Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 214 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 214 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1294-D1298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Thursday, December 18, 2025

[[Page D1294]]

Daily Digest

Senate

Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S8877-S8940
Measures Introduced: Twenty-two bills and six resolutions were
introduced, as follows: S. 3558-3579, and S. Res. 568-573.
Page S8920
Measures Passed:
Diplomatic Relations between the United States and Vietnam: Committee
on Foreign Relations was discharged from further consideration of S.
Res. 321, commemorating 30 years of diplomatic relations between the
United States and Vietnam on July 11, 2025, and the resolution was then
agreed to, after agreeing to the following amendments proposed thereto:
Pages S8891-93
Thune (for Merkley/Daines) Amendment No. 4140, in the nature of a
substitute.
Pages S8891-92
Thune (for Merkley/Daines) Amendment No. 4141, to amend the preamble.
Page S8892
Naval Air Station Pensacola Terrorist Attack: Senate agreed to S.
Res. 571, remembering the December 6, 2019, terrorist attack at Naval
Air Station Pensacola and commemorating those who lost their lives, and
those who were injured, in the line of duty.
Page S8893
Honoring National Guard Members killed in Syria: Senate agreed to S.
Res. 572, honoring the service and sacrifice of United States Army
Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and United States Army Sergeant Edgar
Brian Torres-Tovar, who were killed in action in Palmyra, Syria, in a
targeted assault against United States service members on December 13,
2025.
Pages S8893-94
Trafficking Survivors Relief Act: Senate passed H.R. 4323, to provide
for the vacating of certain convictions and expungement of certain
arrests of victims of human trafficking.
Page S8894
Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act: Senate passed S. 1383,
to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, after
agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Pages S8894-95
Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act: Committee on
Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further consideration of S. 1204,
to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain spouses eligible
for services under the disabled veterans' outreach program, and the
bill was then passed.
Page S8895
FAST VETS Act: Committee on Veterans' Affairs was discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 4446, to amend title 38, United States
Code, to modify the conditions under which the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs is required to redevelop the individualized vocational
rehabilitation plan for a veteran, and the bill was then passed.
Page S8895
VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act: Committee on Veterans'
Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1823, to
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Comptroller General of
the United States to report on certain funding shortfalls in the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and the bill was then passed.
Page S8895
VetPAC Act of 2025: Senate passed S. 787, to amend title 38, United
States Code, to establish a commission to review operations at the
Veterans Health Administration and submit to Congress reports with
respect to that review, after agreeing to the committee amendment in
the nature of a substitute, and the following amendment proposed
thereto:
Pages S8895-98
Thune (for Moran) Amendment No. 4142, to remove the authorization of
appropriations for such sums as may be necessary.
Pages S8897-98
Improving Veteran Access to Care Act: Senate passed S. 607, to
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and implement a
plan to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health care
from the Department of Veterans Affairs, after agreeing to the
committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and the committee
amendment to the title.
Pages S8898-99
Measures Failed:
Policy on Adhering to the Text of the Administrative Procedure Act:
By 50 yeas to 50 nays (Vote

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No. 654), Senate failed to pass S.J. Res. 82, providing for
congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States
Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Services relating to ``Policy on
Adhering to the Text of the Administrative Procedure Act''.
Page S8888
Appointments:
United States-China Economic and Security Review: The Chair
announced, on behalf of the Majority Leader, pursuant to the provisions
of Public Law 106-398, as amended by Public Law 108-7, and in
consultation with the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Armed
Services and the Senate Committee on Finance, the reappointment of the
following individual to serve as a member of the United States-China
Economic and Security Review Commission: The Honorable Randall Schriver
of Virginia.
Pages S8938, S8939
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 S8938
Pro Forma Sessions--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was
reached providing that the Senate convene for pro forma sessions, with
no business being conducted on the following dates and times: Friday,
December 19, 2025, at 11:30 a.m.; Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at 8:30
a.m.; Friday, December 26, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.; Tuesday, December 30,
2025, at 11 a.m.; Friday, January 2, 2026, at 3 p.m.; Saturday, January
3, 2026, at 12 noon; and that when the Senate adjourns on Saturday,
January 3, 2026, it next convene at 3 p.m., on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Pages S8938-39
Simmons Nomination--Agreement: Senate resumed consideration of the
nomination of Joshua Simmons, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the
Central Intelligence Agency.
Pages S8899, S8901-02
During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the
following action:
By 53 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. EX. 656), Senate agreed to the motion
to close further debate on the nomination.
Page S8901
A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that
notwithstanding Rule XXII, if cloture is invoked on the nominations of
Joshua Simmons, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Central
Intelligence Agency, Keith Bass, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary
of Defense, Alexander C. Van Hook, of Louisiana, to be United States
District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, and Sara Bailey,
of Texas, to be Director of National Drug Control Policy, all post-
cloture time be expired, and Senate vote on confirmation of the
nominations at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in
consultation with the Democratic Leader, no earlier than January 5,
2026.
Page S8902
Bass Nomination--Agreement: Senate resumed consideration of the
nomination of Keith Bass, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of
Defense.
Page S8902
During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the
following action:
By 58 yeas to 36 nays (Vote No. EX. 657), Senate agreed to the motion
to close further debate on the nomination.
Page S8902
A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at 5:30
p.m., on Monday, January 5, 2026, Senate execute the order of Thursday,
December 18, 2025, in relation to the nomination.
Pages S8938-39
Van Hook Nomination: Senate resumed consideration of the nomination of
Alexander C. Van Hook, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge
for the Western District of Louisiana.
Page S8902
During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the
following action:
By 60 yeas to 35 nays (Vote No. EX. 658), Senate agreed to the motion
to close further debate on the nomination.
Page S8902
Bailey Nomination: Senate resumed consideration of the nomination of
Sara Bailey, of Texas, to be Director of National Drug Control Policy.
Pages S8902-03
During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the
following action:
By 51 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. EX. 659), Senate agreed to the motion
to close further debate on the nomination.
Page S8903
Nominations--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached
providing that, the only nominations received by the Senate during the
119th Congress, first session, to remain in status quo, notwithstanding
the provisions of Rule XXXI, paragraph 6, of the Standing Rules of the
Senate, be the following: Exec. Cal. No. 241 and 503, and PN No. 415,
446, 587, 588, 593, 595, 620, 621, 622, 658, 675, 676, 677, 680, 681,
682, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701,
702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712-1, 712-2, 713,
714, 715-1, 715-2, 716, 717, 718, 719, and 720.
Page S8938

