[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 24 (Friday, February 9, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S593-S594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   REMOVING EXTRANEOUS LOOPHOLES INSURING EVERY VETERAN EMERGENCY ACT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 815) to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
     make certain improvements relating to the eligibility of 
     veterans to receive reimbursement for emergency treatment 
     furnished through the Veterans Community Care program, and 
     for other purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.


                           Amendment No. 1388

  (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute.)
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I call up substitute amendment No. 
1388.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New York [Mr. Schumer], for Mrs. Murray, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 1388.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent to dispense with further reading 
of the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The amendment is printed in the Record of February 7, 2024, under 
``Text of Amendments.'')
  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays are ordered.


                             Cloture Motion

  Mr. SCHUMER. I have a cloture motion for the substitute amendment at 
the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on Murray 
     substitute amendment No. 1388 to Calendar No. 30, H.R. 815, a 
     bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
     improvements relating to the eligibility of veterans to 
     receive reimbursement for emergency treatment furnished 
     through the Veterans Community Care program, and for other 
     purposes.
         Charles E. Schumer, Patty Murray, Brian Schatz, Margaret 
           Wood Hassan, Angus S. King, Jr., Sherrod Brown, Mark R. 
           Warner, Jack Reed, Richard J. Durbin, Alex Padilla, 
           Catherine Cortez Masto, Christopher A. Coons, Michael 
           F. Bennet, Sheldon Whitehouse, Mark Kelly, Martin 
           Heinrich, Richard Blumenthal, Benjamin L. Cardin.


                           Amendment No. 1577

  Mr. SCHUMER. I have an amendment at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New York [Mr. Schumer] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1577 to amendment No. 1388.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

                  (Purpose: To add an effective date)

       At the appropriate place add the following:

     SEC. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act shall take effect on the date that is 1 day after 
     the date of enactment of this Act.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays are ordered.


                Amendment No. 1578 to Amendment No. 1577

  Mr. SCHUMER. I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New York [Mr. Schumer] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1578 to amendment No. 1577.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

                  (Purpose: To add an effective date)

       On page 1, line 3, strike ``1 day'' and insert ``2 days''.


                           Amendment No. 1579

  Mr. SCHUMER. I have an amendment to the text proposed to be stricken 
at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New York [Mr. Schumer] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1579 to the language proposed to be 
     stricken by amendment No. 1388.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

                  (Purpose: To add an effective date)

       At the appropriate place add the following:

     SEC. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act shall take effect on the date that is 3 days after 
     the date of enactment of this Act.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays are ordered.


                Amendment No. 1580 to Amendment No. 1579

  Mr. SCHUMER. I have a second-degree amendment to the text proposed to 
be stricken at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New York [Mr. Schumer] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1580 to amendment No. 1579.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

                  (Purpose: To add an effective date)

         On page 1, line 3, strike ``3 days'' and insert ``4 
     days''.

                Motion to Commit with Amendment No. 1581

  Mr. SCHUMER. I move to commit H.R. 815 to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs with instructions to report back forthwith with an amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New York [Mr. Schumer] moves to commit the 
     bill to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs with instructions 
     to report back forthwith with an amendment numbered 1581.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

                  (Purpose: To add an effective date)

       At the appropriate place add the following:

     SEC. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act shall take effect on the date that is 5 days after 
     the date of enactment of this Act.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays are ordered.

[[Page S594]]

  



                           Amendment No. 1582

  Mr. SCHUMER. I have an amendment to the instructions at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New York [Mr. Schumer] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1582 to the instructions to the motion to 
     commit H.R. 815.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

                  (Purpose: To add an effective date.)

       On page 1, line 3, strike ``5 days'' and insert ``6 days''.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays are ordered.


                Amendment No. 1583 to Amendment No. 1582

  Mr. SCHUMER. I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New York [Mr. Schumer] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1583 to amendment No. 1582.

  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

                  (Purpose: To add an effective date)

         On page 1, line 1, strike ``6 days'' and insert ``7 
     days''.

                             Cloture Motion

  Mr. SCHUMER. I have a cloture motion for the underlying bill at the 
desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on Calendar No. 30, 
     H.R. 815, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
     make certain improvements relating to the eligibility of 
     veterans to receive reimbursement for emergency treatment 
     furnished through the Veterans Community Care program, and 
     for other purposes.
         Charles E. Schumer, Patty Murray, Brian Schatz, Margaret 
           Wood Hassan, Angus S. King, Jr., Sherrod Brown, Mark R. 
           Warner, Jack Reed, Richard J. Durbin, Catherine Cortez 
           Masto, Christopher A. Coons, Michael F. Bennet, Sheldon 
           Whitehouse, Mark Kelly, Martin Heinrich, Richard 
           Blumenthal, Benjamin L. Cardin.

  Mr. SCHATZ. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Padilla). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                           Order of Procedure

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I am glad the Senate took the next step 
tonight toward passing the supplemental.
  The Senate will convene tomorrow at noon.
  As I said, I hope our Republican colleagues can work with us to reach 
an agreement on amendments so that we can move this bill more quickly.
  If no agreement is reached, under the rule, the next vote will be 
approximately 1 p.m. on Sunday.

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