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Senate Floor Activity - Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Mr. Martin Heinrich, from the State of New Mexico, called the Senate to order at 10 a.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mr. Heinrich 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, December 15)

H.R. 5545 (Rep. Trone): To extend certain expiring provisions of law relating to benefits provided under Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance programs during COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

H.Con.Res. 64 (Rep. Smith): A concurrent resolution directing the Secretary of the Senate to make a correction in the enrollment of the bill S. 1605.

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 1404 (Sen. Markey): A bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23d Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133d Signal Service Company, popularly known as the 'Ghost Army', in recognition of their unique and highly distinguished service in conducting deception operations in Europe during World War II.

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

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

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

S.Amdt. 4894 (Sen. Markey): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 4894 proposed by Senator Schumer for Senator Markey.

-- Amendment SA 4894 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 4895 (Sen. Markey): To amend the title.

-- Amendment SA 4895 proposed by Senator Schumer for Senator Markey.

-- Amendment SA 4895 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 1605 (Sen. Scott, of FL): A bill to designate the National Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Avenue in Orlando, Florida, and for other purposes.

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

-- Motion by Senator Schumer to concur in the House amendment to S. 1605 with an amendment (SA 4880) withdrawn in Senate.

-- Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 1605 by Yea-Nay Vote. 88 - 11. Record Vote Number: 499

S.Amdt. 4880 (Sen. Schumer): To add an effective date.

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

-- Proposed amendment SA 4880 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 4881 (Sen. Schumer): To modify the effective date.

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

-- SA 4881 fell when SA 4880 withdrawn.

Executive Business (Wednesday, December 15)

PN380: Marc Evans Knapper, of California, to be Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN415: Marcela Escobari, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN616: Rufus Gifford, of Massachusetts, to be Chief of Protocol, and to have the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN774: Claire D. Cronin, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to Ireland

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN776: Bathsheba Nell Crocker, of the District of Columbia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, with the rank of Ambassador

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN781: Jack A. Markell, of Delaware, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, with the rank of Ambassador

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN785: Denise Campbell Bauer, of California, to be Ambassador to the French Republic, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Principality of Monaco

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN801: Jane M. Beckering, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Michigan

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN802: Shalina D. Kumar, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN807: Jennifer Sung, of Oregon, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 49. Record Vote Number: 500

PN874: Atul Atmaram Gawande, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate 12/16/2021.

PN934: Mark Gitenstein, of Washington, to be Representative of the United States of America to the European Union, with the rank and status of Ambassador

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN938: Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Principality of Andorra

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN997: Mary Katherine Dimke, of Washington, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Washington

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1057: R. Nicholas Burns, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to the People's Republic of China

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1058: Rahm Emanuel, of Illinois, to be Ambassador to Japan

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1146: Rostin Behnam, of Maryland, to be Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1147: Rostin Behnam, of Maryland, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for a term expiring June 19, 2026

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1168: Gabriel P. Sanchez, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1171: Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, 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.

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

PN1172: Jennifer L. Thurston, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern 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.

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

PN1173: David Herrera Urias, of New Mexico, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Mexico

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1174: Katherine Marie Menendez, of Minnesota, to be United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota

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

-- Cloture motion presented in Senate.

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

PN1208: Samantha D. Elliott, of New Hampshire, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Hampshire

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 62 - 37. Record Vote Number: 501

PN1212: Linda Lopez, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Southern 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.

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

PN1213: Jinsook Ohta, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Southern 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.

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

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Schumer, at 8:15 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 10 a.m. tomorrow.