Thursday, January 16, 2020

4:01 p.m. The Senate stands adjourned. The Senate will convene for a pro forma session with no business conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 17th. When the Senate adjourns on Friday, it will next convene at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 21st. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will recess subject to the call of the Chair. At 1:00 p.m., the Senate will sit as a court of Impeachment for the impeachment trial of Donald John Trump, President of the United States.

3:54 p.m. ML McConnell spoke about USMCA and opioid legislation. ML McConnell began wrap up. Senate considered en bloc, S.Res. 476, congratulating North Dakota State University Bison football team; S.Res. 477, designating the week of February 3 through February 7, 2020, as “National School Counseling Week”; S.Res. 478, designating the week of January 26 through February 1, 2020, as “National School Choice Week”; passed by u.c. ML McConnell asked when the Senate completes its business today it meet in a pro forma session on Friday, January 17th at 2:00 p.m. The Senate will meet on Tuesday, January 21st at 12:30 p.m.

2:34 p.m. The Senate went into legislative session for a quorum call.

2:33 p.m. In its capacity as the impeachment court, the Senate adjourned until Tuesday, January 21 at 1 p.m., when the trial will resume.

2:30 p.m. Senator McConnell secured unanimous consent for details of the impeachment trial, including printing of trial paperwork; deadlines for filing of the president’s trial briefs and the House rebuttal; and installation of extra furniture on the Senate floor.

2:11 p.m. The clerk called senators — in groups of four, by alphabetical order — to sign the oath book at the secretary’s desk.

2:10 p.m. Chief Justice Roberts administered the oath to the Senate.

2:08 p.m. Senator Grassley declared that a quorum is present and, at Senator McConnell’s instruction, administered the oath to Chief Justice Roberts.

2:01 p.m. The clerk conducted the live quorum call.

2 p.m. Senator Grassley called the Senate to order and recognized Senator McConnell, who previewed the afternoon’s business.

12:22 p.m. The Senate adjourned until the call of the chair.

12:21 p.m. Senator Grassley recognized Senator McConnell, who informed the Senate of the live quorum call at 2 p.m. The Senate will receive Chief Justice Roberts at that time.

12:07 p.m. Representative Schiff introduced the House managers and read the articles of impeachment.

12:06 p.m. The sergeant at arms proclaimed the order that all present must remain silent during the exhibition of the articles of impeachment.

12:06 p.m. Senator Grassley directed the sergeant at arms to make a proclamation to the Senate.

12:05 p.m. Sergeant at Arms Stenger announced the presence of the House managers.

12:05 p.m. Senate President Pro Tempore Grassley directed the sergeant at arms to present the House managers to the Senate.

12:05 p.m. Senator McConnell announced that the Senate would receive the House managers for presentation of the articles of impeachment.

11:57 a.m. By a vote of 89 to 10, the Senate approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. YEA: 51 Republicans, 47 Democrats, independent King. NAY: Democrats Booker, Gillibrand, Harris, Markey, Reed, Schatz, Schumer, Whitehouse; independent Sanders; Republican Toomey. NOT VOTING: Inhofe.

11:30 a.m. By a vote of 78 to 21, the Senate waived the budget point of order. YEA: 45 Democrats, 31 Republicans and both independents. NAY: Republicans Barrasso, Blackman, Braun, Cassidy, Cruz, Enzi, Fischer, Gardner, Johnson, Kennedy, Lankford, Lee, Paul, Perdue, Romney, Scott of Florida, Scott of South Carolina, Tillis, Toomey, Young. NOT VOTING: Inhofe.

11:00 a.m. Roll call vote began on the motion to waive the budget act regarding H.R. 5430, USMCA.

10:57 a.m. The following legislation was agreed to by unanimous consent:

  1. S. Res. 474, to authorize representation by the Senate legal counsel in the case of Martin F. McMann versus Senator Ted Cruz et al.
  2. S. Res. 3201, a bill to extend the temporary scheduling order for Fentanyl-related substances.
  3. S. 3084, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the limitation on pay for certain high-level employees and officers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  4. H.R. 886 and McSally amendment, Veteran Treatment Court Coordination Act of 2019.

10:56 a.m. The vote began on the point of order on the trade deal.

10:51 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke about the trade deal.

10:42 a.m. Senator Toomey spoke about the trade deal.

10:35 a.m. Senator Wyden spoke about the trade deal.

10:21 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about impeachment and the trade deal with Mexico and Canada.

10:08 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about impeachment.

9:52 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about impeachment. He spoke about the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Trade Agreement.

9:47 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke about National Religious Freedom Day.

*****

The Senate will convene at 9:45 a.m. and will resume consideration of H.R.5430, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act.

  • Senator Toomey or his designee will raise a Budget Act point of order against H.R.5430. Senator Grassley or his designee will move to waive all applicable points of order.
  • At 11 a.m., two roll call votes are expected:
  • A motion to waive the budget point of order is raised.
    • Passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act.
  • At noon, the Senate will receive the House managers to present the articles of impeachment against President Donald John Trump.
  • Senators are asked to be in their seats on the floor at noon.
  • There will be a Democratic Caucus luncheon from approximately 12:30 p.m. until 2 p.m.
  • At 2 p.m., the Senate will proceed to the consideration of the articles of impeachment. Senator Grassley will swear in the Chief Justice, who will then swear in senators.
  • When the Chief Justice swears in the Senate, he will read the oath to the body and senators will respond collectively with, “I do.”  The clerk will call up senators in alphabetical groups of four to sign the impeachment oath book at the desk. Senators must sign the oath book to sit in the trial.

After agreements on the scheduling of trial proceedings and the Senate floor set-up, the trial is expected to adjourn until Tuesday, January 21.