10:02 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will reconvene for pro forma sessions on the following days:
- Saturday 12/23 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesday 12/27 10:00 a.m.
- Friday 12/29 11:30 a.m.
- Tuesday 1/2 4:00 p.m.
The Senate will reconvene for legislative business on Wednesday, January 3 at noon and Senator-elect Jones and Senate-appointee Smith will be sworn in. They will then be in morning business until 5:00 p.m. They will then begin consideration of John C. Rood to be Undersecretary of Defense for Policy.
In Executive Session, the Senate confirmed the following nomination by voice vote:
- Executive Calendar #311, Robert P. Storch of the District of Columbia to be Inspector General of the National Security Agency.
- Executive Calendar #456, Securities and Exchange Commission, Hester Maria Peirce of Ohio to be a member.
- Executive Calendar #457, Securities and Exchange Commission, Robert J. Jackson, Jr., of New York to be a member.
- Executive Calendar #545, Timothy Petty of Indiana to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior.
- Executive Calendar #546, Linda Capuano of Texas to be Administrator of the Energy Information Administration. Department of Energy
- Executive Calendar #576, Department of Energy John G. Vonglis to be Chief Financial Officer.
- Executive Calendar #578, Irving Dennis of Ohio to be Chief Financial Officer, HUD
- Executive Calendar #503, Susan Israel Tufts to be an Assistant Secretary, HUD
- Executive Calendar #577, Leonard Wolfson to be an Assistant Secretary, HUD
- Executive Calendar #299, Robert Charrow to be General Counsel of HHS
- Executive Calendar #PN 1286 Tadd Johnson to be Member of the Board of Trustees, Morris K Udall Foundation
- PN 1287 Lisa Johnson-Billy to be Member of the Board of Trustees, Morris K Udall Foundation
- PN 1288 Lisa Johnson-Billy to be Member of the Board of Trustees, Morris K Udall Foundation (reappointment)
- PN 1035, Tennessee Valley Authority, Kenneth Allen to be a member of the board
- PN 1036, Tennessee Valley Authority, A. Frazier to be a member of the board
- PN 1037, Tennessee Valley Authority, Dennis Smith to be a member of the board
- PN 1038, Tennessee Valley Authority, James Thompson to be a member of the board
- PN 1172.
- Executive Calendar #502, Katherine Brunett McGuire to be Assistant Secretary of Labor
- Executive Calendar #554, Kate O’Scannlain to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor
- Executive Calendar #556, Preston Rutledge to be Assistant Secretary of Labor
- Executive Calendar #559, John Collett to be Assistant Secretary for Special Education, Education Department
- PN 1196, Douglas Webster to be CFO, Department of Education
- PN 1109 Jon Rychalski, CFO, VA Department
The Senate proceeded with a Legislative Session.
- S 1447, A bill to reauthorize the diesel emissions reduction program and for other purposes. Agreed to by UC.
- S 1208, A bill to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide for an option under the secure mail initiative, and so forth and for other purposes. Agreed to by UC.
- H.R. 195, An act to amend Title 44, US Code. Agreed to by UC.
- S 2070, A bill to amend the violent crime, control, and law enforcement act of 1994, and so forth. Agreed to by voice vote.
- S Res. 139, Iran. Agreed to by UC.
- S 2030, A bill to deem the compliance date for amended energy conservation standards and so forth and for other purposes. Agreed to by UC.
- S 2273, a bill to extend the period during which vessels that are shorter than 79 feet in length and so forth. Agreed to by UC.
- S Res. 336, recognizing the seriousness of cystic ovary syndrome and so forth. Agreed to by UC.
- S Res. 364, congratulating the University of Central Missouri’s women’s soccer team and so forth. Agreed to by UC.
- S Res. 327, National Carbon Monoxide Poisoning awareness week. Agreed to by UC.
- HR 2142, an act to improve the ability of the US customs and border protection to interdict fentanyl, other synthetic opioids and so forth and for other purposes. Agreed to by UC.
