December 11, 2025

Routine Proceedings, pages S8643-S8697 Measures Introduced

Forty bills and five resolutions were introduced, as follows: S. 3430-3469, and S. Res. 541-545.

Measures Passed

En Bloc Consideration of Certain Nominations: By 52 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. EX. 645), Senate agreed to S. Res. 532, authorizing the en bloc consideration in Executive Session of certain nominations on the Executive Calendar.

Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act

Senate passed H.R. 165, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

BADGES for Native Communities Act

Senate passed S. 390, to require Federal law enforcement agencies to report on cases of missing or murdered Indians.

Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act

Senate passed S. 620, to provide public health veterinary services to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations for rabies prevention.

Lower Sioux Indian Community

Senate passed S. 621, to accept the request to revoke the charter of incorporation of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota at the request of that Community.

Leech Lake Reservation Restoration Amendments Act

Senate passed S. 622, to amend the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act to provide for the transfer of additional Federal land to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Land Claim Settlement Act

Senate passed S. 642, to provide compensation to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community for the taking without just compensation of land by the United States inside the exterior boundaries of the L'Anse Indian Reservation that were guaranteed to the Community under a treaty signed in 1854.

Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act

Senate passed S. 719, to amend the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to improve that Act.

Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act

Senate passed S. 723, to require the Bureau of Indian Affairs to process and complete all mortgage packages associated with residential and business mortgages on Indian land by certain deadlines.

Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act

Senate passed S. 546, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation.

Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act

Senate passed S. 240, to amend the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to make improvements to that Act.

Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act

Senate passed S. 640, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, to amend the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to make technical corrections to the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto:

Thune (for Murkowski/Schatz) Amendment No. 3971, to include a provision relating to investment earnings.

Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act

Senate passed H.R. 504, to amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to authorize the expansion of the Miccosukee Reserved Area and to carry out activities to protect structures within the Osceola Camp from flooding.

Porcupine Act

Senate passed S. 1744, to amend the Arms Export Control Act to include Taiwan among the list of recipient countries with respect to which shorter certification and reporting periods apply and to expedite licensing for allies transferring military equipment to Taiwan, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute.

Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act

Senate passed S. 766, to require an annual report of taxpayer-funded projects that are over budget and behind schedule.

Disaster Related Extension of Deadlines Act

Committee on Finance was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1491, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the postponement of certain deadlines by reason of disasters applicable to the limitation on credit or refund, and to take postponements into account for purposes of sending collection notices, and the bill was then passed.

Arca Act of 2025

Senate passed S. 1591, to amend title 38, United States Code, to reorganize the acquisition structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to establish the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Department, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute.

Ensuring VetSuccess on Campus Act

Senate passed S. 610, to expand the VetSuccess on Campus program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

National Wreaths Across America Day

Senate agreed to S. Res. 544, designating December 13, 2025, as ``National Wreaths Across America Day''.

National Miners Day

Senate agreed to S. Res. 545, designating December 6, 2025, as ``National Miners Day''.

Measures Considered

Health Savings Account Contribution: Senate resumed consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S.3386, to provide a health savings account contribution to certain enrollees, to reduce health care costs.

During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the following action

By 51 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 643), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate rejected the motion to close further debate on the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill.

Health Care Premium Tax Credit

By 51 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 644), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate rejected the motion to close further debate on the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 3385, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the enhancement of the health care premium tax credit.

House Messages

National Defense Authorization Act--Agreement: Senate began consideration of the House message to accompany S. 1071, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, after taking action on the following motions and amendments proposed thereto:

Pending

Thune motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the bill.

Thune motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the bill, with Thune Amendment No. 3961 (to the House amendment to the bill), to change the enactment date.

Thune Amendment No. 3962 (to Amendment No. 3961), to change the enactment date.

Thune motion to refer the message of the House on the bill to the Committee on Armed Services, with instructions, Thune Amendment No. 3963, to change the enactment date.

Thune Amendment No. 3964 (the instructions (Amendment No. 3963) of the motion to refer), to change the enactment date.

