[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 92 (Thursday, May 26, 2022)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D593-D595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                             Thursday, May 26, 2022

[[Page D593]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S2713-S2763
Measures Introduced: Thirty-five bills and twelve resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 4314-4348, S.J. Res. 48, and S. Res. 650-
660.                                                     
  Pages S2751-52
Measures Failed:
  Screening and consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and 
CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers: By 46 yeas to 48 nays (Vote 
No. 211), Senate failed to pass S.J. Res. 46, providing for 
congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States 
Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Justice and the 
Department of Homeland Security relating to ``Procedures for Credible 
Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and 
CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers''.              
  Pages S2721-22
  Subsequently, Senator McConnell entered a motion to reconsider the 
vote by which passage failed.                                
Page S2722
Measures Passed:
  GAO Database Modernization Act: Senate passed S. 629, to amend 
chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to require Federal agencies 
to submit to the Comptroller General of the United States a report on 
rules that are revoked, suspended, replaced, amended, or otherwise made 
ineffective, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of 
a substitute.                                                
  Page S2735
  MAPS Act: Senate passed S. 1941, to direct the Director of the Office 
of Management and Budget to standardize the use of core-based 
statistical area designations across Federal programs, to allow between 
120 and 180 days for public comment on any proposed change to such 
designations, and to report on the scientific basis and estimated 
impact to Federal programs for any proposed change to such 
designations, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature 
of a substitute.                                         
  Pages S2735-36
  CTPAT Pilot Program Act: Senate passed S. 2322, to require a pilot 
program on the participation of non-asset-based third-party logistics 
providers in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, after 
agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
                                                         Pages S2736-37
  VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act: Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4591, to 
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress periodic 
reports on the costs, performance metrics, and outcomes of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Record Modernization 
program, and the bill was then passed.                       
  Page S2737
  Security Treaty 70th Anniversary: Senate agreed to S. Res. 341, 
commemorating the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Security 
Treaty among Australia, New Zealand, and the United States of America. 
                                                             Page S2737
  Operation Allies Refuge: Senate agreed to S. Res. 390, expressing 
appreciation for the State of Qatar's efforts to assist the United 
States during Operation Allies Refuge.                       
  Page S2737
  U.S. and Baltic States Diplomatic Relations: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
499, celebrating 100 years of diplomatic relations between the United 
States and the Baltic States.                                
  Page S2737
  United States-Africa Leaders Summit: Senate agreed to S. Res. 538, 
expressing support for a second United States-Africa Leaders Summit as 
an important opportunity to strengthen ties between the United States 
and African partners and build on areas of mutual interest. 
                                                             Page S2737
  Republic of Poland Support for Ukraine: Senate agreed to S. Res. 615, 
expressing appreciation for the efforts of the Republic of Poland to 
assist Ukrainian refugees and support the sovereignty of Ukraine 
following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.                   
  Page S2737
  Calling for the Immediate Release of Vladimir Kara-Murza: Senate 
agreed to S. Res. 632, calling for the immediate release of Russian 
opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was unjustly detained on 
April 11, 2022.                                              
  Page S2737

[[Page D594]]