- HR 2228, an act to provide support for law enforcement agency efforts and so forth and for other purposes. Agreed to by UC.
- HR 2331, an act to require a new or updated federal website and so forth and for other purposes. Agreed to by UC
- HR 4661, an act to authorize the US Fire Administration and so forth and for other purposes. Agreed to by UC.
- S 2274, a bill to provide for the compensation of federal employees affected by lapses in appropriations. First reading.
7:39 p.m. Senator Portman spoke about the tax overhaul.
7:37 p.m. By consent the Senate passed a resolution, S.Res. 365, to recognize the national championship volleayball team of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
7:32 p.m. Senators Sasse and Fischer spoke about Nebraska’s championship volleyball team.
7:25 p.m. Senator Coons spoke about the budget process.
7:20 p.m. Senator Cruz spoke about hurricane relief.
7:15 p.m. By a vote of 66 to 32, the Senate passed the resolution to continue federal spending through January 19, 2017. YEAS: 48 Republicans, 17 Democrats, 1 independent (King). NAYS: 29 Democrats, independent Sanders and Republicans Lee and Paul. DEMOCRATIC YEAS: Carper, Coons, Donnelly, Hassan, Heinrich, Heitkamp, Kaine, Leahy, Manchin, McCaskill, Nelson, Peters, Shaheen, Stabenow, Tester, Udall, Warner. NOT VOTING: Isakson, McCain.
6:50 p.m. Senate is voting on passage of the resolution to continue federal spending through January 19, 2017.
6:48 p.m. By a vote of 91 to 8, the Senate waived the Paul point of order on the continuing resolution. NAYS: Crapo, Cruz, Flake, Kennedy, Lee, Paul, Risch, Sasse. NOT VOTING: McCain.
6:25 p.m. The Senate is voting on the motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Paul point of order.
6:19 p.m. Senator Paul raised a point of order that the House message to accompany H.R. 1370 (Short term CR) violates the Budget Act. Senator Collins made a motion to waive the Budget Act.
5:58 p.m. Senator Collins spoke about her opposition to the point of order Senator Paul will offer.
5:51 p.m. Senator Paul spoke about PAYGO.
5:37 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about Russia and the 2016 election.
5: 32 p.m. Senator Flake spoke about the tax overhaul.
5:27 p.m. Senator Donnelly spoke about the opioid epidemic.
5:23 p.m. Senator Thune sought consent to bring up the Batori nomination. Senator Schumer objected.
5:18 p.m. Senator Thune spoke about the Batori nomination for Federal Railroad Administrator.
5:07 p.m. Senator Reed spoke about the tax bill.
4:39 p.m. Senator Rubio spoke about military foreign policy.
4:02 p.m. Senators Murray, Warren, Kaine, and Klobuchar talked about immigration.
3:12 p.m. Senators Bennett, Durbin, Cardin and Whitehouse spoke about immigration and DACA.
3:00 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke about nominations.
2:44 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke about the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
2:31 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke about tax reform.
2:16 p.m. Senator Markey spoke about the opioid crisis.
2:02 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about the Russia investigation.
1:45 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke about special counsel Robert Mueller.
1:22 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke about the POWER Act.
1:10 p.m. Senator Scott spoke about the tax bill.
12:57 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke about VA benefits.
12:50 p.m. Senator Capito spoke about the tax bill.
12:40 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about the accomplishments of the year.
12:09 p.m. Senators Klobuchar, Durbin and Merkley spoke about Senator Franken and his accomplishments.
11:32 a.m. Senator Franken gave his final Senate remarks.
11:15 a.m. Senators Isakson and Tester spoke about veterans affairs.
10:54 a.m. Senator Casey spoke on national security.
10:42 a.m. Senator Schumer spoke about the CR, tax reform, Mueller and the Senate’s policy accomplishments.
10:37 a.m. Senator Casey spoke about national security.
10:26 a.m. Senator Hatch spoke about policy in 2017.
10:02 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about tax reform, the CR, and paid tribute to Senator Strange.
The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m.
Following Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business.
