Floor Statements

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call be waived.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I have 4 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

committee on banking, housing, and urban affairs

The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 6, 2018, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Outside Perspectives on Russia Sanctions: Current Effectiveness and potential next steps.''

committee on foreign relations

The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 6, 2018, at 10 a.m., to conduct a business meeting.

committee on the judiciary

The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 6, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``The nomination of the Honorable Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.''

subcommittee on transportation and infrastructure

The Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 6, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on the nomination of Harold B. Parker, to be Federal Cochairperson of the Northern Border Regional Commission.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 623, submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Mr. President, I ask that the Chair lay before the Senate the message to accompany H.R. 6147.

The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, That the House disagree to the amendment of the

Senate to the bill (H.R. 6147) entitled ``An Act making

appropriations for the Department of the Interior,

environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending

September 30, 2019, and for other purposes.'', and ask a

conference with the Senate on the disagreeing votes of the

two Houses thereon.

Ordered, That Messrs. Frelinghuysen, Aderholt, Simpson,

Calvert, Cole, Diaz-Balart, Graves of Georgia, Young of Iowa,

Rutherford, Mrs. Lowey, Messrs. Price of North Carolina,

Bishop of Georgia, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Quigley, and Ms.

Pingree, be the managers of the conference on the part of the

House.

Compound Motion

Mr. President, I move that the Senate insist on its amendment, agree to the request by the House for a conference, and authorize the Chair to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate at a ratio of 6 to 5.

I know of no further debate on the motion.

Mr. President, I ask that the Chair lay before the Senate the message to accompany H.R. 6157.

The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, That the House disagree to the amendment of the

Senate to the bill (H.R. 6157) entitled ``An Act making

appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal

year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes.'',

and ask a conference with the Senate on the disagreeing votes

of the two Houses thereon.

Ordered, That Mr. Frelinghuysen, Ms. Granger, Messrs. Cole,

Calvert, Womack, Aderholt, Rogers of Kentucky, Mrs. Roby,

Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Visclosky, Mses. DeLauro, Roybal-Allard, and

McCollum, be the managers of the conference on the part of

the House.

Compound Motion

I move that the Senate insist on its amendment, agree to the request of the House for a conference, and authorize the Chair to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate at a ratio of 4 to 3.

I know of no further debate on the motion.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the en bloc consideration of the following nominations: Executive Calendar Nos. 1054, 1055, 1056, 1058, and 1059.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; that no further motions be in order; and that any statements relating to the nominations be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar Nos. 1001, 1002, 1003 and all nominations placed on the Secretary's desk in the Foreign Service; that the nominations be confirmed; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon 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; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of S. 1417 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Hatch amendment at the desk be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of H.R. 6124, which is at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 255, S. 1586.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to and the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.

I know of no further debate on the bill.

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

I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 522.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 603.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged

from further consideration of S. Res. 612 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I further ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.