7:21 – Senate adjourned until 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 9th.

7:15 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke on social/emotional education.

6:45 p.m. ML McConnell conducted wrap.  Senate passed by unanimous consent and en bloc three postal facility designation bills: H.R. 891; H.R. 1326 and H.R. 1350.  Senate also passed S Res 200 – wishing a happy 80th birthday to the Dalai Lama; S Res 218, congratulating the U.S. Women’s soccer team, FIFA world cup champions.  Senate will reconvene tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. and votes are expected tomorrow around 11:30 (TBD).

6:21 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke on climate change.

5:55 p.m. Sessions spoke on “santuary cities” and federal and state jurisdictions regarding criminal aliens.

5:53 p.m. The Murray amendment #2124 and the Bennet amendment #2115 were agreed to by voice vote.

5:52 p.m. Alexander amendment not agreed to 45-52.  Senators King, Rubio, and Stabenow did not vote.

5:24 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Alexander amendment # 2139. (60 vote threshold)

5:21 p.m.  Tester amendment agreed to 56-41.  Democrats voting against: Manchin.  Republicans voting in favor: Barrasso, Crapo, Daines, Enzi, Gardner, Heller, Hoeven, McCain, Moran, Murkowski, Risch, Sullivan, and Thune.  Senators King, Rubio, and Stabenow did not vote.

5:04 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Tester amendment #2107.

5:01 p.m. Hirono amendment not agreed to 47-50.  Republicans voting in favor: Gardner, Heller, and Kirk.  Senators King, Rubio, and Stabenow did not vote.

4:35 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Hirono amendment #2109.

4:33 p.m. Senators Hirono and Alexander spoke on the Hirono amendment, #2109.

4:14 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke on his amendment #2094, regarding background checks for school employees.

4:08 p.m. Senator Menendez paid tribute to the US Womens National Soccer team on their recent World Cup victory.

4:06 p.m. Senators Alexander and Murray called up the five amendments listed below that will recieve votes at 4:30 p.m.

3:58 p.m. Senators Flake and Murray spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

****

At 4:30 p.m., the Senate will vote on the following amendments to S.1177 (3 roll call votes expected, final two amdts expected by voice vote):

• Hirono amendment #2109
• Tester amendment #2107
• Alexander amendment #2139 (60 vote threshold)
• Murray amendment #2124
• Bennet amendment #2115

****

3:42 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

3:36 p.m. Senator Reed spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

3:30 p.m Senator Murray spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

3:12 p.m. Senator Sanders spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

3:05 p.m. Senator Daines spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

2:54 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

2:45 p.m Senator Alexander spoke on his amendment-Scholarships for Kids Act.

2:33 p.m Senator Thune spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

2:26 p.m. Senator Brown spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

2:15 p.m. Senator Isakson spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

2:15 p.m. The Senate reconvened and resumed consideraiton of S. 1177.

12:49 Senate stands in recess until 2:15 p.m.

12:48  Senate agreed to the Rounds amendment #2078 and the Warner amendment #2086 by voice vote.

12:47 p.m Reed amendment agreed to 98-0.  (Senators King and Rubio did not vote)

12:04 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Reed amendment, #2085 to the Every Child Acheives Act.

11:57 a.m. Senator Mikulski spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

11:51 a.m. Senator Cochran spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

11:49 a.m. Senator Bennett spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

11:43 a.m. Senator Rounds spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

11:39 a.m. Senator Reed spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

11:30 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

11:11 a.m. Senator Bennett spoke on the Every Child Achieves Act.

10:52 a.m. Senator Barasso spoke about the Iran talks.

10:50 a.m. Senator Alexander secured consent for votes on these amendments at noon: roll call on Reed #2085, to improve libraries; voice votes on Rounds #2078, to study education in poor and rural areas of Indian country, and Warner #2086, to pay for fiscal support teams.

10:39 a.m. Senator Hirono used personal experience to highlight distinctions among Americans of Asian and Pacific islands descent. She spoke for her amendment (#2109) to address the needs of such students.

10:27 a.m. Senator Murray spoke about the need to revise the school testing system.

10:13 a.m. Senator Alexander said he will recommend adoption of a number of amendments pending to the education bill. He spoke about the value of goals and testing in the public schools, and of revisions in the system.

10:08 a.m. Minority Leader Reid spoke about Republican handling of the education law in earlier Congresses; about upcoming legislative deadlines; and about the defense authorization bill.

10:03 a.m. Majorty Leader McConnell spoke about the “Every Child” elementary and secondary education bill, S. 1177.

NOTE: At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Senator Toomey will hold a Pen & Pad in the Senate Press Gallery (Room S-316 of the Capitol). He will discuss his legislation to require background checks on school employees, an amendment to the education bill (S. 1177).

The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. and after leader remarks will resume consideration of S. 1177, the reauthorization of the elementary and secondary schools law (the “Every Child Achieves Act”).

Roll call votes are expected this morning on amendments to the education bill.

These amendments are pending to S. 1177:

• Alexander-Murray substitute (#2089)
•  Fischer amendment (#2079) to ensure local governance of education.
• Peters amendment (#2095) to allow the use of certain federal funds for financial literacy activities.
• Rounds amendment (#2078) to require a study of public school education in rural and poor areas of Indian country.
• Reed amendment (#2085) to improve school library programs.
• Warner amendment (#2086) to allow the use of certain funds for fiscal support teams.
• Toomey amendment (#2094) to protect children from sex offenders in the public schools.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for weekly caucus lunches.