Wednesday, July 1, 2020

10:46 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will next convene on Thursday, July 2 at 10:00 a.m. Following leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to consideration of Executive Calendar #718, nomination of Russell Vought to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

A vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination will occur at 1:30 p.m.

8:03 p.m. Senator Casey spoke about temporary modifications to SNAP and Russia.

7:55 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about temporary modifications to SNAP.

7:39 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about temporary modifications to SNAP.

7:30 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about temporary modifications to SNAP.

7:24 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about temporary modifications to SNAP.

7:08 p.m. Senator Stabenow spoke about covid-19 and asked unanimous consent to adopted legislation to make temporary modifications to SNAP. Senator Roberts objected.

6:52 p.m. Senator Menendez asked unanimous consent to adopt H.R. 5084. Senator Lee objected and spoke on it.

6:49 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke in favor of H.R. 5084.

6:31 p.m. Senator Menendez spoke about S.3669, COVID-19 International Response and Recovery Act of 2020 and H.R. 5084 (Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity Act of 2019).

6:16 p.m. The motion to table Paul amdt. #2011 was agreed to 60-33.

16 Dems voting YES: Blumenthal, Carper, Coons, Feinstein, Hassan, Jones, King (I), Manchin, Menendez, Murphy, Reed, Rosen, Shaheen, Sinema, Warner, and Whitehouse.

4 Republicans voting NO: Braun, Daines, Lee, and Paul.

7 Senators NOT VOTING: Blunt, Burr, Enzi, Hyde-Smith, Markey, Murkowski, and, Murray.

5:37 p.m. Roll call began on the motion to table Paul amdt. #2011 to S.4049, NDAA.

5:35 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke against amdt. #2011 and made a motion to table it.

5:30 p.m. Senator Udall spoke in favor of amdt. #2011.

5:24 p.m. Senator Paul spoke about his amendment #2011 (Afghanistan withdrawal).

5:07 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about covid-19 relief funding.

5:04 p.m. Senator Inhofe called up Paul amendment #2011 and at 5:30 p.m. there will be a vote on the motion to table the amendment.

5:02 p.m. Senator Schatz spoke about housing during covid-19.

5:00 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about housing during covid-19.

4:47 p.m. Senator Reed spoke about housing during covid-19.

4:41 p.m. Senator Cortez Masto spoke about housing during covid-19.

4:32 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about housing during covid-19.

4:20 p.m. Senator Menendez spoke about housing during covid-19.

4:03 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about housing during covid-19 and asked unanimous consent for the Senate to call up and adopt the Emergency Rental Assistance and Market Stabilization Act of 2020. Senator Crapo objected.

3:57 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke about covid-19.

3:39 p.m. Senator Blackburn spoke about freedom of speech on digital platforms.

3:19 p.m. Senator Heinrich spoke about the Justice in Policing Act.

2:47 p.m. Senator Scott (FL) spoke about the Army’s 65th Infantry Regiment and asked and received unanimous consent for the Senate to adopt S.Res. 641, designating April 13th, 2020, as Borinqueneers Day.

2:39 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about the USMCA.

2:31 p.m. Senator Cantwell spoke about NDAA.

2:02 p.m. Senator Sanders spoke about the NDAA and asked unanimous consent to call up amendment #s 1788, 1920, 1789, 1919, and 1918 and have two hours to debate and then vote. Senator Inhofe objected and spoke.

12:54 p.m. Senator Kaine spoke on Russia.

12:44 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke about NDAA and asked unanimous consent to vote on following amendments to S.4049, NDAA: Paul # 2011, Sanders #1790, Cornyn/Schumer/Cotton #2244 at a time TBD and to call up and vote en bloc on the following amendments, #s 1694, 1881, 1883, 1891, 1987, 2018, 2391, 2077, 2178, 2231, 2238, 2241, 2243, 2248, 1753, 1803, 1808, 1907, 1968, 1977, 2058, 2186, 2215, 2251, 2255, 2256, 2269, 2270, and 2275. Senator Schumer objected and asked unanimous request for a modification to Inhofe’s request: add #1788 instead of 1790, add #s 1972, 1729, 1755, 2361, 2396, 1845 and 2252. Senator Inhofe objected to Senator Schumer’s modification request.

12:35 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about covid-19 and NDAA.

12:24 p.m. Senator Leahy spoke about covid-19.

12:11 p.m. Senator Collins spoke about the Paycheck Protection Program.

11:43 a.m. Senator Gillibrand spoke about LBGTQ members of the military.

11:37 a.m. Senator Loeffler spoke about Independence Day.

11:15 a.m. Senator Smith spoke about the virus and Native Americans.

10:59 a.m. Senator Udall spoke about the corona virus and Native Americans.

10:57 a.m. Senator Durbin objected.

10:43 a.m. Senator Cruz objected. He asked the Senate to consider his immigration counter-proposal.

10:15 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about immigration. He sought consent to H.R. 6, a measure related to the DACA program.

9:52 a.m. Senator Schumer conducted a colloquy with Senators Wyden and Bennet on coronavirus relief proposals.

9:48 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the defense bill’s provision to rename military bases now named after Confederate officers. He spoke about coronavirus relief.

9:34 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about continuing protests in some U.S. cities. He spoke about the defense bill. He spoke about China’s Hong Kong policy. He spoke about the House public works bill.

9:33 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke about the reports of bounties for the killing of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

***

The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and will resume consideration of Calendar #483, S.4049: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.

No roll call votes are scheduled but votes on amendments to the defense authorization are possible today.

On Tuesday, Senator McConnell filed cloture on Executive Calendar #718, nomination of Russell Vought to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget. A vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination may occur one hour after the Senate convenes on Thursday, July 2nd.

Amendments pending to the defense bill:

Inhofe substitute amendment #2301

Portman amendment #2080 (cyber annual report)