H.R.2617 {legislative vehicle for Omnibus appropriations}

• Motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment #4 to H.R.2617 with Leahy amendment in the nature of a substitute (6552), as amended, was passed by a roll call vote of 68-29.

• Motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to H.R.2617 {legislative vehicle for Omnibus appropriations} was agreed to by a roll call vote of 65-31.

• Paul Amendment to increase the voting threshold for budget points of order (6561) was rejected by a roll call vote of 34-63.

• Johnson Amendment to eliminate all earmarks in the bill (6555) was rejected by a roll call vote of 34-63.

• Johnson Amendment to restrict the use of Federal funds appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security for the transportation of illegal aliens within the United States (6559) was rejected by a roll call vote of 47-50.

• Sinema-Tester amendment to appropriate amounts for the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, refugee and entrant assistance, and other Federal agencies (6621) was rejected by a roll call vote of 10-87.

• Lee Amendment to prohibit the expenditure of Federal funds to terminate the prohibitions on entry into the United States that are commonly referred to as Title 42 (6563) was rejected by a roll call vote of 47-50.

• Lee Amendment to provide for the continuation of pay and benefits for Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis (6576) was agreed to by voice vote.

• Lankford Amendment to establish a rule of construction relating to religious entities (6577) was rejected by a roll call vote of44-53.

• Braun Amendment to eliminate a waiver of State immunity (6569) was rejected by a roll call vote of 40-57.

• Cassidy Amendment to eliminate discrimination and promote women’s health and economic security by ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition (6558) was agreed to by a roll call vote of 73-24.

• Padilla-Cornyn Amendment to amend title VI of the Social Security Act to allow States and local governments to use coronavirus relief funds provided under the American Rescue Plan Act for infrastructure projects, improve the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund, provide Tribal governments with more time to use Coronavirus Relief Fund payments, and for other purposes (6588) was agreed to by voice vote.

• Graham Amendment to authorize the transfer of the proceeds of certain forfeited property to help Ukraine recover from the harms caused by the ongoing  Russian aggression (6596, as modified) was agreed to by voice vote.

• Merkley Amendment to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to expand access to breastfeeding accommodations in the workplace, and for other purposes (6595) was agreed to by a roll call vote of 92-5.

• Klobuchar-Lee Amendment to improve the bill (6597)was agreed to by a roll call vote of 88-8.

• Gillibrand Amendment to establish a World Trade Center Health Program Supplemental Fund (6607, as modified) was agreed to by a roll call vote of 90-6.

• Menendez-Cotton amendment to improve the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act (6617) was agreed to by a roll call vote of 93-4.

A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, and for other purposes. (S.5355)

• S.5355 was rejected by a roll call vote of 22-73.

The Senate passed/agreed to the following items by unanimous consent:

• A bill to provide compensation for United States victims of Libyan state-sponsored terrorism, and for other purposes. (S.5357)

• A resolution designating October 30, 2022, as a national day of remembrance for the workers of the nuclear weapons program of the United States. (S.Res.785)

• A bill to (H.R.1082, as amended by the Wicker amendment in the nature of a substitute (6624) and Wicker amendment to amend the title (6625), which were agreed to by unanimous consent.

• A bill to amend the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Foundation, to amend the Marine Debris Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes. (S.4321, as amended by the Sullivan amendment in the nature of a substitute (6626), which was agreed to by unanimous consent)

• A bill to treat certain liquidations of new motor vehicle inventory as qualified liquidations of LIFO inventory for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. (S.4105)

• A bill to codify the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to conduct certain landscape-scale forest restoration projects, and for other purposes. (S.3046, as amended by the Committee-reported substitute amendment, which was agreed to by unanimous consent)

• A bill to provide for greater consultation between the Federal Government and the governing bodies and community users of land grant-mercedes in New Mexico, to provide for a process for recognition of the historic-traditional uses of land grant-mercedes, and for other purposes. (S.2708)

• A bill to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to exclude certain payments to aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives or descendants of Alaska Natives from being used to determine eligibility for certain programs, and for other purposes. (S.2524)

• A bill to designate the outdoor amphitheater at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia, as the “Rick Boucher Amphitheater”. (S.3873)

The Senate passed/agreed to the following items by voice vote:

• A concurrent resolution providing for a correction in the enrollment of H.R.2617. (S.Con.Res.51)

• A bill making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes. (H.R.4373, as amended by the Leahy amendment in the nature of a substitute (6623), which was agreed to by unanimous consent)

• A concurrent resolution providing for a correction in the enrollment of H.R.4373. (S.Con.Res.30)

• A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to provide Federal financial assistance to support advanced nuclear reactors and associated supply chain infrastructure, and for other purposes. (S.3428, as amended by the Manchin amendment in the nature of a substitute (6627) and Manchin amendment to amend the title (6628),which were agreed to by unanimous consent)

Executive Session

The nomination of Franklin R. Parker to be an Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

• The Parker nomination was confirmed by a roll call vote of 70-22.

The Senate confirmed the following nominations, en bloc, by voice vote:

• Rebecca E. Jones Gaston to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services.

• Douglas J. McKalip to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador.

• Milancy Danielle Harris to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.

• Jose Emilio Esteban to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety.

• Terrence Edwards to be Inspector General of the National Reconnaissance Office.

The Senate stands adjourned other than for pro forma sessions on the following dates, during which no business shall be conducted:

• Friday, December 23^rd at 11:00 am
• Tuesday, December 27^th  at 5:30 pm
• Friday, December 30^th at 9:30 am
• Tuesday, January 3^rd at 11:30 am

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

• The Senate will convene at 12:00pm pursuant to the Constitution.

• At 12:00pm, the First Session of the 118^th Congress will convene. Following the prayer and pledge, the certificates of election will be presented. Senators will then be sworn-in in groups of two. After the swearing-in, there will be a live quorum. After a quorum is established, the Senate will adopt a number of housekeeping resolutions.

• Following Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

• On Tuesday, we expect to lock in an agreement that January 23^rd be the first day for bill introductions.