[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 173 (Thursday, October 31, 2019)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1191-D1195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                         Thursday, October 31, 2019

[[Page D1191]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 3055, Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, 
      Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Interior, 
      Environment, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development 
      Appropriations Act, as amended.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S6309-S6362
Measures Introduced: Fourteen bills and fifteen resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 2756-2769, and S. Res. 391-405. 
                                                         Pages S6333-34
Measures Passed:
  Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
Drug Administration, Interior, Environment, Transportation, and Housing 
and Urban Development Appropriations Act: By 84 yeas to 9 nays (Vote 
No. 341), Senate passed H.R. 3055, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for 
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, by the order of the Senate 
of Wednesday, October 30, 2019, 60 Senators having voted in the 
affirmative, after taking action on the following amendments proposed 
thereto:                                                 
  Pages S6311-22
Adopted:
  McConnell (for Tester) Amendment No. 953 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
provide for the availability of funds for Agricultural Research Service 
research facilities to provide public access.            
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Smith) Amendment No. 1023 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
amend provisions relating to the rental assistance program of the Rural 
Housing Service.                                         
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Hirono) Amendment No. 1037 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
require a study on the economic and environmental impacts of importing 
orchids in growing media.                                
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Brown/Jones) Modified Amendment No. 1088 (to Amendment 
No. 948), to provide appropriations for centers of excellence at 1890 
Institutions, with an offset.                            
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Baldwin) Amendment No. 1099 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
increase the appropriation for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance 
Network, with an offset.                                 
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Whitehouse) Amendment No. 1121 (to Amendment No. 948), 
to set aside funding for the ocean agriculture working group. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Thune/Hoeven) Amendment No. 1133 (to Amendment No. 
948), to provide funding for the new beginning for Tribal students 
program, with an offset.                                 
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Jones) Amendment No. 1143 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
increase the appropriation for rural decentralized water systems. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Smith) Amendment No. 1149 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
require the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize maintenance and 
staff needs relating to assistance provided by the Rural Housing 
Service.                                                 
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Rosen/Fischer) Amendment No. 1161 (to Amendment No. 
948), to increase the appropriation for the distance learning and 
telemedicine program, with an offset.                    
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for McSally/Gillibrand) Amendment No. 1163 (to Amendment 
No. 948), to provide funding for the emergency and transitional pet 
shelter and housing assistance grant program, with an offset. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Reed) Amendment No. 1217 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
provide funding for States impacted by Eastern equine encephalitis, 
with an offset.                                          
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Stabenow) Amendment No. 1223 (to Amendment No. 948), 
to provide funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative 
Production, with an offset.                              
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Cornyn/Booker) Amendment No. 1224 (to Amendment No. 
948), to provide funding

[[Page D1192]]

