[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 21 (Thursday, February 4, 2021)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D89-D92]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                         Thursday, February 4, 2021

[[Page D89]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
  Senate continued into evening session that began on Thursday, 
February 4, 2021. See next volume of Congressional Record.
Routine Proceedings, see next issue
Measures Introduced: Fifty-one bills and three resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 218-268, S. Res. 33-35.    
  (See next issue.)
Measures Considered:
Congressional Budget Resolution: Senate continued consideration of S. 
Con. Res. 5, setting forth the congressional budget for the United 
States Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the 
appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030, after 
taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                      (See next issue.)
  Adopted:
  By 90 yeas to 10 nays (Vote No. 14), Sinema (for Wicker) Amendment 
No. 261, to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to 
establishing a fund to provide grants to food service and drinking 
establishments affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.     
(See next issue.)
  By a unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 16), Rubio Amendment No. 
69, to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to prohibiting 
legislation that would increase taxes on small businesses during any 
period in which a national emergency has been declared with respect to 
a pandemic.                                           
(See next issue.)
  Thune/Portman Modified Amendment No. 52, to establish a deficit-
neutral reserve fund relating to the authority of States or other 
taxing jurisdictions to tax certain income of employees for employment 
duties performed in other States or taxing jurisdictions. 
                                                      (See next issue.)
  By 58 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 18), Young/Cotton Amendment No. 54, 
to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to preventing 
legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to receive Economic 
Impact Payments or any other similar direct, tax-based temporary 
financial assistance.                                 
(See next issue.)
  By 99 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 19), Manchin Amendment No. 775, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to targeting economic 
impact payments to Americans who are suffering from the effects of 
COVID-19, including provisions to ensure upper-income taxpayers are not 
eligible.                                             
(See next issue.)
  By a unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 21), Cardin Amendment No. 
716, to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to COVID-19 
vaccine administration and a public awareness campaign. 
                                                      (See next issue.)
  By 98 yeas to 2 nays (Vote No. 22), Barrasso Amendment No. 653, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to supporting 
elementary and secondary schools in States with lost revenue due to the 
Federal moratorium on oil and natural gas leasing on public lands and 
offshore waters.                                      
(See next issue.)
  By 99 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 26), Collins Amendment No. 546, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to strengthening the 
Provider Relief Fund, including a 20 percent set aside for rural 
hospitals.                                            
(See next issue.)
  By a unanimous vote of 100 yeas (Vote No. 27), Shaheen Modified 
Amendment No. 834, to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating 
to improving services and interventions relating to sexual assault, 
family violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and child abuse. 
                                                      (See next issue.)
  By 57 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 28), Braun Amendment No. 833, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to prohibiting the 
Council on Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection 
Agency from promulgating rules or guidance that bans hydraulic 
fracturing in the United States.                      
(See next issue.)
  Cortez Masto/Cramer Amendment No. 853, to establish a deficit-neutral 
reserve fund relating to expanded support to struggling Americans in 
relation to their employment in hospitality, including those in 
conventions, trade shows, entertainment, tourism, and travel. 
                                                      (See next issue.)
  By 97 yeas to 3 nays (Vote No. 30), Inhofe Amendment No. 786, to 
establish a deficit-neutral

[[Page D90]]

reserve fund relating to maintaining the United States Embassy in 
Jerusalem, Israel.                                    
(See next issue.)
  Ernst Amendment No. 767, to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund 
relating to prohibiting an increase in the Federal minimum wage during 
a global pandemic to $15 per hour.                    
(See next issue.)
  By 52 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 32), Daines Amendment No. 678, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to the improvement of 
relations between the United States and Canada with regard to the 
Keystone XL Pipeline entering the United States in Phillips County, 
Montana.                                              
(See next issue.)
Rejected:
  By 50 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 15), Scott (SC) Amendment No. 53, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to ensuring the 
accurate reporting of COVID-19 related deaths of residents or staff at 
nursing homes.                                        
(See next issue.)
  By 50 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 17), Blunt Amendment No. 48, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to prohibiting the 
provision of COVID-19 related kindergarten through grade 12 emergency 
relief to schools that do not reopen for in-person learning after the 
teachers of such schools are vaccinated against COVID-19. 
                                                      (See next issue.)
  By 50 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 20), Toomey Amendment No. 553, to 
establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to ensuring that 
State and local law enforcement are permitted to cooperate with Federal 
officials to enforce Federal law.                     
(See next issue.)
  By 29 yeas to 71 nays (Vote No. 31), Paul Amendment No. 1, in the 
nature of a substitute.                               
(See next issue.)
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 52 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 23), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive all applicable sections of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974, and all applicable budget resolutions for purposes 
of Sasse Amendment No. 192, to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund 
relating to improving health care to prohibit a health care 
practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the 
case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion. 
Subsequently, a point of order that the amendment was not germane to 
the underlying resolution was sustained, and the amendment thus fell. 
                                                      (See next issue.)
  By 50 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 24), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive all applicable sections of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974, and all applicable budget resolutions for purposes 
of Graham Amendment No. 687, to establish a deficit-neutral reserve 
fund relating to strengthening and protecting international agreements, 
joint declarations, or proclamations entered into by the United States 
and Mexico. Subsequently, a point of order that the amendment was not 
germane to the underlying resolution was sustained, and the amendment 
thus fell.                                            
(See next issue.)
  By 52 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 25), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive all applicable sections of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974, and all applicable budget resolutions for purposes 
of Ernst Amendment No. 132, to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund 
relating to prioritizing taking into custody aliens charged with a 
crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Subsequently, a 
point of order that the amendment was not germane to the underlying 
resolution was sustained, and the amendment thus fell. 
                                                      (See next issue.)
  By 49 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 29), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected a motion to waive all applicable sections of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974, and all applicable budget resolutions for purposes 
of Grassley Amendment No. 91, to create a point of order against 
legislation that would allow for six-figure tax cuts for the top 1/10th 
of 1 percent of taxpayers. Subsequently, a point of order that the 
amendment was not germane to the underlying resolution was sustained, 
and the amendment thus fell.                          
(See next issue.)
Printing of Impeachment Documents--Agreement: A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the Secretary of the Senate be 
authorized, in relation to the pending impeachment trial of former 
President Trump, to print as Senate documents those documents filed by 
the parties, to be immediately made available to all parties, and that 
at the conclusion of the trial those documents be printed together as a 
Senate document.                                      
  (See next issue.)
Nomination Received: Senate received the following nomination:
  Samantha Power, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the United 
States Agency for International Development.          
(See next issue.)
Nominations Withdrawn: Senate received notification of withdrawal of 
the following nominations:
  Robert Benedict Bowes, of Virginia, to be a Commissioner of the 
Commodity Futures Trading Commission for a term expiring April 13, 
2025, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Brian P. Brooks, of California, to be Comptroller of the Currency for 
a term of five years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.

