 2015, as Collector Car Appreciation Day and recognizing that the collection and restoration of historic and classic cars is an important part of preserving the technological achievements and cultural heritage of the United States .

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

S.Res. 197 (Sen. Blumenthal): A resolution recognizing the need to improve physical access to many federally funded facilities for all people of the United States, particularly people with disabilities.

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

Executive Business (Tuesday, June 9)

PN306-2: 3 nominations in the Army beginning with Brig. Gen. Anthony C. Funkhouser and ending with Brig. Gen. Kent D. Savre

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Barrasso, at 6:34 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.