for pilot projects to address food insecurity, with an offset. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Warner) Amendment No. 951 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
require the Attorney General to report to Congress on, and establish a 
deadline for, the implementation of the Ashanti Alert Act of 2018. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Capito/Schatz) Amendment No. 1077 (to Amendment No. 
948), to make $10,000,000 available for the SelectUSA program. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Cantwell) Amendment No. 1094 (to Amendment No. 948), 
to require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration submit to Congress a report on existing supercomputing 
capacity and needs of the Administration.                
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Toomey) Amendment No. 1129 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
require that the Secretary of Commerce use amounts appropriated or 
otherwise made available for the Bureau of Industry and Security for 
operations and administration to publish and submit to Congress a 
report on the findings of the investigation into the effect on national 
security of imports of automobiles and automotive parts. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Durbin/Kennedy) Amendment No. 1146 (to Amendment No. 
948), to require the Drug Enforcement Administration to continue to 
establish and utilize data collection and sharing agreements in order 
to properly estimate rates of overdose deaths and overall public health 
impact related to certain controlled substances, for the purpose of 
determining diversion and establishing annual opioid production quotas.
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Gardner) Amendment No. 1150 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
increase funding for the COPS Office Anti-Methamphetamine Task Forces 
grant program.                                           
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for McSally) Amendment No. 1234 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
require the Attorney General to submit a report on the enforcement of 
animal welfare laws.                                     
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Sinema) Amendment No. 1025 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
require a Bureau of Indian Affairs report analyzing the facilities 
investments required to improve direct service and tribally operated 
detention and public safety facilities in Indian Country. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Ernst) Amendment No. 1079 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
prohibit bogus payments to contractors.                  
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Ernst) Amendment No. 1081 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to submit 
to Congress a report on projects that are over budget and behind 
schedule.                                                
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Cornyn/Sinema) Amendment No. 1151 (to Amendment No. 
948), to increase funding for the construction of high priority water 
and wastewater facilities on the United States-Mexico Border, with an 
offset.                                                  
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Cardin) Amendment No. 1159 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
provide for a report on certain programs of the United States Holocaust 
Memorial Museum.                                         
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Rosen) Amendment No. 1160 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
set aside funds for certain Lake Tahoe restoration activities. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Thune/Udall) Amendment No. 1162 (to Amendment No. 
948), to require a study of law enforcement staffing needs of Indian 
Tribes.                                                  
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Peters/Portman) Amendment No. 1182 (to Amendment No. 
948), to increase money appropriated for Geographic Programs, with an 
offset.                                                  
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Cornyn) Amendment No. 1193 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
make available funds for the Smithsonian Latino Center. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Menendez) Amendment No. 1199 (to Amendment No. 948), 
to set aside funds for the Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers program. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Blunt/Kaine) Amendment No. 1211 (to Amendment No. 
948), to set aside funds for the 400 Years of African-American History 
Commission.                                              
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for McSally/Sinema) Amendment No. 1215 (to Amendment No. 
948), to require a report on the status of the Four Forest Restoration 
Initiative.                                              
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Collins/Feinstein) Amendment No. 1220 (to Amendment 
No. 948), to make available funds for the Women's History Initiative. 
                                                         Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Schumer/Bennet) Amendment No. 1227 (to Amendment No. 
948), to provide for a Government Accountability Office study on 
outdoor recreation.                                      
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Hassan/Van Hollen) Amendment No. 956 (to Amendment No. 
948), to require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to 
provide Congress with recommendations and associated costs for future 
research on rental payment insurance.                    
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Collins/Reed) Amendment No. 1002 (to Amendment No. 
948), to make a technical correction.                    
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Shaheen) Amendment No. 1005 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
express the sense of

[[Page D1193]]

Congress relating to the Federal Aviation Administration and 
regulations regarding the emergency medical equipment carried by 
passenger airlines.                                      
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Kaine) Amendment No. 1010 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
ensure funding for the FAA remote tower pilot program.   
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Cortez Masto) Amendment No. 1061 (to Amendment No. 
948), to require a report on engagement with local interests relating 
to intelligent transportation systems technologies and smart cities 
solutions.                                               
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Cortez Masto) Amendment No. 1062 (to Amendment No. 
948), to prohibit the use of funds to terminate the ITS program 
advisory committee.                                      
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Heinrich) Amendment No. 1114 (to Amendment No. 948), 
relating to funding for the Tribal HUD-VASH program.     
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Shaheen) Amendment No. 1130 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
provide a sense of Congress relating to preserving manufactured home 
communities.                                             
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Hoeven/Baldwin) Amendment No. 1214 (to Amendment No. 
948), to provide for a veterans pilot training competitive grant 
program.                                                 
Pages S6311-15
  McConnell (for Portman) Amendment No. 1235 (to Amendment No. 948), to 
provide additional funding for the family unification program of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development.             
Pages S6311-15
  By 82 yeas to 11 nays (Vote No. 340), Jones/McSally Modified 
Amendment No. 1141 (to Amendment No. 948), to prohibit the 
implementation of the ``Rostenkowski Test'' with respect to the Mass 
Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund.           
Pages S6316, S6321
  Shelby Amendment No. 948, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                         Pages S6311-22
Rejected:
  By 29 yeas to 64 nays (Vote No. 339), Lee Amendment No. 1209 (to 
Amendment No. 948), to prohibit the expenditure of certain amounts from 
the Land and Water Conservation Fund for land acquisition.   
Page S6321
Withdrawn:
  McConnell (for Shelby) Amendment No. 950, to make a technical 
correction.                                          
Pages S6311, S6322
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  Pursuant to the order of Wednesday, October 30, 2019, the motion to 
invoke cloture on the bill was withdrawn.                    
Page S6322
  Honoring the Members of the Military and Intelligence Community: 
Senate agreed to S. Res. 394, honoring the members of the military and 
intelligence community who carried out the mission that killed Abu Bakr 
al-Baghdadi.                                             
  Pages S6346-47
  National Bison Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 399, designating 
November 2, 2019, as ``National Bison Day''.                 
  Page S6357
  National Women's Small Business Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 400, 
recognizing October 2019 as ``National Women's Small Business Month''. 
                                                             Page S6357
  Filipino American History Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 401, 
recognizing the month of October 2019 as Filipino American History 
Month and celebrating the history and culture of Filipino Americans and 
their immense contributions to the United States.            
  Page S6357
  Honoring the Life of Toni Morrison: Senate agreed to S. Res. 402, 
honoring the life, work, and legacy of Toni Morrison.        
  Page S6357
  National Farm to School Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 403, 
designating October 2019 as ``National Farm to School Month''. 
                                                         Pages S6357-58
  Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act: Senate passed 
H.R. 2423, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in 
commemoration of ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution 
of the United States, giving women in the United States the right to 
vote.                                                        
  Page S6358
  National Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation was discharged from further consideration 
of S. Res. 345, supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Cybersecurity Awareness Month to raise awareness about, and enhance the 
state of, cybersecurity in the United States, and the resolution was 
then agreed to.                                              
  Page S6358
Measures Considered:
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Defense, State, Foreign 
Operations, and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act: Senate 
resumed consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of H.R. 
2740, making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and 
Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2020.                               
  Pages S6323-26
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 51 yeas to 41 nays (Vote No. 342), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion

