Senate Floor Activity - Thursday, September 6, 2018

Mrs. Deb Fischer, from the State of Nebraska, called the Senate to order at 12 noon, the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mrs. Fischer 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 (Thursday, September 6)

H.R. 302 (Rep. Guthrie): To provide protections for certain sports medicine professionals who provide certain medical services in a secondary State .

-- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 4014 (Sen. Alexander): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 4014 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Alexander.

-- Amendment SA 4014 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6124 (Rep. Reichert): To amend title II of the Social Security Act to authorize voluntary agreements for coverage of Indian tribal council members , and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6147 (Rep. Calvert): Making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes.

-- Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House requests a conference.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Senate insists on its amendment, agrees to request for a conference, appoints conferees Murkowski; Collins; Lankford; Hoeven; Shelby; Hyde-Smith; Udall; Reed; Coons; Merkley; Leahy by Voice Vote.

H.R. 6157 (Rep. Granger): Making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes .

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Senate insists on its amendment, agrees to request for a conference, appoints conferees Shelby; Blunt; Graham; Moran; Durbin; Murray; Leahy by Voice Vote.

S. 1417 (Sen. Hatch): To require the Secretary of the Interior to develop a categorical exclusion for covered vegetative management activities carried out to establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer, and for other purposes.

-- Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 4012 (Sen. Hatch): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 4012 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Hatch.

-- Amendment SA 4012 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 1586 (Sen. Peters): To require the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere to update periodically the environmental sensitivity index products of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for each coastal area of the Great Lakes, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.

S.Res. 522 (Sen. Hyde-Smith): A resolution designating the week of September 23 through September 29, 2018 as "Gold Star Families Remembrance Week" .

-- 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. 603 (Sen. Fischer): A resolution designating September 2018 as "School Bus Safety Month".

-- 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. 612 (Sen. Feinstein): A resolution designating September 2018 as "National Child Awareness Month" to promote awareness of charities that benefit children and youth-serving organizations throughout the United States and recognizing the efforts made by those charities and organizations on behalf of children and youth as critical contributions to the future of the United States.

-- 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. 623 (Sen. McConnell): A resolution to constitute the majority party's membership on certain committees for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, or until their successors are chosen.

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

S.Res. 624 (Sen. Kaine): A resolution commemorating Arthur Ashe, a native of Richmond, Virginia, on the 50th anniversary of his historic win at the 1968 U.S. Open Tennis Championship and honoring his humanitarian contributions to civil rights, education, the movement against apartheid in South Africa, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

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

Executive Business (Thursday, September 6)

PN1332: Kari A. Dooley, of Connecticut, to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1334: Marilyn Jean Horan, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1337: William F. Jung, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1523: Alan D. Albright, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1525: Dominic W. Lanza, of Arizona, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 60 - 35. Record Vote Number: 203

PN1528: Robert R. Summerhays, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1620: Charles P. Rettig, of California, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue for the term expiring November 12, 2022

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1649: Eric C. Tostrud, of Minnesota, to be United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1650: Charles J. Williams, of Iowa, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Iowa

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 79 - 12. Record Vote Number: 204

PN1743: 27 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Michael Calvert and ending with Marvin Smith

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1800-1: 12 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Polly Catherine Dunford-Zahar and ending with William M. Patterson

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1800-2: Tanya S. Urquieta, in the Foreign Service

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1801-1: 4 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Sandillo Banerjee and ending with Robert Peaslee

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1802-1: Peter A. Malnak, in the Foreign Service

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1802-2: Maureen A. Shauket, in the Foreign Service

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1942: Randy W. Berry, of Colorado, to be Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2028: Donald Lu, of California, to be Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2031: Alaina B. Teplitz, of Colorado, to be Ambassador to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of Maldives

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2132: Jason Alexander, in the Foreign Service

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2172: Michael A. Hammer, of Maryland, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2208: Dereck J. Hogan, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2234: Philip S. Kosnett, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2238: Stephanie Sanders Sullivan, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2319: 4 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Philip S. Goldberg and ending with Daniel Bennett Smith

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2349: Judy Rising Reinke, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to Montenegro

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2371: 71 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Ami J. Abou-Bakr and ending with Emily Yu

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. McConnell, at 5:35 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 9 a.m. tomorrow.