Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6655 and that it be referred to the Committee on Finance. I further ask that the Finance Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6655 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I know of no further debate on this matter.

The bill was ordered to a third reading and was read the third time.

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. 3716.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 630.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any related statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today and when it convenes tomorrow, January 3, 2012, at 12 noon, pursuant to the Constitution, following the prayer and pledge and following the presentation of the certificates of election and the swearing-in of elected Members, and the required live quorum, the morning hour be 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.

Mr. President, there will be a live quorum at noon, which will be followed by the swearing in of new and recently reelected Senators.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

It is so good to see the Presiding Officer presiding.

After leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business, with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

We are awaiting the House to do something on the cliff, we hope. We have Sandy to deal with, and we are waiting on that. We have a series of executive nominations that we need to clear today.

Madam President, I am told H.R. 459 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

Madam President, in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to any further proceedings.

Madam President, what is the business of the day?

Madam President, I note the absence of a quorum.

I saw it.

Mr. President, I did watch the presentation of my friend and I appreciate his tenacity and his thoroughness.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 870, 871, 878, 879, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 932, 933, 934, 935, 941, 942, 943, 944, 945, 946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, with the following exceptions: Colonel Stephen Rader, Colonel Randall A. Shear, Jr., and Colonel Erik C. Peterson; and all nominations placed on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army, and Navy; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; 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 to any of the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record; and that President Obama be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 645; that the Senate proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nomination; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that President Obama be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of the following Foreign Service nominations and the Senate proceed to their consideration en bloc: Presidential Nomination 1878, Gary T. Greene; Presidential Nomination 1970, a list beginning with Philip S. Goldberg and ending with Robert W. Weitzel; Presidential Nomination 2028, Michael R. Hardegen; Presidential Nomination 2029, a list beginning with Geoffrey W. Wiggin and ending with Eric A. Wenberg, with the exception of Geoffrey W. Wiggin; Presidential Nomination 2030, a list beginning with Stephen J. Gonyea and ending with Katharine Antonia Weber, with the exception of Scott S. Cameron; Presidential Nomination 2031, a list beginning with Sharon Lee Cromer and ending with Clinton David White, with the exceptions of Sharon Lee Cromer and Maria Rendon Labadan; and Presidential Nomination 2032, a list beginning with Karl Miller Adam and ending with Mark K. Yang, with the exception of Daniel Menco Hirsch; that the nominations be confirmed; that 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 to the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following committees be discharged from further consideration of the following nominations and the Senate proceed to their consideration en bloc: Commerce Committee, Presidential Nominations 1919, 1774, 1924, 1702, 1925, 1509, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2021, 2045, 2046; Veterans' Affairs Committee and HELP Committee, Presidential Nomination 1948; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Presidential Nomination 1698; Environment and Public Works Committee, Presidential Nominations 1966, 1965, 1964, 1398, 1950; that the nominations be confirmed; that 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 to the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to consider the following nominations under the Privileged section of the Executive Calendar: PN 2068, 1566, 1934, 1939, 1945, 1796, 1926, 1927; that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be made in order to the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.