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Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
By 53 yeas 43 nays (Vote No. EX. 655), Senate confirmed the following
nominations en bloc:
Robert Kadlec, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Henry Mack III, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.
Ethan Klein, of New Jersey, to be an Associate Director of the Office
of Science and Technology Policy.
Harry Kumar, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
James Percival, of Florida, to be General Counsel, Department of
Homeland Security.
Andrew Veprek, of Louisiana, to be an Assistant Secretary of State
(Population, Refugees, and Migration).
Melissa Argyros, of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of
Latvia.
Thomas Bell, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of
Health and Human Services.
Leo Brent Bozell III, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic
of South Africa.
Crystal Carey, of New Jersey, to be General Counsel of the National
Labor Relations Board for term of four years.
Benjamin Leon, Jr., of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of
Spain, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as
Ambassador to the Principality of Andorra.
Michael Powers, of Virginia, to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
Derek Theurer, of Virginia, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of the
Treasury.
Marc Berkowitz, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Anthony D'Esposito, of New York, to be Inspector General, Department
of Labor.
Joseph Jewell, of Indiana, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Benjamin Kohlmann, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of the
Navy.
Joyce Meyer, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for
Economic Affairs.
Brendan Rogers, of Connecticut, to be an Assistant Secretary of the
Navy.
David Beck, of Tennessee, to be Deputy Administrator for Defense
Programs, National Nuclear Security Administration.
Jonathan Greenstein, of New York, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of
the Treasury.
Amy Henninger, of Virginia, to be Director of Operational Test and
Evaluation, Department of Defense.
Charles Young III, of West Virginia, to be General Counsel of the
Department of the Army.
Pedro Allende, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for Science and
Technology, Department of Homeland Security.
Charles Arrington, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Federal Labor
Relations Authority for a term expiring July 1, 2030.
Michael Borders, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air
Force.
Stephen Carmel, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Maritime
Administration.
Mary Anne Carter, of Tennessee, to be Chairperson of the National
Endowment for the Arts for a term of four years.
Kirsten Davies, of Tennessee, to be Chief Information Officer of the
Department of Defense.
David Denton, Jr., of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the
Department of the Navy.
Jeffrey Hall, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency.
Benjamin Hobbs, of Ohio, to be Assistant Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development.
William Kirk, of Maryland, to be Inspector General, Small Business
Administration.
Ronald Kurtz, of Georgia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development.
William Lane III, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the
Department of the Air Force.
Jeremiah Workman, of Ohio, to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Veterans' Employment and Training.
Derrick Anderson, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of
Defense.
John Bartrum, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary for Health of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Mindy Brashears, of Texas, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for
Food Safety.
Jonathan Burke, of Georgia, to be Assistant Secretary for Terrorist
Financing, Department of the Treasury.
Jeffrey Goettman, of Virginia, to be a Deputy United States Trade
Representative (Africa, Western Hemisphere, Europe, the Middle East,
Environment, Labor, and Industrial Competitiveness), with the Rank of
Ambassador.
Platte Moring, of South Carolina, to be Inspector General, Department
of Defense.
John Noh, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Chris Pilkerton, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury for Investment Security.
Stella Herrell, of New Mexico, to be an Assistant Secretary of
Agriculture.

