Wednesday, October 30, 2019

7:40 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will reconvene October 31, 2019,  under the provisions of S.Res.390 and does so as a further mark of respect for the late Senator Kay Hagan.  Next votes will be at 11:30 a.m.  Following Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.3055, minibus appropriations II (cjs/thud/interior/ag).
At 11:30am, the Senate  conduct three votes: (1) Lee amendment #1209 (LWCF), (2) Jones amendment #1141 (Rostenkowski Test), and (3) passage of H.R.3055, as amended. A package of amendments (included below) will also be agreed to.
At 1:45pm, the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.2740, minibus appropriations I (defense/laborH/foreign ops/energy and water).

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The following bills were adopted during wrap up:

Adopted S.Res.377: Nuclear Weapons Program Workers.

Adopted S.Res.389: National Dyslexia Awareness Month.

Adopted S.Res.390: honoring the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Senator Kay Hagan.

Completed the Rule 14 process to place H.R.4334, Dignity in Aging Act of 2019, on the Legislative Calendar of Business.

Began the Rule 14 process to place S.2755, to require a report on the plan to secure the enduring defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, on the Legislative Calendar of Business.

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7:26 p.m. Senator Collins offered an Managers package amendment, 45 amendments, on the H.R. 3055 (CJS, Ag, Interior and THUD Appropriations):

Tester #953 (Ag Research)

               Smith #1023 (Rental Assistance)

               Hirono #1037 (Orchids)

               Brown #1088 (1890 Institutions) as modified

               Baldwin #1099 (Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network)

               Murkowski #1121 (Ocean Ag Working Group)

               Thune #1133 (Tribal Students Program)

               Capito #1143 (Rural Decentralized Water Systems)

               Smith #1149 (Rural Housing Service)

               Rosen #1161 (Distance Learning and Telemedicine)

               McSally #1163 (Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance)

               Reed #1217 (Eastern Equine Encephalitis)

               Stabenow #1223 (Urban Ag and Innovation Production)

               Cornyn #1224 (Food Insecurity)

               Warner #951 (Ashanti Alert Act)

               Capito #1077 (Select USA)

               Cantwell #1094 (Supercomputer Capacity)

               Toomey #1129 (Report on Automotive Imports)

               Durbin #1146 (Opioids)

               Gardner #1150 (COPS)

               McSally #1234 (Animal Welfare)

               Sinema #1025 (Tribal Detention Facilities)

               Ernst #1079 (Contractor Payments)

               Ernst #1081 (OMB Report)

               Cornyn #1151 (Waste Water)

               Cardin #1159 (Holocaust Museum)

               Rosen #1160 (Lake Tahoe)

               Thune #1162 (Indian Tribes)

               Peters #1182 (Geographic Programs)

               Cornyn #1193 (Smithsonian Latino Center)

               Menendez #1199 (Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers)

               Blunt #1211 (African American History Commission)

               McSally #1215 (Four Forest Restoration Initiative)

               Collins #1220 (Women’s History Initiative)

               Schumer #1227 (Outdoor Recreation)

               Hassan #956 (Rental Payments)

               Collins #1002 (Technical Correction)

               Shaheen #1005 (Emergency Medical Kits)

               Kaine #1010 (Remote Tower Pilot Program)

               Cortez Masto #1061 (Smart Cities)

               Cortez Masto #1062 (ITS Program Advisory Committee)

               Heinrich #1114 (HUD VASH)

               Shaheen #1130 (Manufactured Home Communities)

               Hoeven #1214 (Flight Schools-Vets)

               Portman #1235 (Family Unification Program HUD)

6:53 p.m. Senator Collins spoke in memory of Senator Kay Hagan.

5:45 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke on climate change.

5:30 p.m. Senator Fisher spoke on the Defense Appropriations bill.

5:21 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke on South Sudan.

5:08 p.m. Senator Cramer spoke in praise of the United States Military.

5:02 p.m. Senator Blackburn spoke on the Boeing company’s safety standards.

4:44 p.m. Senators Romney and Manchin spoke on debt and trust funds such as social security.

4:30 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke on the pending appropriations bill.

4:00 p.m. The Senate returned from the recess.  Senators Merkley and Udall spoke on health care, gun safety, climate change and the Democrats agenda and asked UC to take up and pass  S.949 regarding election access and ethics rules.  Senator Blunt objected.

3:02 p.m. The Senate recessed until 4:00 p.m.

2:53 p.m. Senator Merkley paid tribute to former Senator Hagan.

2:51 p.m. Senator Roberts achieved UC to have the Senate recess from 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m for a briefing on Syria.

1:53 p.m. Senators Ernst, Portman, Blunt, Capito, Boozman, Hoeven, Daines and Roberts spoke about opioid abuse.

1:33 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about health care and immigration and asked u.c. to call up and pass S 2603, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families Act. Senator Thune objected.

1:21 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about health care.

1:20 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the Shelby substitute amendment #948 by a tally of 88-5. Senators Blackburn, Cruz, Lee, Paul, and Scott (FL) voted no.

Senators not voting: 5 Democrats: Bennet, Booker, Harris, Klobuchar and Warren; 1 Republican: Cassidy; 1 Independent: Sanders.

12:55 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Shelby substitute amendment #948 to H.R. 3055 (CJS, Ag, Interior and THUD Appropriations).

12:54 p.m. The Senate did not agree to S.J.Res. 52, the Section 1332 Waiver CRA by a tally of 43-52. Senator Collins joined Democrats and voted yes.

Senators not voting: 4 Democrats: Bennet, Booker, Harris and Warren; 1 Independent: Sanders.

12:20 p.m. Roll call vote began on S.J. Res. 52, the Section 1332 Waiver CRA.

12:17 p.m. Senator Alexander spoke about health care.

12:11 p.m. Senator Warner spoke about health care.

11:52 a.m. Senator Murray paid tribute to former Senator Kay Hagan.

11:41 a.m. Senator Braun spoke about health care.

11:14 a.m. Senator Baldwin spoke about health care and asked unanimous consent that the Senate adopt  S.1556. Senator Alexander objected. Senator Baldwin then asked unanimous consent that the Senate adopt S.1905. Senator Alexander objected.

10:55 a.m. Senator Alexander spoke about the health cares law.

10:41 a.m., Senator Romney spoke about the Ukraine episode.

10:26 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about appropriations.

10:06 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about defense appropriations. He spoke about House impeachment rules. He spoke about the pending resolution against a state option under the health care law.

Under Rule XIV, Senator McConnell took steps to bring directly to the floor H.R.4335, an amendment to the Older Americans Act.

10:03 a.m. Senator Grassley saluted women who own businesses. He spoke about impeachment.

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The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m.

Following Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.J.Res.52, providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Secretaries of the Treasury and the Secretary of Health and Human Services relating to “State Relief and Empowerment Waivers”.

At 12:15 p.m.: Two roll call votes: 

  1. Passage of S.J.Res.52.
  2. Cloture on Shelby substitute amendment #948 (Senate texts of CJS, Ag, Interior, and THUD appropriations) to H.R.3055.

Majority Leader McConnell has also filed cloture on the underlying appropriations bill H.R.3055, and on the motion to proceed to H.R.2740, (Defense/Labor-HHS/Energy & Water/State, Foreign Ops appropriations).