Wednesday, September 30, 2026

11:24 p.m. The Senate adjourned.

11:14 p.m. Democratic Leader Schumer spoke on the 119th Congress thus far.

11:01 p.m. Majority Leader Thune wrapped up for the evening.

Passed the following bills: S.3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026 with Cassidy substitute; S.2273– Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act; H.R.5235 – Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act; S.5249 – MORE American Fuel Act; ; S.2437 – Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Reauthorization Act of 2026; S.1514 – Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act; H.R.2400 – Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025; S.1055 – Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act; S.1564 – Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act; H.R.227 – Clergy Act; H.R.1703 – Choices For Increased Mobility; H.R.4307 – Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act; H.R.8352 – Criminal History Access Act of 2026  

Adopted the following resolutions:S.Res.866 – Substance Use and Misuse Prevention Month; S.Res.936 – Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day; S.Res.937 – PCOS Awareness Month; S.Res.938 – October 7; S.Res.939 – Iowa-Kosovo; S.Res.940 – Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month; S.Res.941 – Bat Week; S.Res.942 – National Forensic Science Week; S.Res.943 – National Move Over Law Day; S.Res.944 – School Bus Safety Month; S.Res.945 – Bison Day; S.Res.946 – National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day; S.Res.947 – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month; S.Res.948– Texas A&M 150th Anniversary.

Completed the Rule 14 process to place the following bills on the Legislative Calendar:

  1. S.5602, to prohibit the use of Federal funds for the planning and construction of any structure or monument at Memorial Circle at Columbia Island/ Lady Bird Johnson Park in the District of Columbia. (Merkley)
  2. S.5603, to prohibit the demolition of Presidential memorials (Merkley)

Executive Business

Confirmed the following nominations:AIR FORCE: Executive Cal. #913 – Brig. Gen. Stephen P. Snelson to be Major General;

11:00 p.m. The Senate confirmed the Sonderling nomination on a party line vote of 47-41.
Republicans not voting: Blackburn, Cornyn, Ernst, McConnell, Moran & Tillis.
Democrats not voting: Blumenthal, Durbin, Gillibrand, Smith, Warner & Whitehouse.

9:29 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be Secretary of Labor.

9:19 p.m. Senator Cortez-Masto spoke about the Inspector General for Federal Housing Finance Agency. She asked for unanimous consent to proceed to and pass S.5681. Senator Moreno objected.

9:09 p.m. Senator Hoeven asked consent to take up and pass H.R. 1829, regarding public land management. Senator Heinrich objected.

9:00 p.m. Senator Coons spoke about AI regulation. He then moved to discuss and by unanimous consent to take up and pass HR 9496, the “Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act”.

8:43 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about H.R. 7022-provide for transmission of energy alerts by satellite. The bill passed by unanimous consent.

8:33 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke about ambassador nominations. She sought unanimous consent to proceed to and confirm 10 ambassadors. The following nominations were confirmed en bloc:

  • PN1255-12-Peter Lord to Ambassador to Benin
  • PN1255-9-Keith Heffern to Ambassador to Gaban
  • PN1022-36-Daniel Travis to be Ambassador to Sierra Leone
  • PN1022-39-Henry Wooster to be Ambassador to Kenya
  • PN1201-4-Joshua Harris to be Ambassador to Malaysia
  • PN1255-15-Nuton Patel to be Ambassador to Cabo Verde
  • PN1255-7-Steven Gillen to be Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic
  • PN1255-8-Charles Goodman III to be Ambassador to Togo
  • PN1255-13-John McIntyre to be Ambassador to Malawi
  • PN1255-6-Natasha Franceschi to be Ambassador to Nicaragua

8:31 p.m. Senator Cassidy spoke about the Healthcare Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act-S. 3315.

8:15 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke about the Hyde amendment.

7:40 p.m. Senator Bennet spoke on the American dream, President Trump, and wealth inequality.

7:35 p.m. Senator Lee achieved consent to take up and pass H.R. 6380, to redesignate the Cherry Kohua National Monument; he then achieved consent to pass H.R 837 (To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona) and H.R. 7831 (License to Drill Act) en bloc. He then discussed the permitting reform deal announced earlier today.

7:22 p.m. Senators Lankford and Merkley debated voter ID.

7:02 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke on and asked unanimous consent to take up and pass a bill banning members of Congress and the President and Vice President from trading stocks. Senator Lankford objected.

6:22 p.m. Senators Murray, Kaine, Shaheen, and Baldwin spoke about pocket rescissions. Senator Merkley asked for unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to and pass S. 5670. Senator Johnson objected.

6:13 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about the power of the purse.

