Wednesday, August 5, 2020

7:49 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will next convene on Thursday, August 6, at 9:30 a.m. with two votes scheduled:

11:30 a.m. Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of John Cronan to be a Judge for the Southern District of New York

1:30 p.m. Confirmation of the Cronan nomination.

During wrap-up:

  • S.4461, to provide for a period of continuing appropriations in the event of a lapse in appropriations under the normal appropriations process, and establish procedures and consequences in the event of a failure to enact appropriations, was placed on the legislative calendar under Rule 14.
  • S. Res. 658, calling for a free, fair, and transparent presidential election in Belarus, was adopted by unanimous consent.

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7:40 p.m. Senator Tester spoke in support of S. 785. Senator Moran completed his remarks on veterans’ mental health.

7:31 p.m. Senator Moran spoke about veterans’ mental health. S.785, Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019, and the Moran-Tester substitute amendment, was passed by voice vote. Senator Reed was added as a co-sponsor by unanimous consent.

6:30 p.m. Senators Casey, Whitehouse, Blumenthal, and Duckworth spoke about the pandemic relief negotiations.

5:40 p.m. Senator Sanders spoke about the pandemic and unrest.

5:40 p.m. Senator Sanders spoke about the pandemic and unrest.

5:09 p.m. Senator Menendez spoke about immigration.

4:37 p.m. Senator Reed spoke about education.

4:31 p.m. Senator Cortez-Masto spoke about education.

:31 p.m. Senator Cortez-Masto spoke about education.

4:18 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke about education.

3:53 p.m. Senator Hassan and Hassan spoke about education.

3:44 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about broadband access.

3:21 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about the virus relief negotiations.

3:20 p.m. Senator Durbin expressed regret for the bill’s defeat.

3:19 p.m. Senator Scott objected to the initial request for consent to the bill.

3:18 Senator Lee objected to Senator Scott’s request.

3:16 p.m. Senator Scott of Florida sought consent to amend Senator Lee’s amendment.

3:04 p.m. Senator Lee sought agreement to his amendment to the Durbbbin immigration measure.

2:52 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about immigration. He sought consent for passe of his bill, H.R. 1044.

2:43 p.m. Senator Ernst spoke about the pandemic.

2:35 p.m. Senator Hyde-Smith spoke about the pandemic.

2:30 p.m. Senator Roberts spoke about the pandemic.

2:23 p.m. Senator Hoeven spoke about the pandemic.

2:13 p.m. Senator Murkowski spoke about the pandemic.

2:00 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about the pandemic.

12:56 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about the investigation into the Trump campaign.

12:15 p.m. Senator Scott (FL) spoke on the relief bill talks.

11:55 a.m. Senator Lankford spoke about the relief bill talks.

11:14 a.m. Senator Young spoke about freedom of speech.

10:58 a.m. Senator Thune spoke about the negotiations.10:39 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about the negotiations.

10:27 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the virus relief talks.

10:03 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the explosion in Beirut. He spoke about the negotiation of a relief deal.

10:02 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke about a temporary extension of the virus relief program.

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The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. and proceed to a period of morning business.

Cloture was filed on Tuesday on the nomination of John Cronan to be US District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

That cloture petition will ripen one hour after the Senate convenes on Thursday, at which time the Senate would vote on cloture on the Cronan nomination.