Senate Daily Digest — Wednesday, 11/15/2023
Senate convened at 10 a.m., adjourned at 3:43 a.m.
Wednesday, 11/15/2023 — Activity – On the Floor – Votes: 4
Legislation: New: 44, Action: 4, Voted: 3, Passed: 2, Not Passed: 1
Amendments: Offered: 2, Agreed to: 1, Not agreed to: 1, Voted: 1
Committee — Meetings: 8 • Legislation: Action: 5, Hearing: 3, Markup: 2
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1202-D1205]
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
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Daily Digest
HIGHLIGHTS
Senate passed H.R. 6363, Further Continuing Appropriations and
Other Extensions Act.
Senate
Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S5515-S5579
Measures Introduced: Forty bills and nine resolutions were introduced,
as follows: S. 3304-3343, S.J. Res. 51, and S. Res. 464-471.
Pages S5540-41
Measures Passed:
Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act: By 87
yeas to 11 nays (Vote No. 312), Senate passed H.R. 6363, making further
continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2024, by the order of the
Senate of Wednesday, November 15, 2023, 60 Senators having voted in the
affirmative, after agreeing to the motion to proceed to consideration
of the bill, and after taking action on the following amendment
proposed thereto:
Pages S5515-26, S5527-29
Rejected:
By 32 yeas to 65 nays (Vote No. 311), Paul Amendment No. 1366, to
reduce continuing funding by 15 percent, except for the Department of
Defense, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs
and to rescind $30,000,000,000 from enforcement funds provided to the
Internal Revenue Service.
Page S5528
During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the
following action:
A motion was entered to close further debate on the motion to proceed
to consideration of the bill, and, in accordance with the provisions of
Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a vote on cloture will
occur on Friday, November 17, 2023.
Page S5515
A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the motion
to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to consideration of the
bill, be withdrawn.
Page S5527
Armenian Protection Act: Committee on Foreign Relations was
discharged from further consideration of S. 3000, to repeal Freedom
Support Act section 907 waiver authority with respect to assistance to
Azerbaijan, and the bill was then passed, after agreeing to the
following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S5531-33
Peters Amendment No. 1367, in the nature of a substitute.
Page S5532
Commitment to Veterans Support and Outreach Act: Senate passed S.
106, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs to award grants to States to improve outreach to
veterans, after withdrawing the committee amendment in the nature of a
substitute, and agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S5556-58
Schumer (for Baldwin) Amendment No. 1368, of a perfecting nature.
Page S5554
GAO Inspector General Parity Act: Senate passed S. 1510, to amend
provisions relating to the Office of the Inspector General of the
Government Accountability Office, after agreeing to the following
amendment proposed thereto:
Page S5558
Schumer (for Braun) Amendment No. 1369, in the nature of a
substitute.
Page S5558
Drive Safer Sunday: Senate agreed to S. Res. 468, designating
November 26, 2023, as “Drive Safer Sunday”.
Page S5558
Congratulating the Las Vegas Aces: Senate agreed to S. Res. 469,
commending and congratulating the Las Vegas Aces basketball team on
winning the 2023 Women's National Basketball Association Championship.
Page S5558
National Rural Health Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 470, designating
November 16th, 2023, as “National Rural Health Day”.
Page S5558
National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month: Senate agreed to
S. Res. 471, expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day
and National Adoption Month by promoting national
[[Page D1203]]
awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating
children and families involved in adoption, and encouraging the people
of the United States to secure safety, permanency, and well-being for
all children.
Page S5558
Measures Failed:
Student Loan CRA: By 49 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 310), Senate
failed to pass S.J. Res. 43, providing for congressional disapproval
under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted
by the Department of Education relating to “Improving Income Driven
Repayment for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the
Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program”, after agreeing to the
motion to proceed to consideration of the joint resolution.
Pages S5526-27
House Messages:
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024: Senate began
consideration of the House Message to accompany H.R. 2670, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the
Department of Defense and for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, taking action on the following motions
to instruct conferees on the part of the Senate on the disagreeing
votes of the two Houses on the bill to be instructed to insist on the
inclusion in the final conference report the following motions proposed
thereto:
Pages S5529-31
Adopted:
By 90 yeas to 8 nays (Vote No. 313), motion to insist on the
amendment of the Senate to the bill, agree to the request for
conference with the House, and authorize the Chair to appoint conferees
on the part of the Senate.
Pages S5529-30
Reed (for Klobuchar) motion to instruct conferees to insist that the
final conference report include provisions to provide stability and
support, including a pathway to permanent residency, for eligible
Afghan individuals in the United States, provided that such stability
and support does not endanger United States citizens or the national
security of the United States, and to provide additional support for
certain at-risk Afghan allies abroad, provided that such support would
not negatively impact the safety and security of Afghans who were
employed by or on behalf of the United States.
Page S5530
Wicker (for Rubio) motion to instruct conferees to insist that the
final conference report include the provisions to enforce section
212(a)(3)(B)(i)(VII) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1182(a)(3)(B)(i)(VII)) to revoke visas and initiate deportation
proceedings for any foreign national who has endorsed or espoused the
terrorist activities of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, or
any another foreign terrorist organization (as designated under section
219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189)) that has
participated in terrorist attacks against Israel and United States
citizens before, on, or after October 7, 2023.
Page S5530
Reed (for Hickenlooper/Bennet) motion to instruct conferees to insist
upon a provision that prohibits any limitation on the use by the United
States Space Command of funds for military construction.
Page S5530
Wicker (for Blackburn) motion to instruct conferees to insist that
the final conference report include a provision to prohibit any action
by the United States Government to release funds or assets to Iran
pursuant to the document entitled “Waiver of Sanctions with respect to
the Transfer of Funds from the Republic of Korea to Qatar” and
transmitted to Congress on September 11, 2023.
