Wednesday, June 13, 2018

6:39 p.m. The Senate adjourned.

6:32 p.m. Senator Sasse spoke about the Defense authorization and specifically about cyber-security.

6:10 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke on immigration and his recent trip to the border.

6:07 p.m. Senator Ernst achieved UC that following the remarks of Senators Merkley and Sasse the Senate adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.

6:03 p.m. Senator Ernst spoke on the Defense Authorization.

5:46 p.m. Senator Shaheen joined Senator Tillis to discuss Andrew Brunson and then later on the situation in Afghanistan.

5:39 p.m. Senator Tillis moved the Senate into morning business.  He then spoke about Andrew Brunson being held in Turkey for over  600 days.

5:30 p.m. Senator Donnelly spoke on the Defense authorization.

5:26 p.m. Senator Perdue attempts to call up two amendments to amendment 2282, regarding ZTE; Senator Van Hollen and the Senator Donnelly objected.

4:59 p.m. Senators Cotton and Van Hollen have a colloquy about Chinese companies such as ZTE.

4:52 p.m. Senator Inhofe attempted to call up and make pending 10 amendments.  Senator Paul objected.

4:45 p.m. Senator Flake paid tribute to Senator McCain and spoke briefly about two nominations.

4:34 p.m. Senator Fischer spoke on the defense authorization.

4:18 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke about 2019 National Defense Authorization Act amendments and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

4:09 p.m. Senator Manchin spoke about rising healthcare costs.

4:03 p.m. Senator Murray spoke about rising healthcare costs.

3:55 p.m. Senator Kaine spoke about Virginia’s Medicare expansion and the increase of healthcare costs.

3:47 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about preexisting health conditions.

3:40 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about healthcare cost increases.

3:33 p.m. Senator Murphy spoke about healthcare premium increases.

3:31 p.m. The motion to table the Lee amendment #2366 (indefinite detention) was not agreed to by a vote of 30-68.

Voting in favor: 27 Republicans: Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Capito, Corker, Cornyn, Cotton, Graham, Grassley, Hyde-Smith, Inhofe, Isakson, Johnson, McConnell, Perdue, Portman, Roberts, Rounds, Rubio, Sasse, Shelby, Sullivan, Thune, Tillis, Toomey, Wicker, and Young.

3 Democrats: Cortez-Masto, Donnelly, and Manchin.

3:04 p.m. Senator Inhofe moved to table the Lee amendment #2366 and the Senate began voting on the motion to table.

3:03 p.m. Senator Graham spoke against the Lee amendment.

3:01 p.m. Senator Lee supporting his amendment relating to the indefinite detention of American citizens.

3:00 p.m. Motion to table the Reed amendment (on nuclear weapons) was not agreed to by a vote of 47-51. Republican Senators Collins, Murkowski, and Paul voted No.

2:30 p.m. Senator Inhofe moved to table the Reed amendment #2842 and the Senate began voting on the motion to table.

2:26 p.m. Senator Reed spoke supporting his amendment.

2:22 p.m.  Senator Inhofe spoke opposing the Reed amendment.

2:11 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about Senator McConnell’s record of being the longest serving Republican leader and NDAA.

2:02 p.m. Senator Rounds spoke supporting the NDAA.

1:50 p.m. Senator King spoke on FDA food labeling related to maple syrup and honey.

1:41 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke supporting NDAA.

1:33 p.m. Senator Flake spoke in favor of preserving our alliances and responsible diplomacy.

1:20 p.m. Senator Reed spoke about his amendment.

1:12 p.m. Senator Markey spoke about the Warren/Reed amendment regarding nuclear weapons.

1:05 p.m. Senator Warren spoke about nuclear weapons development.

12:52 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke about tax cuts.

12:45 p.m. Senator Jones spoke about the NDAA.

12:31 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke about the Oklahoma economy and also spoke about the NDAA.

12:13 p.m. Senator Nelson spoke about health care.

11:52 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about immigration.

11:37 a.m. Senator Wicker spoke about in support of the Defense Authorization bill.

11:02 a.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke about the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, gun violence, and violence towards LGBT youth.

10:49 a.m. Senator Murphy spoke about the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and gun violence.

10:39 a.m. Senator Moran spoke about the proposed NDAA amendment regarding the Army National Guard Bureau and military honors rendered at funerals. He also spoke about a proposed NDAA amendment to increase Congerssional oversight of Army force modernization and stationing decisions.

10:22 a.m. Senator Hatch spoke on the suicide epidemic among LGBT youth.

9:48 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke on the concessions to North Korea, health care, and on the Mueller investigation.

9:46 a.m. Senator Kennedy spoke on the meeting with North Korea.

9:41 a.m. H.R. 5895, Energy & Water, Legislative Branch, & Military Construction & Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, for FY 2019 was read for the second time and placed on the calendar.

9:30 a.m. The Majority Leader spoke on the bipartisan farm bill, the need to pass the 58th annual NDAA bill to continue to protect our nation from existing threats, and on the economy.

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The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and resume consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 5515).

Majority Leader McConnell filed cloture on Toomey amendment #2700, Inhofe substitute amendment #2282, and the underlying bill during Tuesday’s session.  Absent a time agreement, the first cloture vote on the Toomey amendment will occur one hour after the Senate convenes on Thursday.  The cloture motions will be processed one at a time, after disposition of the previous item. Each is subject to up to thirty hours of post-cloture debate.

Roll call votes are possible during Wednesday’s session.