Congressional Record
Proceedings, Debates of the U.S. Congress
December 17, 2018
115th Congress, 2nd Session
Issue: Vol. 164, No. 198 — Daily Edition
Entire Issue (PDF)
Daily Digest
Daily Digest Section (PDF)
Monday, December 17, 2018
Daily Digest
HIGHLIGHTS
- Senator-elect Cindy Hyde-Smith, of Mississippi, was administered the oath of office by the President pro tempore.
Senate
Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: Three bills and one resolution were introduced, as follows: S. 3760–3762, and S. Res. 732.
Pages S7656–57
Measures Passed:
Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act: Senate passed S. 1862, to amend the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to modify the criteria for determining whether countries are meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and the following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S7628–31
McConnell (for Menendez) Amendment No. 4106, in the nature of a substitute.
Pages S7629–31
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act: Senate passed H.R. 2200, to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and the following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S7631–36
McConnell (for Murray) Amendment No. 4107, to strike the section of the bill establishing preferred places of accommodation for Federal employees.
Page S7636
Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act: Senate passed S. 1520, to expand recreational fishing opportunities through enhanced marine fishery conservation and management, after withdrawing the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S7636–39
McConnell (for Wicker/Manchin) Amendment No. 4115, in the nature of a substitute.
Pages S7638–39
Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act: Senate passed S. 3191, to provide for the expeditious disclosure of records related to civil rights cold cases, after withdrawing the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S7727–31
Crapo (for Jones) Amendment No. 4153, in the nature of a substitute.
Pages S7731–34
READI Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation was discharged from further consideration of S. 3238, to improve oversight by the Federal Communications Commission of the wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems, and the bill was then passed, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S7734–35
Crapo (for Schatz) Amendment No. 4154, in the nature of a substitute.
Page S7735
House Messages:
Save Our Seas Act--Agreement: Senate resumed consideration of the amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 756, to reauthorize and amend the Marine Debris Act to promote international action to reduce marine debris, taking action on the following motions and amendments proposed thereto:
Page S7639
Pending:
McConnell motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the bill, with McConnell (for Grassley) Amendment No. 4108, to provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison.
Page S7639
Division I of McConnell (for Kennedy/Cotton) Amendment No. 4109 (to Amendment No. 4108), to require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to notify each victim of the offense for which the prisoner is imprisoned the date on which the prisoner will be released.
Page S7639
Division II of McConnell (for Kennedy/Cotton) Amendment No. 4109 (to Amendment No. 4108), to require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to notify each victim of the offense for which the prisoner is imprisoned the date on which the prisoner will be released.
Page S7639
Division III of McConnell (for Kennedy/Cotton) Amendment No. 4109 (to Amendment No. 4108), to require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to notify each victim of the offense for which the prisoner is imprisoned the date on which the prisoner will be released.
Page S7639
During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the following action:
By 82 yeas to 12 nays (Vote No. 267), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to the motion to close further debate on McConnell motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the bill, with McConnell (for Grassley) Amendment No. 4108 (listed above).
Page S7650
A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further consideration of the House Message to accompany the bill, post-cloture, at approximately 10 a.m., on Tuesday, December 18, 2018; and that all time during recess, adjournment, Morning Business, and Leader remarks count post-cloture on the motion to concur.
Page S7635
Abolish Human Trafficking Act: Senate concurred in the amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 1311, to provide assistance in abolishing human trafficking in the United States.
Page S7628
Trafficking Victims Protection Act: Senate concurred in the amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 1312, to prioritize the fight against human trafficking in the United States.
Page S7628
CENOTE Act: Senate concurred in the amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 2511, to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to carry out a program on coordinating the assessment and acquisition by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of unmanned maritime systems, to make available to the public data collected by the Administration using such systems.
Page S7727
Appointments
Syria Study Group: The Chair, pursuant to the provisions of section 1501 of Public Law 115–254, on behalf of the Majority Leader of the Senate and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, appointed the following individual as a member of the Syria Study Group: Lieutenant General Charles T. Cleveland (US Army, retired), of Virginia.
Page S7727
Page S7627
Maguire Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination of Joseph Maguire, of Florida, to be Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Page S7648
A motion was entered to close further debate on the nomination and, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur upon disposition of the House Message to accompany S. 756, to reauthorize and amend the Marine Debris Act to promote international action to reduce marine debris.
Page S7648
Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the following action:
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination.
Page S7648
Messages from the House:
Page S7656
Additional Cosponsors:
Page S7657
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
Pages S7657–58
Additional Statements:
Pages S7655–56
Amendments Submitted:
Pages S7658–S7727
Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--267)
Page S7650
Adjournment: Senate convened at 3 p.m. and adjourned at 7:36 p.m., until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S7735.)
Committee Meetings
No committee meetings were held.
House of Representatives
Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 11 public bills, H.R. 7316–7326, were introduced.
Page H10269
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages H10269–70
Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows:
Report on the Activities of the Committee on Small Business 115th Congress (H. Rept. 115–1079).
Page H10269
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Francis Rooney (FL) to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H10213
Guest Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Reverend Dr. Dan C. Cummins, Peoples Church Jacksonville, TX.
Page H10213
Syria Study Group--Appointment: Read a letter from Representative Pelosi, Minority Leader, in which she appointed the following individual to the Syria Study Group: Ms. Anne W. Patterson of Falls Church, Virginia.
