Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Measures Introduced: Twelve bills and one resolution were introduced, as follows: S. 1965–1976, and S. Con. Res. 27.
Pages S6452–53

Measures Reported:

S. 825, to provide for the conveyance of certain property to the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium located in Sitka, Alaska, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 115–173)

S. 1116, to amend the Native American Business Development, Trade Promotion, and Tourism Act of 2000, the Buy Indian Act, and the Native American Programs Act of 1974 to provide industry and economic development opportunities to Indian communities, with amendments. (S. Rept. No. 115–174)

S. 1285, to allow the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians to lease or transfer certain lands, with amendments. (S. Rept. No. 115–175)

S. 832, to enhance the transparency and accelerate the impact of programs under the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Page S6452

Measures Considered:

Congressional Budget Resolution--Agreement: Senate began consideration of H. Con. Res. 71, establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027, after agreeing to the motion to proceed, and taking action on the following amendment proposed thereto:
Page S6424

Pending:

Enzi Amendment No. 1116, in the nature of a substitute.
Pages S6427–45

Prior to the consideration of this measure today, Senate took the following action:

By 50 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. 219), Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to consideration of the resolution.
Page S6424

A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing that at approximately 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, that it be in order to call up Hatch Amendment No. 1144 and Sanders Amendment No. 1119, that the time until 3 p.m. be for debate on the amendments, equally divided between the managers, or their designees, and following the use or yielding back of that time, Senate vote on or in relation to the amendments in the order listed, with no second-degree amendments in order prior to the votes.
Page S6445

A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further consideration of the resolution at approximately 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, October 18, 2017.
Page S6489

House Messages:

National Defense Authorization Act: Senate began consideration of the message from the House of Representatives to accompany H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year.
Page S6424

Senate insisted on its amendment, agreed to the request by the House for a conference, and authorized the Presiding Officer to appoint the following conferees on the part of the Senate: Senators McCain, Inhofe, Wicker, Fischer, Cotton, Rounds, Ernst, Tillis, Sullivan, Perdue, Cruz, Graham, Sasse, Strange, Reed, Nelson, McCaskill, Shaheen, Gillibrand, Blumenthal, Donnelly, Hirono, Kaine, King, Heinrich, Warren, and Peters.
Page S6424

Nomination Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nomination:

By 79 yeas to 17 nays (Vote No. EX. 218), David Joel Trachtenberg, of Virginia, to be a Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
Pages S6424, S6489

Executive Communications:
Pages S6449–50

Petitions and Memorials:
Pages S6451–52

Additional Cosponsors:
Pages S6453–55

Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
Pages S6464–65

Additional Statements:
Pages S6448–49

Amendments Submitted:
Pages S6474–89

Authorities for Committees to Meet:
Page S6489

Privileges of the Floor:
Page S6489

Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--219)
Page S6424

Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 7:04 p.m., until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 18, 2017. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S6489.)

CONSUMER DATA SECURITY AND THE CREDIT BUREAUS

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine consumer data security and the credit bureaus, including S. 1816, to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to enhance fraud alert procedures and provide free access to credit freezes, S. 1786, to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to enhance the accuracy of credit reporting and provide greater rights to consumers who dispute errors in their credit reports, and S. 744, to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to delay the inclusion in consumer credit reports and to establish requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs, after receiving testimony from Chris Jaikaran, Analyst in Cybersecurity Policy, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; Andrew M. Smith, Covington and Burling LLP, Bethesda, Maryland, on behalf of the Consumer Data Industry Association; and Marc Rotenberg, Electronic Privacy Information Center, Washington, D.C.

COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the cost of prescription drugs, focusing on how the drug delivery system affects what patients pay, after receiving testimony from Lori M. Reilly, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Chester Davis, Jr., Association for Accessible Medicines, Mark Merritt, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, and Thomas E. Menighan, American Pharmacists Association, all of Washington, D.C.; and Elizabeth Gallenagh, Healthcare Distribution Alliance, Arlington, Virginia.

NOMINATIONS

Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Jeffrey Uhlman Beaverstock, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama, and Emily Coody Marks, and Brett Joseph Talley, both to be a United States District Judge for the Middle District of Alabama, who were introduced by Senator Strange, Holly Lou Teeter, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas, who was introduced by Senators Roberts and Moran, and Gregory G. Katsas, of Virginia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf.

NOMINATION

Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Christopher R. Sharpley, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Central Intelligence Agency, after the nominee testified and answered questions in his own behalf.

The House was not in session today. The House is scheduled to meet in a Pro Forma session at 12 noon on Thursday, October 19, 2017.

No hearings were held.

No joint committee meetings were held.

Committee on Foreign Relations: to hold hearings to examine the nominations of Thomas L. Carter, of South Carolina, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Jennifer Gillian Newstead, of New York, to be Legal Adviser, Manisha Singh, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary (Economic and Business Affairs), and Michael T. Evanoff, of Arkansas, to be an Assistant Secretary (Diplomatic Security), all of the Department of State, 2:30 p.m., SD–419.

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: business meeting to consider the nominations of Patrick Pizzella, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary, Cheryl Marie Stanton, of South Carolina, to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, and David G. Zatezalo, of West Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health, all of the Department of Labor, Janet Dhillon, of Pennsylvania, and Daniel M. Gade, of North Dakota, both to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Carlos G. Muniz, of Florida, to be General Counsel, Department of Education, Peter B. Robb, of Vermont, to be General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, and Gerald W. Fauth, of Virginia, Kyle Fortson, of the District of Columbia, and Linda A. Puchala, of Maryland, each to be a Member of the National Mediation Board, 9:30 a.m., SD–430.

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: to hold hearings to examine the nominations of Jeff Tien Han Pon, of Virginia, to be Director, and Michael Rigas, of Massachusetts, to be Deputy Director, both of the Office of Personnel Management, and Emily Webster Murphy, of Missouri, to be Administrator of General Services, 10 a.m., SD–342.

Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management, to hold hearings to examine Federal support for research, 2:30 p.m., SD–342.

Committee on the Judiciary: to hold an oversight hearing to examine the Department of Justice, 10 a.m., SH–216.

No hearings are scheduled.

Program for Wednesday: Senate will continue consideration of H. Con. Res. 71, Congressional Budget Resolution, and vote on or in relation to Hatch Amendment No. 1144, and Sanders Amendment No. 1119 at 3 p.m.

Program for Thursday: House will meet in Pro Forma session at 12 noon.