[[Page D1194]]

to close further debate on the motion to proceed to consideration of 
the bill.                                                    
Page S6326
  Subsequently, Senator McConnell entered a motion to reconsider the 
vote by which cloture was not invoked on the motion to proceed to 
consideration of the bill.                                   
Page S6326
Messages from the President: Senate received the following messages 
from the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to the continuation 
of the national emergency with respect to Sudan as declared in 
Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 1997; which was referred to the 
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (PM-34) 
                                                         Pages S6331-32
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, notification of the President's intent 
to terminate the designation of the Republic of Cameroon as a 
beneficiary sub-Saharan African country under the African Growth and 
Opportunity Act (AGOA); which was referred to the Committee on Finance. 
(PM-35)                                                      
Page S6332
Tapp Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination 
of David Austin Tapp, of Kentucky, to be a Judge of the United States 
Court of Federal Claims.                                     
  Page S6326
  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, October 31, 2019, a vote on cloture will occur at 2:15 p.m. 
on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.                                
Page S6326
  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 S6326
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that Senate 
resume consideration of the nomination at approximately 10 a.m., on 
Tuesday, November 5, 2019; and that notwithstanding the provisions of 
Rule XXII, the cloture motions filed during the session of Thursday, 
October 31, 2019 ripen at 2:15 p.m., on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. 
                                                             Page S6358
Hunsaker Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Danielle J. Hunsaker, of Oregon, to be United States 
Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.                         
  Page S6326
  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 David Austin Tapp, of Kentucky, to be a Judge of the 
United States Court of Federal Claims.                   
Pages S6326-27
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S6326
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                     
Page S6326
Nardini Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of William Joseph Nardini, of Connecticut, to be United 
States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.                 
  Page S6327
  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 Danielle J. Hunsaker, of Oregon, to be United States 
Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.                         
Page S6327
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S6327
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                     
Page S6327
Rudofsky Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Lee Philip Rudofsky, to be United States District Judge 
for the Eastern District of Arkansas.                        
  Page S6327
  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 William Joseph Nardini, of Connecticut, to be United 
States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.                 
Page S6237
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S6327
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                     
Page S6327
  Wilson Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Jennifer Philpott Wilson, to be United States District 
Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.               
Page S6327
  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 Lee Philip Rudofsky, to be United States District Judge 
for the Eastern District of Arkansas.                        
Page S6327
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S6327

[[Page D1195]]


  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                     
                                                             Page S6327
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  1 Air Force nomination in the rank of general.
  6 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  3 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy. 
                                               Pages S6355-57, S6361-62
Nomination Received: Senate received the following nomination:
  Stephen E. Biegun, of Michigan, to be Deputy Secretary of State. 
                                                             Page S6361
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S6332
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S6332
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                             
  Page S6332
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S6332-33
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S6333
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S6334-36
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S6336-46
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S6330-31
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S6346
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S6346
Record Votes: Four record votes were taken today. (Total--342) 
                                                     Pages S6321, S6326
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 5:48 p.m., 
until 1 p.m. on Monday, November 4, 2019. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S6358.)