>> from live streams to the house and senate floor and key congressional hearings to white house events and oral arguments. even ourlive interactive program washington journal where we hear your voices every day. c-span now has you covered. download the app today . >> alive look at the us capitol as fog blankets

washington dc. 5 to 10 inches are expected. we will hear from chuck schumer the senate will only gavel in briefly . a vote to advance the nomination of gabrielle sanchez to be a judge in the night circuit court of appeals will be postponed until tomorrow. the agenda includes a confirmation vote on the judicial nomination and debate on a bill offered by senator ted cruz of texas to oppose sanctions on those responsible for the north stream to pipeline . this is live coverage on c-span2. >> ..

the presiding officer: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. eternal spirit, as the snow falls on capitol hill, we thank you for being our shelter in the

time of storm. lord, we live in challenging times that require more than human solutions for our problems. in the midst of these days, help our lawmakers to find in you a sure place to stand and a strong support they can absolutely trust. lord, give them such faith in you that they will seek and follow your guidance, living lives that honor your name. rule in their hearts as they deliberate so that your higher wisdom will prevail. and, lord, we thank you for the legacies of former senators

johnny isakson and harry reid. we pray in your great name, amen. the presiding officer: please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington, d.c., january 3, 2022. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable tammy baldwin, a senator from the state of wisconsin, to perform the duties of the

chair. signed: patrick j. leahy, president pro tempore. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. under the previous order, the senate will be in period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up it ten minutes each. the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call: mr. leahy: madam president? the presiding officer: the senior senator from vermont. mr. leahy: i ask that the quorum be suspended with. the presiding officer: without

objection. mr. leahy: madam president, i had hoped to be opening this new session as president pro tempore, but i couldn't manage anybody who is better suited to be the acting president pro tempore than the distinguished senator from wisconsin, and i thank her for being here. apparently to a number of the groups around this area, it comes as a surprise that it was snowing and that snow can be slippery and probably they should have gotten some plows out. maybe now they will. if not, we can hope for several days of warm sunshine, which is the best snow remover down here. the distinguished presiding officer is well aware of what

snow is like in her state, as i am in the state of vermont. and we usually go out and clear the roads. but i appreciate those few who are out there doing it. i've seen sidewalk plows and other things and some road plows. i applaud those who are doing that because it is not an easy job. and i realize coming from a state like vermont where we're used to snow, we get used to getting rid of it. i know the senate is thinking of going out and will in a few minutes, but i will speak later this week about the anniversary of january 6. and i'll state this very, very

seriously. i'm beginning my 48th year here, and i have never seen such a total abuse of our democracy, not in the 48 years i have been here. i've cast 17,000 votes. i cast them with the idea of preserving our democracy. the people who stormed the capitol had no sense of what a democracy is. they had no sense of the importance of the senate and the house of representatives. they had no sense of the importance of having both political parties protecting our constitution and our country. it was a disgraceful time.

i hope never to be repeated. i'll also speak later about my dear and close friend harry reid of nevada, who left us in the past few days. harry and i ran the same year. i was in the senate, but we had campaigned together when he ran. and i was thrilled to be reelected, thrilled that he was elected. and i was -- felt so honored to be able to vote for him as our leader, both majority leader and minority leader. he was a good man, came from a small rural town, as did i. he believed in the u.s. senate. i think with his memory and the memories of those who served in

both parties, the loss of bob dole, another one who believed in the constitution and how this country should be run. i believe that giants giants haa chance to serve within both parties. let us hope that we see the leadership in both parties roundly condemn what we saw a year ago and pray it never happens again. madam president, i yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

ms. baldwin: mr. president? the president pro tempore: the senator from wisconsin. ms. baldwin: i move to proceed to -- oh, i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. so ordered. ms. baldwin: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 327. the presiding officer: the question is on the -- the president pro tempore: the question is on the motion.

all those in favor, say aye. those opposed, say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: the clerk: nomination, department of state, ann a. witkowsky of maryland to be assistant secretary for conflict and stabilization operations. ms. baldwin: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the president pro tempore: the clerk will report. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate, executive calendar number 327, erin a. witkowsky of maryland to be assistant secretary of state for conflict and stabilization operations, signed by 17 senators as follows. ms. baldwin: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the president pro tempore: without objection. so ordered. ms. baldwin: i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call for the crowrt

motion -- cloture motion filed today be waived. the president pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. ms. baldwin: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. though in favor say aye. those opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. agreed to. ms. baldwin: i ask unanimous consent that when the that's completes -- that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:00 a.m. tuesday, january 4, thatling to the prayer and pledge, the morning hour 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. that upon the conclusion of morning business, the senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the witkowsky nomination. further, a the intoen, -- further, at noon, the senate vote on confirmation of the

sanchez nomination with all provisions remaining in effect. finally, upon disposition of the sanchez nomination, the senate recess until 2:15:00 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings. the president pro tempore: without objection. so ordered. ms. baldwin: if there's no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it it standed a jurpd under the previous -- that it stand adjourned under the previous order. the president pro tempore: the the president pro tempore: the

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will have coverage throughout the day marking the one-year anniversary of the attack. friday the supreme court hears oral argument in two cases dealing with the biden administration's vaccine mandate or healthcare workers and the vaccine or test mandate for larger private companies. live coverage beginning at 10 a.m. both the house and senate return in january for the start of the second session of the 117th congress. the senate takes up the president's climate and social spending plan known as build back better despite west virginia democrat joe manchin announced opposition to the bill. senate democratic leadership also hopes to take up voting rights legislation which may require changing filibuster rules. >> watch these developments on c-span networks once congress returns or you can watch full coverage on c-span now on mobile

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