[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 185 (Friday, December 18, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1336-D1338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                          Friday, December 18, 2015

[[Page D1336]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate agreed to the motion to concur in the amendments of the 
      House of Representatives to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 
      2029, Consolidated Appropriations Act.
      The House and Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 104, providing for 
      the sine die adjournment of the first session of the One Hundred 
      Fourteenth Congress.
      First Session of the 114th Congress adjourned sine die.


                                 Senate

Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S8837-S8913.
Measures Introduced: Fifteen bills and five resolutions were introduced, as 
follows: S. 2422-2436, and S. Res. 338-342.                       
  Page S8883
Measures Reported:
  Special Report entitled ``Further Revised Allocation to Subcommittees of 
Budget Totals from the Concurrent Resolution for Fiscal Year 2016''. (S. 
Rept. No. 114-197)
  Report to accompany S. 571, to amend the Pilot's Bill of Rights to 
facilitate appeals and to apply to other certificates issued by the Federal 
Aviation Administration, to require the revision of the third class medical 
certification regulations issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. (S. 
Rept. No. 114-198)
  S. 152, to prohibit gaming activities on certain Indian land in Arizona 
until the expiration of certain gaming compacts. (S. Rept. No. 114-199) 
                                                              Pages S8882-83
Measures Passed:
  Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act: Senate passed S. 2425, to 
amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to improve payments 
for complex rehabilitation technology and certain radiation therapy 
services, to ensure flexibility in applying the hardship exception for 
meaningful use for the 2015 EHR reporting period for 2017 payment 
adjustments.                                                  
  Pages S8859-61
  Microbead Free Waters Act: Senate passed H.R. 1321, to amend the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the manufacture and introduction or 
delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of rinse off cosmetics 
containing intentionally added plastic microbeads.                
  Page S8861
  Electrify Africa Act: Senate passed S. 2152, to establish a comprehensive 
United States Government policy to encourage the efforts of countries in sub 
Saharan Africa to develop an appropriate mix of power solutions, including 
renewable energy, for more broadly distributed electricity access in order 
to support poverty reduction, promote development outcomes, and drive 
economic growth, after agreeing to the committee amendments, and the 
following amendment proposed thereto:                         
  Pages S8861-65
  McConnell (for Corker) Amendment No. 2939, relating to policy to encourage 
the efforts of countries in sub-Saharan Africa to develop power solutions. 
                                                                  Page S8863
  Congratulating Towson University: Senate agreed to S. Res. 338, 
congratulating Towson University on the 150th anniversary of the founding of 
the university.                                                   
  Page S8865
  Congratulating the University of Iowa College of Law: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 339, congratulating the University of Iowa College of Law for 150 years 
of outstanding service to the State of Iowa, the United States, and the 
world.                                                        
  Pages S8865-66
  GONE Act: Senate passed S. 1115, to close out expired grants, after 
withdrawing the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and 
agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:         
  Pages S8906-07
  Perdue (for Fischer) Amendment No. 2940, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                                  Page S8907
  Congratulating the Women's Volleyball Team of Wheeling Jesuit University: 
Senate agreed to S. Res. 342, congratulating the women's volleyball

[[Page D1337]]

team of Wheeling Jesuit University on winning the Division II National 
Championship.                                                     
  Page S8907
  Adjournment Resolution: Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 104, providing for 
the sine die adjournment of the first session of the One Hundred Fourteenth 
Congress.                                                     
  Pages S8907-08
  Coast Guard Authorization Act: Senate passed H.R. 4188, to authorize 
appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2016 and 2017, after 
agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:             
  Page S8908
  Perdue (for Thune) Amendment No. 2941, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                                  Page S8908
  Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act: Senate passed S. 1893, to 
reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use 
disorders, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute, and the following amendments proposed thereto:    
  Pages S8908-13
  Perdue (for Murkowski) Amendment No. 2942, to increase amounts authorized 
to be appropriated for youth suicide early intervention and prevention 
strategies grants.                                                
Page S8910
  Perdue (for Lee) Amendment No. 2943, to provide for improved reporting. 
                                                                  Page S8910
Measures Considered:
Federal Reserve Transparency Act--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
motion to proceed to consideration of S. 2232, to require a full audit of 
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal reserve 
banks by the Comptroller General of the United States.            
  Page S8875
  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 Friday, December 18, 2015, a vote on cloture will occur 
at 2:30 p.m., on Tuesday, January 12, 2016.                       
Page S8875
House Messages:
  Consolidated Appropriations Act: By 65 yeas to 33 nays (Vote No. 339), 
Senate agreed to the motion to concur in the amendments of the House of 
Representatives to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 2029, making 
appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, 
after taking action on the following motions proposed thereto: 
                                                              Pages S8844-59
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the following 
action:
  By 72 yeas to 26 nays (Vote No. 336), three-fifths of those Senators duly 
chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to the 
motion to close further debate on the motion to concur in the House 
amendments to the Senate amendment to the bill.                   
Page S8858
  By 31 yeas to 67 nays (Vote No. 337), Senate failed to table the first 
House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill.              
Page S8858
  By 73 yeas to 25 nays (Vote No. 338), three-fifths of those Senators duly 
chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to the 
motion to waive all applicable sections of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974 and applicable budget resolutions, with respect to the House message to 
accompany the bill. Subsequently, the point of order that the motion to 
concur was in violation of section 311(a)(2)(B) of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974, was not sustained, and thus the point of order fell. 
                                                                  Page S8859
Appointments:
  United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission: The Chair 
announced, on behalf of the Majority Leader, pursuant to the provisions of 
Public Law 106-398, as amended by Public Law 108-7, and in consultation with 
the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Senate 
Committee on Finance, the re-appointment of the following individual to 
serve as a member of the United States-China Economic and Security Review 
Commission: James M. Talent of Missouri for a term expiring December 31, 
2017.                                                             
  Page S8908
International Megan's Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual 
Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders--Agreement: 
A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that notwithstanding 
passage of H.R. 515, to protect children and others from sexual abuse and 
exploitation, including sex trafficking and sex tourism, by providing 
advance notice of intended travel by registered sex offenders outside the 
United States to the government of the country of destination, requesting 
foreign governments to notify the United States when a known sex offender is 
seeking to enter the United States, the committee reported title amendment 
be agreed to.                                                     
  Page S8838
Appointments Authority--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 S8908
Signing Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that the junior Senator from Arkansas and the junior Senator from 
West Virginia be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions 
on Friday, December 18, 2015 through Monday, January 11, 2016.    
  Page S8908
Pro Forma--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing 
that Senate stand

