Thursday, April 6, 2017

7:04 p.m. Senator McConnell announced that the Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. on Friday and will resume Executive Session to consider the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, with 2 hours equally divided. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Gorsuch nomination. At approximately 11:45 a.m. on Friday, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the Gorsuch nomination.

6:48 p.m. Senator Portman spoke supporting the Gorsuch nomination.

6:32 p.m. Senator Perdue spoke supporting the Gorsuch nomination.

6:19 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke supporting the Gorsuch nomination.

6:07 p.m. Senators Graham and Scott spoke about the South Carolina women’s basketball team.

5:59 p.m. Senator Rubio spoke about the Senate rules change and the importance of debate in politics.

5:25 p.m. Senator Wicker spoke supporting the Gorsuch nomination.

4:57 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about the Gorsuch nomination.

4:46 p.m. Senator Reed spoke about the Gorsuch nomination.

4:29 p.m. Senator Nelson spoke about Venezuela and health care.

3:58 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke supporting the Gorsuch nomination.

3:47 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke supporting the Gorsuch nomination.

3:27 p.m. Senator Graham spoke in favor of the Gorsuch nomination.

3:14 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke against the Gorsuch nomination.

2:30 p.m Senator Shelby spoke in favor of the Gorsuch nomination.

2:09 p.m. Senator Thune spoke in favor of the Gorsuch nomination.

1:57 p.m. Senator Daines spoke about the Gorsuch nomination.

1:29 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about the Gorsuch nomination.

1:25 p.m. Senator Isakson gave his thanks to his fellow senators for their assistance and good wishes during his injury and recovery and also spoke on the change to the cloture limit.

1:13 p.m. Senator Coons spoke against the Gorsuch nomination and change to the cloture limit for Supreme Court nominees.

12:58 p.m. Senator Gardner spoke in favor of the Gorsuch nomination.

12:51 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke in favor of Gorsuch nomination.

12:49 p.m. Cloture invoked on Gorsuch 55-45.

Senators in favor: 52 Republicans, 3 Democrats: Donnelly, Heitkamp and Manchin.

12:35 p.m. Cloture vote on Gorsuch with new precedent began.

12:34 p.m. Motion on whether the ruling of the chair should stand was not agreed 48-52 to and thus the cloture limit for Supreme Court nominees is now a simple majority and not 3/5ths.

Senators in favor: 46 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders

Senators against: 52 Republicans.

12:20 p.m. Roll call vote began on whether the ruling of the chair should stand.

12:19 p.m. The motion to adjourn was not agreed to 48-52.

Senators voting in favor: 46 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders.

Senators voting against: 52 Republicans.

12:05 p.m Roll call vote began on the motion to adjourn until 5:00 p.m.

12:04 p.m DL Schumer raised several parlimentary inquiries and then offered a motion to adjourn until 5:00 p.m.

12:03 p.m. ML McConnell raised point of order that the vote on cloture under rule 22 for Supreme Court nominations is by majority vote.

12:02 p.m. Motion to postpone not agreed to 48-52.

Senators voting in favor: 46 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders.

Senators voting against: 52 Republicans.

11:46 a.m. DL Schumer, after several parliamentary inquiries called for a vote to postpone the vote on the Gorsuch nomination until Monday April 24 at 3:00 p.m.

11:45 a.m. Motion to reconsider vote is agreed to 55-45.

Senators in favor: 52 Republicans, 3 Democrats: Donnelly, Heitkamp and Manchin.

Senators against: 43 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders.

11:31 a.m. ML McConnell moved to reconsider the vote, and the roll call vote on that motion began.

11:30 a.m. Cloture was not invoked on the Gorsuch nomination, 55-45.

Senators in favor: 51 Republicans, 4 Democrats: Bennet, Donnelly, Heitkamp and Manchin.

Senators against: 42 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders, 1 Republican: ML McConnell (only switched in able to call for a motion to reconsider).

11:02 a.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to invoke cloture not the Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch.

10:45 a.m. Senator Schumer spoke against the Gorsuch nomination.

10:37 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke against the Gorsuch nomination.

10:27 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke in favor of the Gorsuch nomination.

10:02 a.m. ML McConnell spoke about the Gorsuch nomination.

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. and following any Leader remarks resume the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

At 11:00 a.m., there will be a cloture vote on the Gorsuch nomination.

Further votes in relation to the Gorsuch nomination are expected.