[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 5 (Thursday, January 9, 2020)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D25-D26]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                          Thursday, January 9, 2020

[[Page D25]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S99-S149
Measures Introduced: Twelve bills and seven resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 3170-3181, S.J. Res. 65-68, S. Res. 466-467, 
and S. Con. Res. 33.                                      
  Pages S124-25
Measures Reported:
  Report to accompany S. 876, to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to 
require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to prepare 
veterans for careers in the energy industry, including the solar, wind, 
cybersecurity, and other low-carbon emissions sectors or zero-emissions 
sectors of the energy industry. (S. Rept. No. 116-201)
  Report to accompany S. 2668, to establish a program for research, 
development, and demonstration of solar energy technologies. (S. Rept. 
No. 116-202)
  Report to accompany S. 2368, to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 
and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to support licensing and relicensing 
of certain nuclear facilities and nuclear energy research, 
demonstration, and development. (S. Rept. No. 116-203)        
Page S124
Measures Passed:
  United States Public Health Service Modernization Act: Senate passed 
S. 2629, to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the 
Public Health Service Corps, after agreeing to the committee amendment 
in the nature of a substitute.                                
  Page S147
  Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge: 
Committee on Environment and Public Works was discharged from further 
consideration of H.R. 263, to rename the Oyster Bay National Wildlife 
Refuge as the Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National Wildlife 
Refuge, and the bill was then passed.                     
  Pages S147-48
  Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents: Senate passed S.J. Res. 65, 
providing for the reappointment of John Fahey as a citizen regent of 
the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.          
  Page S148
  Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents: Senate passed S.J. Res. 66, 
providing for the appointment of Denise O'Leary as a citizen regent of 
the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.          
  Page S148
  Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents: Senate passed S.J. Res. 67, 
providing for the reappointment of Risa Lavizzo-Mourey as a citizen 
regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. 
                                                              Page S148
  America's Conservation Enhancement Act: Senate passed H.R. 925, to 
improve protections for wildlife, after agreeing to the following 
amendments proposed thereto:                                  
  Page S148
  McConnell (for Barrasso) Amendment No. 1276, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                   
Page S148
  McConnell (for Barrasso) Amendment No. 1277, to amend the title. 
                                                              Page S148
  Save Our Seas 2.0 Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation was discharged from further consideration of S. 1982, to 
improve efforts to combat marine debris, and the bill was then passed, 
after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                          Pages S148-49
  McConnell (for Sullivan) Amendment No. 1278, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                               
Pages S148-49
  Gaynor Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Peter Gaynor, of Rhode Island, to be Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security. 
                                                          Pages S115-19
  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, January 9, 2020, a vote on cloture will occur at 5:30 p.m. on 
Monday, January 13, 2020.                                 
Pages S115-16
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                              Page S115
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                      
Page S115

[[Page D26]]


  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at 
approximately 3 p.m., on Monday, January 13, 2020, Senate resume 
consideration of the nomination; and that the motion to invoke cloture 
filed during the session of Thursday, January 9, 2020, ripen at 5:30 
p.m., on Monday, January 13, 2020.                            
Page S149
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  By 50 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. EX. 10), Paul J. Ray, of Tennessee, 
to be Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget.                 
Pages S100-15
  During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 50 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. EX. 9), Senate agreed to the motion 
to close further debate on the nomination.                
Pages S103-04
  Cynthia L. Attwood, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Occupational 
Safety and Health Review Commission for a term expiring April 27, 2025.
  Amanda Wood Laihow, of Maine, to be a Member of Occupational Safety 
and Health Review Commission for the remainder of a term expiring April 
27, 2023.
  Crosby Kemper III, of Missouri, to be Director of the Institute of 
Museum and Library Services for a term of four years.         
Page S119
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, of California, to be United States District 
Judge for the Central District of California.
  Stanley Blumenfeld, of California, to be United States District Judge 
for the Central District of California.
  Grace Karaffa Obermann, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United 
States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years.
  Mark C. Scarsi, of California, to be United States District Judge for 
the Central District of California.
  Stephen Sidney Schwartz, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United 
States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years.
  Scott J. Laurer, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States 
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for the term of fifteen years.
  J. David Patterson, of Tennessee, to be Deputy Under Secretary of 
Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
  109 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  3 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  11 Marine Corps nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, and Marine 
Corps.
Messages from the House:                                  
  Pages S123-24
Measures Referred:                                            
  Page S124
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                              
  Page S124
Executive Communications:                                     
  Page S124
Petitions and Memorials:                                      
  Page S124
Additional Cosponsors:                                    
  Pages S124-27
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:                   
  Page S127
Additional Statements:                                    
  Pages S123-29
Amendments Submitted:                                         
  Page S129
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                           
  Page S147
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--10) 
                                                       Pages S104, S115
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 5:36 p.m., 
until 3 p.m. on Monday, January 13, 2020. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S149.)