[Daily Digest]
[Pages D826-D829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Friday, August 1, 2025

[[Page D826]]

Daily Digest

HIGHLIGHTS

Senate passed H.R. 3944, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, as amended.

Senate

Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S5177-S5477
Measures Introduced: Forty bills and eight resolutions were introduced,
as follows: S. 2640-2679, S.J. Res. 73-74, S. Res. 363-367, and S. Con.
Res. 20.
Pages S5207-09
Measures Reported:
S. 2651, to increase the supply of affordable housing in America.
Page S5207
Measures Passed:
Anniversary of the Attempted Assassination of President Donald J.
Trump: Senate agreed to S. Res. 363, solemnly marking the one-year
anniversary of the attempted assassination of President Donald J.
Trump, condemning the multiple attempts against the President's life,
condemning those who incite violence against political officials, and
honoring the victims of the shooting.
Pages S5181-82
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act: By 87 yeas to 9 nays (Vote No. 480), Senate passed
H.R. 3944, making appropriations for military construction, the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2026, by the order of the Senate of Friday,
August 1, 2025, 60 Senators having voted in the affirmative,
withdrawing the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and
after taking action on the following motion and amendments proposed
thereto:
Pages S5189-S5200
Adopted:
Collins (for Paul) Modified Amendment No. 3070 (to Amendment No.
3411), to strike a provision relating to hemp.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Shaheen/Grassley) Amendment No. 3430 (to Amendment No.
3411), to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to
Congress a report on the use of third-party contractors to conduct
medical disability examinations of veterans for purposes of obtaining
disability compensation.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Smith) Amendment No. 3025 (to Amendment No. 3411), to
require a report on veterans participating in the housing choice
voucher program.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Hirono) Amendment No. 3409 (to Amendment No. 3411), to
allocate amounts for telehealth for veterans.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Rounds) Modified Amendment No. 3081 (to Amendment No.
3411), to provide for the continuation of National Cemetery
Administration surveys.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Rounds) Modified Amendment No. 3082 (to Amendment No.
3411), to address interment schedule availability at cemeteries under
the control of the National Cemetery Administration.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Budd/Shaheen) Amendment No. 3416 (to Amendment No.
3411), to allocate amounts for opioid prevention and treatment
programs.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Hawley) Modified Amendment No. 3080 (to Amendment No.
3411), to require reports on facilities at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Rosen/Cortez Masto) Amendment No. 3208 (to Amendment No.
3411), to require a briefing on the current status, path forward, and
timeline to construct a new medical center of the Department of
Veterans Affairs in Reno, Nevada.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Cornyn) Modified Amendment No. 3073 (to Amendment No.
3411), to require a report on New World screwworm readiness and
response.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Hirono) Amendment No. 3110 (to Amendment No. 3411), to
require an assessment of the feasibility of expanding the agricultural
quarantine and inspection program to products entering Hawaii.
Pages S5190-92

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Collins (for Shaheen/Crapo) Amendment No. 3431 (to Amendment No.
3411), to allocate amounts for the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance
Program.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Klobuchar) Amendment No. 3418 (to Amendment No. 3411),
to provide appropriations to expedite fiber research on industrial hemp
and expand cereal research into mycotoxin risk mitigation.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Crapo) Modified Amendment No. 3163 (to Amendment No.
3411), to fund activities relating to the suppression and control of
Mormon crickets and grasshoppers.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Blumenthal/King) Amendment No. 3433 (to Amendment No.
3411), to limit the availability of funds for canceling large contracts
without prior notice and explanation to Congress.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Booker/Tuberville) Amendment No. 3200 (to Amendment No.
3411), to increase funding for rural decentralized water systems.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Moran) Modified Amendment No. 3190 (to Amendment No.
3411), to increase funding for the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives
Program, with an offset.
Pages S5190-92
Collins (for Crapo) Modified Amendment No. 3220 (to Amendment No.
3411), to require a report on funding for State homes for Veterans.
Pages S5190-92
Blumenthal/Padilla Amendment No. 3432 (to Amendment No. 3411), to
prohibit the use of funds to reduce services under the Veterans Crisis
Line.
Pages S5192-93
Tuberville Amendment No. 3413 (to Amendment No. 3411), to require the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report on the efforts of the
Secretary to review and implement staffing models at the Department of
Veterans Affairs that will ensure timely, high quality delivery of
health care, benefits, and other services furnished by the Department.
Page S5195
By 87 yeas to 9 nays (Vote No. 479), Collins Amendment No. 3411, in
the nature of a substitute. (A unanimous-consent agreement was reached
providing that the amendment, having achieved 60 affirmatives votes, be
agreed to.)
Page S5198
By 81 yeas to 15 nays (Vote No. 481), Mullin Amendment No. 3412,
relating to Legislative Branch appropriations.
Page S5199
Rejected:
By 44 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 473), Murphy Amendment No. 3447 (to
Amendment No. 3411), to require a report on veterans who would have
been reported to the national instant criminal background check system
and who die by suicide with a firearm.
Page S5193
By 42 yeas to 53 nays (Vote No. 474), Van Hollen Amendment No. 3115
(to Amendment No. 3411), to prohibit funds from being used for
reorganization of the Department of Agriculture and to require a
benefit-cost analysis on that reorganization, a public comment period,
and a public report.
Pages S5193-94
By 45 yeas to 50 nays (Vote No. 475), Ossoff (for Duckworth)
Amendment No. 3466 (to Amendment No. 3411), to require the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the plan of the
Secretary for Department of Veterans Affairs workforce reduction in
fiscal year 2026.
Pages S5194-95
By 14 yeas to 81 nays (Vote No. 476), Kennedy Amendment No. 3414 (to
Amendment No. 3411), to reduce the Agriculture discretionary
appropriations by 2 percent across the board.
Pages S5195-96
By 15 yeas to 81 nays (Vote No. 477), Scott (FL) Modified Amendment
No. 3113 (to Amendment No. 3411), to reduce funding for certain
programs under the division making appropriations for Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.
Pages S5196-97
By 21 yeas to 75 nays (Vote No. 478), Johnson Amendment No. 3428 (to
Amendment No. 3411), to limit disclosures regarding earmarks.
Pages S5197-98
During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the
following action:
By 44 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 472), three-fifths of those Senators
duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate
rejected to the motion to waive all applicable sections of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and any other applicable budget points
of order for the purposes of Merkley Amendment No. 3114 (to Amendment
No. 3411) to limit rescissions of funding. Subsequently, the point of
order that the amendment was in violation of section 306 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, was sustained, and the amendment thus
fell.
Page S5192
National Whistleblower Appreciation Day: Committee on the Judiciary
was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 340, designating
July 30, 2025, as ``National Whistleblower Appreciation Day'', and the
resolution was then agreed to.
Page S5475
American Grown Flower and Foliage Month: Senate agreed to S. Res.
367, designating July 2025 as ``American Grown Flower and Foliage
Month''.
Page S5475

