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Senate Floor Activity - Friday, December 17, 2021

The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 9:30 a.m., the the Reverend Lisa Schultz, of the Church of the Advent, in Washington, D.C. 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 (Saturday, December 18)

H.R. 1192: A bill to impose requirements on the payment of compensation to professional persons employed in voluntary cases commenced under title III of the Puerto Rico Oversight Management and Economic Stability Act (commonly known as "PROMESA").

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 1664 (Rep. Veasey): A bill to authorize the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 1760 (Sen. Hirono): A bill to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs planned to be built in Oahu, Hawaii, as the "Daniel Kahikina Akaka Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic".

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

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 2514 (Sen. Lee): A bill to rename the Provo Veterans Center in Orem , Utah, as the "Col. Gail S. Halvorsen 'Candy Bomber' Veterans Center" .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 2551 (Sen. Peters): A bill to require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to establish or otherwise provide an artificial intelligence training program for the acquisition workforce, and for other purposes.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 4896 (Sen. Peters): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 4896 proposed by Senator Schatz for Senator Peters.

-- Amendment SA 4896 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 3437 (Sen. Durbin): A bill to extend certain COVID-19 bankruptcy relief provisions through March 27, 2022.

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

S.Res. 447 (Sen. Stabenow): A resolution celebrating the 125th anniversary of the National Grain and Feed Association and recognizing the Association and its members for transforming the bounty of United States farmers into safe, nutritious, sustainable, and affordable human and animal food .

-- Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry discharged by Unanimous Consent.

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

S.Res. 483 (Sen. Rubio): A resolution remembering the December 6, 2019, terrorist attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola and commemorating those who lost their lives, and those who were injured, in the line of duty .

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

S.Con.Res. 24 (Sen. Reed): A concurrent resolution directing the Secretary of the Senate to make corrections in the enrollment of the bill S. 1605 .

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

Executive Business (Friday, December 17)

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 24. Record Vote Number: 516

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 45 - 25. Record Vote Number: 517

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 45 - 25. Record Vote Number: 518

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 44 - 25. Record Vote Number: 519

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 49 - 31. Record Vote Number: 506

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 48 - 31. Record Vote Number: 507

PN1169: Holly A. Thomas, 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, vote 12/18/2021.

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 42 - 25. Record Vote Number: 528

-- Considered by Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, vote to be determined.

PN1171: Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 24. Record Vote Number: 514

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 24. Record Vote Number: 515

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 24. Record Vote Number: 520

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 24. Record Vote Number: 521

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 45 - 25. Record Vote Number: 512

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 45 - 26. Record Vote Number: 513

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 30. Record Vote Number: 508

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 48 - 25. Record Vote Number: 509

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 25. Record Vote Number: 510

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 24. Record Vote Number: 511

Executive Business (Saturday, December 18)

PN376: Larry Edward Andre, Jr., of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN377: Elizabeth Moore Aubin, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN378: Steven C. Bondy, of New Jersey, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN379: Maria E. Brewer, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Lesotho

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN381: Christopher John Lamora, of Rhode Island, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN382: Tulinabo S. Mushingi, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Angola, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN383: Michael Raynor, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Senegal, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN384: Michele Jeanne Sison, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (International Organization Affairs)

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN417: Eugene S. Young, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN448: Catherine A. McLaughlin, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a term expiring October 6, 2024

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN547: Adam Scheinman, of Virginia, to be Special Representative of the President for Nuclear Nonproliferation, with the rank of Ambassador

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN552: Christopher P. Lu, of Virginia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for U .N. Management and Reform, with the rank of Ambassador

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN553: Christopher P. Lu, of Virginia, to be an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for U .N. Management and Reform

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN582: Lynnette Young Overby, of Delaware, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for the remainder of the term expiring January 26, 2022

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN605: Elizabeth Rosenberg, of Vermont, to be Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing, Department of the Treasury

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

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN732: Sharon L. Cromer, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN733: Troy Damian Fitrell, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN734: Marc Ostfield, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Paraguay

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN738: Cynthia Ann Telles, of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN751: Ismael N. Ahmed, of Michigan, to be a Member of the National Council on the Arts for a term expiring September 3, 2024

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN757: Huascar Medina, of Kansas, to be a Member of the National Council on the Arts for a term expiring September 3, 2026

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN786: Peter D. Haas, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the People's Republic of Bangladesh

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN789: Fagan Harris, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a term expiring October 6, 2023

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN792: Dennis DeConcini, of Arizona, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation for a term expiring April 17, 2026

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN793: Joseph M. Green, of North Carolina, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation for a term expiring March 3, 2022

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN805: Carolyn N. Lerner, of Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN873: Kent Doyle Logsdon, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN897: Julie Chung, of California, to be Ambassador to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN910: Caryn R. McClelland, of California, to be Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN911: Michael J. Murphy, of New York, to be Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN922: John R. Bass, of New York, to be an Under Secretary of State (Management)

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN935: Laura S. H. Holgate, of Virginia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Vienna Office of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN937: Patricia Mahoney, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Central African Republic

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/18/2021.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN939: Peter Hendrick Vrooman, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Mozambique

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN958: Jamie L. Harpootlian, of South Carolina, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 23. Record Vote Number: 524

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 23. Record Vote Number: 525

PN1004: Mark Brzezinski, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Poland

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1005: Elizabeth Anne Noseworthy Fitzsimmons, of Delaware , a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador to the Togolese Republic

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1009: Brian Wesley Shukan, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Benin

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1021: Alexia Marie Gabrielle Latortue, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1029: Marc R. Stanley, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Argentine Republic

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1030: Scott Miller, of Colorado, to be Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Principality of Liechtenstein

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1033: David R. Gilmour, of the District of Columbia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1047: Matthew S. Axelrod, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

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

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 12/18/2021.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 48 - 21. Record Vote Number: 526

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

-- By unanimous consent agreement, vote 12/18/2021.

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 44 - 24. Record Vote Number: 527

-- Considered by Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 1/3/2022.

PN1169: Holly A. Thomas, 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, vote 12/18/2021.

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 42 - 25. Record Vote Number: 528

-- Considered by Senate.

-- By unanimous consent agreement, vote to be determined.

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

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 49 - 21. Record Vote Number: 522

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 49 - 21. Record Vote Number: 523

PN1225: Michael M. Adler, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1226: Erik D. Ramanathan, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1233: Armando O. Bonilla, of the District of Columbia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN1257: Maria Rosario Jackson, of the District of Columbia , to be Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts for a term of four years

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Schatz, at 4:04 a.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 5 a.m. on Monday, December 20, 2021.