Senate Floor Activity - Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Mr. John Boozman, from the State of Arkansas, called the Senate to order at 4 p.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mr. Boozman 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 Monday, December 31, 2018, the Journal of the proceedings of the Senate was deemed approved to date.

Certain Procedures Dispensed With

Pursuant to the order of Monday, December 31, 2018, 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 Monday, December 31, 2018, the Senate proceeded to a period for the transaction of morning business.

Legislative Business (Wednesday, January 2)

H.R. 695 (Rep. Schiff): To amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to establish a voluntary national criminal history background check system and criminal history review program for certain individuals who, related to their employment, have access to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes.

-- Considered by Senate (Message from the House considered).

Executive Business (Wednesday, January 2)

PN1102: Gail S. Ennis, of Maryland, to be Inspector General, Social Security Administration

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1187: Carmen Guerricagoitia McLean, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1346: Alex A. Beehler, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Army

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1362: Brendan Carr, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission for a term of five years from July 1, 2018

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1678: Patrick Fuchs, of Wisconsin, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board for the term of five years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1823: Bonnie Glick, of Maryland, to be Deputy Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1864: James W. Carroll, Jr., of Virginia, to be Director of National Drug Control Policy

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1891: Kim Gaffney, of Wisconsin, to be United States Marshal for the Western District of Wisconsin for the term of four years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1893: Denny Wade King, of Tennessee, to be United States Marshal for the Middle District of Tennessee for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1943: Kyle McCarter, of Illinois, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Kenya

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1963: Brian T. Moran, of Washington, to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1965: Todd L. Nukes, of Indiana, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Indiana for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1999: 6 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Rear Adm. (lh) Matthew T. Bell, Jr. and ending with Rear Adm. (lh) Anthony J. Vogt

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2046: Casey Wardynski, of Alabama, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Army

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2050: Geoffrey Adam Starks, of Kansas, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission for a term of five years from July 1, 2017

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2104: Teri L. Donaldson, of Texas, to be Inspector General of the Department of Energy

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2113: Michael Kubayanda, of Ohio, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission for a term expiring November 22, 2020

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2120: Michael S. Yeager, of Georgia, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Georgia for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2131-1: 3 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Michael Ashkouri and ending with John H. Piggott

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2135: Daniel Simmons, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy)

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2136: Mary Bridget Neumayr, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Council on Environmental Quality

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2140: Ellen E. McCarthy, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Intelligence and Research)

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2204: Rae Oliver, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of Housing and Urban Development

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2210: Robert S. Brewer, Jr., of California, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of California for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2212: Bradley Jay LaRose, of Vermont, to be United States Marshal for the District of Vermont for the term of four years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2213: Matthew J. Schneider, of Michigan, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2214: Mark B. Shepherd, of Mississippi, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Mississippi for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2222: Alan Ray Shaffer, of Virginia, to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2223: Michael T. Harvey, of Texas, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2242: John M. Garrison, of Texas, to be United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Texas for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2266: Martin J. Oberman, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board for a term expiring December 31, 2023

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2270: Nicholas A. Trutanich, of Nevada, to be United States Attorney for the District of Nevada for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2283: Richard S. Tischner, of Virginia, to be Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia for a term of six years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2284: Donald L. Palmer, of Florida, to be a Member of the Election Assistance Commission for a term expiring December 12, 2021

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2331: Steven Dillingham, of Virginia, to be Director of the Census for a term expiring December 31, 2021

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2343: Tamara Bonzanto, of New Jersey, to be an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection)

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2344: Thomas F. Gilman, of Arizona, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2345: Thomas F. Gilman, of Arizona, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Commerce

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2350: Lucy Tamlyn, of New York, to be Ambassador to Central African Republic

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2352: Erhard R. Chorle, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Railroad Retirement Board for a term expiring August 28, 2022

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2353: James Paul Gfrerer, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Information and Technology)

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2369: Daniel Mark Smolka, in the Foreign Service

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2370: 171 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with James Robert Adams and ending with Christopher M. Zveare

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2372: Kelvin Droegemeier, of Oklahoma, to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2373: Joel Szabat, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of Transportation

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2374: Carol Z. Perez, of Virginia, to be Director General of the Foreign Service

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2387: Donald Armin Blome, of Illinois, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2388: Craig Lewis Cloud, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2389: Judith Gail Garber, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2390: Dennis B. Hankins, of Minnesota, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Mali

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2391: Simon Henshaw, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2392: Michael S. Klecheski, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Mongolia

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2393: William H. Moser, of North Carolina, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2395: Michael Peter Pelletier, of Maine, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Madagascar, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Union of the Comoros

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2432: Richard Carlton Paschall III, of North Carolina, to be Ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2433: Eric Williams Stromayer, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Togolese Republic

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2437: John C. Milhiser, of Illinois, to be United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2445: Matthew John Matthews, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2446: Eric George Nelson, of Texas, to be Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2448: David L. Anderson, of California, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of California for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2450: Lawrence Keefe, of Florida, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2478: Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, of Virginia, to be Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances of the Environmental Protection Agency

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2479: Dennis Walter Hearne, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Mozambique

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2509: Earle D. Litzenberger, of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2510: Patricia Mahoney, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Benin

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2511: John Mark Pommersheim, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Tajikistan

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2525: Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-third Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2526: Jeff Merkley, of Oregon, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-third Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2529: Sarah-Ann Lynch, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2531: Susan N. Stevenson, of Washington, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2541: 54 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Sandi R. B. Allaway and ending with Shirlene Yee

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2547: Christopher Paul Henzel, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Yemen

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2548: Lynne M. Tracy, of Ohio, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2559: Benjamin Hovland, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Election Assistance Commission for a term expiring December 12, 2019

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2570: 193 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Zachary Maxwell Aberman and ending with Daniella Jaoska Zelaya

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2571: 3 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Mark A. Dries and ending with Ralph K. Bean

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2572: Douglas J. Strike, of Iowa, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Iowa for the term of four years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2598: Aaron L. Weisman, of Rhode Island, to be United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island for the term of four years

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2622-1: 176 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Kelly E. Adams-Smith and ending with Jorge R. Vazquez

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2641: Daniel B. Maffei, of New York, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner for a term expiring June 30, 2022

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2642: L. E. Sola, of Florida, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner for a term expiring June 30, 2023

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2645: Arthur B. Culvahouse, Jr., of Tennessee, to be Ambassador to the Commonwealth of Australia

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2702: Johnathan Bragg, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Railroad Retirement Board for a term expiring August 28, 2019

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2703: Johnathan Bragg, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Railroad Retirement Board for a term expiring August 28, 2024

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN2704: Thomas Jayne, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Railroad Retirement Board for a term expiring August 28, 2023

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Treaty Doc. 114-7: The United Nations Convention on the Assignment of Receivables in International Trade, done at New York on December 12, 2001, and signed by the United States on December 30, 2003

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Treaty moved through its parliamentary stages up to and including presentation of the resolution of advice and consent to ratification.

-- Resolution of advice and consent to ratification agreed to in Senate by Division Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. McConnell, at 7:40 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 11:50 a.m. tomorrow.