[[Page D91]]


  Judy Shelton, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System for the unexpired term of fourteen years 
from February 1, 2010, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  John Chase Johnson, of Oklahoma, to be Inspector General, Federal 
Communications Commission, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 
2021.
  Charles W. Cook, Jr., of Mississippi, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 
2025, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  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, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Mark Van Dyke Holmes, of New York, to be a Judge of the United States 
Tax Court for a term of fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on 
January 3, 2021.
  William A. Douglass, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Commonwealth 
of The Bahamas, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  John M. Barger, of California, to be a Member of the Federal 
Retirement Thrift Investment Board for a term expiring October 11, 
2022, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Christopher Bancroft Burnham, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the 
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board for a term expiring 
September 25, 2024, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Frank Dunlevy, of California, to be a Member of the Federal 
Retirement Thrift Investment Board for a term expiring September 25, 
2022, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Rahkel Bouchet, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge 
of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Sharon E. Goodie, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  John P. Howard III, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals for the term of 
fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Dennis Dean Kirk, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Merit Systems 
Protection Board for the term of seven years expiring March 1, 2023, 
which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Danny Lam Nguyen, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Mark A. Robbins, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Carl Ezekiel Ross, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Vijay Shanker, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge 
of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals for the term of fifteen 
years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Elizabeth J. Shapiro, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate 
Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  John C. Truong, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge 
of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 
fifteen years, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Terrence M. Andrews, of California, to be a Judge of the United 
States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years, which was 
sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Raul M. Arias-Marxuach, of Puerto Rico, to be United States Circuit 
Judge for the First Circuit, which was sent to the Senate on January 3, 
2021.
  Joseph L. Barloon, of Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States 
Court of International Trade, which was sent to the Senate on January 
3, 2021.
  Melanie J. Bevan, of Florida, to be United States Marshal for the 
Middle District of Florida for the term of four years, which was sent 
to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Maria Teresa Bonifacio Cenzon, of Guam, to be Judge for the District 
Court of Guam for the term of ten years, which was sent to the Senate 
on January 3, 2021.
  Stephen Andrew Kubiatowski, of Kentucky, to be a Judge of the United 
States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years, which was 
sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Edmund G. LaCour, Jr., of Alabama, to be United States District Judge 
for the Middle District of Alabama, which was sent to the Senate on 
January 3, 2021.
  Grace Karaffa Obermann, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United 
States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years, which was 
sent to the Senate on January 3, 2021.
  Jason Abend, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of 
Defense, which was sent to the Senate on January 6, 2021.

[[Page D92]]


  William Patrick Joseph Kimmitt, of Virginia, to be a Member of the 
United States International Trade Commission for a term expiring June 
16, 2029, which was sent to the Senate on January 6, 2021.
  Barbera Hale Thornhill, of California, to be Ambassador to the 
Republic of Singapore, which was sent to the Senate on January 6, 2021.
                                                      (See next issue.)
Executive Communications:                             
  (See next issue.)
Executive Reports of Committees:                      
  (See next issue.)
Additional Cosponsors:                                
  (See next issue.)
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:           
  (See next issue.)
Additional Statements:                                
  (See next issue.)
Amendments Submitted:                                 
  (See next issue.)
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                   
  (See next issue.)
Record Votes: Nineteen record votes were taken today. (Total--32) 
                                                      (See next issue.)
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m., and continued in evening 
session.                                              
  (See next issue.)