Senate Floor Activity - Wednesday, September 30, 2020

The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 12 noon, the Chaplain 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

The following transactions of morning business occurred on today.

Legislative Business (Wednesday, September 30)

H.R. 561 (Rep. Bergman): A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the oversight of contracts awarded by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans, and for other purposes.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 991 (Rep. Sewell): A bill to extend certain provisions of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act until September 30, 2030, and for other purposes.

-- Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 1952 (Rep. Collins): A bill to amend the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 to require the Secretary of State to report on intercountry adoptions from countries which have significantly reduced adoption rates involving immigration to the United States, and for other purposes.

-- Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

-- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

H.R. 3399 (Rep. Harder): A bill to amend the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 to include California in the program, and for other purposes.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

H.R. 8337 (Rep. Lowey): A bill making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2021, and for other purposes.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 84 - 10. Record Vote Number: 197

-- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

S.Amdt. 2663 (Sen. McConnell): To improve the bill.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Motion to table amendment SA 2663 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2664 (Sen. McConnell): To improve the bill.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- SA 2664 fell when SA 2663 was tabled.

S. 178 (Sen. Rubio): A bill to condemn gross human rights violations of ethnic Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, and calling for an end to arbitrary detention, torture, and harassment of these communities inside and outside China.

-- Motion to proceed to consideration of the House message to accompany S. 178 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 48 - 46. Record Vote Number: 198

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

S.Amdt. 2652 (Sen. McConnell): To provide for a complete substitute.

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

S.Amdt. 2673 (Sen. Tillis): To amend the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to prohibit pre-existing condition exclusions.

-- Amendment SA 2673 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Tillis to Amendment SA 2652.

-- Motion to table amendment SA 2673 rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 47. Record Vote Number: 199

S. 910 (Sen. Wicker): A bill to reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, and for other purposes.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2674 (Sen. Wicker): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 2674 proposed by Senator Portman for Senator Wicker.

-- Amendment SA 2674 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 1069 (Sen. Baldwin): A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a constituent-driven program to provide a digital information platform capable of efficiently integrating coastal data with decision-support tools, training, and best practices and to support collection of priority coastal geospatial data to inform and improve local, State, regional, and Federal capacities to manage the coastal region, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

S. 3681 (Sen. Markey): A bill to require a joint task force on air travel during and after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, and for other purposes.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.

-- The committee amendment to the title agreed to by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 2677 (Sen. Markey): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 2677 proposed by Senator Portman for Senator Markey.

-- Amendment SA 2677 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 4403 (Sen. Kennedy): A bill to amend the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 to include California in the program, and for other purposes.

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

S. 4762 (Sen. Burr): A bill to designate the airport traffic control tower located at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the "Senator Kay Hagan Airport Traffic Control Tower".

-- 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.Res. 687 (Sen. Smith): A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Coya Knutson.

-- 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. 694 (Sen. Wicker): A resolution recognizing 100 years of service by chief petty officers in the United States Coast Guard.

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

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 730 (Sen. Rubio): A resolution supporting the designation of the week beginning September 20, 2020, as "National Small Business Week" and commending the entrepreneurial spirit of the small business owners of the United States and their impact on their communities.

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

S.Res. 731 (Sen. Collins): A resolution supporting Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of afterschool programs held on October 22, 2020

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

S.Res. 732 (Sen. Hoeven): A resolution designating November 7, 2020, as "National Bison Day".

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

S.Res. 733 (Sen. Graham): A resolution recognizing 2020 as the centennial of the Preservation Society of Charleston.

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

S.Res. 734 (Sen. Collins): A resolution designating the week of September 21 through September 25, 2020, as "National Falls Prevention Awareness Week" to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of falls among older adults.

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

S.Res. 735 (Sen. Gardner): A resolution designating September 29, 2020, as "National Urban Wildlife Refuge Day".

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

S.Res. 736 (Sen. Wyden): A resolution designating September 2020 as "National Kinship Care Month".

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

S.Res. 737 (Sen. Kaine): A resolution expressing support for the designation of September 30, 2020, as "National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day".

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

S.Res. 738 (Sen. Cassidy): A resolution recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September as "National Suicide Prevention Month".

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

S.Res. 739 (Sen. Cornyn): A resolution expressing support for the designation of the week of September 21 through September 25, 2020, as "National Family Service Learning Week".

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

S.Res. 740 (Sen. Shaheen): A resolution designating October 7, 2020, as "Energy Efficiency Day" in celebration of the economic and environmental benefits that have been driven by private sector innovation and Federal energy efficiency policies.

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

S.Res. 741 (Sen. Alexander): A resolution designating October 30, 2020, as a national day of remembrance for the workers of the nuclear weapons program of the United States.

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

Executive Business (Wednesday, September 30)

PN1788: 31 nominations in the Air Force beginning with Brian H. Adams and ending with Mary Jean Wood