  Great Outdoors Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 654, designating June 
2022 as ``Great Outdoors Month''.                            
  Page S2737
  National Senior Fraud Awareness Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 655, 
supporting the designation of May 13, 2022 as ``National Senior Fraud 
Awareness Day'' to raise awareness about the increasing number of 
fraudulent scams targeted at seniors in the United States, to encourage 
the implementation of policies to prevent those scams from happening, 
and to improve protections from those scams for seniors. 
                                                         Pages S2737-38
  Older Americans Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 656, designating May 
2022 as ``Older Americans Month''.                       
  Pages S2737-38
  Older Americans Mental Health Awareness Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 
657, designating May 16, 2022, as ``Older Americans Mental Health 
Awareness Day'' to raise awareness of the mental health needs of older 
adults.                                                  
  Pages S2737-38
  CASA/GAL Volunteers' Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 658, designating 
June 6, 2022, as ``CASA/GAL Volunteers' Day''.           
  Pages S2737-38
  Aden Spencer Perry: Senate agreed to S. Res. 659, honoring the memory 
of Aden Spencer Perry.                                       
  Page S2738
  Norman Y. Mineta: Senate agreed to S. Res. 660, expressing the 
condolences of the Senate on the death of the Honorable Norman Y. 
Mineta.                                                      
  Page S2738
Measures Considered:
Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act: Senate resumed consideration of the 
motion to proceed to consideration of H.R. 350, to authorize dedicated 
domestic terrorism offices within the Department of Homeland Security, 
the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to 
analyze and monitor domestic terrorist activity and require the Federal 
Government to take steps to prevent domestic terrorism. 
                                                         Pages S2713-21
  During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the 
following action:
  By 47 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. 210), three-fifths of those Senators 
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate 
rejected the motion to close further debate on the motion to proceed to 
consideration of the bill.                                   
Page S2721
  Subsequently, Senator Schumer entered a motion to reconsider the vote 
by which cloture was not invoked on the motion to proceed to 
consideration of the bill.                                   
Page S2721
Honoring our Pact Act--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
motion to proceed to consideration of H.R. 3967, to improve health care 
and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances.       
  Page S2729
  A motion was entered to close further debate on the motion to proceed 
to consideration of the bill, 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 Alex Wagner, of the 
District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. 
                                                         Pages S2728-29
  Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the 
following action:
  Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session. 
                                                             Page S2726
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 S2735
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: Friday, May 27, 2022, at 9:30 
a.m.; Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at 11 a.m.; and Friday, June 3, 2022, at 
4:30 p.m.; and that when the Senate adjourns on Friday, June 3, 2022, 
it next convene at 3 p.m., on Monday, June 6, 2022.          
  Page S2761
Wagner Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the 
nomination of Alex Wagner, of the District of Columbia, to be an 
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.                    
  Pages S2728-29
  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, and pursuant to the unanimous-consent agreement of 
Thursday, May 26, 2022 a vote on cloture will occur at 5:30 p.m. on 
Monday, June 6, 2022.                                        
Page S2761
  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 S2728
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that Senate 
resume consideration of the nomination at approximately 3 p.m., on 
Monday, June 6,

[[Page D595]]

2022; and that the motions to invoke cloture filed during the session 
of Thursday, May 26, 2022 ripen at 5:30 p.m.                 
Page S2761
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
  By 82 yeas to 10 nays (Vote No. EX. 212), Marcia Stephens Bloom 
Bernicat, of New Jersey, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, 
Class of the Minister-Counselor, to be Director General of the Foreign 
Service.                                                 
Pages S2723-26
  Steven Scott Cliff, of California, to be Administrator of the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  Andrew Fois, of the District of Columbia, to be Chairman of the 
Administrative Conference of the United States for a term of five 
years.
  Christopher A. Coes, of Georgia, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Transportation.
  Benny R. Wagner, of Tennessee, to be Inspector General of the 
Tennessee Valley Authority.
  Denis Udall, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees 
of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation for a term 
expiring April 15, 2023.
  Teresa Arrington Fox Udall, of Colorado, to be a Member of the Board 
of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation for 
a term expiring October 6, 2022.
  Denis Udall, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees 
of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation for a term 
expiring April 15, 2029.
  Teresa Arrington Fox Udall, of Colorado, to be a Member of the Board 
of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation for 
a term expiring October 6, 2028.                             
Page S2729
  12 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
  48 Army nominations in the rank of general.
  12 Marine Corps nominations in the rank of general.
  8 Navy nominations in the rank of admiral.
  5 Space Force nominations in the rank of general.
  Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space 
Force.                                                   
Pages S2729-31
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
  Laura Taylor-Kale, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Defense.
  Sue Ellen Moore, of Washington, to be a Member of the Marine Mammal 
Commission for a term expiring May 13, 2023.
  Andrew J. Read, of North Carolina, to be a Member of the Marine 
Mammal Commission for a term expiring May 13, 2025.
  Angela Price Aggeler, of the District of Columbia, to be Ambassador 
to the Republic of North Macedonia.
  Marie C. Damour, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Fiji, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as 
Ambassador to the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru, the 
Kingdom of Tonga, and Tuvalu.
  Mark W. Libby, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Azerbaijan.
  Gautam A. Rana, of New Jersey, to be Ambassador to the Slovak 
Republic.
  Rosemarie Hidalgo, of the District of Columbia, to be Director of the 
Violence Against Women Office, Department of Justice.        
Page S2761
Executive Reports of Committees:                             
  Page S2751
Notice of a Tie Vote Under S. Res. 27:               
  Pages S2741, S2746
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages S2753-54
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:              
  Pages S2754-60
Additional Statements:                                   
  Pages S2748-51
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                          
  Page S2760
Privileges of the Floor:                                     
  Page S2761
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--212) 
                                               Pages S2721-22, S2725-26
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned, as a further 
mark of respect to the memory of the late Norman Y. Mineta, in 
accordance with S. Res. 660, at 4:32 p.m., until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, 
May 27, 2022. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting 
Majority Leader in today's Record on page S2761.)