Thune Amendment No. 3965 (to Amendment No. 3964), to change the enactment date.

During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the following action

By 75 yeas to 22 nays (Vote No. 646), Senate agreed to the motion to lay before the Senate House message to accompany the bill.

A motion was entered to close further debate on Thune motion to concur in the amendment of the House to the bill, and, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, and pursuant to the unanimous-consent agreement of Thursday, December 11, 2025, a vote on cloture will occur at 5:30 p.m., on Monday, December 15, 2025.

A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the filing deadline with respect to first-degree amendments to the bill be at 4 p.m., on Monday, December 15, 2025.

A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that notwithstanding Rule XXII, the motion to invoke cloture with respect to the motion to concur in the House amendment to the bill ripen at 5:30 p.m., on Monday, December 15, 2025.

Message from the President

Senate received the following messages from the President of the United States: Transmitting, pursuant to law, notice of the intent to designate the Republic of Peru as a Major Non-NATO Ally; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (PM-43)

Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report of the continuation of the national emergency that was originally declared in Executive Order 13818 of December 20, 2017, with respect to serious human rights abuse and corruption; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (PM-44)

Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report of the continuation of the national emergency that was originally declared in Executive Order 14059 of December 15, 2021, with respect to global illicit drug trafficking; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (PM-45)

Isaacman Nomination: Cloture

Senate began consideration of the nomination of Jared Isaacman, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

A motion was entered to close further debate on the nomination, and, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur upon disposition of Thune motion to concur in the amendment of the House to S. 1071, National Defense Authorization Act.

Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the following action

Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.

Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination.

Weaver Nomination: Cloture

Senate began consideration of the nomination of Douglas Weaver, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 30, 2026.

A motion was entered to close further debate on the nomination, and, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur upon disposition of the nomination of Jared Isaacman, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Prior to the consideration of this nomination, Senate took the following action

Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.

Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination.