6:02 p.m. Senator Hassan spoke about gas prices, healthcare, and high prices.

5:39 p.m. Senators Schmitt and Moody spoke about fraud. Senator Schmitt asked unanimous consent to proceed to and pass. H.R. 9576. Senator Whitehouse objected and asked that the bill be modified. Senator Schmitt objected.

5:24 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke on public lands and asked unanimous consent for the Senate to pass S.5658. Senator Paul objected.

5:07 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke on Ukraine as well as kids online safety. He then asked unanimous consent for the Senate to pass S.1748, Kids Online Safety Act. Senator Paul objected.

4:40 p.m. Senators Tillis, Curtis, and Armstrong spoke on Ukraine.

4:03 p.m. Senator Blackburn spoke on gender and sports. She then requested unanimous consent for the Senate to agree to S.Res.934. Senator Markey objected.

3:54 p.m. Senators Wyden and Crapo spoke on taxes. Senator Crapo then asked unanimous consent to pass H.R. 5349, as amended by the Crapo-Wyden amendment. It passed by unanimous consent.

3:50 p.m. Senator Cruz spoke on the Federal Bank Robbery Act. The Senate then passed S.3798, Safe Access to Cash Act of 2026, by voice vote.

3:32 p.m. Senator Blackburn and Senator Coons spoke on their bipartisan legislation on AI deepfakes. Senator Blackburn then requested unanimous consent to pass S.4591 with the Committee reported substitute amendment; Senator Cruz objected.

2:55 p.m. Senator Ernst spoke about fraud and asked unanimous consent for the Senate to pass S.4952, Protecting American Taxpayers Act. Senator Wyden objected.

2:47 p.m. Senator Rosen spoke about Canadian tariffs. She asked for unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to and pass S. Res. 898. Senator Crapo objected.

2:43 p.m. The following bills, as amended, were passed en bloc:

  • S. 2498-National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act
  • S. 2754-Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act

2:22 p.m. Senator Murphy spoke on immigration enforcement. He asked for unanimous consent to proceed to and pass S. 5345. Senator Banks objected and spoke about ICE.

2:21 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be Secretary of Labor.

1:41 p.m. By a party-line vote of 53-47, the Senate began voting on cloture on the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be Secretary of Labor (30 hours of post-cloture debate).

1:40 p.m. The Senate did not invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 9340 by a tally of 57-43.
Democrats voting in favor: Hassan, Klobuchar, Ossoff, and Warnock.

12:51 p.m. The Senate began voting on cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act.

12:50 p.m. The Senate did not invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 7008 on a party line tally of 53-47.

11:58 a.m. The Senate is now voting on the Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.7008, Stop Insider Trading Act.

11:56 a.m. Senator Heinrich spoke on the cost of utility bills and data centers.

11:31 a.m. Senator Sullivan spoke on the Alaska Right to Produce Act 2.0. He then asked unanimous consent to pass S. 5438; Senator Heinrich objected. Senator Sullivan spoke more on Alaska.

11:18 a.m. Senator Budd spoke on Hurricane Helene. He then asked unanimous consent to pass H.R.4238, Disaster Loan Accountability and Reform Act or the DLARA; Senator Markey objected.

11:14 a.m. Senator Ricketts spoke on insider trading.

11:08 a.m. Senator Hagerty spoke on data centers and innovation.

10:59 a.m. Senator Husted spoke on data centers.

10:49 a.m. Senator Padilla spoke on the pending stock trading bill and voter ID.

10:36 a.m. Democratic Leader Schumer spoke on the 119th Congress, the AI meeting at the White House on Tuesday; the pending stock trading bill, and paid tribute to departing staffer Cietta Kiandoli.

10:22 a.m. Majority Leader Thune moved to proceed to H.R. 9340, amending the Public Utility Act of 1978.
The following two bills had their first reading: S 5602, to prohibit the use of Federal funds for the planning and construction of any structure or monument at Memorial Circle at Columbia Island/ Lady Bird Johnson Park and S. 5603 prohibiting the demolition of Presidential memorials.
Leader Thune then spoke on the stock trading bill and the ratepayer protection act.

10:15 a.m. The Senate convened.

*****

The Senate will convene at 10:15 a.m. Following Leader Remarks, the Senate will be in a period of Morning Business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

At 11:30 a.m., the Senate is expected to proceed to the following roll call votes:

  1. Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.7008, Stop Insider Trading Act. If cloture is not invoked, then:
  2. Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.9340, Ratepayer Protection Act. If cloture is not invoked, then:
  3. Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be Secretary of Labor.

Additional votes are possible during today’s session of the Senate.