The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“Highlights + Senate” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Daily Digest section on pages D878-D881 on Sept. 30, 2020.
The Department is one of the oldest in the US, focused primarily on law enforcement and the federal prison system. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, detailed wasteful expenses such as $16 muffins at conferences and board meetings.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Daily Digest
HIGHLIGHTS
Senate passed H.R. 8337, Continuing Appropriations Act and Other
Extensions Act.
Senate
Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S5899-S6007
Measures Introduced: Nineteen bills and sixteen resolutions were introduced, as follows: S. 4759-4777, S. Res. 727-741, and S. Con. Res. 48.
Pages S5948-50
Measures Reported:
S. 2730, to establish and ensure an inclusive transparent Drone Advisory Committee, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
(S. Rept. No. 116-272)
S. 2981, to reauthorize and amend the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002, with an amendment. (S. Rept. No. 116-273)
Page S5948
Measures Passed:
Intercountry Adoption Information Act: Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1952, to amend the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 to require the Secretary of State to report on intercountry adoptions from countries which have significantly reduced adoption rates involving immigration to the United States, and the bill was then passed.
Page S5918
Senator Kay Hagan Airport Traffic Control Tower: Senate passed S. 4762, to designate the airport traffic control tower located at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the ``Senator Kay Hagan Airport Traffic Control Tower''.
Pages S5918-23
Continuing Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act: By 84 yeas to 10 nays (Vote No. 197), Senate passed H.R. 8337, making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2021, after taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto:
Pages S5902-06, S5906-18, S5923
Rejected:
McConnell Amendment No. 2663, to change the enactment date. (Senate tabled the amendment.)
Page S5923
During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the following action:
McConnell Amendment No. 2664, of a perfecting nature, fell when McConnell Amendment No. 2663 was tabled.
Page S5923
National Small Business Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 730, supporting the designation of the week beginning September 20, 2020, as
``National Small Business Week'' and commending the entrepreneurial spirit of the small business owners of the United States and their impact on their communities.
Page S5983
Lights On Afterschool: Senate agreed to S. Res. 731, supporting Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of afterschool programs held on October 22, 2020.
Page S5983
National Bison Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 732, designating November 7, 2020, as ``National Bison Day''.
Pages S5983-84
Preservation Society of Charleston Centennial: Senate agreed to S. Res. 733, recognizing 2020 as the centennial of the Preservation Society of Charleston.
Page S5984
National Falls Prevention Awareness Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 734, designating the week of September 21 through September 25, 2020, as ``National Falls Prevention Awareness Week'' to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of falls among older adults.
Pages S5984-85
National Urban Wildlife Refuge Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 735, designating September 29, 2020, as ``National Urban Wildlife Refuge Day''.
Page S5985
National Kinship Care Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 736, designating September 2020 as ``National Kinship Care Month''.
Page S5985
National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 737, expressing support for the designation of September 30, 2020, as
``National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day''.
Pages S5985-86
National Suicide Prevention Month: Senate agreed to S. Res. 738, recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September as ``National Suicide Prevention Month''.
Page S5986
National Family Service Learning Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 739, expressing support for the designation of the week of September 21 through September 25, 2020, as ``National Family Service Learning Week''.
Page S5986
Energy Efficiency Day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 740, designating October 7, 2020, as ``Energy Efficiency Day'' in celebration of the economic and environmental benefits that have been driven by private sector innovation and Federal energy efficiency policies.
Pages S5986-87
Nuclear weapons program workers remembrance day: Senate agreed to S. Res. 741, designating October 30, 2020, as a national day of remembrance for the workers of the nuclear weapons program of the United States.
Page S5987
Honoring Coya Knutson: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 687, honoring the life and legacy of Coya Knutson, and the resolution was then agreed to.
Page S5998
Chief petty officers 100 years of service: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 694, recognizing 100 years of service by chief petty officers in the United States Coast Guard, and the resolution was then agreed to.
Pages S5998-99
National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act: Senate passed S. 910, to reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, after withdrawing the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S5999-S6000
Portman (for Wicker) Amendment No. 2674, in the nature of a substitute.
Page S6000
Digital Coast Act: Senate passed S. 1069, to require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a constituent-driven program to provide a digital information platform capable of efficiently integrating coastal data with decision-support tools, training, and best practices and to support collection of priority coastal geospatial data to inform and improve local, State, regional, and Federal capacities to manage the coastal region.
