Senate Record — Thursday, 12/14/2023
44 pages: S5969-6012
Senate Congressional Record (PDF) + Senate Daily Press Log
10:00 a.m. - The Senate convened.
PRAYER (S5969-2)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 🇺🇸 (S5969-3)
APPOINTMENT OF ACTING PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE (S5969-4)
10:03 a.m. - Senator Kaine spoke about the visiting Chaplain, Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy, Rear Adm. Gregory Todd.
RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME (S5969-6)
CONCLUSION OF MORNING BUSINESS (S5969-7)
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session) (S5970)
10:10 a.m. - Majority Leader Schumer spoke on the supplemental and December.
10:20 a.m. - Republican Leader McConnell spoke about the supplemental, anti-Semitism on college campuses and energy.
10:43 a.m. - Senator Moran spoke on FAA reauthorization.
10:48 a.m. - Senator Durbin spoke about the war in Israel and Gaza. He also spoke on the First Step Act.
11:00 a.m. - Senator Booker spoke on the First Step Act.
11:14 a.m. - Senator Vance spoke on his legislation for a tax for large university endowments and asked unanimous consent for the Senate to proceed and agree to S. 3514. Senator Wyden objected.
11:36 a.m. - Senator Murphy spoke on the anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
Cloture Motion (Executive Session) (S5976)
11:54 a.m. - The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Jerry Edwards, Jr. to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana.
1:01 p.m. - By a vote of 66-31, the Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of Jerry Edwards, Jr. to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana. Republican Senators voting in favor: Capito, Cassidy, Collins, Cornyn, Ernst, Graham, Grassley, Hyde-Smith, Kennedy, McConnell, Moran, Murkowski, Romney, Rounds, Rubio, Wicker, and Young. Democrats voting against: Senator Menendez.
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Session) (S5976-2)
1:01 p.m. - Senator Warren spoke supporting the nomination of Ronald Keohane, to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense. Senator Warren asked unanimous consent to consider the Keohane nomination. Senator Budd objected.
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 3533 (Executive Session) (S5977)
1:21 p.m. - Senator Kennedy spoke on seafood and asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to and vote on S. 3533, Seafood Import Monitoring Program Audit Program. Senator Wyden objected.
Unanimous Consent Request--H.R. 6503 (Executive Session) (S5979)
1:46 p.m. - Senators Cruz, Moran, and Budd spoke on the FAA reauthorization.
1:58 p.m. - Senator Cruz asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to and pass H.R. 6503, Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2023, Part II. Senator Bennett objected and spoke on Ukraine. Senator Cruz continued to talk about the FAA reauthorization and on Ukraine. Senator Bennett responded.
Unanimous Consent Request--H.R. 1042 (Executive Session) (S5983)
2:33 p.m. - Senators Barrasso and Risch spoke on H.R. 1042, Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act. Senator Barrasso asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to and pass H.R. 1042. Senator Brown objected and then withdrew his objection after receiving agreement of Senators Risch and Manchin on strengthening the domestic supply chain. Senator Manchin then spoke and Senator Cruz objected to H.R. 1042.
2:57 p.m. - Majority Leader Schumer spoke on supplemental appropriations and said the Senate will return for business on Monday to work on supplemental appropriations.
Senator Durbin spoke on the Edwards nomination.
Vote on Edwards Nomination (Executive Session) (S5986)
2:59 p.m. - The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Jerry Edwards, Jr. to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana.
3:49 p.m. - By a vote of 66-24, the Senate confirmed Jerry Edwards, Jr. to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana. Senators Barrasso, Blumenthal, Cramer, Daines, Fischer, Hagerty, Hyde-Smith, Lummis, Tuberville, and Welch did not vote.
3:50 p.m. - Senator Durbin got consent to vitiate the cloture motion on the Long nomination.
Vote on Long Nomination (Executive Calendar) (S5986-5)
3:51 p.m. - The Senate is now voting on confirmation of the Brandon S. Long to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
4:30 p.m. - By a vote of 64-22, the Senate confirmed Brandon S. Long to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
4:31 p.m. - Senator Marshall spoke in support of H.R. 1147, Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 and asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to and pass H.R. 1147. Senator Stabenow objected.
4:59 p.m. - Senator Booker paid tribute to departing staffer Zach McCue.
6:00 p.m. - ML Schumer spoke on military back pay and began wrap up:
Passed by unanimous consent, S. 3553, a bill to provide a retroactive effective date for the promotions of senior officers of the Armed Forces.
Confirmed by voice vote en bloc: Executive Calendar #214 Lisa A. Johnson to be Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic; Executive Calendar #431 Todd Gloria to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation for a term expiring December 10, 2023; and Executive Calendar #432 Todd Gloria to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation for a term expiring December 10, 2029. (Reappointment).
Under the provisions of Rule XIV, H.R. 1147, Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, was read for the first time.
Passed by unanimous consent S. 474, REPORT Act, with Blackburn substitute amendment.
Passed by unanimous consent S. 195, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Land Claim Settlement Act .
Passed by unanimous consent H.R. 3315, National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act.
Passed by unanimous consent S. 2228, Building Chips in America Act, with Kelly-Cruz substitute amendment.
Passed by voice vote en bloc:
H.J.Res.. 62, A joint resolution providing for the reappointment of Michael Govan as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution;
H.J.Res. 63, A joint resolution providing for the appointment of Antoinette Bush as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution; and
H.J.Res. 64, A joint resolution providing for the reappointment of Roger W. Ferguson as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.
Passed by unanimous consent S. 382, Puyallup Tribe of Indians Land Into Trust Confirmation Act.
Agreed to by unanimous consent en bloc:
S.Res. 507, A resolution expressing support for the designation of September 25, 2023, as National Ataxia Awareness Day, and raising awareness of ataxia, ataxia research, and the search for a cure;
S.Res. 508, A resolution recognizing Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Day on December 14, 2023;
S.Res. 509, 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; and
S.Res. 453, A resolution celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of Texas Christian University.
6:11 p.m. - The Senate stands adjourned until 3 p.m., Monday, December 18, 2023.