Wednesday, July 25, 2018

7:31 p.m. The Senate adjourned.

7:25 p.m. Senator Hirono spoke about the Kavanugh nomination.

7:20 p.m. Senator Moran wraps up for the evening.  The following bills were read for the first time: H.R 184; HR 1201.  The following bills were passed by unanimous consent: HR 4645 amending the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act; S Res 592, designating October 9th as Ada Lovelace day; S Res 593, Honoring Grace Hopper. UC that Senate adjourn until 9:30 a.m. Thursday.  At that time, resume consideration of HR 6147.  UC that the Senate adjourn following remarks of Senator Hirono.

7:10 p.m. Senator Moran spoke on tariffs.

7:01 p.m. Senator Rubio spoke on flood insurance.

6:48 p.m. Senator Portman paid tribute to Officer Chestnut and Detective Gibson, and then spoke on his bill, the Educating Tomorrows Workforce Act.

6:47 p.m. The Senate did not agree to the Paul amendment, 25-74.

Senators voting in favor, all Republican: Barrasso, Burr, Cassidy, Corker, Cornyn, Cotton, Crapo, Cruz, Daines, Enzi, Ernst, Flake, Grassley, Inhofe, Johnson, Kennedy, Lankford, Lee, Paul, Perdue, Risch, Sasse, Scott, Thune and Toomey.

Senators not voting: McCain.

6:28 p.m. Roll Call vote began on the Paul amendment #3543 to reduce the amounts appropriated to comply with the spending limits under the Budget Control Act of 2011.

6:25 p.m. Senators Shelby, Collins, and Leahy spoke against the Paul amendment.

6:24 p.m. Senator Paul spoke supporting his amendment.

6:24 p.m. The Senate agreed 99-0 to the Manchin amendment #3553 to provide funding to investigate the illicit trade of synthetic opiods originating in China.

Senator McCain did not vote.

5:45 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Manchin amendment #3553.

5:41 p.m. Senator Manchin spoke in support of his amendment.

5:24 p.m. Senators Murray, Kaine and Van Hollen spoke about protections for federal employees.

5:23 p.m. Senator Collins asked u.c. that at 5:45 p.m., the Senate vote on the following amendments in relation to H.R.6147, Minibus Appropriations:

1. Manchin amendment #3553
2. Paul amendment #3543

5:15 p.m. Senator Hirono spoke about protections for federal employees.

5:08 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke about federal workers and unions.

5:02 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about federal workers and unions.

4:36 p.m. Senator Nelson spoke about 3-D printed plastic guns.

4:26 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about Senator Schumer’s comments about the Kavanaugh nomination.

4:16 p.m. Senator Carper spoke about misguided efforts to privatize the postal service.

4:09 p.m. Senator Alexander spoke supporting H.R. 772.

4:03 p.m. Senator Blunt asked u.c. that the Senate consider H.R. 772, Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017. Senator Murray objected.

3:34 p.m. Senator Alexander spoke about tariffs.

3:19 p.m. Senator Jones spoke about Alabama businesses concerned about proposed tariffs.

3:17 p.m. Senators Collins and Reed encouraged Senators to file amendments by 1:00 p.m. on Thursday.

3:16 p.m. The Udall amendment was agreed to 95-4.

Senators voting against: Lee, Paul, Sasse and Toomey.

Senators not voting: McCain.

2:57 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Udall amendment #3414.

2:56 p.m. The Moran amendment was agreed to 98-0.

Senators not voting: Duckworth and McCain.

2:30 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Moran amendment #3433.

2:28 p.m. Senator Moran spoke on both his amendment #3433 and the Udall amendment #3414.

2:24 p.m. Senators Collins and Reed voiced their support for the Udall amendment #3414.

2:21 p.m. Senators Heinrich and Udall spoke about long distance passenger rail; particularly the Southwest Chief. Senator Udall called up his amendment #3414 as modified.

2:09 p.m. Senator Ernst spoke on important aspects that affect West Virginia in the pending appropriations bill.

1:59 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about rural community development, including air service and broadband access.

1:47 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke about Charles Rettig’s nomination to be IRS commissioner.

1:37 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke supporting the Kavanaugh nomination.

1:34 p.m. Senator Tester spoke about the federal employee hiring freeze.

1:29 p.m. Senator Ernst spoke supporting the Kavanaugh nomination.

1:25 p.m. Senator Tillis spoke about Pastor Brunson, who is imprisoned in Turkey.

1:14 p.m. Senator Warner spoke about about immigration.

1:05 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about the immigration system.

12:58 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about the immigration system.

12:48 p.m. Senator Tillis spoke about the immigration system.

12:45 p.m. Senator Durbin asked UC that the Senate pass S. 3263 regarding keeping families together. Senator Tillis objected.

12:40 p.m. Senator Hirono spoke about the immigration zero tolerance rule and family reunification.

12:39 p.m. Senator Tillis asked UC to pass S. 3093 regarding alien children and parents by voice vote. Senator Hirono objected.

12:28 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about student loan debt.

12:20 p.m. Senator Warren spoke about the opioid crisis.

11:59 a.m. Senator Murray spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination.

11:42 a.m. Senator Flake spoke about his time in the Senate.

11:19 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination.

11:12 a.m. Senator Reed spoke about the threat of Russian interference in U.S. elections.

10:38 a.m. Senator Murkowski secured consent to consider S. 2779, to amend the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001. It passed, as amended, by voice vote. She paid tribute to Marge Mullen, an Alaskan homesteading pioneer.

10:31 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination. He spoke about the administration’s agriculture aid program. He spoke about the Trump-Putin meeting in Helsinki.

10:28 a.m. Senator Leahy spoke about the appropriations bill.

10:21 a.m. Senator Murkowski spoke about the appropoiations bill.

10:03 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the pending appropriations bill. He spoke about the economy.

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. and resume consideration of H.R. 6147, [Interior, FSGG, THUD, Agriculture appropriations minibus].

At 2:30 p.m., the Senate will proceed to roll call votes in relation to the following amendments:

Moran amendment to prohibit the use of funds to revoke certain exceptions #3433.

Udall amendment to express the sense of Congress relating to the importance of long-distance passenger rail routes #3414.