Friday, December 18, 2015
4:25 p.m. Senate adjourns Sine Die.
4:20 p.m. Senator Perdue comes back for more wrap-up.
Items passed by UC: S. 1893, reauthorizing programs related to mental health and substance abuse disorders.
Nominations confirmed en bloc:
#332 and #333 David Robinson to be Coordinator of Reconstruction, and Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict Stabilization Operations.
#383 Suzette Kimball to be Director of the United States
#424 Carlos Torres to be Deputy Director of the Peace Corps.
#432 Shoshana Lew to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Transportation.
#438 Patrick Murphy to be Under Secretary of the Army.
Unanimous consent was achieved that all judicial nominations received during this first session remain in status quo into the second session, with the exception of the following:
PN #128: Stuart Delery to be Associate Attorney General.
PN #214: Cono Namorato to be Assistant Attorney General.
Unanimous consent was achieved that when the Senate adjourns it do so until January 4, 2016 at 12:00 noon for a pro forma session only. Following the pro forma session on January 4 , adjourn until Monday January 11th at 2:00 p.m.; and be in a period of morning business until 5:00 p.m. At 5:00 p.m., proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Luis Restrepo to be US Circuit Judge for the 3rd Circuit.
3:35 p.m. Senate recesses subject to the call of the Chair.
3:29 p.m. Senator Perdue does a brief wrap-up. Offers motion to proceed to S. 2232, requiring a full audit of the Board of Governors, and files cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill. The cloture vote is scheduled to occur at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday January 12, 2016.
Items passed by UC: S. 1115, regarding closing out expired, empty grant accounts.
S. Res 342: Congratulating the womens volleyball team of Wheeling Jesuit University.
H Con Res 104: The adjournment resolution.
HR 4188: Authorizing appropriations for the Coast Guard for 2016 and 2017.
UC that President of the Senate, President Pro Tempore, Majority Leader and Democratic Leader be authorized to make appointments.
UC that Senators Capito and Cotten be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions from today, Friday December through Monday January 11th, 2016.
S. 2434 has its first reading. S. 2434 is a bill to provide that any executive action that infringes on the powers and duties of Congress under Section 86 article one of the Constitution or the second amendment has no force or effect, and to prohibit the use of funds for certain purposes.
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1:55 Senator Sullivan spoke on passage of the omnibus bill and the broken appropriations process.
1:10 p.m. Senator Udall spoke on passage of the bill last night related to the toxic substances control act.
1:06 p.m. Senator Gillibrand spoke on healthcare for 9/11 first responders, particularly Ray Pfeifer.
12:34 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke the 150th Anniversary of Towson University and the omnibus. As well as foreign relations nominations.
12:11 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke on the Tax Extenders legislation and Puerto Rico’s financial crisis.
12:09 p.m. Senator Grassley paid tribute to the 150th Anniversary of the University of Iowa’s College of Law.
12:01 p.m. ML McConnell passes by voice vote S. 2425, regarding social security. Passes by UC: HR 1321 regarding the food, drug and cosmetic act, S. 2152, establishing a government policy, S. Res 338, regarding Towson University, S. Res 339, regarding the University of Iowa.
ML McConnell thanked wished Happy Holidays to all Senators and Senate support staff.
12:00 noon: HR 2029 agreed to 65-33.
Senators voting in favor: 27 Republicans, 37 Democrats, 1 Independent (King).
Senators voting NO:
26 Republicans: Boozman, Burr, Cassidy, Cotton, Crapo, Cruz, Daines, Enzi, Ernst, Fischer, Flake, Grassley, Lee, McCain, Moran, Paul, Portman, Risch, Sasse, Scott, Sessions, Shelby, Sullivan, Thune, Toomey, Vitter.
6 Democrats: Manchin, Markey, McCaskill, Merkley, Tester, Wyden.
1 Independent: Sanders.
Senators not voting: Boxer and Rubio.
11:32 a.m. Senate begins voting on passage.
11:30 a.m. Motion to waive the budget point or order is agreed to 73-25.
Senators voting in favor of motion to waive: 37 Republicans, 36 Democrats.
Senators voting against motion to waive:
16 Republicans: Burr, Cassidy, Crapo, Cruz, Daines, Enzi, Fischer, Flake, Lankford, Lee, Paul, Portman, Risch, Sasse, Sessions, Shelby.
7 Democrats: Carper, Manchin, McCaskill, Mendendez, Tester, Warner, Warren.
2 Independents: King, Sanders.
Senators not voting: Boxer and Rubio.
11:15 a.m. Roll call vote began on the motion to waive the Manchin budget point of order.
11:13 a.m. Motion to table NOT agreed to 31-67.
Senators voting in favor of tabling:
29 Republicans: Boozman, Burr, Cassidy, Cochran, Crapo, Cruz, Daines, Enzi, Ernst, Fischer, Flake, Gardner, Grassley, Heller, Lankford, Lee, McCain, Moran, Paul, Portman, Risch, Sasse, Scott, Sessions, Shelby, Sullivan, Thune, Toomey, Vitter.
1 Democrat: Manchin.
1 Independent: Sanders.
Senators voting against tabling: 24 Republicans, 42 Democrats, 1 Independent (King).
Senators not voting: Boxer and Rubio.
10:56 a.m. Vote begins on motion to table the first House amendment.
10:54 a.m. Cloture invoked on motion to concur in House amendments on HR 2029, Omnibus 72-26.
Senators voting in favor: 30 Republicans, 41 Democrats, 1 Independent (King).
Senators voting NO:
23 Republicans: Bozeman, Cassidy, Cotton, Crapo, Cruz, Daines, Enzi, Ernst, Fischer, Flake, Lee, McCain, Moran, Paul, Risch, Sasse, Scott, Sessions, Shelby, Sullivan, Thune, Toomey.
2 Democrats: Manchin, Tester.
1 Independent: Sanders
Senators not voting: Boxer and Rubio.
10:29 a.m. The cloture vote began on the omnibus.
10:25 a.m. The Senate received a message from the House on the omnibus (H.R. 2029). Senator McConnell moved to concur in the House amendments and took the steps required for a cloture vote.
10:21 a.m. Senator Flake sought unanimous consent for passage of S. 145. Senator Cardin sought consent to modify the request by adding a package of 11 such lands-related bills. Senator Cruz sought to object to a series of nominations. Senator Cardin explained that the consent at issue is for lands bills. Senator Cruz objected to the lands bills as well.
10:20 a.m. Senator Cochran spoke for the bill.
10:09 a.m. Senator Mikulski spoke in favor of the omnibus.
9:57 a.m. Senator Hatch spoke about the functioning of the Senate.
9:39 a.m. Minority Leader Reid offered his view of the Senate’s accomplishments this year. He paid tribute to a number of his staffers and colleagues.
9:32 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell enumerated arguments in favor of the omnibus spending and tax bill. He offered his view of the Senate’s accomplishments this year.
* * *
The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m.
When the House-passed omnibus spending and tax bill (H.R. 2029) arrives, a sequence of up to four votes is expected.
(The House is scheduled to begin votes as early as 9:15 a.m.)
Majority Leader McConnell will be recognized for a motion to concur with the House amendments to the omnibus. If cloture is filed on that motion, a cloture vote will occur immediately.
If cloture is invoked, Senator McConnell will move to table the first House amendment. If a budget point of order is raised after disposition of that motion, Senator McConnell will move to waive the point of order.
Following disposition of that motion on the budget waiver, the Senate will vote on a motion to concur in the House amendments — unless the motion to table is successful or the budget point of order is sustained.