Tuesday, February 25, 2020

6:38 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

6:36 p.m. Senator McConnell secured first reading for S. 3339, a military spending bill. The Senate consented to reconvene next after today’s adjournment, at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.

6:08 p.m. Senator Whitehouse joined Senator Van Hollen’s colloquy on election interference. He also spoke about climate change.

5:52 p.m. Senator Van Hollen spoke about foreign election interference.

5:37 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke about the anti-abortion legislation.

5:32 p.m. By a vote of 91 to 5, the Senate confirmed Travis Greaves as a U.S. Tax Court judge. NAY:   Booker, Gillibrand, Harries, Hirono, Markey.  NOT VOTING: Klobuchar, Jones, Sanders, Warren.

5:10 p.m. By a vote of 58 to 38, the Senate confirmed Katharine MacGregor as Deputy Secretary of Interior.  YEA: 53 Republicans, Democrats Heinrich, Manchin, Sinema; independent King. NAY: 38 Democrats.  NOT VOTING: Klobuchar, Jones, Sanders, Warren.

4:53 p.m. Roll call vote began on confirmation of Katharine MacGregor to be Deputy Secretary of Interior.

4:52 p.m. The Carreno Coll nomination was confirmed 96-0.

Senators not voting: 3 Democrats: Jones, Klobuchar and Warren, 1 Independent: Sanders.

4:34 p.m. Roll call vote began on confirmation of the nomination of Silvia Carreno Coll to be US District Judge fo the district of Puerto Rico.

4:33 p.m. Cloture was not invoked on the motion to proceed to S.311, 56-41. (60 votes necessary).

Senators voting in favor: 53 Republicans, 3 Democrats: Casey, Jones and Manchin.

Senators voting against: 40 Democrats, 1 Independent: King.

Senators not voting: 2 Democrats: Klobuchar and Warren, 1 Independent: Sanders.

4:08 p.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 311.

4:07 p.m. Cloture was not invoked on the motion to proceed to S.3275, 53-44. (60 votes necessary).

Senators voting in favor: 51 Republicans, 2 Democrats: Casey and Manchin.

Senators voting against: 41 Democrats, 2 Republicans: Collins and Murkowski, 1 Independent: King.

Senators not voting: 2 Democrats: Klobuchar and Warren; 1 Independent: Sanders.

3:30 p.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3275.

3:11 p.m. Senators Sasse and Graham spoke on the pending abortion bills.

3:00 p.m. Senator Cortez Masto spoke on health care and the pending abortion bills.

2:36 p.m. Senators Barasso and Loeffler spoke on the pending abortion bills.

2:27 p.m. Senator Sasse asked UC to modify Senator Durbin’s request and to include the Grassley amendment #1240. Senator Durbin objected.

2:18 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke on the pending abortion bills and asked UC to take up and pass S. 916, regarding maternal and infant mortality. Senator Sasse objected.

2:15 p.m. The Senate returned from the recess. Senator Murkowski spoke in favor of the MacGregor nomination.

12:59 p.m. The Senate recessed until 2:15 p.m.

12:58 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on Katharine MacGregor to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior by a tally of 59-38.

Senators voting in favor: 53 Republicans, 5 Democrats: Heinrich, Jones, Manchin, Murphy and Sinema; 1 Independent: King.

Senators voting against: 38 Democrats.

Senators not voting: 2 Democrats: Klobuchar and Warren; 1 Independent: Sanders.

12:33 p.m. The Senate began a roll call on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #569 Katharine MacGregor to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior.

12:30 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on Executive Calendar #491 Silvia Carreno-Coll to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico by a tally of 96-1. Senator Hirono voted against.

Senators not voting: 2 Democrats: Klobuchar and Warren; 1 Independent: Sanders.

12:10 p.m. The Senate began a vote the motion to invoke cloture on Silvia Carreno-Coll to be a District Judge for Puerto Rico.

12:09 p.m. The Senate confirmed the Molloy nomination by a tally of 97-0.

Senators not voting: 2 Democrats: Klobuchar and Warren; 1 Independent: Sanders.

11:30 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Robert Molloy to be Judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands.

10:49 a.m. Senator Thune spoke about the abortion bills.

10:36 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about a Senate briefing today on the corona virus.

10:23 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the corona virus pandemic. He spoke about the abortion measures.

10:05 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the abortion-related measures to be considered today. He paid tribute to his departing economic policy counsel.

10:03 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke about drug prices.

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. and resume consideration of Executive Calendar #384, Robert Molloy to be District Judge for the Virgin Islands.

At 11:30 a.m.; three roll call votes:

  1. Confirmation of Robert Anthony Molloy to be Judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands.
  2. Cloture on Executive Calendar #491, Silvia Carreno-Coll to be District Judge for Puerto Rico.
  3. Cloture on Executive Calendar #569, Katharine MacGregor to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior.

The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

At 3:30 p.m., five roll call votes:

  1. Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3275, A bill to protect pain-capable unborn children.
  2. Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.311, to prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or an attempted abortion.
  3. Confirmation of the Carreno Coll nomination.
  4. Confirmation of the MacGregor nomination.
  5. Coture on Executive Calendar #416, Travis Greaves to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court.