[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D867-D870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                      Wednesday, September 30, 2020

[[Page D867]]

                              Daily Digest

HIGHLIGHTS

      Senate passed H.R. 8337, Continuing Appropriations Act and Other 
      Extensions Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S5899-S6007
Measures Introduced: Nineteen bills and sixteen resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 4759-4777, S. Res. 727-741, and S. Con. Res. 
48.                                                      
  Pages S5948-50
Measures Reported:
  S. 2730, to establish and ensure an inclusive transparent Drone 
Advisory Committee, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
(S. Rept. No. 116-272)
  S. 2981, to reauthorize and amend the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002, with 
an amendment. (S. Rept. No. 116-273)                         
Page S5948
Measures Passed:
  Intercountry Adoption Information Act: Committee on Foreign Relations 
was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1952, to amend the 
Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 to require the Secretary of State to 
report on intercountry adoptions from countries which have 
significantly reduced adoption rates involving immigration to the 
United States, and the bill was then passed.                 
  Page S5918
  Senator Kay Hagan Airport Traffic Control Tower: Senate passed S. 
4762, to designate the airport traffic control tower located at 
Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, as 
the ``Senator Kay Hagan Airport Traffic Control Tower''. 
                                                         Pages S5918-23
  Continuing Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act: By 84 yeas to 
10 nays (Vote No. 197), Senate passed H.R. 8337, making continuing 
appropriations for fiscal year 2021, after taking action on the 
following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                        Pages S5902-06, S5906-18, S5923
Rejected:
  McConnell Amendment No. 2663, to change the enactment date. (Senate 
tabled the amendment.)                                       
Page S5923
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  McConnell Amendment No. 2664, of a perfecting nature, fell when 
McConnell Amendment No. 2663 was tabled.                     
Page S5923
  National Small Business Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 730, 
supporting the designation of the week beginning September 20, 2020, as 
``National Small Business Week'' and commending the entrepreneurial 
spirit of the small business owners of the United States and their 
impact on their communities.                                 
  Page S5983
  Lights On Afterschool: Senate agreed to S. Res. 731, supporting 
Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of afterschool programs 
held on October 22, 2020.                                    
  Page S5983
  National Bison Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 732, designating 
November 7, 2020, as ``National Bison Day''.             
  Pages S5983-84
  Preservation Society of Charleston Centennial: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 733, recognizing 2020 as the centennial of the Preservation 
Society of Charleston.                                       
  Page S5984
  National Falls Prevention Awareness Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
734, designating the week of September 21 through September 25, 2020, 
as ``National Falls Prevention Awareness Week'' to raise awareness and 
encourage the prevention of falls among older adults.    
  Pages S5984-85
  National Urban Wildlife Refuge Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 735, 
designating September 29, 2020, as ``National Urban Wildlife Refuge 
Day''.                                                       
  Page S5985

[[Page D868]]

  National Kinship Care Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 736, 
designating September 2020 as ``National Kinship Care Month''. 
                                                             Page S5985
  National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
737, expressing support for the designation of September 30, 2020, as 
``National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day''.            
  Pages S5985-86
  National Suicide Prevention Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 738, 
recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing 
support for the designation of September as ``National Suicide 
Prevention Month''.                                          
  Page S5986
  National Family Service Learning Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 739, 
expressing support for the designation of the week of September 21 
through September 25, 2020, as ``National Family Service Learning 
Week''.                                                      
  Page S5986
  Energy Efficiency Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 740, designating 
October 7, 2020, as ``Energy Efficiency Day'' in celebration of the 
economic and environmental benefits that have been driven by private 
sector innovation and Federal energy efficiency policies. 
                                                         Pages S5986-87
  Nuclear weapons program workers remembrance day: Senate agreed to S. 
Res. 741, designating October 30, 2020, as a national day of 
remembrance for the workers of the nuclear weapons program of the 
United States.                                               
  Page S5987
  Honoring Coya Knutson: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged from 
further consideration of S. Res. 687, honoring the life and legacy of 
Coya Knutson, and the resolution was then agreed to.         
  Page S5998
  Chief petty officers 100 years of service: Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation was discharged from further consideration 
of S. Res. 694, recognizing 100 years of service by chief petty 
officers in the United States Coast Guard, and the resolution was then 
agreed to.                                               
  Pages S5998-99
  National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act: Senate passed S. 
910, to reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program 
Act, after withdrawing the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute, and agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                      Pages S5999-S6000
  Portman (for Wicker) Amendment No. 2674, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                  
Page S6000
  Digital Coast Act: Senate passed S. 1069, to require the Secretary of 
Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, to establish a constituent-driven program 
to provide a digital information platform capable of efficiently 
integrating coastal data with decision-support tools, training, and 
best practices and to support collection of priority coastal geospatial 
data to inform and improve local, State, regional, and Federal 
capacities to manage the coastal region.          
  Pages S6000, S6003-04
  Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003: Committee on Environment 
and Public Works was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
3399, to amend the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 to 
include California in the program, and the bill was then passed. 
                                                             Page S6000
  Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003: Committee on Environment 
and Public Works was discharged from further consideration of S. 4403, 
to amend the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 to include 
California in the program, and the bill was then passed.     
  Page S6001
  Extension of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act: Committee on 
Finance was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 991, to 
extend certain provisions of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act 
until September 30, 2030, and the bill was then passed.      
  Page S6001
  Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act: Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
561, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the oversight of 
contracts awarded by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to small 
business concerns owned and controlled by veterans, and the bill was 
then passed.                                             
  Pages S6001-02
  Ensuring Health Safety in the Skies Act: Senate passed S. 3681, to 
require a joint task force on air travel during and after the COVID-19 
Public Health Emergency, after withdrawing the committee amendment in 
the nature of a substitute, and agreeing to the following amendment 
proposed thereto:                                        
  Pages S6002-03
  Portman (for Markey) Amendment No. 2677, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                  
Page S6003
House Messages:
Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act: Senate resumed consideration of the 
amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 178, to condemn gross 
human rights violations of ethnic Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, and 
calling for an end to arbitrary detention, torture, and harassment of 
these communities inside and outside China, taking action on the 
following motion and amendment proposed thereto:             
  Page S5923
Pending:
  McConnell motion to concur in the amendment of the House of 
Representatives to the bill, with

