and that's everyone. then we will move forward with it. anyone else? >> went to see a caucus work it will not be as confusing as reading it out at the book. eileen did such a wonderful job condensing what is very wordy and places in the book. the booklet if you haven't done it before it will just give you the words you need to say and what you had to do. it's step-by-step what past to be done to make the caucus run on time and with this little confusion as possible. we are fortunate in boone county that we only need to have three

locations. if you take a larger area like des moines it's 40 or 50. >> i think polk county is 175. >> polk county does e. the senate returning to close out legislative work for the year. you are watching live coverage on c-span2 schatz slats nominations en bloc, calendar number 400, 402, 403, 404, 414, that the senate vote on the nominations en bloc without intervening action or debate, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, that the president be immediately notified of the senate's action and the senate resume legislative session. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the question occurs on the

nominations en bloc. all those in favor say aye. those opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nominations are confirmed en bloc mr. schatz: madam president, i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to calendar number 316, tobin john bradley to be ambassador to the republic of guatemala, that the senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, that the president be immediately notified of the senate's action and that the senate resume legislative session. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection, the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, department of state, tobin john bradley of california to be ambassador to the republic of guatemala. the presiding officer: the question is on the nomination. all those in favor say aye. opposed nay. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nomination is confirmed.

mr. schatz: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations en bloc: calendars 299, 3 20shgs and 413, that the senate vote on the nominations en bloc without intervening action or debate, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be immediately notified of the senate's action and the senate resume legislative session. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the question occurs on the nominations en bloc. all those in favor say aye. opposed nay. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nominations are confirmed en bloc. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination, calendar number 371, david e. white to be deputy director of the peace corps, the senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon

the table and the senate resume legislative session. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection, the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, peace corps, david e. white of new york to be deputy director. the presiding officer: the question occurs on the nomination. all those in favor say aye. opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nomination is confirmed. mr. schatz: he i ask unanimous consent that all the nominations received in the 118th congress first session remain in status quo, notwithstanding the provisions of rule 31, paragraph six of the standing rules of the senate, with the following exceptions, calendar numbers 32, 54, 60, 63, 68, 70, 72, 77, 78, 80, 109, nominations.

11, 12, 50, 57, 63, 1 oo 7, 124, 127, 132, 133,

155, 156, 158, 168, 169, 170, 172, 173, 208, 217, 247, 268, 269, 270, 275, 301, 302, 303, 312, 313.

207, 208. mr. schatz: the preamble be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no pt intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule 22 and -- i ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule 22 and 5 usc 802, and at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the republican leader, no later than january 31, 2024, if s.j.res.50 is discharged from the committee on banking, housing, and urban to move to proceed to the consideration of s.j. res. 50, further, that if the motion is agreed to, there be ten hours of debate equally divided between the proponents and opponents of the joint resolution. further, upon the use or yielding back of that time, the joint resolution be read a third time, and the senate vote on passage of the joint resolution. finally, that all other provisions under chapter 8 of title 5, united states code, remain in effect except the 60

session day clock. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. so ordered. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the junior senator from virginia, the senior senator from hawaii, be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions from december 20, 2023 through january 8, 2024. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the upcoming adjournment of the senate, the president of the senate, the president pro tempore and the majority and minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences, or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by concurrent action of the two houses, or by order of the senate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. what baldwin.

the clerk: ms. baldwin.

quorum call:

the presiding officer: the senator from hawaii. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent to vitiate the quorum. the presiding officer: without

objection. mr. schatz: as in executive session, with respect to the order holding nochl nationles in status quo, strike from the accepted list executive calendar number 375. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted, on the following dates and times and that following each pro forma session, the senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: friday, december 22 at 8:00 a.m.; tuesday, december 26 at 9:00 a.m.; friday, december 29 at 10:30 a.m.; tuesday, january 2 at 11:45 a.m.; and that the second session of the 118th congress convene on wednesday, january 3 at 12:00 noon for a pro forma session only, with no business conducted, and that following the pro forma session the senate adjourn and convene for pro forma session only, with no business being conducted, on

friday, january 5 at 10:00 a.m.; further, that when the senate adjourns on friday, january 5, it stand adjourned until 3:00 p.m. on monday, january 8; that on monday, following the prayer and pledge, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and morning business be closed; upon the conclusion of morning business, the senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the kazen nomination; further, that, notwithstanding rule 22, the cloture vote on the kazen nomination be at 5:30 p.m. on monday, january 8, with all provisions of the previous order remaining in effect, and with all remaining clotures ripening in the order filed. the presiding officer: without objection. so ordered. mr. schatz: if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until friday, december 22, at 8:00

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