[[Page D1338]]

adjourned pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 104 until Monday, 
January 4, 2016, and pursuant to the terms of H. J. Res. 76, that on January 
4, 2016, Senate convene at 12 noon for a pro forma session only with no 
business conducted; provided further, when Senate adjourns on January 4, 
2016, pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 104, it stand adjourned 
until 2:00 p.m., on Monday, January 11, 2016.                     
  Page S8913
Nominations Status Quo--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that all the nominations received by the Senate during the 114th 
Congress, first session, remain in status quo, notwithstanding the 
provisions of rule XXXI, paragraph 6, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
with the exception of the nominations of Stuart F. Delery, of the District 
of Columbia, to be Associate Attorney General, and Cono R. Namorato, of 
Virginia, to be an Assistant Attorney General.                    
  Page S8913
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  David Malcolm Robinson, of Connecticut, to be Coordinator for 
Reconstruction and Stabilization.
  David Malcolm Robinson, of Connecticut, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
State (Conflict and Stabilization Operations).
  Suzette M. Kimball, of West Virginia, to be Director of the United States 
Geological Survey.
  Carlos J. Torres, of Virginia, to be Deputy Director of the Peace Corps.
  Shoshana Miriam Lew, of the District of Columbia, to be Chief Financial 
Officer, Department of Transportation.
  Patrick Joseph Murphy, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of the Army.
                                                                  Page S8913
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Morton H. Halperin, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the 
Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation for a term of two 
years.
  Michael O. Johanns, of Nebraska, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the Millennium Challenge Corporation for a term of three years.
  Adam H. Sterling, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Slovak Republic.
  Dain Borges, of Puerto Rico, to be a Member of the National Council on the 
Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020.
  Thavolia Glymph, of North Carolina, to be a Member of the National Council 
on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020.
  Deborah Wong, of California, to be a Member of the National Council on the 
Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020.                  
Page S8913
Nomination Withdrawn: Senate received notification of withdrawal of the 
following nomination:
  Adewale Adeyemo, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary of the 
Treasury, which was sent to the Senate on January 16, 2015.       
Page S8913
Nominations Returned to the President: The following nominations were 
returned to the President failing of confirmation under Senate rule XXXI at 
the time of the sine die adjournment of the 114th Congress:
   Stuart F. Delery, of the District of Columbia, to be Associate Attorney 
General.
   Cono R. Namorato, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Attorney General. 
                                                                  Page S8913
Messages from the House:                                          
  Page S8881
Measures Referred:                                                
  Page S8881
Measures Read the First Time:                                     
  Page S8881
Enrolled Bills Presented:                                     
  Pages S8881-82
Executive Communications:                                         
  Page S8882
Executive Reports of Committees:                                  
  Page S8883
Additional Cosponsors:                                        
  Pages S8883-85
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:                   
  Pages S8885-89
Additional Statements:                                        
  Pages S8879-81
Amendments Submitted:                                      
  Pages S8889-S8906
Privileges of the Floor:                                          
  Page S8906
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total--339)   
  Pages S8858 and S8859
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned sine die, pursuant 
to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 104, at 4:25 p.m., until 12 noon on 
Monday, January 4, 2016. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the 
Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S8913.)