Pages S6000, S6003-04
Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003: Committee on Environment and Public Works was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3399, to amend the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 to include California in the program, and the bill was then passed.
Page S6000
Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003: Committee on Environment and Public Works was discharged from further consideration of S. 4403, to amend the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 to include California in the program, and the bill was then passed.
Page S6001
Extension of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act: Committee on Finance was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 991, to extend certain provisions of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act until September 30, 2030, and the bill was then passed.
Page S6001
Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act: Committee on Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 561, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the oversight of contracts awarded by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans, and the bill was then passed.
Pages S6001-02
Ensuring Health Safety in the Skies Act: Senate passed S. 3681, to require a joint task force on air travel during and after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, after withdrawing the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, and agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:
Pages S6002-03
Portman (for Markey) Amendment No. 2677, in the nature of a substitute.
Page S6003
House Messages:
Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act: Senate resumed consideration of the amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 178, to condemn gross human rights violations of ethnic Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, and calling for an end to arbitrary detention, torture, and harassment of these communities inside and outside China, taking action on the following motion and amendment proposed thereto:
Page S5923
Pending:
McConnell motion to concur in the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill, with McConnell Amendment No. 2652, in the nature of a substitute.
Page S5923
McConnell (for Tillis) Amendment No. 2673 (to Amendment No. 2652), to amend the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to prohibit pre-existing condition exclusions. (By 47 yeas to 47 nays
(Vote No. 199), Senate failed to table the amendment.)
Pages S5923-24
During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the following action:
By 48 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. 198), Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to consideration of the amendment of the House of Representatives to S. 178 (listed above).
Page S5923
Message from the President: Senate received the following message from the President of the United States:
Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to the issuance of an Executive Order declaring a national emergency to deal with the threat posed by our Nation's undue reliance on critical minerals, in processed or unprocessed form, from foreign adversaries; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (PM-59)
Pages S5945-46
Cannon Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination of Aileen Mercedes Cannon, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.
Page S5924
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 S. 4653, to protect the healthcare of hundreds of millions of people of the United States and prevent efforts of the Department of Justice to advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Page S5924
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 S5924
Crouse Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination of Toby Crouse, of Kansas, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas.
Page S5924
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 nomination of Aileen Mercedes Cannon, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.
Page S5924
Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the following action:
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.
Page S5924
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination.
Page S5924
Calabrese Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination of J. Philip Calabrese, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.
Page S5924
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 nomination of Toby Crouse, of Kansas, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas.
Page S5924
Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the following action:
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.
Page S5924
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination.
Page S5924
Knepp II Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination of James Ray Knepp II, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.
Pages S5924-25
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 nomination of J. Philip Calabrese, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.
Page S5925
Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the following action:
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.
Page S5925
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination.
Page S5925
Newman Nomination--Cloture: Senate began consideration of the nomination of Michael Jay Newman, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio.
Pages S5925-31
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 nomination of James Ray Knepp II, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.
Page S5925
Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the following action:
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.
Page S5925
Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination.
Page S5925
A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further consideration of the nomination at approximately 12:00 noon, on Thursday, October 1, 2020.
Page S6003
Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the following nominations:
2 Air Force nominations in the rank of general.
6 Army nominations in the rank of general.
1 Marine Corps nomination in the rank of general.
1 Navy nomination in the rank of admiral.
2 Space Force nominations in the rank of general.
Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force.
Pages S6006-07
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
Brian S. Davis, of North Carolina, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
33 Army nominations in the rank of general.
5 Coast Guard nominations in the rank of admiral.
2 Space Force nominations in the rank of general.
Routine lists in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy.
Pages S6004-06
Messages from the House:
Page S5946
Measures Referred:
Pages S5946-47
Measures Placed on the Calendar:
Page S5947
Measures Read the First Time:
Pages S5947, S6003
Enrolled Bills Presented:
Page S5947
Executive Communications:
Pages S5947-48
Executive Reports of Committees:
Page S5948
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages S5950-52
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
Pages S5952-81
Additional Statements:
Pages S5944-45
Amendments Submitted:
Pages S5987-98
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
Page S5998
Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. (Total--199)
Pages S5923-24
Adjournment: Senate convened at 12 noon and adjourned at 8:39 p.m., until 12 noon on Thursday, October 1, 2020. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S6004.)
