we are teaming up with the salvation army to stand strong for texas. 7m sweeney is live in the undersigned phone bank. we started with zero dollars, and now we passed $32,000 things to the generosity of abc7 viewers. we are tying to make it over $100,000, and we are working alongside the salvation army, which means every dollar donated through our phone bank today goes directly to those who most need it in texas. give us a call, 703- you are here to tell us where the money goes and how 100% helps the folks on the ground. >> we make sure everything goes to the people who need it most -- food, clothing, items that are desperately needed. every penny makes a difference. about food and clothing and you don't want people to donate food and clothing. you want cash. >> the reason why is the easiest way we can identify things needed most and purchase them. and it helps them right there where they are devastated. is helpingon army with the immediate response, getting food and shelter to those who are still in shelters. the storm came last week and people are still being rescued. they will be in for

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 on the nomination of ralph r. erickson of north dakota to be united states circuit judge for the 8th circuit signed by 17 senators. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question on the motion to proceed. all in favor say aye. those opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 251. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. those opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, federal communications commission, ajit varadaraj to be a member of the ferld communications commission. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture

the clerk: cloture vote -- cloture motion: we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22, do hereby bring to a close debate on of ajit pai of kansas to be a member of the federal communications commission, signed by 127 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nominati of kansas to be a member of the federal communicat com a close? the yeas and nays arena mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: .. vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote? if not, the yeas are 55, the nays are 41. the motion is agreed to. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from nebraska. mr. sasse: mr. president, thank you. and i'd like to extend thanks to my colleague from ohio and from maryland for allowing me to cut the line. a few minutes ago the senator from connecticut made a speech about the natural disaster and the humanitarian crisis unfolding in puer

the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22, do hereby bring to a close debate on calendar number 175, h.r. 2810, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities for the department of defense and for defense activities for the dough d.o.e. and for other purposes. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that the mandatory quorum call be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, i have a request for one committee to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. mr. wyden: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. wyden: mr. president, in a few

the clerk: 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 on the nomination of noel j. francisco of the district of columbia to be solicitor general of the united states, signed by 17 senators as follows. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. and the motion is agreed to. mr. mcconnell: madam president, i have seven requests for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: madam president, i thank the majority leader for all the suppor

we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22, do hereby bring to a close debate on on the nomination of william emanuel of california to be a member of the national labor relations board, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question, is it the sense of the senate that the debate on william emanuel to be a member of the board shall come to a close. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or wishing to change their vote? if not, on this measure the ayes are 49. the nays are 44. the motion is agreed to. mr. mccain: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent to address the senate as if in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mccain: mr. president, this week marks 30 years of loyal service to the senate by one joe donahue, my legislative director. 30 years working for the citizens of arizona and trying

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 move to bring to a close debate on the motion to concur in the house amendment to the senate amendment to h.r. 601 with an amendment numbered 808, signed by 16 senators. mr. mcconnell: i ask the reading of the names be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask for the yeas and nays on the motion to concur with the amendment. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the yeas and nays are ordered. mr. mcconnell: i have a second-degree amendment at the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from kentucky, mr. mcconnell, proposes an amendment numbered 809 to amendment numbered 808. mr. mcconnell: i ask the reading be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: now, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:00 a.m. thursday, september 7. further,

the clerk: cloture motion: we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22, do hereby bring to a close debate on senate amendment numbered 1003, as modified, to calendar number 175, h.r. 2810, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities for the department of defense and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived, is it the sense of the senate that amendment 1003, offered by the senator from arizona, mr. mccain, shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote:

the clerk: cloture motion: we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22, do hereby bring to a close debate on calendar number 175, h.r. 2810, an act to awltsdz rise appropriation -- authorize appropriations for 2018 for military activities for the department of defense so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on h.r. 2810, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities for the department of defense, for military construction, and for defense activities for the d.o.e., and for other purposes shall be -- as amended, shall be brought to a close? the yeas and nays are mandatory under the role. -- the rule the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: the presiding officer: does anyone wish to change their vote? on this vote the yeas are 90, the nays are 7. three-fifths of the senators having voted in the affirmative, the motion is agreed to. under the previous order, there will now be 20 minutes of debate equally divided between the senator from arizona, sen

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 on senate amendment numbered 1003 as modified to calendar number 175, h.r. 2810, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the department of defense and so forth and for other purposes signed by 17 senators. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk for the underlying bill h.r. 2810. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion. 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 on calendar number 175, h.r. 2810, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018, for military activities of the department of defense, and so forth and for other purposes signed by 17 senators. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading o

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 on the motion to concur in the house amendment to the senate amendment to h.r. 601 with further amendment number 808 signed by 16 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the motion to concur in the house amendment to the senate amendment to h.r. 601, an act to enhance the transparency and accelerate the impact of assistance provided under the foreign assistance act of 1961 to promote quality, basic education in developing countries, to better enable such countries to achieve universal access to quality you basic outcomes to eliminate duplication ants waste and for other purposes with a further amendment, be brought to a close? the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote:

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 on the nomination of noel j. francisco of the district of columbia to be solicitor general of the united states, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of noel j. francisco of the district of columbia to be solicitor general of the united states shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: yeas are 49, nays are 47. the motion is agreed to the presiding officer: the senator from arkansas. mr. boozman: mr. president, i rise to speak in honor of the anniversary of the united states air force. since september 18, 1947, the united states air force has bravely fought to protect freedom, liberty, and peace on every continent around the globe. from major international conflicts to providing human

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 on the motion to proceed to calendar number 175, h.r. 2810, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 military activities of the department of defense and so forth and for other purposes signed by 1 senators. -- by 17 senators. the presiding officer: the mandatory quorum call waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the motion to proceed to h.r. 2810, an act authorizing aopenings pros for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the department of defense, construction,ances and for defense activities of the department of energy to proscribe military strength for such fiscal-year-old and for other purposes shall be brought to a close? the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: have all senators voted? does any senator wish to change his vote? on this vote the yeas are 89, the nays a