Nominations En Bloc: Cloture

Senate began consideration of the following en bloc nominations, pursuant to S. Res. 532 (119th Congress): Henry Mack III, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor; James Percival, of Florida, to be General Counsel, Department of Homeland Security; Pedro Allende, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for Science and Technology, Department of Homeland Security; Michael Powers, of Virginia, to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense; Benjamin Kohlmann, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Amy Henninger, of Virginia, to be Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, Department of Defense; David Denton, Jr., of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Navy; Benjamin Hobbs, of Ohio, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Ronald Kurtz, of Georgia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Jonathan Burke, of Georgia, to be Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing, Department of the Treasury; Chris Pilkerton, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Investment Security; David Courcelle, of Louisiana, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana for the term of four years; Jeremiah Workman, of Ohio, to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training; Derek Theurer, of Virginia, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury; Jonathan Greenstein, of New York, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury; Crystal Carey, of New Jersey, to be General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board for the term of four years; Rosario Palmieri, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor; James Murphy, of Maryland, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board for the term of five years expiring December 16, 2027; Kirsten Davies, of Tennessee, to be Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense; Derrick Anderson, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense; James Mazol, of Virginia, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense; Braden Boucek, of Tennessee, to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee for the term of four years; Dominick Gerace II, of Ohio, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio for the term of four years; Jerome Francis Gorgon, Jr., of Michigan, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan for the term of four years; Bryan Stirling, of South Carolina, to be United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina for the term of four years; Thomas Wheeler II, of Indiana, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana for the term of four years; Thomas Albus, of Missouri, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri for the term of four years; Adam Mildred, of Indiana, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana for the term of four years; Harry Kumar, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce; Joyce Meyer, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs; Andrew Veprek, of Louisiana, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Population, Refugees, and Migration); John Bartrum, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs; William Kirk, of Maryland, to be Inspector General, Small Business Administration; Jeffrey Hall, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; Mitch Graves, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2029; Jeff Hagood, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term of expiring May 18, 2029; Randall Jones, of Alabama, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2028; Arthur Graham, of Florida, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for the remainder of the term expiring May 18, 2026; Douglas Troutman, of Maryland, to be Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances of the Environmental Protection Agency; Anthony D'Esposito, of New York, to be Inspector General, Department of Labor; Platte Moring, of South Carolina, to be Inspector General, Department of Defense; Mindy Brashears, of Texas, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety; Stella Herrell, of New Mexico, to be an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture; Peter Metzger, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of the Treasury; Charles Arrington, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Federal Labor Relations Authority for a term expiring July 1, 2030; Edward Forst, of Florida, to be Administrator of General Services; Stephen F. Rickard, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years; Elana S. Suttenberg, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years; John Cuong Truong, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years; Thomas Ferguson III, of North Carolina, to be United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina for the term of four years; Robert Kadlec, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense; Marc Berkowitz, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense; Joseph Jewell, of Indiana, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense; Brendan Rogers, of Connecticut, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Navy; David Beck, of Tennessee, to be Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, National Nuclear Security Administration; Charles Young III, of West Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Army; Michael Borders, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force; William Lane III, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force; John Noh, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense; James Caggy, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense (New Position); Timothy Dill, of Ohio, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense; Michael Payne, of Virginia, to be Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Department of Defense; Maurice Todd, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense; Ethan Klein, of New Jersey, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy; Stephen Carmel, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Maritime Administration; Timothy Petty, of Indiana, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; Laura DiBella, of Florida, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner for a term expiring June 30, 2028; Trent Morse, of Florida, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for a term expiring May 30, 2030; Michelle A. Schultz, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board for a term expiring November 30, 2030 (Reappointment); Paul Hollis, of Louisiana, to be Director of the Mint for a term of five years; Francis Cassidy, of Pennsylvania, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Joseph Gormley, of Maryland, to be President, Government National Mortgage Association; Travis Hill, of Maryland, to be Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for a term of five years; Jeffrey Goettman, of Virginia, to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative (Africa, Western Hemisphere, Europe, the Middle East, Environment, Labor, and Industrial Competitiveness), with the Rank of Ambassador; Arjun Mody, of New Jersey, to be Deputy Commissioner Social Security for the term expiring January 19, 2031; Julie Callahan, of the District of Columbia, to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador; Leo Brent Bozell III, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa; Benjamin Leon, Jr., of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Principality of Andorra; Brent Christensen, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador to the People's Republic of Bangladesh; Morvared Namdarkhan, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Consular Affairs); Thomas Bell, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services; John Walk, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of Agriculture; Andrew Duva, of Florida, to be an Assistant Attorney General; Erin Creegan, of New Hampshire, to be United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire for the term of four years; Ryan Anthony Kriegshauser, of Kansas, to be United States Attorney for the District of Kansas for the term of four years; James Kruger, of Mississippi, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi for the term of four years; Scott Leary, of Mississippi, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi for the term of four years; Michael Selig, of Florida, to be Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Michael Selig, of Florida, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for a term expiring April 13, 2029; Melissa Argyros, of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Latvia; Yehuda Kaploun, of Florida, to be Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, with the rank of Ambassador; Bernardo Navarro, of Puerto Rico, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Peru; Darryl Nirenberg, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to Romania; Tammy Bruce, of California, to be the Deputy Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador; the Deputy Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations; and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, during her tenure of service as Deputy Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations; Christopher Yeaw, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Stability); Mary Anne Carter, of Tennessee, to be Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts for a term of four years; Scott Mayer, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board for the term of five years expiring December 16, 2029;

A motion was entered to close further debate on the nominations en bloc, and, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, and the provisions of S. Res. 532 (119th Congress), a vote on cloture will occur upon disposition of the nomination of Douglas Weaver, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 30, 2026

Prior to the consideration of these nominations en bloc, Senate took the following action

Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Legislative Session.

Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider the en bloc nominations, listed in S. Res. 532.

Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:

Record Votes

Four record votes were taken today. (Total--646)

Adjournment

Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 4:37 p.m., until 3 p.m. on Monday, December 15, 2025. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S8697.)