vote:

the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or wishing to change their vote? if not, the ayes are 37. the nays are 62. and division three of amendment number 4109 is not agreed to. mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i call up the cruz amendment number 4131 to amendment 4108. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from kentucky, mr. mcconnell, for mr. cruz proposed an amendment numbered 4131 to amendment number 4108. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the reading be waived. the presiding officer: without objection.

mr. cruz: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from texas. mr. cruz: mr. president, i want to thank the bill sponsors for working with me on this amendment. i think this bill that the senate is getting ready to pass is a major bill that moves in the direction of justice. it lowers mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenders. this amendment excludes a series of specific violent offenses, including carjacking, including destruction of aircraft and motor vehicles and drive-by shootings. another component of it is an amendment that senator lankford has introduced that protects religious liberty and the sponsors on both sides, democratic and republican, have agreed to this amendment and i want to thank them for cooperation in that and i yield my time to senator lankford. mr. lankford: mr. president, there is an error in the way this bill is drafted. there are a lot of groups that are both --. the presiding officer: the senate will come to order. mr. lankford: there are a lot of entities that want to be able to engage in the process of working against recidivism and make sure we can actually help those

individuals that are in our prisons to be able to go through process. some of those are faith-based groups. the definition that's in this bill would preclude a lot of faith-based groups from being engaged. we want to open this up to everyone. the trinity lutheran case said the government should be neutral to any entity, that governments treats them the same. this is not about proselytizing. this is about allowing groups that want to be able to engage, work in the groups of the prison population to be able to do that. this technical correction allows that and i think it's a wise thing to do and i thank the sponsors allowing them to come forward and allowing this correction to be done. mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that all postcloture time be considered expired, the senate vote on amendment 4131, further following disposition of the amendment the senate vote on the motion to concur with further amendment.

the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the question is on amendment 4131. all those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the amendment is agreed to. the question occurs on the motion to concur with the amendment. the yeas and nays are mandatory. they were previously ordered. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: on this vote, the yeas are 87, the nays are 12. on this motion to concur in the

house amendment, with an amendment, has been agreed to. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from south dakota. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that the senate be p a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten mings each. the presiding officer: without objection.

a

boaz mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from arkansas. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the appointments at the desk appear separately in the record as if made by the chair. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 424, s. 2200. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 424, s. 2200, a bill to reauthorize the national integrated drought information system, and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the thune substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and the motions to

reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 666, s. 3085. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 666, s. 3085, a bill to establish a federal acquisition security council and to provide executive agencies with authorities relating to mitigating supply chain risks in the procurement of information technology, and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the ma cass skill substitute amendment at the desk be considered grande to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and

passed, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 677, s. 3367. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 677, s. 3367, a bill to amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and promote transparency, and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the thune substitute amendment at the desk be considered agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made

and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on veterans' affairs be discharged from further consideration of s. 3444 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 3444, a bill to designate the community-baiferred outpatient -- community based outpatient clinic of the department of veterans affairs in lake charles, louisiana, as the douglas fornay department of veteran affairs clinic. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged, and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the cassidy substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill as amended be

considered read add third time and passed, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on the judiciary be discharged from further consideration of s. 2 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 2, a bill to amend sections 175-b of title 18 united states code to correct a scrivner's error. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed to the motion. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without

objection, so ordered. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of s. 3777 introduced earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 3777, a bill to require the secretary of veterans affairs to establish a tiger team dedicated to addressing the difficulties encountered by the department of veterans affairs in carrying out section 3313 of title 38 united states code after the enactment of sections 107 and 501 of the harry w. comery veterans educational assistance act of 2017. the presiding officer: is there objection toking proceeding to the measure? -- objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection the senate will proceed. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and

passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on homeland security and governmental affairs be discharged from further consideration of h.r. 4227 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 4227, an act to require the secretary of homeland security to examine what actions the department of homeland security is undertaking to combat the threat of vehicular terrorism, and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the cassidy amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill amended be considered read

a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of h.r. 7213 which was received from the house. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 7213, an act to amend the homeland security act of 2002 to establish the countering weapons of mass destruction office, and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. boozman: i ask that the bill be considered read a third time. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: i know of no further debate on the bill. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, the question is on the passage of the bill. all in favor say aye.

those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the bill is passed. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the banking committee be discharged and the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of h.r. 1235. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 1235, an act to require the secretary of the treasury to mint coins in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the naismith memorial basketball hall of fame. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged, and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. boozman: i know of no further debate on the bill.

the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, the question is on passage of the bill. all in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is passed. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on commerce, science, and transportation be discharged from further consideration of s. 3641, and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 3641, a bill to enhance efforts to combat human trafficking in connection with the catching and processing of seafood products imported into the united states, and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the

measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the thune substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection.

mr. boozman: i ask consent that the order of s. 3641 reflect that it was discharged from the foreign relations committee. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:00 a.m. wednesday, december 19. further, that following the prayer and the pledge, the morning business be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed. finally, following leaders' remarks, the senate proceed to executive session and resume

consideration of the mcgwire nomination. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: if there is no further business to come before the -- mr. boozman: mr. president, i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. boozman: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from arkansas. mr. boozman: i ask that the quorum call be rescinded. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: i ask that s. 3641 be vitiated. the order. the presiding officer: without objection.

mr. boozman: 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 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.