Page H10213
Meeting Hour: Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 12 noon on Wednesday, December 19th for Morning Hour debate.
Page H10213
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure--Communication: Read a letter from Chairman Shuster wherein he transmitted copies of four resolutions that include two construction prospectuses, one alteration prospectus, and one lease prospectus included in the General Services Administration's Capital Investment and Leasing Programs. The resolutions were adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on December 12, 2018.
Pages H10213–68
Quorum Calls--Votes: There were no yea-and-nay votes, and there were no recorded votes. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 11:30 a.m. and adjourned at 11:35 a.m.
Committee Meetings
No hearings were held.
Joint Meetings
KEEPING FAMILIES SAFELY TOGETHER
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: On Friday, December 14, 2018, Commission received a briefing on best practices for keeping families safely together from Jessica Foster, Youth Villages; Christine Calpin, Casey Family Programs; and Maridel Sandberg, Together for Good.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Committee received a briefing on religious freedom and government regulation of Islam from Kathleen Collins, University of Minnesota; Edward Lemon, Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security; Emil Nasrutdinov, American University of Central Asia; and Peter Mandaville, George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government.
H.R. 754, to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Anwar Sadat in recognition of his heroic achievements and courageous contributions to peace in the Middle East. Signed on December 13, 2018. (Public Law 115–310)
H.R. 1207, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 306 River Street in Tilden, Texas, as the ``Tilden Veterans Post Office''. Signed on December 13, 2018. (Public Law 115–311)
S. 2377, to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 200 West 2nd Street in Dayton, Ohio, as the ``Walter H. Rice Federal Building and United States Courthouse''. Signed on December 13, 2018. (Public Law 115–312)
S. 3414, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 20 Ferry Road in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, as the ``Captain Matthew J. August Post Office''. Signed on December 13, 2018. (Public Law 115–313)
S. 3442, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 105 Duff Street in Macon, Missouri, as the ``Arla W. Harrell Post Office''. Signed on December 13, 2018. (Public Law 115–314)
H.R. 3946, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the Ray Hendrix Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic. Signed on December 14, 2018. (Public Law 115–315)
H.R. 4407, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3s101 Rockwell Street in Warrenville, Illinois, as the ``Corporal Jeffrey Allen Williams Post Office Building''. Signed on December 14, 2018. (Public Law 115–316)
H.R. 5238, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1234 Saint Johns Place in Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Major Robert Odell Owens Post Office''. Signed on December 14, 2018. (Public Law 115–317)
S. 3209, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 413 Washington Avenue in Belleville, New Jersey, as the ``Private Henry Svehla Post Office Building''. Signed on December 14, 2018. (Public Law 115–318)
S. 3237, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 12th Street Lobby in Columbus, Georgia, as the ``Richard W. Williams, Jr., Chapter of the Triple Nickles (555th P.I.A.) Post Office''. Signed on December 14, 2018. (Public Law 115–319)
No meetings/hearings scheduled.
No hearings are scheduled.
On Tuesday, Senate will continue consideration of the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 756, Save Our Seas Act (legislative vehicle for Criminal Justice Reform), with further amendment, post-cloture.
During the balance of the week, Senate may consider any cleared legislative and executive business.
Committee on Judiciary: December 19, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, to hold hearings to examine a comparative look at competition law approaches to monopoly and abuse of dominance in the United States and European Union, 2:30 p.m., SD–226.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: December 19, to hold a joint hearing with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine VA MISSION Act implementation, focusing on tracking transformation, 2 p.m., HVC–210.
Committee on Financial Services, December 21, Full Committee, hearing entitled ``A Legislative Proposal to Provide for a Sustainable Housing Finance System: The Bipartisan Housing Finance Reform Act of 2018'', 9 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
Committee on Foreign Affairs, December 20, Full Committee, hearing entitled ``The National Debt: Washington, We Have a Spending Problem'', 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
Committee on the Judiciary, December 20, Full Committee, hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security'', 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
Committee on Rules, December 19, Full Committee, hearing on the Senate amendment to H.R. 88, the ``Shiloh National Military Park Boundary Adjustment and Parker's Crossroads Battlefield Designation Act'', 5 p.m., H–313 Capitol.
Joint Hearing: December 19, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to hold a joint hearing with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine VA MISSION Act implementation, focusing on tracking transformation, 2 p.m., HVC–210.
Program for Tuesday: Senate will continue consideration of the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 756, Save Our Seas Act (legislative vehicle for Criminal Justice Reform), with further amendment, post-cloture.
(Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. for their respective party conferences.)
Program for Wednesday: To be announced.
HOUSE
DeSaulnier, Mark, Calif., E1678
Goodlatte, Bob, Va., E1680
Hudson, Richard, N.C., E1679
Katko, John, N.Y., E1678, E1679
Keating, William R., Mass., E1677, E1678
McNerney, Jerry, Calif., E1677
Messer, Luke, Ind., E1680, E1681
Perlmutter, Ed, Colo., E1677
Rogers, Harold, Ky., E1679
Ryan, Paul D., Wisc., E1677
Scott, Robert C. ``Bobby'', Va., E1680
Shimkus, John, Ill., E1679
Smith, Jason, Mo., E1678, E1680
Thompson, Bennie G., Miss., E1678, E1681
Thompson, Mike, Calif., E1682
Walden, Greg, Ore., E1680