Senate Floor Activity - Thursday, December 14, 2023

Mr. Raphael G. Warnock, from the State of Georgia, called the Senate to order at 10 a.m., the Reverand, Rear Admiral Gregory Todd, Chief of Chaplians for the United States Navy offered a prayer, and Mr. Warnock 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 14)

H.R. 3315 (Rep. Cohen): A bill to exempt for an additional 4-year period, from the application of the means-test presumption of abuse under chapter 7 , qualifying members of reserve components of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard who, after September 11, 2001, are called to active duty or to perform a homeland defense activity for not less than 90 days.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.J.Res. 62 (Rep. Smith): A joint resolution providing for the reappointment of Michael Govan as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.

-- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

H.J.Res. 63 (Rep. Smith): A joint resolution providing for the appointment of Antoinette Bush as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.

-- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

H.J.Res. 64 (Rep. Smith): A joint resolution providing for the reappointment of Roger W. Ferguson as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.

-- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

S. 195 (Sen. Peters): A bill to provide compensation to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community for the taking without just compensation of land by the United States inside the exterior boundaries of the L'Anse Indian Reservation that were guaranteed to the Community under a treaty signed in 1854, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 382 (Sen. Cantwell): A bill to take certain land in the State of Washington into trust for the benefit of the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, and for other purposes.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 474 (Sen. Blackburn): A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen reporting to the CyberTipline related to online sexual exploitation of children, to modernize liabilities for such reports, to preserve the contents of such reports for 1 year, 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. 2228 (Sen. Kelly): A bill to amend the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 to clarify the scope of a major Federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 with respect to certain projects relating to the production of semiconductors, and for other purposes.

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

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1378 (Sen. Kelly): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment SA 1378 proposed by Senator Schumer for Senator Kelly.

-- Amendment SA 1378 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S. 3553 (Sen. Rounds): A bill to provide a retroactive effective date for the promotions of senior officers of the Armed Forces whose military promotions were delayed as a result of the suspension of Senate confirmation of such promotions.

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

S.Res. 453 (Sen. Cruz): A resolution celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of Texas Christian University.

-- 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. 507 (Sen. Hyde-Smith): A resolution designating September 25, 2023, as "National Ataxia Awareness Day", and raising awareness of ataxia, ataxia research, and the search for a cure.

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

S.Res. 508 (Sen. Braun): A resolution recognizing Interscholastic Athletic Administrators' Day on December 14, 2023.

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

S.Res. 509 (Sen. Bennet): A resolution recognizing the first commemoration of the anti-LGBTQ+ attack that occurred on November 19-20, 2022, at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ bar in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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

Executive Business (Thursday, December 14)

PN307: Lisa A. Johnson, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN769: Jerry Edwards, Jr., of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 66 - 31. Record Vote Number: 344

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 66 - 24. Record Vote Number: 345

PN771: Brandon S. Long, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 64 - 22. Record Vote Number: 346

PN834: Todd Gloria, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation for a term expiring December 10, 2023

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN835: Todd Gloria, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation for a term expiring December 10, 2029

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Schumer, at 6:09 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 3 p.m. on Monday, December 18, 2023.