[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 24 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D137-D139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                        Thursday, February 12, 2015

[[Page D137]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate confirmed the nomination of Ashton B. Carter, of 
      Massachusetts, to be Secretary of Defense.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S947-S1012
Measures Introduced: Sixty bills and ten resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 470-529, and S. Res. 73-82.                
  Pages S981-84
Measures Reported:
  H.R. 22, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt 
employees with health coverage under TRICARE or the Veterans 
Administration from being taken into account for purposes of 
determining the employers to which the employer mandate applies under 
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (S. Rept. No. 114-3)
  S. Res. 73, authorizing expenditures by committees of the Senate for 
the periods March 1, 2015 through September 30, 2015, October 1, 2015 
through September 30, 2016, and October 1, 2016 through February 28, 
2017.                                                         
Page S981
Measures Passed:
  Authorizing Expenditures by Committees: Senate agreed to S. Res. 73, 
authorizing expenditures by committees of the Senate for the periods 
March 1, 2015 through September 30, 2015, October 1, 2015 through 
September 30, 2016, and October 1, 2016 through February 28, 2017. 
                                                             Page S1010
  Calling for the Release of Ukrainian Fighter Pilot Nadiya Savchenko: 
Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged from further 
consideration of S. Res. 52, calling for the release of Ukrainian 
fighter pilot Nadiya Savchenko, who was captured by Russian forces in 
Eastern Ukraine and has been held illegally in a Russian prison since 
July 2014, and the resolution was then agreed to, after agreeing to the 
following amendment proposed thereto:                    
  Pages S1010-11
  McConnell (for Cardin) Amendment No. 251, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                              
Pages S1010-11
  Relative to the Death of Jerry Tarkanian: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
78, relative to the death of Jerry Tarkanian, former head basketball 
coach of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.                
  Page S1011
  Honoring Dean Edwards Smith: Senate agreed to S. Res. 79, honoring 
Dean Edwards Smith, former head coach for the men's basketball team for 
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.             
  Page S1011
  Lunar New Year: Senate agreed to S. Res. 80, recognizing the cultural 
and historical significance of Lunar New Year.               
  Page S1011
  Human Trafficking: Senate agreed to S. Res. 81, expressing the sense 
of the Senate that children trafficked for sex in the United States 
should not be treated or regarded as child prostitutes because there is 
no such thing as a ``child prostitute'', only children who are victims 
or survivors of rape and sex trafficking.                    
  Page S1011
  Commending Kathleen Alvarez Tritak: Senate agreed to S. Res. 82, 
commending Kathleen Alvarez Tritak on her service to the United States 
Senate.                                                      
  Page S1011
Measures Considered:
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act--Agreement: Senate 
continued consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of 
H.R. 240, making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2015.      
  Pages S947-49, S967
  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, and pursuant to the 
unanimous-consent agreement of Thursday, February 12, 2015, a vote on 
cloture will occur at 5:30 p.m., on Monday, February 23, 2015. 
                                                              Page S968
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at 4:30 
p.m., on Monday, February 23,

[[Page D138]]

2015, Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to 
consideration of the bill.                                    
Page S967
Appointments:
  Senate National Security Working Group: The Chair, on behalf of the 
Democratic Leader, pursuant to the provisions of S. Res. 64, adopted 
March 5, 2013, appointed the following Senators as members of the 
Senate National Security Working Group for the 114th Congress:
  Senator Feinstein (Democratic Administrative Co-Chairman), Senator 
Mikulski (Democratic Co-Chairman), Senator Reed (Democratic Co-
Chairman), Senator Menendez (Democratic Co-Chairman), Senator Durbin, 
Senator Nelson, Senator Cardin, Senator Casey, and Senator Heitkamp. 
                                                             Page S1011
  Commission on Care: The Chair, on behalf of the Democratic Leader, 
pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 113-146, appointed the 
following individuals to serve as members of the Commission on Care:
  Dr. Ikram Khan of Nevada, Phillip Longman of the District of 
Columbia, and Dr. Marshall Webster of Pennsylvania.          
Page S1011
Signing Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that during this adjournment of the Senate, running until 
February 23, 2015, the Majority Leader, and the junior Senator from 
Missouri, be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint 
resolutions.                                                 
  Page S1011
Authorizing Leadership To Make Appointments--Agreement: A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing that, notwithstanding the 
upcoming adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the 
President Pro Tempore, and the Majority and Minority Leaders be 
authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, 
conferences, or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by 
concurrent action of the two Houses, or by order of the Senate. 
                                                             Page S1011
Pro Forma Sessions--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that when the Senate adjourn, it 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: Monday, February 16, 2015 at 
4:45 p.m., and Thursday, February 19, 2015, at 10 a.m.; and that the 
Senate adjourn on Thursday, February 19, 2015, until 3 p.m., on Monday, 
February 23, 2015.                                       
  Pages S1011-12
Nomination Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nomination:
  By 93 yeas to 5 nays (Vote No. EX. 56), Ashton B. Carter, of 
Massachusetts, to be Secretary of Defense.         
Pages S955-67, S1012
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Brodi L. Fontenot, of Louisiana, to be Chief Financial Officer, 
Department of the Treasury.
  Deborah Willis, of New York, to be a Member of the National Council 
on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020.
  Ann Elizabeth Dunkin, of California, to be an Assistant Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  Jane Toshiko Nishida, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  Seth B. Carpenter, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant 
Secretary of the Treasury.
  Charles C. Adams, Jr., of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Republic 
of Finland.
  Sarah Elizabeth Mendelson, of the District of Columbia, to be 
Representative of the United States of America on the Economic and 
Social Council of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador.
  Sarah Elizabeth Mendelson, of the District of Columbia, to be an 
Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the 
Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, during her 
tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America on 
the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
  Mary Catherine Phee, of Illinois, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
South Sudan.
  David Michael Bennett, of North Carolina, to be a Governor of the 
United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2018.
  6 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  1 Army nomination in the rank of general.
  11 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.                
Page S1012
Messages from the House:                                      
  Page S981
Measures Referred:                                            
  Page S981
Executive Reports of Committees:                              
  Page S981
Additional Cosponsors:                                    
  Pages S984-85
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:             
  Page S985-S1009
Additional Statements:                                    
  Pages S980-81
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S1009-10
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S1010
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S1010
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--56)    
  Page S967

[[Page D139]]

Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 6:34 p.m., 
until 4:45 p.m. on Monday, February 16, 2015. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on pages 
S1011-12.)