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Senate Floor Activity - Thursday, December 17, 2020


The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 10 a.m., 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 (Thursday, December 17)

H.R. 1923 (Rep. Lee): To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue certain circulating collectible coins, and for other purposes.
-- Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
S.Amdt. 2717 (Sen. Cortez Masto): To improve the bill.
-- Amendment SA 2717 proposed by Senator Braun for Senator Cortez Masto.
-- Amendment SA 2717 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.


H.R. 2468 (Rep. Hoyer): A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the preference given, in awarding certain allergies and asthma-related grants, to States that require certain public schools to have allergies and asthma management programs, and for other purposes.
-- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

H.R. 2610 (Rep. Blunt Rochester): To establish an office within the Federal Trade Commission and an outside advisory group to prevent fraud targeting seniors and to direct the Commission to study and submit a report to Congress on scams targeting seniors and Indian tribes, and for other purposes.
-- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2713 (Sen. Wicker): In the nature of a substitute.
-- Amendment SA 2713 proposed by Senator Braun for Senator Wicker.
-- Amendment SA 2713 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.


H.R. 3976 (Rep. Lawrence): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12711 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, as the "Aretha Franklin Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 4988 (Rep. Kim): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14 Walnut Street in Bordentown, New Jersey , as the "Clara Barton Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5123 (Rep. Bustos): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 476 East Main Street in Galesburg, Illinois, as the "Senior Airman Daniel Miller Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5451 (Rep. Katko): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 599 East Genesse Street in Fayetteville, New York, as the "George H. Bacel Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5597 (Rep. Horn): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 305 Northwest 5th Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as the "Clara Luper Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5972 (Rep. Blunt Rochester): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 500 Delaware Avenue, Suite 1, in Wilmington, Delaware, as the "Mary Ann Shadd Cary Post Office".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 5983 (Rep. Takano): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4150 Chicago Avenue in Riverside, California, as the "Woodie Rucker-Hughes Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6016 (Rep. Lesko): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14955 West Bell Road in Surprise, Arizona, as the "Marc Lee Memorial Post Office Building".
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6161 (Rep. Walker): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1585 Yanceyville Street, Greensboro, North Carolina, as the "J. Howard Coble Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6192 (Rep. Barr): A bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to honor the 100th anniversary of completion of coinage of the "Morgan Dollar" and the 100th anniversary of commencement of coinage of the "Peace Dollar", and for other purposes.
-- Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6418 (Rep. Byrne): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 509 Fairhope Avenue in Fairhope, Alabama, as the "William 'Jack' Jackson Edwards III Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 6435 (Rep. Carter): A bill to direct the Federal Trade Commission to develop and disseminate information to the public about scams related to COVID-19, and for other purposes.
-- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 7088 (Rep. Carter): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 111 James Street in Reidsville, Georgia, as the "Senator Jack Hill Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 7502 (Rep. Axne): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 101 South 16th Street in Clarinda, Iowa, as the "Jessie Field Shambaugh Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 7810 (Rep. Olson): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3519 East Walnut Street in Pearland, Texas , as the "Tom Reid Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 8611 (Rep. Mast): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4755 Southeast Dixie Highway in Port Salerno, Florida, as the "Joseph Bullock Post Office Building".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 212 (Sen. Hoeven): A bill to amend the Native American Business Development, Trade Promotion, and Tourism Act of 2000, the Buy Indian Act, and the Native American Programs Act of 1974 to provide industry and economic development opportunities to Indian communities.
-- Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 212 by Voice Vote.

S. 481 (Sen. Klobuchar): A bill to encourage States to require the installation of residential carbon monoxide detectors in homes, and for other purposes.
-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
-- The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
S.Amdt. 2714 (Sen. Klobuchar): In the nature of a substitute.
-- Amendment SA 2714 proposed by Senator Braun for Senator Klobuchar.
-- Amendment SA 2714 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.


S. 1681 (Sen. Enzi): A bill to educate health care providers and the public on biosimilar biological products, and for other purposes.
-- 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. 2716 (Sen. Alexander): In the nature of a substitute.
-- Amendment SA 2716 proposed by Senator Braun for Senator Alexander.
-- Amendment SA 2716 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.


S. 1694 (Sen. Peters): A bill to require any Federal agency that issues licenses to conduct lunar activities to include in the requirements for such licenses an agreement relating to the preservation and protection of the Apollo 11 landing site, and for other purposes.
-- Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendments to Senate bill.

S. 1782 (Sen. Kennedy): A bill to add suicide prevention resources to school identification cards.
-- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

S. 2165 (Sen. Heinrich): A bill to enhance protections of Native American tangible cultural heritage, and for other purposes.
-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
-- The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
S.Amdt. 2712 (Sen. Heinrich): To modify certain penalties.
-- Amendment SA 2712 proposed by Senator Heinrich.
-- Amendment SA 2712 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.


S. 2174 (Sen. Cornyn): A bill to expand the grants authorized under Jennifer's Law and Kristen's Act to include processing of unidentified remains, resolving missing persons cases, and for other purposes.
-- Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendments to Senate bill.

S. 3248 (Sen. Moran): A bill to reauthorize the United States Anti-Doping Agency, and for other purposes.
-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
-- The committee amendments withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
S.Amdt. 2715 (Sen. Moran): In the nature of a substitute.
-- Amendment SA 2715 proposed by Senator Braun for Senator Moran.
-- Amendment SA 2715 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.


S. 4857 (Sen. Portman): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 275 Penn Avenue in Salem, Ohio, as the "Howard Arthur Tibbs Post Office".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 4971 (Sen. Klobuchar): A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 229 Minnetonka Avenue South in Wayzata, Minnesota, as the "Jim Ramstad Post Office".
-- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 805 (Sen. Blunt): A resolution providing for staff transition for a Senator if the results of the election for an additional term of office of the Senator have not been certified.
-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Con.Res. 52 (Sen. Cornyn): A concurrent resolution to correct the enrollment of S. 3312.
-- Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.

Executive Business (Thursday, December 17)

PN1380: Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California
-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

PN1420: Charles A. Stones, of Kansas, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

PN1425: John Chase Johnson, of Oklahoma, to be Inspector General, Federal Communications Commission
-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

PN1609: Beth Harwell, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2024
-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

PN1610: Brian Noland, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2024
-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

PN2029: Eric J. Soskin, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of Transportation
-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

PN2093: Thompson Michael Dietz, of New Jersey, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years
-- Motion to proceed to executive session to consideration of nomination agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

PN2209: Zachary N. Somers, of the District of Columbia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years
-- By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum required under Rule XXII waived.
-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 42. Record Vote Number: 273
-- Considered by Senate.
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 43. Record Vote Number: 274

PN2246: Charles Edward Atchley, Jr., of Tennessee, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee
-- Considered by Senate.
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 41. Record Vote Number: 272

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Braun, at 7:02 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 10 a.m. tomorrow.