[[Page D869]]

McConnell Amendment No. 2652, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                             Page S5923
  McConnell (for Tillis) Amendment No. 2673 (to Amendment No. 2652), to 
amend the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to 
prohibit pre-existing condition exclusions. (By 47 yeas to 47 nays 
(Vote No. 199), Senate failed to table the amendment.)   
Pages S5923-24
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 48 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. 198), Senate agreed to the motion to 
proceed to consideration of the amendment of the House of 
Representatives to S. 178 (listed above).                    
Page S5923
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from 
the President of the United States:
  Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to the issuance of 
an Executive Order declaring a national emergency to deal with the 
threat posed by our Nation's undue reliance on critical minerals, in 
processed or unprocessed form, from foreign adversaries; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (PM-59) 
                                                         Pages S5945-46
Cannon Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Aileen Mercedes Cannon, of Florida, to be United States 
District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.         
  Page S5924
  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 S. 4653, 
to protect the healthcare of hundreds of millions of people of the 
United States and prevent efforts of the Department of Justice to 
advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act.                                                    
Page S5924
  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 S5924
Crouse Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Toby Crouse, of Kansas, to be United States District 
Judge for the District of Kansas.                            
  Page S5924
  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 Aileen Mercedes Cannon, of Florida, to be United States 
District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.         
Page S5924
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S5924
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                     
Page S5924
Calabrese Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of J. Philip Calabrese, of Ohio, to be United States 
District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.            
  Page S5924
  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 Toby Crouse, of Kansas, to be United States District 
Judge for the District of Kansas.                            
Page S5924
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S5924
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                     
Page S5924
Knepp II Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of James Ray Knepp II, of Ohio, to be United States District 
Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.                 
  Pages S5924-25
  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 J. Philip Calabrese, of Ohio, to be United States 
District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.            
Page S5925
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S5925
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                     
Page S5925
Newman Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Michael Jay Newman, of Ohio, to be United States District 
Judge for the Southern District of Ohio.                 
  Pages S5925-31
  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 James Ray Knepp II, of Ohio, to be United States District 
Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.                     
Page S5925
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S5925
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to 
consider the nomination.                                     
Page S5925

[[Page D870]]


  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the nomination at approximately 12:00 noon, on 
Thursday, October 1, 2020.                                   
Page S6003
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  2 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  6 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  1 Marine Corps nomination in the rank of general.
  1 Navy nomination in the rank of admiral.
  2 Space Force nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space 
Force.                                                   
Pages S6006-07
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Brian S. Davis, of North Carolina, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Defense.
  33 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  5 Coast Guard nominations in the rank of admiral.
  2 Space Force nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. 
                                                         Pages S6004-06
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S5946
Measures Referred:                                       
  Pages S5946-47
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                             
  Page S5947
Measures Read the First Time:                        
  Pages S5947, S6003
Enrolled Bills Presented:                                    
  Page S5947
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S5947-48
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S5948
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S5950-52
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S5952-81
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S5944-45
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S5987-98
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S5998
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--199) 
                                                         Pages S5923-24
Adjournment: Senate convened at 12 noon and adjourned at 8:39 p.m., 
until 12 noon on Thursday, October 1, 2020. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S6004.)