Wednesday, December 15, 2021

8:13 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 10:00 a.m. Thursday.

8:10 p.m. Majority Leader Schumer achieved the following in wrap-up:

1. Confirmed Rostin Behnam to be Chairman and member of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
2. Passed H Con Res 64, making an enrollment correction to S.1605.
3. H.R. 5545, extending provisions relating to benefits provided under the Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance programs.
4. S. 1404, Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act.

7:42 p.m. Majority Leader Schumer filed cloture on the following nominations:
1. Atul Gawande to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.
2. Linda Lopez to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California.
3. Jinsook Ohta to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California.
4. David Urias to be United States District Judge for the District of New Mexico.
5. Maame Frimpong to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California.
6. Jane Beckering to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Michigan.
7. Shalina Kumar to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan.
8. Jennifer Thurston to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California.
9. Katherine Menendez to be United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota.
10. Mary Dimke to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Washington.
11. Julissa Pantaleon to be Ambassador to Spain and Andorra.
12. Rahm Emanuel to be Ambassador to Japan.
13. Jack Markell to be Representative of the United States of America to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
14. Bathsheba Crocker to be Representative of the United States of America to the Office of the United Nations.
15. Mark Gitenstein to be Representative of the United States of America to the European Union.
16. Denise Bauer to be Ambassador to the French Republic and Monaco.
17. Nicholas Burns to be Ambassador to China.
18. Claire Cronin to be Ambassador to Ireland.
19. Marcela Escobari to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.
20. Marc Evans Knapper to be Ambassador to Vietnam.
21. Rufus Gifford to be Chief of Protocol with the rank of Ambassador.
22. Gabriel Sanchez, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.

6:48 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke about Ethiopia.

6:33 p.m. Senators Shaheen and Portman spoke on their work on energy efficiency.

6:22 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke on the Defense Authorization.

6:11 p.m. Senator Brown spoke on tax cuts and build back better. He later paid tribute to departing staffer Alyssa Brockington.

5:56 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on the Democrats agenda.

5:43 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke on human rights in China.

5:23 p.m. Senators Rubio and Merkley spoke on Uyghur muslims and asked UC to take up a bill on that topic. Senator Murphy asked for a modification to confirm several nominees. Senator Murphy sought to modify the request to lock in a time agreement on the nomination of Nicholas Burns to be Ambassador to China and two other nominations. Senator Wyden asked UC to modify to add a child tax credit extension. Senator Rubio objected to that modification, and Senator Wyden objected to the underlying request.

5:06 p.m. Senator Lee spoke on the Pagan nomination, and objected to a Wyden request to take up and confirm her nomination.

4:57 p.m. Senator Durbin paid tribute to Dr Francis Collins.

4:44 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about Maria Pagan-nominee for Deputy US Trade Representative.

4:10 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke about the Iron Dome. He asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to H.R. 5323. Senator Paul objected.

3:32 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke about the economy.

3:30 p.m. Senator Cruz asked for unanimous consent that the Senate pass S. 3322-Nord Stream sanctions. Senator Coons objected.

3:05 p.m. Senators Coons and Carper spoke on State Department nominations. Senator Coons asked unanimous consent to confirm the nomination of Michelle Sison to be Ambassador to Haiti. Senator Hawley objected.

Senator Coons asked unanimous consent to confirm the nominations of Jack Markell, Nick Burns, Rahm Emanuel, Steven Bondy, Christopher Lew, Lisa Cardy, and Laura Holgate.

2:58 p.m. By a vote of 62-37, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Samantha D. Elliott to be United States District Judge for the District of New Hampshire.

Republican Senators voting yes: Blunt, Burr, Collins, Cornyn, Graham, Grassley, Murkowski, Portman, Romney, Tillis, Toomey and Young.

Senator Lummis did not vote.

2:15 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #576 Samantha D. Elliott to be United States District Judge for the District of New Hampshire.

2:07 p.m. Senators Hassan and Shaheen spoke supporting the nomination of Samantha Elliott.

1:59 p.m. Senator Blunt paid tribute to Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health.

1:41 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke on freedom of expression on college campuses.

1:34 p.m. Senator Fischer spoke on the Supreme Court.

1:33 p.m. Senator Booker asked unanimous consent to change his vote from AYE to NAY on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S.1605, National Defense Authorization Act for FY2022. The corrected vote total is: the Senate concurred in the House amendment to S.1605, NDAA by a vote of 88-11.

1:18 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke on opioid abuse.

12:56 p.m. Senator Warner spoke supporting the nomination of Amanda Howe to be Assistant Administrator for the EPA. Senator Warner asked unanimous consent to consider the Howe nomination. Senator Lee objected.

12:55 p.m. By a vote of 50-49, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Jennifer Sung, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.

Senator Lummis did not vote.

12:16 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Jennifer Sung to be a Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.

12:16 p.m. By a vote of 89-10 , the Senate concurred in the House amendment to S.1605, NDAA. Senators voting no: Braun, Gillibrand, Lee, Markey, Merkley, Padilla, Paul, Sanders, Warren & Wyden. Not voting: Senator Lummis.

11:32 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to concur in the House Amendment to S. 1605, the legislative vehicle for NDAA FY 2022.

11:24 a.m. Senator Reed spoke on the NDAA.

11:08 a.m. Senator Inhofe spoke on the NDAA.

10:58 a.m. Senator Thune spoke on the NDAA.

10:48 a.m. ML Schumer spoke on the NDAA, Build Back Better, voting rights and nominations.

10:33 a.m. Senator Leahy spoke on the debit limit and the NDAA.

10:16 a.m. RL McConnell spoke on the tornadoes in Kentucky, the NDAA and inflation.

***

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. and following any Leader remarks, resume consideration of the House message to accompany S. 1605, the vehicle for the Defense Authorization.

At 11:30 a.m. the Senate will proceed to two roll call votes:
1. Motion to concur re: Defense Authorization.
2. Confirmation of the nomination of Jennifer Sung to be a Circuit Judge for the 9th Circuit.

At 2:15 p.m. the Senate will vote on confirmation of the nomination of Samantha Elliott to be a District Judge for New Hampshire.