[[Page D1297]]

Yehuda Kaploun, of Florida, to be Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat
Anti-Semitism, with the rank of Ambassador.
Morvared Namdarkhan, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of State
(Consular Affairs).
Bernardo Navarro, of Puerto Rico, to be Ambassador to the Republic of
Peru.
Darryl Nirenberg, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to Romania.
Braden Boucek, of Tennessee, to be United States Attorney for the
Middle District of Tennessee for the term of four years.
James Caggy, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
David Courcelle, of Louisiana, to be United States Attorney for the
Eastern District of Louisiana for the term of four years.
Dominick Gerace II, of Ohio, to be United States Attorney for the
Southern District of Ohio for the term of four years.
Mitch Graves, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors
of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2029.
Jeff Hagood, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors
of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term of expiring May 18, 2029.
Randall Jones, of Alabama, to be a Member of the Board of Directors
of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2028.
James Kruger, of Mississippi, to be United States Attorney for the
Southern District of Mississippi for the term of four years.
Scott Leary, of Mississippi, to be United States Attorney for the
Northern District of Mississippi for the term of four years.
James Mazol, of Virginia, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
Adam Mildred, of Indiana, to be United States Attorney for the
Northern District of Indiana for the term of four years.
Arjun Mody, of New Jersey, to be Deputy Commissioner Social Security
for the term expiring January 19, 2031.
Rosario Palmieri, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.
Bryan Stirling, of South Carolina, to be United States Attorney for
the District of South Carolina for the term of four years.
Thomas Wheeler II, of Indiana, to be United States Attorney for the
Southern District of Indiana for the term of four years.
Julie Callahan, of the District of Columbia, to be Chief Agricultural
Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative, with the
rank of Ambassador.
Jerome Francis Gorgon, Jr., of Michigan, to be United States Attorney
for the Eastern District of Michigan for the term of four years.
Arthur Graham, of Florida, to be a Member of the Board of Directors
of the Tennessee Valley Authority for the remainder of the term
expiring May 18, 2026.
Paul Hollis, of Louisiana, to be Director of the Mint for a term of
five years.
Ryan Anthony Kriegshauser, of Kansas, to be United States Attorney
for the District of Kansas for the term of four years.
Scott Mayer, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the National Labor
Relations Board for the term of five years expiring December 16, 2029.
James Murphy, of Maryland, to be a Member of the National Labor
Relations Board for the term of five years expiring December 16, 2027.
John Walk, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of
Agriculture.
Thomas Albus, of Missouri, to be United States Attorney for the
Eastern District of Missouri for the term of four years.
Timothy Dill, of Ohio, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Andrew Duva, of Florida, to be an Assistant Attorney General.
Thomas Ferguson III, of North Carolina, to be United States Attorney
for the Western District of North Carolina for the term of four years.
Michael Payne, of Virginia, to be Director of Cost Assessment and
Program Evaluation, Department of Defense.
Maurice Todd, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Douglas Troutman, of Maryland, to be Assistant Administrator for
Toxic Substances of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Edward Forst, of Florida, to be Administrator of General Services.
Francis Cassidy, of Pennsylvania, to be an Assistant Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development.
Joseph Gormley, of Maryland, to be President, Government National
Mortgage Association.
Timothy Petty, of Indiana, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Oceans and Atmosphere.
Tammy Bruce, of California, to be the Deputy Representative of the
United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and
status of Ambassador; the Deputy Representative of the United States of
America in the Security Council of the United Nations; and to serve
concurrently and without additional compensation as Representative of
the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of
the United Nations, during her

[[Page D1298]]

tenure of service as Deputy Representative of the United States of
America to the United Nations.
Brent Christensen, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the People's
Republic of Bangladesh.
Stephen F. Rickard, 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.
Elana S. Suttenberg, 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.
John Cuong 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.
Laura DiBella, of Florida, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner for
a term expiring June 30, 2028.
Peter Metzger, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Secretary
for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of the Treasury.
Trent Morse, of Florida, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of
the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for a term expiring May
30, 2030.
Christopher Yeaw, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State
(Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Stability).
Michelle A. Schultz, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the Surface
Transportation Board for a term expiring November 30, 2030.
Erin Creegan, of New Hampshire, to be United States Attorney for the
District of New Hampshire for the term of four years.
Travis Hill, of Maryland, to be Chairperson of the Board of Directors
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for a term of five years.
Michael Selig, of Florida, to be Chairman of the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission.
Michael Selig, of Florida, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission for a term expiring April 13, 2029.
Pages S8899-8901, 8903-04
1 Coast Guard nomination in the rank of admiral.
Page S8938
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
95 Army nominations in the rank of general.
11 Marine Corps nominations in the rank of general.
1 Navy nomination in the rank of admiral.
Pages S8939-40
Messages from the House:
Page S8919
Measures Referred:
Page S8919
Measures Discharged:
Page S8919
Enrolled Bills Presented:
Pages S8919-20
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages S8921-23
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
Pages S8923-24
Additional Statements:
Pages S8917-19
Amendments Submitted:
Pages S8924-38
Notices of Intent:
Page S8938
Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--659)
Pages S8888, S8899, S8901-03
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 10:07 p.m.,
until 11:30 a.m. on Friday, December 19, 2025. (For Senate's program,
see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page
S8939.)