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Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery: Committee on Veterans' Affairs
was discharged from further consideration of S. 1071, to require the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V.
Cota from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, and the bill was
then passed.
Page S5475
Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act: Committee on the Judiciary
was discharged from further consideration of S. 1659, to amend titles
11 and 28, United States Code, to modify the compensation payable to
trustees serving in cases under chapter 7 of title 11, United States
Code, to extend the term of certain temporary offices of bankruptcy
judges, and the bill was then passed, after agreeing to the following
amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S5475-76
Thune (for Coons) Amendment No. 3680, to make a technical correction.
Pages S5475-76
Appointments:
United States Semiquincentennial Commission: The Chair announced, on
behalf of the Democratic Leader, pursuant to the provisions of Public
Law 114-196, the appointment of the following individuals to serve as
members of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission: Jack
Schlossberg of New York, vice David Cohen, and Paul Tetreault of the
District of Columbia, vice James Swanson.
Page S5475
Puzder Nomination--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached
providing that approximately 9:30 a.m., on Saturday, August 2, 2025,
Senate resume consideration of the nomination of Andrew Puzder, of
Tennessee, to be Representative to the European Union, with the rank of
Ambassador; provided further notwithstanding Rule XXII, at 10 a.m., the
cloture motions filed on Thursday, July 31, 2025, ripen and Senate vote
on the motion to invoke cloture thereon.
Page S5476
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
By 52 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. EX. 469), Casey Mulligan, of
Illinois, to be Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Small Business
Administration.
Pages S5181, S5477
By 54 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. EX. 470), Brian Nesvik, of Wyoming,
to be Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Pages S5177-81, S5182-85, S5477
During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the
following action:
By 55 yeas to 41 nays (Vote No. EX. 468), Senate agreed to the motion
to close further debate on the nomination.
Page S5181
By 51 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. EX. 482), Luigi Rinaldi, of New York,
to be Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
Pages S5185-89, S5200
During consideration of this nomination today, Senate also took the
following action:
By 52 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. EX. 471), Senate agreed to the motion
to close further debate on the nomination.
Page S5185
By 51 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. EX. 483), David Woll, of Virginia, to
be General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Pages S5200, S5477
By 50 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. EX. 484), Nicholas Kent, of Virginia,
to be Under Secretary of Education.
Pages S5200-01, S5477
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
Francis Cassidy, of Pennsylvania, to be an Assistant Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development.
Terrence Gorman, of Florida, to be Chairman of the Board of Veterans'
Appeals for a term of six years.
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.
Page S5477
Nomination Withdrawn: Senate received notification of withdrawal of the
following nomination:
John LaValle, of New York, to be a Governor of the United States
Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2030, which was sent to
the Senate on June 16, 2025
Page S5477
Measures Discharged:
Page S5205
Executive Communications:
Pages S5205-07
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages S5209-11
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
Pages S5211-14
Additional Statements:
Pages S5204-05
Amendments Submitted:
Pages S5214-S5475
Notices of Intent:
Page S5475
Record Votes: Seventeen record votes were taken today. (Total--484)
Pages S5181, S5185, S5192-S5201
Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 9:54 p.m.,
until 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 2, 2025. (For Senate's program, see
the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S5476.)

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