to the en bloc consideration of the following nominations. pn-1228, executive calendar 492 and 496. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection the clerk will report the nominations en bloc. the clerk: national transportation safety board, thomas b. chapman of kansas to be a member. michael graham of kansas to be a member, michael graham of can saz to be a -- kansas to be a member. mr. mcconnell: i consent the senate vote. if confirmed they be considered made and laid upon the table, the senate be notified of the senate's action, no further motions be in order and statements related to the nomination be printed in the record. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the question occurs on the nominations en bloc.

all 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. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of the following nomination executive calendar 553. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: commerce of the united states j. blanton of virginia to be director of the capitol. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that the senate vote on the nomination with no intervening action or debate, that if confirmed the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, the president be immediately notified of the senate's action and no further motions be in order and that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the record. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the question is on the nomination. all in favor say aye.

opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nomination is confirmed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the foreign relations committee be discharged and the senate proceed to the consideration of p.n. 1318, 1319, 1321, that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, that no further motions be in order, that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the record, the president be immediately notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to

legislative session and be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 203, s. 1434. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 203, s. 1434, a bill to prohibit the use of reverse auctions, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the portman 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. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 274, s. 439. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 274, s. 439, a bill to allow members

of congress to opt out of the federal employees retirement system, and so forth. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the cardin 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. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on veterans' affairs be discharged from further consideration of s. 221 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 221, a bill to amend title 38, united states code, and so forth 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. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the gardner 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: is there objection? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of s. 3147 introduced earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 3147, a bill to require the secretary of veterans' affairs to submit to congress reports on patient safety, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on veterans' affairs be discharged from further consideration of h.r. 2385 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 2385, an act to

permit the secretary of veterans' affairs to establish a grant program, and so forth. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed. mr. mcconnell: i further ask the bill be considered read a third time. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i know of no further debate on the bill. the presiding officer: is there further debate? all in favor say aye. all in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it the bill is passed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on veterans' affairs be discharged from further consideration of s. 2096 and the senate proceed to

its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 2096, a bill to amend title 38, united states code, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the committee is discharged, and the senate will proceed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the boozman substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: is there further debate on the bill. the presiding officer: if there is no further debate, all in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the bill is passed. the amendment is passed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent -- be laid and made upon

the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on banking, housing, and urban affairs be discharged from further consideration of h.r. 550, and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 550, an act to award a congressional gold medal, and so forth. the presiding officer: without objection, the committee is discharged, and the senate will proceed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the murkowski 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. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the committee on the judiciary be discharged from further consideration of s. 1029, and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 1029, a bill to

allow the use of certified facility dogs, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the committee is discharged, and the senate will proceed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the cornyn amendment at the desk be agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the consideration of the following resolutions introduced earlier today en bloc -- s. res. 459, 460, and 461. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding? without objection, the senate will proceed to the measures en bloc. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be

agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar 144, s. 1309. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 144, s. 1309, a bill to identify and combat corruption in countries, and so forth. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the cornyn 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. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of s. res.

462, submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 462, designating january, 2020, as national one health awareness month, and so forth. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i know of no further debate on the measure. the presiding officer: if there is no further debate, the question is on the adoption of the resolution. all in favor say aye. opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the resolution is agreed to. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the preamble be agreed to, that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i understand there is a bill at the desk, and

i ask for its first reading. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the title of the bill for the first time. the clerk: s. 3148, a bill to amend the controlled substances act, and so forth. mr. mcconnell: i now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule 14, i object to my own request. the presiding officer: objection having been heard, the bill will receive its second reading on the next legislative day. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the majority leader be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions through monday, december 23, 2020. -- december 23, 2019. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: 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. mcconnell: i have one request for a committee to meet

during today's session of the senate. it has the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent -- i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination -- executive calendar 548. the presiding officer: without objection, the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination,

environmental protection agency, sean o'donnell to be inspector general. mr. mcconnell: i ask the senate vote on the anonymous with no -- nomination with no intervening action or debate, that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be made made, the senate be immediately notified of the senate's action, that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the nomination. all in favor say aye. opposed no. ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nomination is confirmed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following nominations -- executive calendar 507, 508, and 509. the presiding officer: without objection, the clerk will report. the clerk: department of defense, dana s. deasy of virginia to be chief information officer, lisa hershman of indiana to be chief management

officer, robert john sander of virginia to be general counsel. mr. mcconnell: i that that if confirmed the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc, the president be immediately notified of the senate's action, that no further motions be in order, and that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. the question occurs on the nominations en bloc. all in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nominations are confirmed en bloc.

mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business with

senators permitted to speak up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn it then convene for pro forma sessions only with no business being conducted on the following dates and times and following each pro forma session the senate adjourn until the next pro forma session. monday, december, 23, at 10:00 a.m., thursday, december 26, at 3:15 p.m., monday, december 30 at 2:00 p.m., thursday, january, 2 at 6:30 p.m. so for the information of all senators, when the senate adjourns on thursday, january 2, 2020, it will next convene at 12 noon on friday, january 3, pursuant to the constitution. following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders

be reserved for their use later in the day. finally, following leader remarks the senate be in ad period of morning business with -- in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the senate stand in recess subject to the call of the chair. the presiding officer: without objection. icer: the

majority leader. mr. mcconnell: last night the house democrats finally did what they had decided to do a long time ago. they voted to impeach president trump. over the last 12 weeks, house democrats have conducted the most rushed, least thorough, and most unfair impeachment inquiry in modern history. now their slapdash process has concluded in the first purely partisan presidential impeachment since the wake of the civil war.