1:57 a.m. The Senate adjourned.
1:52 a.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on H.R. 2579 (Legislative Vehicle for Immigration Debate). The Senate will convene at 3:00 PM on Monday, February 12. At 5:30 PM, the Senate will vote on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R. 2579 (Legislative Vehicle for Immigration Debate). If the House doesn’t concur with respect to the CR, as amended by the Senate, the Senate will convene at 11:00 AM on Friday and will proceed with legislative business. ML McConnell asked u.c. to:
- Agreed to H.Con.Res.102: authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitors Center for an event to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Douglass.
- Agreed to H.Con.Res.104: enrollment correction.
- Adopted S.Res.400: designating the week beginning February 11, 2018, as “National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week”.
- Passed Calendar #36, H.R.1301 with a substitute amendment that provides for federal backpay.
1:52 a.m. The motion to concur in the House amdt. to the Senate amdt. to H.R. 1892 (the continuing resolution) was agreed to by a vote of 71-28. Senator McCain did not vote. 16 Republicans voted no: Senators Burr, Cassidy, Corker, Crapo, Daines, Enzi, Flake, Grassley, Johnson, Kennedy, Lankford, Lee, Paul, Risch, Sasse, and Toomey.
1:31 a.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to concur in the House amdt. to the Senate amdt. to H.R. 1892 (the continuing resolution).
1:30 a.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the motion to concur in the House amdt. to the Senate amdt. to H.R. 1892 by a vote of 73 to 26.
12:59 a.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amend to the Senate amend to H.R. 1892.
12:47 p.m. Senator Paul spoke about the budget deal.
12:02 p.m. The Senate has reconvened for a new legislative day. The cloture vote on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930 (vehicle for the Continuing Resolution) will occur at 1:00 a.m.
10:54 p.m. Senator Tillis asked u.c. that the Senate stand in recess until 12:01 a.m. on Friday.
10:52 p.m. Senator Tillis asked u.c. to proceed to H.Con.Res. 102, Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall for an event celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Douglass. The resolution was agreed to.
10:42 p.m. Senator Lee spoke about the process on the tax bill.
10:37 p.m. Senator King spoke about the issues holding up the budget deal.
10:23 p.m. Senator Lee spoke about government funding and against the budget deal.
10:06 p.m. Senator Paul spoke about the need to reform the system of funding the government.
10:03 p.m. Senator Cornyn discussed Senator Paul effectively shutting down the Federal government because of his continued objections.
10:02 p.m. Senator Cornyn asked u.c. that at 1:00 a.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
10:02 p.m. Senator Cornyn asked u.c. that at 12:30 a.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
10:01 p.m. Senator Cornyn asked u.c. that at 12:00 a.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
10:00 p.m. Senator Cornyn asked u.c. that at 11:30 p.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
9:59 p.m. Senator Cornyn asked u.c. that at 11:00 p.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
9:58 p.m. Senator Cornyn asked u.c. that at 10:30 p.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
8:58 p.m. Senator Tillis asked u.c. that at 9:30 p.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
8:30 p.m. Senator Tillis asked u.c. that at 9:00 p.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
8:24 p.m. Senator Tillis spoke about the budget deal.
7:55 p.m. Senator Graham asked unanimous consent to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
7:45 p.m. Senator Graham asked unanimous consent to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, and then vote on the motion to concur. Senator Paul objected.
7:20 p.m. Senator Graham spoke about the budget deal and defense spending.
7:03 p.m. Senator Paul has finished speaking.
5:54 p.m. Senator Paul spoke on the budget deal.
5:50 p.m. ML McConnell asked unanimous consent that at 6 p.m. there be three votes, on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with an amendment #1930, a motion to waive a budget point of order regarding H.R. 1892 and then proceed to the motion to concur (passage), Senator Paul objected.
5:48 p.m. ML McConnell and Senator Schumer spoke about the budget deal.
5:11 p.m. Senator Cassidy spoke about disaster relief.
4:49 p.m. Senator Lee spoke on Lucas Warren, the new Gerber baby.
3:55 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on tax reform and the opioid crisis.
3:34 p.m. Senator Daines spoke against the budget deal.
2:40 p.m. Senator Sullivan praised the Alaskan of the week. On this occasion, he paid tribute to a constituent, Kirk Alkire who assists veterans and their families and was successful in naming a mountain peak in Alaska “Gold Star Peak.”
2:17 p.m. Senator Peters spoke about the enactment of sanctions.
1:59 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke supporting the budget bill and honoring Lt. General James.
1:50 p.m. Senator Leahy spoke supporting the budget bill.
1:38 p.m. Senator Rounds spoke supporting the budget bill.
1:29 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke supporting the budget bill.
1:06 p.m. Senator Flake spoke against the budget bill.
12:56 p.m. Senator Wicker spoke about the Coast Guard.
12:54 p.m. Senator Casey spoke about the Coast Guard, the maritime industry and the environment.
12:44 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke about the Coast Guard.
12:23 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke for the 196th time on climate change.
12:15 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke on the Bipartisan Budget Act.
12:13 p.m. ML McConnell called up the message to accompany H.R. 1892,the vehicle for the “Bipartisan Budget Act”.
12:12 p.m. By a vote of 55-44 the Senate did not invoke cloture regarding H.R. 695: The Defense Appropriations bill. Senators Cortez Masto, Donnelly, Heitkamp, Manchin, McCaskill, and Nelson voted yes. Senator Paul voted no. Senator McCain did not vote.
11:40 a.m. The Senate began voting on motion Concur in the House amend to Senate amend to House Message to Accompany H.R. 695 (Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2018)
11:33 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke about medical elements of the budget deal.
11:23 a.m. Senator Markey spoke about immigration.
11:13 a.m. Senator Young spoke about the budget deal.
10:57 a.m. Senator Schumer spoke about the budget deal.
10:32 a.m. Senator McConnell spoke about the military component of the pending two-year budget deal. He touched on provisions for public works, disaster relief and treatment of drug addiction.
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The Senate will convene at 10:30 a.m. and will resume consideration of the House message to accompany H.R. 695, the defense appropriations bill.
A cloture vote is expected at about 11:30 a.m. on the defense spending bill.
Regarding the two-year spending deal, cloture has been filed on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate Amendment with a further Amendment to H.R. 1892, an act to amend title 4. That is the legislative vehicle for the “Bipartisan Budget Act”.
Majority Leader McConnell has filled the amendment tree on the underlying bill.