The Senate convened for a pro forma session at 10:00 a.m. Senator Cotton presided and no business was conducted.

3:44 a.m. The Senate adjourned.

12:42 a.m. ML McConnell asked unanimous consent that upon the dissolution of the joint session, the Senate stand adjourned and reconvene the upcoming pro forma sessions on the following dates/times:

• Friday, January 8th at 10:00 a.m.
• Tuesday, January 12th at 12:30 p.m.
• Friday, January 15th at 10:00 a.m. and when the Senate adjourns on January 15th, it returns at 12 noon on Tuesday, January 19th.

12:40 a.m. By a vote of 7-92, the Senate did not sustain the objection to the certification of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s electoral ballots be sustained.

Senators voting in favor: Cruz, Hawley, Hyde Smith, Lummis, Marshall, Tuberville and Scott (FL) .

12:30 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the following question: Shall the objection to the certification of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s electoral ballots be sustained.

11:26 p.m. The Senate stands in recess subject to the call of the Chair.

11:21 p.m. Senator Warren spoke.

11:13 p.m. Senator Coons spoke.

11:08 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke.

11:02 p.m. Senator Markey spoke.

10:53 p.m. Senator Carper spoke.

10:46 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke.

10:40 p.m. Senator Collins spoke.

10:34 p.m. Senator Hirono spoke.

10:29 p.m. Senator Rubio spoke.

10:23 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke.

10:16 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke.

10:11 p.m. By a vote of 6-93, the Senate did not sustain the objection to the certification of the State of Arizona’s electoral ballots be sustained.

Senators Cruz, Hawley, Hyde-Smith, Kennedy, Marshall and Tuberville voted in favor of the objection.

9:59 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the following question: “shall the objection to the certification of the State of Arizona’s electoral ballots be sustained?”

9:52 p.m. Senator Graham spoke.

9:42 p.m. Senator King spoke.

9:36 p.m. Senator Portman spoke.

9:30 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke.

9:26 p.m. Senator Romney spoke.

9:21 p.m. Senator Casey spoke.

9:21 p.m. Senator Hawley spoke.

9:13 p.m. Senator Warner spoke.

9 p.m. Senator Paul spoke.

9:03 p.m. Senator Duckworth spoke.

9 p.m. Senator Marshall spoke.

8:55 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke.

8:48 p.m. Senator Sasse spoke.

8:44 p.m. Senator Booker spoke.

8:41 p.m. Senator Kaine spoke.

8:39 p.m. Senator Loeffler spoke.

8:34 p.m. Senator Bennet spoke.

8:29 p.m. Senator Lee spoke.

8:23 p.m. Senator Cortez Masto spoke about the attacks.

8:19 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke. He said the Senate is headed for the certification of Joe Biden’s election.

8:12 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke about the attacks.

8:09 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell said, the United States Senate will not be intimidated … will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs.”

8:06 p.m. Vice President Pence spoke.

8:06 p.m. The Senate returned from recess.

2:13 p.m. The Senate stands in recess subject to the call of the Chair.

2:10 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke.

2:05 p.m. Senator Sinema spoke.

2:01 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke.

1:54 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke.

1:48 p.m. Senator Cruz spoke.

1:32 p.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the objection to Arizona’s votes.

1:31 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the objection to Arizona’s votes. “Nothing before us proves illegality” on a scale to tip the election, he said.

1:28 p.m. Vice President Pence reconvened the Senate for the Arizona debate.

1:17 p.m. Senators returned to the Senate chamber to debate the objection to the counting of Arizona’s votes.

12:55 p.m. Senators began their procession to the Hall of the House of Representatives.

12:33 p.m. The senate acted under Rule XIV to take up S. 11, on limitations upon the appointment of a secretary of defense and S. 13, on election security.

12:32 p.m. The Senate secretary reported receipt a communication from the president.

The Senate will convene at 12:30 p.m. and be in a period of morning business.

At 1:00 p.m., the Joint Session of Congress will convene in the Hall of the House of Representatives under the provisions of S.Con.Res.1, for the counting of the electoral ballots.

If there is an objection to counting a state’s electors, Senators will return to the Senate Chamber. There would be up to 2 hours of debate time. Upon conclusion of debate, the Senate would proceed to a roll call vote on whether to sustain the objection.

The Senate convened for a pro forma session at 11:45 a.m. Senator Graham presided, no business was conducted and the 116th Congress adjourned.

At 12:00 noon, the 117th Congress convened.

12:02 p.m. Vice President Pence swore in all the newly elected and re-elected Senators in pairs.

12:37 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell welcomed everyone.

12:39 p.m. S Res 1 and 2, informing the President and the House respectively that a quorum was present were passed by UC.

12:41 p.m. S Res 3 fixing the hour of the daily meeting of the Senate was passed by UC.

12:42 p.m. S Con Res 1, providing for the counting of electoral ballots on Wednesday was agreed to by UC.

12:43 p.m. S Con Res 2, extending the life of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies was agreed to by UC.

12:46 p.m. The Senate adjourned until Wednesday January 6th at 12:30 p.m.

4:12 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 11:45 a.m. Sunday.

4:05 p.m. During wrap-up, Senator Boozman secured for consent of these items:

— S. 5086 on the sharing of employees among senators;

— S.Res. 406, recognizing ASEAN’s 60 years of work for peace;

— H.R. 2444, on State Department loans for arms sales;

— S.Res. 684, on violence in Cameroon, as amended by Senator Risch;

— H.R. 4508, to expand scholarship programs for Pakistani women;

— After adjournment the Senate reconvene and adjourn at 11:45 a.m., pro forma, Sunday, then reconvene at noon Sunday for the new Congress.

2:33 p.m. By a vote of 81 to 13 the Senate overrode the president’s veto of H.R.8395, the fiscal year 2021 authorization bill for the Department of Defense.

NAYS: Democrats Booker, Markey, Merkley, Warren, Wyden; independent Sanders; Republicans Braun, Cotton, Cruz, Hawley, Kennedy, Lee, Paul.

NOT VOTING: Republicans Gardner, Graham, Loeffler, Perdue, Sasse; Democrat Jones.

1:39 p.m. Vote began on veto override.

1:36 p.m. By a vote of 80 to 12, the Senate invoked cloture for the vote to override the president’s veto of the fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill.

NAYS — Six Democrats: Booker, Markley, Merkley, Van Hollen, Warren, Wyden; independent Sanders; five Republicans: Braun, Hawley, Kennedy, Lee and Paul.

NOT VOTING: Republicans Cotton, Cruz, Gardner, Graham, Loeffler, Perdue and Sasse; Democrat Jones.

1:00 p.m. Senate now voting on motion to invoke cloture on passage of H.R. 6395 – NDAA veto override bill.

12:52 p.m . Senator Reed spoke about the defense authorization.

12:49 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke about the defense veto override.

12:44 p.m. Senator Hawley objected.

12:38 p.m. Senator Sanders propounded another consent request on the $2,000 measure.

12:28 a.m. Senators Durbin, Thune ad Sanders discussed the relief payment measure.

12:18 p.m. Senator Sanders spoke about the $2,000-payment measure.

12:12 p.m. Senator Thune objected.

12:05 p.m. Minority Leader Schumer sought consent for passage of the measure to provide individual relief payments of $2,000.

12:02 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the state of the economy, the pandemic relief package and the pending vote to override the president’s veto of the 2021 defense authorization.

The Senate convened at noon.