[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 25, 2020)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D320-D321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                          Wednesday, March 25, 2020

[[Page D320]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 748, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 
      Security Act, as amended.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S2021-S2159
Measures Introduced: Nine bills and one resolution were introduced, as 
follows: S. 3579-3587, and S. Res. 554.                      
  Page S2062
Measures Passed:
  Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act: By a unanimous 
vote of 96 yeas (Vote No. 80), Senate passed H.R. 748, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on high cost 
employer-sponsored health coverage, 60 Senators having voted in the 
affirmative, and after taking action on the following amendments 
proposed thereto:                                        
  Pages S2059-60
Adopted:
  McConnell Amendment No. 1578, providing emergency assistance and 
health care response for individuals, families and businesses affected 
by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.                    
Pages S2059, S2060
Rejected:
  By 48 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 79), Sasse Amendment No. 1577 (to 
Amendment No. 1578), to ensure that additional unemployment benefits do 
not result in an individual receiving unemployment compensation that is 
more than the amount of wages the individual was earning prior to 
becoming unemployed. (A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 affirmative 
votes, was not agreed to.)                               
Pages S2059-60
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the motion 
to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to consideration of the 
bill, be withdrawn.                                          
Page S2059
  Ryan Kules and Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act: 
Senate passed H.R. 3504, to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
provide for improvements to the specially adapted housing program and 
educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                             Page S2158
  McConnell (for Moran) Amendment No. 1579, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                  
Page S2158
  VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act: Committee on Veterans' Affairs was 
discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4771, to amend title 38, 
United States Code, to permit appellants to appear in cases before the 
Board of Veterans' Appeals by picture and voice transmission from 
locations other than facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
and the bill was then passed.                                
  Page S2158
  Department of Veterans Affairs Website Accessibility Act: Senate 
passed S. 3587, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct 
a study on the accessibility of websites of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to individuals with disabilities.                
  Pages S2158-59
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 S2159
Signing Authority--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that Senator Capito, Senator Murkowski, and Senator McConnell 
be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions on 
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 through Monday, April 20, 2020.    
  Page S2159

[[Page D321]]

Pro Forma Sessions--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that the Senate adjourn, to then 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, March 30, 2020, at 11 
a.m.; Thursday, April 2, 2020, at 10 a.m.; Monday, April 6, 2020, at 10 
a.m.; Thursday, April 9, 2020, at 10 a.m.; Monday, April 13, 2020, at 
10 a.m.; Thursday, April 16, 2020, at 3 p.m.; and that when the Senate 
adjourns on Thursday, April 16, 2020, it next convene at 3 p.m., on 
Monday, April 20, 2020.                                      
  Page S2159
Feitel Nomination--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that at approximately 3 p.m., on Monday, April 20, 2020, 
Senate begin consideration of the nomination of Robert J. Feitel, of 
Maryland, to be Inspector General, Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and 
that at 5:30 p.m., Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination. 
                                                             Page S2061
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  Charles Williams, of Missouri, to be an Assistant Secretary of the 
Navy.
  William Jordan Gillis, of Georgia, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Defense.                                                     
Page S2061
Additional Cosponsors:                                       
  Page S2062
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S2062-63
Amendments Submitted:                                 
  Pages S2063-S2158
Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--80) 
                                                             Page S2060
Adjournment: Senate convened at 12 noon on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 
and adjourned at 12:07 a.m. on Thursday, March 26, 2020, until 11 a.m. 
on Monday, March 30, 2020. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of 
the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S2159.)