[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 179 (Tuesday, October 31, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5259-S5260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 444--PROVIDING FOR THE EN BLOC CONSIDERATION OF 
                          MILITARY NOMINATIONS

  Mr. REED submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Rules and Administration:

                              S. Res. 444

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. EN BLOC CONSIDERATION OF MILITARY NOMINATIONS.

       (a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``military 
     nomination'' means a nomination to a position in, or 
     promotion of an individual serving in a position in, an Armed 
     Force.
       (b) Motion to Proceed.--
       (1) In general.--
       (A) Authorization.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     during the 118th Congress, it shall be in order for the 
     Majority Leader, or a designee, to make a single motion in 
     Executive Session, or a single motion in Legislative Session 
     to proceed to Executive Session, to the en bloc consideration 
     of 2 or more military nominations that, at the time of the 
     motion--
       (i) are pending on the Executive calendar or are on the 
     Secretary's Desk;

[[Page S5260]]

       (ii) have laid over 1 day, as required under paragraph 1 of 
     rule XXXI of the Standing Rules of the Senate; and
       (iii) have been favorably reported to the Senate by the 
     Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
       (B) Exception.--It shall not be in order to include in a 
     motion under subparagraph (A) a nomination to--
       (i) a position described in section 151(a) of title 10, 
     United States Code (relating to the membership of the Joint 
     Chiefs of Staff); or
       (ii) a position as the commander of a combatant command 
     established under section 161, 167, or 167b of title 10, 
     United States Code.
       (2) Consideration of motion.--A motion to proceed under 
     paragraph (1) shall not be debatable and shall not be 
     divisible or subject to a point of order.
       (c) Consideration of Military Nominations.--
       (1) Cloture motion in order.--If a motion to proceed to 2 
     or more military nominations under subsection (b)(1) is 
     agreed to, the military nominations considered en bloc shall 
     not be subject to division and it shall be in order for a 
     Senator to present a single cloture motion to bring to a 
     close debate on the military nominations, en bloc, signed in 
     accordance with rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the 
     Senate.
       (2) Question.--When, in accordance with rule XXII of the 
     Standing Rules of the Senate, the Presiding Officer submits 
     to the Senate by a yea-and-nay vote the question on a cloture 
     motion presented under paragraph (1), the question shall be: 
     ``Is it the sense of the Senate that debate shall be brought 
     to a close on the military nominations the Senate agreed to 
     consider en bloc?''.
       (3) Vote threshold to invoke cloture.--The question under 
     paragraph (2) shall be decided by a majority of the Senators 
     voting, a quorum being present.
       (4) Post cloture consideration.--If cloture is invoked 
     under paragraph (3), the military nominations being 
     considered en bloc shall be the unfinished business to the 
     exclusion of all other business until disposed of and there 
     shall be no more than 2 hours of consideration of the 
     military nominations being considered en bloc.
       (5) Vote on nominations.--After no more than 2 hours of 
     consideration of the military nominations under paragraph 
     (4), the Senate shall vote, without any intervening action or 
     debate, except a single quorum call on demand to establish 
     the presence of a quorum (and motions required to establish a 
     quorum), on the confirmation of the military nominations en 
     bloc.
       (6) Disposing of nominations.--Following confirmation of 
     the military nominations en bloc under paragraph (5), the 
     motion to reconsider the confirmation vote on the military 
     nominations en bloc shall be considered made and laid upon 
     the table and the President shall be immediately notified of 
     the Senate's action on the military nominations.
       (d) Multiple Motions Authorized.--There shall be no limit 
     on the number of motions in order under this resolution.

                          ____________________