[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 134 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D984-D985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                       Thursday, September 17, 2015

[[Page D984]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S6773-S6820
Measures Introduced: Sixteen bills and four resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 2045-2060, S.J. Res. 22, and S. Res. 257-
259.                                                     
  Pages S6809-10
Measures Reported:
  S. 1170, to amend title 39, United States Code, to extend the 
authority of the United States Postal Service to issue a semipostal to 
raise funds for breast cancer research. (S. Rept. No. 114-144)
  H.R. 2051, to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to extend 
the livestock mandatory price reporting requirements, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute.
  S. 32, to provide the Department of Justice with additional tools to 
target extraterritorial drug trafficking activity.           
Page S6809
Measures Passed:
  Honoring Passenger Train Bravery and Heroism: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 259, honoring the bravery and heroism of those who selflessly 
prevented a deadly terrorist attack and saved countless lives while 
aboard a passenger train bound from Amsterdam to Paris on August 21, 
2015.                                                        
  Page S6818
  Welcoming King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain to the United 
States: Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged from further 
consideration of S. Res. 253, welcoming King Felipe VI and Queen 
Letizia of Spain on their official visit to the United States, 
including visits to Miami and St. Augustine, Florida, and the 
resolution was then agreed to.                               
  Page S6818
  Emergency Information Improvement Act: Senate passed S. 1090, to 
amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act to provide eligibility for broadcasting facilities to receive 
certain disaster assistance.                                 
  Page S6819
  Competitive Service Act: Senate passed S. 1580, to allow additional 
appointing authorities to select individuals from competitive service 
certificates.                                                
  Page S6819
  TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act: Senate passed H.R. 719, 
to require the Transportation Security Administration to conform to 
existing Federal law and regulations regarding criminal investigator 
positions, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute, and the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                         Pages S6819-20
  McConnell (for Thune) Amendment No. 2666, to require the Assistant 
Secretary to submit certain materials and information to the Committee 
on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Inspector General of the 
Department of Homeland Security to submit a study to the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.    
Page S6820
Measures Considered:
  Hire More Heroes Act: Senate continued consideration of H.J. Res. 61, 
amending 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, taking action on the following amendments and 
motions proposed thereto:                                
Pages S6775-93
Pending:
  McConnell Amendment No. 2640, of a perfecting nature.      
Page S6775
  McConnell Amendment No. 2656 (to Amendment No. 2640), to prohibit the 
President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or 
otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an 
agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran.            
Page S6775
  McConnell Amendment No. 2657 (to Amendment No. 2656), to change the 
enactment date.                                              
Page S6775
  McConnell Amendment No. 2658 (to the language proposed to be stricken 
by Amendment No. 2640), to change the enactment date.        
Page S6775
  McConnell Amendment No. 2659 (to Amendment No. 2658), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                      
Page S6775

[[Page D985]]


  McConnell motion to commit the joint resolution to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations, with instructions, McConnell Amendment No. 2660, to 
prohibit the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing 
relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions 
pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran. 
                                                             Page S6775
  McConnell Amendment No. 2661 (to (the instructions) Amendment No. 
2660), of a perfecting nature.                               
Page S6775
  McConnell Amendment No. 2662 (to Amendment No. 2661), of a perfecting 
nature.                                                      
Page S6775
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 53 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 266), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to close further debate on McConnell Amendment No. 
2656 (to Amendment No. 2640).                                
Page S6780
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the motion 
to invoke cloture on the joint resolution, be withdrawn.     
Page S6780
  By 56 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 267), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to close further debate on McConnell Amendment No. 
2640.                                                        
Page S6781
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act--Agreement: Senate began 
consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of H.R. 36, to 
amend title 18, United States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn 
children.                                                    
  Page S6798
   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 Tuesday, September 22, 2015.           
Page S6798
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at 
approximately 2 p.m., on Monday, September 21, 2015, Senate resume 
consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill. 
                                                             Page S6820
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Sim Farar, of California, to be a Member of the United States 
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy for a term expiring July 1, 
2015.
  Sim Farar, of California, to be a Member of the United States 
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy for a term expiring July 1, 
2018.
  William Joseph Hybl, of Colorado, to be a Member of the United States 
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy for a term expiring July 1, 
2015.
  William Joseph Hybl, of Colorado, to be a Member of the United States 
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy for a term expiring July 1, 
2018.
  Michael C. McGowan, of Delaware, to be United States Marshal for the 
District of Delaware, for the term of four years.    
Pages S6798, S6820
Messages from the House:                                 
  Pages S6806-07
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S6807
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S6807-09
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S6809
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S6810-11
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S6811-17
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S6804-06
Amendments Submitted:                                        
  Page S6817
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                      
  Pages S6817-18
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--267) 
                                                         Pages S6780-81
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:20 p.m., 
until 2 p.m. on Monday, September 21, 2015. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S6820.)