Harry Reid

Mr. REID

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 569 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, 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 with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 594.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, 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 with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Rules Committee be discharged from further consideration of S.J. Res. 45 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the joint resolution be read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2 p.m. on Monday, December 8, 2014; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed 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; that following any leader remarks, the Senate proceed to a period of morning business for debate only until 5:30 p.m., as provided for under the previous order.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have been able, with the cooperation of the Republicans and everyone in this body, to work as if we were in tonight, tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday. We would have used all that time that is allowed under the rules and we will end at the same place we are going to wind up on Monday. But I alert everyone that next week could be a long, long week, spilling into the next week. We have certain imperative things we have to do. Everyone knows we have to do a spending bill. Everyone knows we have to do a defense bill. Everyone knows we are trying to do some tax extenders. We hope we can do that, but we will see, and there are other things we need to do. So everyone should be prepared. Next week isn't going to be as easy as this weekend is. For the information of all Senators, there will be three rollcall votes at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, December 8, 2014, on confirmation of the Baran, McFerran, and Williams nominations.

Mr. REID

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, a brief word. I was struck this morning by looking at the newspapers and listening to the news that: Spending on health care in the United States grew in 2013 at the lowest rate since the Federal Government began tracking it in 1960. . . . It was the fifth straight year of exceptionally small increases in the closely watched indicator. The data defied critics who had said such growth would not continue for long once the recession ended in mid-2009. Health care spending was up last year but only 3.6 percent. It is very remarkable. As I indicated: The 3.6 percent increase in 2013 is the lowest increase on record in the national health expenditures going back to 1960.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to a period of morning business and Senators be allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, the Senate will proceed to executive session, with the time until 10 a.m. equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. At 10 a.m. the Senate will proceed to five rollcall votes on confirmation of the Burrows and Lopez nominations and on cloture on the Hale, Kearney, and Pappert nominations. There will be another series of up to five rollcall votes at 5:30 p.m. this afternoon.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I understand that S. 2970 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

Mr. REID. I object to any further proceedings with respect to the bill.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Would the Chair announce the business of the day.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I yield back the time.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I yield back the time.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that all postcloture time on the Orr and Hezir nominations be considered expired and the votes on confirmation of these nominations occur at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, there is a cloture motion at the desk, and I ask for it to be reported.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, there is a cloture motion at the desk that I ask to have reported.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived.