[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 203 (Wednesday, December 2, 2020)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1029-D1031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                        Wednesday, December 2, 2020

[[Page D1029]]

                              Daily Digest


HIGHLIGHTS

      See Resume of Congressional Activity.
      Senator-elect Mark Kelly of the State of Arizona was administered 
      the oath of office.
      Senate passed S. 578, ALS Disability Insurance Access Act.


                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S7143-S7189
Measures Introduced: Ten bills and seven resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 4944-4953, S.J. Res. 81, and S. Res. 782-787. 
                                                         Pages S7178-79
Measures Reported:
  S. 4897, to reestablish United States global leadership in nuclear 
energy, revitalize domestic nuclear energy supply chain infrastructure, 
support the licensing of advanced nuclear technologies, and improve the 
regulation of nuclear energy, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                  
Page S7178
Measures Passed:
  ALS Disability Insurance Access Act: Committee on Finance was 
discharged from further consideration of S. 578, to amend title II of 
the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period for 
disability insurance benefits under such title for individuals with 
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and the bill was then passed in a roll 
call vote, 96 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 250), by the order of the Senate 
of Tuesday, December 1, 2020, 60 Senators having voted in the 
affirmative, and after taking action on the following amendment 
proposed thereto:                                 
  Pages S7157, S7163-64
Rejected:
  By 48 yeas to 49 nays (Vote No. 249), McConnell (for Grassley) 
Amendment No. 2689, to increase the overpayment collection threshold 
for old-age, survivors, and disability insurance benefits. (Pursuant to 
the order of Tuesday, December 1, 2020, the amendment having failed to 
achieve 60 affirmative votes, was not agreed to.)            
Page S7163
  Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act: Committee on the Judiciary 
was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1044, to amend the 
Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical 
limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country 
numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants, and the bill was 
then passed, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed 
thereto:                                                 
  Pages S7182-87
  Lee Amendment No. 2690, in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                         Pages S7183-87
  Bureau of Land Management Land Acquisition Data: Senate passed S. 
434, to require the collection of certain data relating to Bureau of 
Land Management land acquisitions, after agreeing to the committee 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.                     
  Page S7178
  Republic of Texas Legation Memorial Act: Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
3349, to authorize the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to establish 
the Republic of Texas Legation Memorial as a commemorative work in the 
District of Columbia, and the bill was then passed.          
  Page S7178
  Fallen Journalists Memorial Act: Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3465, to 
authorize the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation to establish a 
commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and 
the bill was then passed.                                
  Pages S7187-88
  Young Fishermen's Development Act: Senate passed S. 496, to preserve 
United States fishing heritage through a national program dedicated to 
training and assisting the next generation of commercial fishermen, 
after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: 
                                                         Pages S7188-89
  Inhofe (for Sullivan) Amendment No. 2691, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                              
Pages S7188-89

[[Page D1030]]

  National Hospice and Palliative Care Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
783, designating November 2020 as ``National Hospice and Palliative 
Care Month''.                                                
  Page S7189
  American Diabetes Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 784, supporting the 
goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month.                 
  Page S7189
  Stomach Cancer Awareness Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 785, 
expressing support for the goals of Stomach Cancer Awareness Month. 
                                                             Page S7189
  National Wreaths Across America Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 786, 
designating December 19, 2020, as ``National Wreaths Across America 
Day''.                                                       
  Page S7189
  National Adoption Month and National Adoption Day: Senate agreed to 
S. Res. 787, expressing support for the goals of National Adoption 
Month and National Adoption Day by promoting national awareness of 
adoption and the children waiting for adoption, celebrating children 
and families involved in adoption, and encouraging the people of the 
United States to secure safety, permanency, and well-being for all 
children.                                                    
  Page S7189
Swearing in of Senator Kelly: The Chair laid before the Senate the 
certificate of election of Senator-elect Mark Kelly of the State of 
Arizona, and the oath of office was then administered as required by 
the U.S. Constitution and prescribed by law.             
  Pages S7156-57
House Messages:
National Defense Authorization Act--Conference: Senate began 
consideration of the House message to accompany H.R. 6395, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year.                              
  Page S7145
  Senate insisted on its amendment, agreed to the requested of the 
House for a conference thereon, and the Chair was authorized to appoint 
the following conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators Inhofe, 
Wicker, Fischer, Cotton, Rounds, Ernst, Tillis, Sullivan, Perdue, 
Cramer, Thune, Scott (FL), Blackburn, Hawley, Reed, Shaheen, 
Gillibrand, Blumenthal, Hirono, Kaine, King, Heinrich, Warren, Peters, 
Manchin, Duckworth, and Jones.                               
Page S7145
  National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act: Senate concurred 
in the amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 910, to 
reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act. 
                                                             Page S7188
  Digital Coast Act: Senate concurred in the amendment of the House of 
Representatives to 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.                     
  Page S7188
Waller Nomination--Agreement: Senate resumed consideration of the 
nomination of Christopher Waller, of Minnesota, to be a Member of the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. 
                                                Pages S7156-63, 7164-73
  During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 50 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. EX. 247), Senate agreed to the motion 
to close further debate on the nomination.                   
Page S7156
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that 
notwithstanding the provisions of Rule XXII, the post-cloture time on 
the nomination expire at 11:30 a.m., on Thursday, December 3, 2020, and 
Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination; and that if cloture is 
invoked on the nomination of Liam P. Hardy, of Virginia, to be a Judge 
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the post-
cloture time expire at 1:45 p.m., on Thursday, December 3, 2020, and 
Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination.               
Page S7173
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the nomination at approximately 10 a.m., on Thursday, 
December 3, 2020.                                            
Page S7189
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  By 56 yeas to 39 nays (Vote No. EX. 245), Kyle Hauptman, of Maine, to 
be a Member of the National Credit Union Administration Board for a 
term expiring August 2, 2025.                            
Pages S7146-55
  By 51 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. EX. 248), Kathryn C. Davis, of 
Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims 
for a term of fifteen years.                             
Pages S7155-57
  During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 51 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. EX. 246), Senate agreed to the motion 
to close further debate on the nomination.               
Pages S7155-56
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:

[[Page D1031]]


  William S. Jasien, of Virginia, to be a Director of the Securities 
Investor Protection Corporation for a term expiring December 31, 2023.
  Gino D. Campana, of Colorado, to be Chairperson of the Public 
Buildings Reform Board for a term of six years.
  Melanie J. Bevan, of Florida, to be United States Marshal for the 
Middle District of Florida for the term of four years.
  Ricky Roden, of Alabama, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of 
the Tennessee Valley Authority for the remainder of the term expiring 
May 18, 2021.
  William Patrick Joseph Kimmitt, of Virginia, to be a Member of the 
United States International Trade Commission for a term expiring June 
16, 2029.
  Eldon P. Regua, of California, to be Representative of the United 
States of America to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with 
the rank and status of Ambassador.
  1 Army nomination in the rank of general.
  1 Navy nomination in the rank of admiral.                  
Page S7189
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S7178
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S7179-80
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S7180-82
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S7174-75
Amendments Submitted:                                    
  Pages S7182-87
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S7187
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--250) 
                                               Pages S7155-57, S7163-67
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 7:17 p.m., 
until 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 3, 2020. (For Senate's program, see 
the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S7189.)