Thursday, March 25, 2021

5:29 p.m. When the adjourns on Thursday April 8th, it will next convene at 3:00 p.m. on Monday April 12th. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and resume consideration of Polly Trottenberg, to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation.

The Senate will meet for pro forma sessions on:

  • Monday, March 29th at 11:00 a.m.       
  • Thursday, April 1st at 10:00 a.m.            
  • Monday, April 5th at 2:00 p.m. 
  • Thursday, April 8th at 5:30 p.m.

5:25 p.m. ML Schumer began wrap up:

  • By unanimous consent, S.Res. 109, Designating April 2021 as “National Native Plant Month”
  • By unanimous consent, S.Res. 130, Remembering the 5th anniversary of the terrorist attacks at Brussels Airport and the Maalbeek metro station in Belgium and honoring the victims of the terrorist attacks.
  • By unanimous consent, S.Res. 144, Recognizing National Poison Prevention Week
  • By unanimous consent, S.Res. 145, Designation Asbestos Awareness Week
  • By unanimous consent, S.Res. 34, Recognizing the 200th Anniversary of the Independence of Greece
  • Cal. 41 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 and 56 as well as all nominations placed on the Secretary’s desk.

The Senate will meet for pro forma sessions on:

When the Senate stands adjourned on Thursday April 8th, it will next convene at 3:00pm on Monday April 12th.Following Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and resume consideration of Executive Calendar #55, Polly Ellen Trottenberg, of New York, to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation.

3:59 p.m. Senators Booker and Bennett spoke on the Child Tax Credit.

3:57 p.m. Senator Brown spoke on the Adeyemo nomination and on the child tax credit.

3:52 p.m. Senator Wicker spoke on Alexei Navalny.

3:52 p.m. The nomination of Adewale Adeyemo to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury was confirmed by voice vote.

3:45 p.m. ML Schumer filed cloture on the following:

  • Polly Trottenberg to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation.
  • Wendy Sherman to be Deputy Secretary of State.
  • Gary Gensler to be a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  • Brenda Mallory to be a member of Council on Environmental Quality.
  • S. 937, a bill to facilitate the expedited review of Covid-19 hate crimes.

3:44 p.m. H.R. 1868 was agreed to 90-2. Senators Paul and Toomey voted no.

2:54 p.m. Roll call vote began on passage of H.R. 1868.

2:53 p.m. The Scott amendment was not agreed to on a party line vote of 47-50 with Republicans Hyde-Smith, Moran and Sasse absent.

2:19 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Scott of Florida amendment to H.R. 1868.

2:03 p.m. ML Schumer and Senators Braun, Manchin, Scott of Florida and Feinstein spoke on H.R. 1868.

2:02 p.m. H.R. 1799 was passed, 92-7. Senators voting against: Cruz, Crapo, Hawley, Lee, Paul, Risch and Shelby. Senator Sasse did not vote.

1:30 p.m. Roll call vote began on passage of H.R. 1799, the PPP extension, with a 60 vote threshold.

1:23 p.m. The motion to waive was agreed to 64-36. Republican YEAs: Burr, Collins, Cramer, Graham, Hoeven, Inhofe McConnell, Murkowski, Portman, Romney, Shelby, Sullivan Thune.

12:50 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Paul amend to H.R. 1799, PPP Extension. 60 vote threshold.

12:47 p.m. By a vote of 48-52, the Senate did not agree to the Rubio Amendment #1405 in relation to H.R.1799, PPP Extension Act.

Senators Collins and Portman voted no.

12:11 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Rubio amendment 1405 to establish appropriate limitations on the Administrator of the Small Business Administration establishing new priorities for processing lender applications.

12:08 p.m. Senators Rubio and Cardin spoke on the Rubio amendment to H.R. 1799.

12:07 p.m. By a vote of 48-52 the Senate did not agree to the Kennedy amendment.

Senators Collins and Portman voted no.

10:54 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the Kennedy amendment #1401 prohibiting PPP loans and second draw loans for applicants convicted of a felony in relation to a riot or civil disorder during the 2-year period preceding the date of the application.

10:47 a.m. Senator Kennedy spoke on his amendment to H.R. 1799.

10:37 a.m. Senators Lankford, Cardin and Marshall spoke on the paycheck protection program.

10:27 a.m. RL McConnell spoke on immigration, election laws and the pandemic response.

10:11 a.m. ML Schumer had the second reading of H.R. 1868, authorizing a dedicated domestic terrorism offices within the department of Homeland Security. He then spoke on accomplishments of the last few months and the agenda for the months ahead.

10:00 a.m. The Senate convened.

  • The Senate will convene at 10:00. Following Leader remarks, all post-cloture time on the motion to proceed to H.R.1799, a bill to amend the Small Business Act and the CARES Act to extend the covered period for the paycheck protection program, and for other purposes, will be considered expired and the motion to proceed to H.R.1799 will be agreed to.
  • The following two amendments to H.R.1799 will be in order:
  • Kennedy amendment to prohibit paycheck protection program loans and second draw loans for applicants convicted of a felony in relation to a riot or civil disorder during the 2-year period preceding the date of the application. (1401)
    • Rubio amendment to establish appropriate limitations on the Administrator of the Small Business Administration establishing new priorities for processing lender applications. (1405)
  • Further, it will be in order for Senator Paul or his designee to raise a Budget Act point of order.
  • At 10:45am, the Senate will proceed to four roll call votes relative to the following:
  • Kennedy amendment to prohibit paycheck protection program loans and second draw loans for applicants convicted of a felony in relation to a riot or civil disorder during the 2-year period preceding the date of the application. (1401)
  • Rubio amendment to establish appropriate limitations on the Administrator of the Small Business Administration establishing new priorities for processing lender applications. (1405)
  • Motion to waive the Budget Act point of order, if raised. This vote is subject to a 60-vote threshold.
  • Passage of H.R.1799, a bill to amend the Small Business Act and the CARES Act to extend the covered period for the paycheck protection program, and for other purposes, if the motion to waive the Budget Act is agreed to, as amended, if amended. This vote is subject to a 60-vote threshold.

Additional roll call votes—including on confirmation of the nomination of Adewale O. Adeyemo to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury—are expected during Thursday’s session of the Senate. It is possible the Senate will consider H.R.1868, a bill to prevent across-the-board direct spending cuts, and for other purposes