Wednesday, June 17, 2020

6:27 p.m. The Senate adjourned.

6:19 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke on the Walker nomination.

5:49 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on China and then wrapped up for the evening. S. 3985 regarding police reform had its first reading.

5:13 p.m Senator Sanders spoke on the pandemic, protests, the economy, police reform and the minimum wage.

5:01 p.m. Senator Blackburn spoke on protests around the nation.

4:43 p.m. Senator Rick Scott spoke on China.

4:32 p.m. Senator Alexander spoke on tele-health.

4:24 p.m. Senator Smith spoke on police reform.

4:14 p.m. Senator Hawley asked UC to take up and pass S. Res 596 on Hong Kong. Senator Van Hollen objected.

3:50 p.m. Senators Hawley and Blackburn spoke on the situation in Hong Kong.

3:09 p.m. Senator Capito spoke about The Justice Act.

3:01 p.m. Senator Sasse spoke about The Justice Act.

2:49 p.m. Senator Graham spoke about The Justice Act.

2:38 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke about The Justice Act.

2:20 p.m. Senator Scott spoke about the 5th anniversary of the shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston and The Justice Act.

2:00 p.m. Senator Warner spoke about the Great American Outdoors Act.

1:01 p.m. Senator Leahy spoke about the Walker nomination.

12:57 p.m. By a vote of 52 to 46, the Senate invoked cloture on the Walker nomination. YEAs were all Republicans. NAYs were all Democrats and independents present, and Republican Collins. Not voting were Markey and Murray.

12:21 p.m. Cloture vote began on the nomination of Justin Walker to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

12:20 p.m. By a vote of 73 to 25, the Senate passed the parks bill (H.R. 1957). YEAs were all 45 Democrats and independents present and 28 Republicans (Alexander, Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Capito, Collins, Cotton, Cramer, Daines, Gardner, Graham, Grassley, Hoeven, Loeffler, McConnell, McSally, Murkowski, Perdue, Portman, Roberts, Rubio, Scott of South Carolina, Sullivan, Thune, Tillis, Wicker, and Young. NAYs were all Republicans. Not voting: Markey and Murray.

11:45 a.m. Roll call began on final passage of H.R. 1957, the Great American Outdoors Act.

11:42 a.m. Senator Heinrich spoke about the Great American Outdoors Act.

11:35 a.m. Senator Gardner spoke about the Great American Outdoors Act.

11:27 a.m. Senator Manchin spoke about the Great American Outdoors Act.

11:14 a.m. Senator Cantwell spoke about the Great American Outdoors Act.

11:06 a.m. Senator Daines spoke about the Great American Outdoors Act.

10:37 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about gun violence.

10:32 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about police reform.

10:19 a.m. Senator Thune spoke about police reform.

10:08 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke in memory of Carol Barr, the late wife of Rep. Andy Barr, R-KY. He spoke about police reform.

10:02 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke about police reform.

The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. After leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the parks bill (H.R. 1957, the Great American Outdoors Act), post-cloture.

The Senate will vote at 11:45 a.m. on:

1) Passage of H.R. 1957, as amended

2) Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Justin Walker to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of DC.