Senate Floor Activity - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Mr. Dean Heller, from the State of Nevada, called the Senate to order at 9:30 a.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mr. Heller 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, December 13)

H.R. 1318 (Rep. Beutler): To support States in their work to save and sustain the health of mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and in the postpartum period, to eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes for pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated deaths, to identify solutions to improve health care quality and health outcomes for mothers, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 2606 (Rep. Cole): To amend the Act of August 4, 1947 (commonly known as the Stigler Act), with respect to restrictions applicable to Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma, and for other purposes .

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 4110 (Sen. Lankford): To clarify certain provisions.

-- Amendment SA 4110 proposed by Senator Lankford.

-- Amendment SA 4110 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4032 (Rep. O'Halleran): To confirm undocumented Federal rights-of-way or easements on the Gila River Indian Reservation, clarify the northern boundary of the Gila River Indian Community's Reservation, to take certain land located in Maricopa County and Pinal County, Arizona, into trust for the benefit of the Gila River Indian Community, and for other purposes .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

H.R. 4431 (Rep. Carter): To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for interest payments by agencies in the case of administrative error in processing certain annuity deposits for prior military service or certain volunteer service, and for other purposes.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6160 (Rep. Harper): To amend title 5, United States Code, to clarify the sources of the authority to issue regulations regarding certifications and other criteria applicable to legislative branch employees under Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6227 (Rep. Smith): To provide for a coordinated Federal program to accelerate quantum research and development for the economic and national security of the United States.

-- 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.

S.Amdt. 4114 (Sen. Thune): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 4114 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Thune.

-- Amendment SA 4114 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 645 (Sen. Klobuchar): To require the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an assessment and analysis of the effects of broadband deployment and adoption on the economy of the United States, and for other purposes .

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 756 (Sen. Sullivan): To reauthorize and amend the Marine Debris Act to promote international action to reduce marine debris, and for other purposes .

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Motion by Senator McConnell to concur in the House amendment to S. 756 with an amendment (SA 4108) made in Senate.

-- Cloture motion on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 756 with an amendment (SA 4108) presented in Senate.

S.Amdt. 4108 (Sen. Grassley): To provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison, and for other purposes.

-- Amendment SA 4108 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Grassley.

S.Amdt. 4109 (Sen. Kennedy): To require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to notify each victim of the offense for which the prisoner is imprisoned the date on which the prisoner will be released.

-- Amendment SA 4109 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Kennedy to Amendment SA 4108.

-- Amendment SA 4109 was divided into Divisions I, II, and III.

S. 2322 (Sen. Johnson): To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to define the term natural cheese.

-- 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 Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 4113 (Sen. Johnson): In the nature of substitute.

-- Amendment SA 4113 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Johnson.

-- Amendment SA 4113 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 2599 (Sen. Smith): To provide for the transfer of certain Federal land in the State of Minnesota for the benefit of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe .

-- Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.

S. 2736 (Sen. Gardner): To develop a long-term strategic vision and a comprehensive, multifaceted, and principled United States policy for the Indo-Pacific region, and for other purposes.

-- Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.

S. 2827 (Sen. Heinrich): To amend the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Act.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 4112 (Sen. Barrasso): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 4112 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Barrasso.

-- Amendment SA 4112 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 2863 (Sen. Blunt): To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint a coin in commemoration of the opening of the National Law Enforcement Museum in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

S. 3461 (Sen. Schatz): To amend the PROTECT Act to expand the national AMBER Alert system to territories of the United States, and for other purposes.

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

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 4111 (Sen. Schatz): To strike the funding provision .

-- Amendment SA 4111 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Schatz.

-- Amendment SA 4111 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 3749 (Sen. Klobuchar): To amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to reform the procedures provided under such Act for the initiation, review, and resolution of claims alleging that employing offices of the legislative branch have violated the rights and protections provided to their employees under such Act, including protections against sexual harassment, and for other purposes.

-- Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

-- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

S.J.Res. 54 (Sen. Sanders): A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 56 - 41. Record Vote Number: 266

S.Amdt. 4080 (Sen. Young): To clarify that this resolution prohibits United States Armed Forces from refueling non-United States aircraft conducting missions as part of the ongoing civil war in Yemen.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Amendment SA 4080 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 58 - 41. Record Vote Number: 263

S.Amdt. 4090 (Sen. Cornyn): To require a report assessing risks posed by ceasing support operations with respect to the conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis in Yemen.

-- Amendment SA 4090 proposed by Senator Cornyn.

-- Amendment SA 4090 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 4095 (Sen. Cornyn): To require a report assessing the increased risk of terrorist attacks in the United States if the Government of Saudi Arabia were to cease Yemen-related intelligence sharing with the United States .

-- Amendment SA 4095 proposed by Senator Cornyn.

-- Amendment SA 4095 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 4096 (Sen. Cornyn): To provide that nothing in the joint resolution shall be construed to influence or disrupt any military operations and cooperation with Israel.

-- Amendment SA 4096 proposed by Senator Corker for Senator Cornyn.

-- Amendment SA 4096 as modified agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 99 - 0. Record Vote Number: 264

S.Amdt. 4097 (Sen. Cotton): To clarify that the requirement to remove United States Armed Forces does not apply to the provision of materials and advice intended to reduce civilian casualties or further enable adherence to the Law of Armed Conflict.

-- Amendment SA 4097 proposed by Senator Cotton.

-- Amendment SA 4097 not agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 4098 (Sen. Cotton): To clarify that the requirement to remove United States Armed Forces does not apply to forces engaged in operations to support efforts to disrupt Houthi attacks against locations outside of Yemen, such as ballistic missile attacks, unmanned aerial vehicle attacks, maritime attacks against United States or international vessels, or terrorist attacks against civilian targets.

-- Amendment SA 4098 proposed by Senator Cotton.

-- Amendment SA 4098 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 45 - 54. Record Vote Number: 265

S.J.Res. 69 (Sen. Corker): A joint resolution supporting a Diplomatic Solution in Yemen and Condemning the Murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

-- Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.

S.Res. 707 (Sen. Udall): A resolution commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.

-- Senate Committee on Indian Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.

S.Res. 717 (Sen. Feinstein): A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Rebecca Teresa Weichhand.

-- 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. 731 (Sen. Coons): A resolution designating December 10, 2018, as "Human Rights Day" and recognizing the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. McConnell, at 6:59 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 3 p.m. on Monday, December 17, 2018.