[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 8, 2020)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1056-D1057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                          Tuesday, December 8, 2020

[[Page D1056]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S7247-S7287
Measures Introduced: Eleven bills and three resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 4972-4982, S. Res. 796-797, and S. Con. Res. 
51.                                                      
  Pages S7280-81
Measures Reported:
  S. 3152, to require the Federal Communications Commission to 
incorporate data on maternal health outcomes into its broadband health 
maps, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 
116-304)
  S. 4393, to improve the provision of health care and other benefits 
from the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans who were exposed 
to toxic substances, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  S. 4511, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to education, burial benefits, 
and other matters, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                             Page S7280
Measures Passed:
  Honoring the Life and Achievements of Former United States Senator 
Paul Spyros Sarbanes: Senate agreed to S. Res. 797, honoring the life 
and achievements of former United States Senator Paul Spyros Sarbanes 
and expressing condolences to the family of Paul Spyros Sarbanes on his 
passing.                                                     
  Page S7271
  Enrollment Correction: Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 51, correcting 
the enrollment of S. 1869.                                   
  Page S7285
  Motor Carrier Safety Grant Relief Act: Senate passed S. 3729, to 
provide relief for the recipients of financial assistance awards from 
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.             
  Page S7285
  Telework for U.S. Innovation Act: Senate passed S. 4138, to amend 
title 5, United States Code, to make permanent the authority of the 
United States Patent and Trademark Office to conduct a telework travel 
expenses program.                                        
  Pages S7285-86
  State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act: Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further consideration of S. 4460, 
to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to waive certain 
eligibility requirements for a veteran to receive per diem payments for 
domiciliary care at a State home, and the bill was then passed. 
                                                             Page S7286
  Safeguarding Therapeutics Act: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5663, to 
amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to give authority to the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner 
of Food and Drugs, to destroy counterfeit devices, and the bill was 
then passed, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed 
thereto:                                                     
  Page S7286
  Portman (for Alexander) Amendment No. 2694, in the nature of a 
substitute.                                                  
Page S7286
  PARENTS Act: Committee on Finance was discharged from further 
consideration of S. 3325, to amend part D of title IV of the Social 
Security Act to allow States to use incentive payments available under 
the child support enforcement program to improve parent-child 
relationships, increase child support collections, and improve outcomes 
for children by supporting parenting time agreements for noncustodial 
parents in uncontested agreements, and the bill was then passed. 
                                                             Page S7287
House Messages:
  Secure Federal LEASEs Act: Senate concurred in the amendment of the 
House of Representatives to S. 1869, to require the disclosure of 
ownership of high-security space leased to accommodate a Federal 
agency.                                                      
  Page S7285
Foreign Military Sales Joint Resolutions--Agreement: A unanimous-
consent-time agreement was reached providing that following the 
disposition of the nomination of Sean J. Cooksey, of Missouri, to be a 
Member of the Federal Election Commission, on Wednesday, December 9, 
2020, Senate resume legislative session, and it be in order for Senator 
Menendez, or his designee, to make motions to discharge S.J. Res. 77, 
providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign 
military sale to the United

[[Page D1057]]

Arab Emirates of certain defense articles and services, and S.J. Res. 
78, providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign 
military sale to the United Arab Emirates of certain defense articles 
and services; and if either motion is made, there be up to four hours 
of debate concurrently on the motions, equally divided between the 
proponents and the opponents of the joint resolutions, with Senator 
Menendez controlling 15 minutes of the proponents time immediately 
prior to the first vote; and upon the use or yielding back of that 
time, Senate vote on the motions to discharge the joint resolutions, in 
the order listed.                                            
  Page S7287
Retiring Members Tributes--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that there be printed as a Senate document a 
compilation of materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to 
retiring Members of the 116th Congress, and that Members have until 
Friday, December 18, 2020, to submit such tributes.          
  Page S7287
Dickerson, Broussard, and Cooksey Nominations--Agreement: A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing that the cloture motions with 
respect to the nominations of Allen Dickerson, of the District of 
Columbia, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission, Shana M. 
Broussard, of Louisiana, to be a Member of the Federal Election 
Commission, and Sean J. Cooksey, of Missouri, to be a Member of the 
Federal Election Commission, be withdrawn; and that at 11 a.m., on 
Wednesday, December 9, 2020, Senate vote on confirmation of the 
nominations, in the order which cloture was filed.           
  Page S7287
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that Senate 
resume consideration of the nomination of Allen Dickerson at 
approximately 10 a.m., on Wednesday, December 9, 2020.       
Page S7287
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  By 49 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. EX. 256), Stephen Sidney Schwartz, of 
Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims 
for a term of fifteen years.                         
Pages S7265, S7287
  By 49 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. EX. 257), Nathan A. Simington, of 
Virginia, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission for a 
term of five years from July 1, 2019.
  During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 49 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. EX. 255), Senate agreed to the motion 
to close further debate on the nomination.        
Pages S7249-57, S7287
Nomination Received: Senate received the following nomination:
  Irving Bailey, of Florida, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the United States International Development Finance Corporation for 
a term of three years.                                       
Page S7287
Messages from the House:                                     
  Page S7278
Measures Referred:                                           
  Page S7278
Enrolled Bills Presented:                                
  Pages S7278-79
Executive Communications:                                
  Pages S7279-80
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S7281-82
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S7282-84
Additional Statements:                                       
  Page S7277
Amendments Submitted:                                        
  Page S7284
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                      
  Pages S7284-85
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S7285
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--257) 
                                                     Pages S7257, S7265
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned, as a further 
mark of respect to the memory of the late Paul Spyros Sarbanes, former 
Senator for the State of Maryland, pursuant to the provisions of S. 
Res. 797, at 7:46 p.m., until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9, 2020. 
(For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in 
today's Record on page S7287.)