Page S5530
Wicker (for Lankford) motion to instruct conferees to increase
defense cooperation with Israel in order to reaffirm its right to
defend itself against state and non-state actors who seek to undermine
Israel's sovereignty.
Page S5530
Lummis motion to instruct conferees to insist that the final
conference report include subtitle J of title X of division A of Senate
Bill 2226, 118th Congress, passed July 27, 2023.
Pages S5530-31
Wicker (for Cramer) motion to instruct conferees to insist upon
maintaining the provisions of H.R. 2670 that support the critical
development of the future airborne intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance (ISR) capability of the Air Force.
Page S5531
Wicker (for Moran) motion to instruct conferees to insist upon the
provisions contained in section 1049 of the Senate amendment (relating
to access to commissary and exchange privileges for remarried spouses).
Page S5531
Wicker (for Ernst) motion to instruct conferees to insist upon the
inclusion title XI of S. 2226, as passed by the Senate on July 27, 2023
(relating to an authorization for the Secretary of State to engage
compact of free association countries on identifying or developing
national security councils and advising and providing assistance for
developing such councils).
Page S5531
Wicker (for Hagerty) motion to instruct conferees to insist upon the
provisions contained in section 1880 of H.R. 2670 (relating to a
prohibition on contracting with certain biotechnology providers).
Page S5531
Wicker (for Braun/Manchin) motion to instruct conferees to insist
upon the provisions contained in
[[Page D1204]]
section 902 of the Senate amendment (relating to reinstatement of
position of Chief Management Officer of Department of Defense), which
includes planning and processes, business transformations, and
performance measurement and management activities across the Armed
Forces, combatant commands, and other components of the Department of
Defense to address the backsliding of fiscal responsibility within the
Department and appoint a dedicated leader in a senior position within
the Department whose mission it is to be a good steward of Federal
resources.
Page S5531
Reed (for Manchin) motion to instruct conferees to insist that the
final conference report include the provision in the concurrent
resolution as agreed to by the Senate that directs the Secretary of
Energy to establish a nuclear fuel program with the purpose of
onshoring uranium conversion and enrichment capacity to ensure a
disruption in Russian supply would not impact the development of
advanced reactors or the currently operating fleet.
Page S5531
The Chair was authorized to appoint the following conferees on the
part of the Senate: Senators Reed, Shaheen, Gillibrand, Blumenthal,
Hirono, Kaine, King, Warren, Peters, Manchin, Duckworth, Rosen, Kelly,
Wicker, Fischer, Cotton, Rounds, Ernst, Sullivan, Cramer, Scott (FL),
Tuberville, Mullin, Budd, and Schmitt.
Page S5531
Pro Forma Sessions--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was
reached providing that the Senate adjourn, to then convene for pro
forma sessions only, with no business being conducted on the following
dates and times, and that following each pro forma session, the Senate
adjourn until the next pro forma session: Friday, November 17, 2023, at
7:30 a.m.; Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at 10 a.m.; and Friday, November
24, 2023, at 11 a.m.; and that when the Senate adjourns on Friday,
November 24, 2023, it next convene at 3 p.m., on Monday, November 27,
2023.
Page S5558
Bryan Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination
of Jeffrey M. Bryan, of Minnesota, to be United States District Judge
for the District of Minnesota.
Page S5533
A motion was entered to close further debate on the nomination, and,
in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of
the Senate, and pursuant to the unanimous-consent agreement of
Thursday, November 16, 2023, a vote on cloture will occur at 5:30 p.m.
on Monday, November 27, 2023.
Page S5533
Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the
following action:
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to
consider the nomination.
Page S5533
A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at
approximately 3 p.m., on Monday, November 27, 2023, Senate resume
consideration of the nomination, and that the cloture motions filed on
Thursday, November 16, 2023, ripen at 5:30 p.m.
Page S5558
Garnett Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the
nomination of Margaret M. Garnett, of New York, to be United States
District Judge for the Southern District of New York.
Page S5533
A motion was entered to close further debate on the nomination, and,
in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of
the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur upon disposition of the
nomination of Jeffrey M. Bryan, of Minnesota, to be United States
District Judge for the District of Minnesota.
Page S5533
Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the
following action:
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.
Page S5533
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to
consider the nomination.
Page S5533
Rodriguez Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the
nomination of Jose Javier Rodriguez, of Florida, to be an Assistant
Secretary of Labor.
Page S5533
A motion was entered to close further debate on the nomination, and,
in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of
the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur upon disposition of the
nomination of Margaret M. Garnett, of New York, to be United States
District Judge for the Southern District of New York.
Page S5533
Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the
following action:
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.
Page S5533
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to
consider the nomination.
Page S5533
Nomination Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nomination:
Roger F. Nyhus, of Washington, to be Ambassador to Barbados, and to
serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to
the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua and
Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines.
Pages S5533-34
Nomination Received: Senate received the following nomination:
Kirk Edward Sherriff, of California, to be United States District
Judge for the Eastern District of California.
Page S5579
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Measures Read the First Time:
Page S5539
Executive Communications:
Page S5539
Executive Reports of Committees:
Pages S5539-40
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages S5541-43
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
Pages S5543-54
Additional Statements:
Pages S5538-39
Amendments Submitted:
Pages S5554-56
Notices of Intent:
Page S5556
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
Page S5556
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total--313)
Page S5527, S5528, S5529, S5530
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 3:43 a.m., on
Thursday, November 16, 2023, until 7:30 a.m. on Friday, November 17,
2023. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S5558.)