Tuesday, December 11th, 2018

8:02 p.m. The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30 a.m. Next vote expected at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, December 12 on S. J. Res 64, IRS Disclosure CRA.

Passed in wrap up:

Passed Calendar #560, S.1092, with Thune substitute amendment: Interstate Transport Act of 2018.

Passed Calendar #581, S.2961, with Blunt amendment: reauthorize subtitle A of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.

Passed Calendar #612, H.R.6964: Juvenile Justice Reform Act.

Passed Calendar #695, S.3482: Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization.

Passed by voice vote Calendar #701, H.R.1872: Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act.

Passed H.R.5759: 21st Century IDEA.

Passed H.R.3996: Protecting Access to the Courts for Taxpayers Act.

Adopted S.Res.154: promoting awareness of motorcycle profiling, and for other purposes.

Adopted S.Res.565, with Perdue amendment: 40th Anniversary of Naval Submarine Base, Kings Bay.

Adopted S.Res.711: designating November 2018 as “National Runaway Prevention Month”.

Adopted S.Res.719: designating December 15, 2018, as “Wreaths Across America Day”.

Adopted S.Res.720: expressing condolences of the Senate and honoring the memory of the victims of the shooting at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, on November 19, 2018.

Adopted S.Res.721: designating the week beginning on October 21, 2018, as “National Chemistry Week”.

Adopted S.Res.722: designating October 26, 2018, as “Day of the Deployed”.

Adopted S.Res.723: congratulating the American College of Emergency Physicians on its 50th anniversary.

7:42 p.m. Senator Bennet spoke on the passage of the Farm Bill.

7:31 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke on criminal justice reforms.

6:20 p.m. Senator Murkowski spoke on the Artic.

5:42 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke about climate change.

5:18 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke supporting prison reform legislation.

5:06 p.m. Senator Smith spoke supporting the Farm Bill.

4:55 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke supporting the Farm Bill.

4:44 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke on funding our national defense.

4:39 p.m. Senator Isakson spoke on the economy.

4:38 p.m. Senator Tester spoke on S.J.Res. 64, IRS Disclosure CRA.

4:37 p.m. The Senate began consideration of S.J.Res. 64, IRS Disclosure CRA, with up to 10 hours of debate.

4:35 p.m. The Senate adopted the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 2, the Farm Bill by a vote of 87-13. Senators voting no (13 R’s): Barrasso, Cotton, Enzi, Flake, Grassley, Johnson, Kennedy, Kyl, Lee, Murkowski, Paul, Rubio, & Toomey.

3:57 p.m. The Senate is voting on Adoption of the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2, the Farm Bill.

3:48 p.m. Senators Stabenow and Roberts spoke on the Farm Bill.

3:46 p.m. Senator Roberts spoke about Senator Donnelly.

3:41 p.m. Senator Stabenow spoke about Senator Donnelly.

3:35 p.m. Senator Young spoke about Senator Donnelly.

3:34 p.m. Senator Isakson spoke about Senators Heitkamp and Donnelly.

3:00 p.m. Senator Donnelly gave his farewell speech.

2:58 p.m. The Senate resumed legislative session and began consideration of the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2, the Farm bill.

2:54 p.m. Senator Thune spoke about the economy.

2:50 p.m. The #Senate confirmed the nomination of Jonathan Kobes to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit by a vote of 51-50, with the Vice President voting in the affirmative. Senator Flake voted no.

2:15 p.m. The Senate began a vote on confirmation of the nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to be a United Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit. At 3:45 p.m., the Senate will proceed to a vote on adoption of the Conference Report to accompany H.R.2, the Farm Bill.

1:17 p.m. The Senate stands in recess to accommodate the weekly caucus lunches until 2:15 p.m. At 2:15 p.m., the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to be a United Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit.

An additional roll call vote relative to adoption of the conference report to accompany the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (H.R. 2) is possible during Tuesday’s session.  Further, it is possible the Senate will consider a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Treasury relating to “Returns by Exempt Organizations and Returns by Certain Non-Exempt Organizations” (S.J.Res. 64) as early as today, with a vote on passage occurring during Wednesday’s session.

1:15 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

1:05 p.m. Senator Udall spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

1:01 p.m. Senator Hassan spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

12:59 p.m. Senator Stabenow spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

12:56 p.m. Senator Roberts spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

12:53 p.m. Senator Tester spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

12:46 p.m. Senator Collins spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

12:40 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

12:39 p.m. Senator Hoeven spoke about Senator Heitkamp.

12:02 p.m. Senator Heitkamp gave her farewell speech.

11:58 a.m. Senator Murray spoke against the Kobes nomination.

11:51 a.m. Senator Blunt spoke on mental health.

 11:50 a.m. Senator Blunt asked u.c. that at 2:15 PM the Senate will vote on confirmation of Jonathan A. Kobes to be a United Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit.

11:53 a.m. By a vote of 55 to 44 the Senate confirmed the nomination of Justin Muzinich to be Deputy Treasury Secretary. Voting YEA were all Republicans present, Democrats Blumnthal, Coons, Jones and Nelson and independent King. Senator Tillis did not vote.

11 a.m. The vote began on the Muzinich nomination.

10:55 a.m. Senator Capito spoke about border security.

10:21 a.m. Senator Alexander spoke about health care.

10:04 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell said the Senate will take up the revised criminal justice bill and will, if necessary, be in session between Christmas and New Year’s in order to complete work on the floor agenda.  He cited these additional matters as requiring action this session: presidential nominations; the farm bill; the resolution to continue federal spending, including money for border security; disposition of the Yemen resolution; a bill requiring certain non-profits to make public their lists of contributors.

*****

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m.

Following any leader remarks, resume consideration of the nomination of Justin Muzinich to be Deputy Secretary of Treasury, post cloture.

At 11:30 a.m., the Senate will proceed to a confirmation vote on the Muzinich nomination.

At 12:30 p.m., the Senate will recess for the weekly caucus luncheons until 2:15 p.m.