Black History

the Senate considers S.954,the Farm bill :::::: CONGRESS :::::: the House has hearings &


 House chamber in session

The Senate will convene at 10:00am on Tuesday, June 4, 2013.

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for one hour with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.954, the Farm bill.
  • The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.
  • This afternoon prior to the recess for the weekly caucus meetings, Senator Murray asked unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar #33, H.Con.Res.25; the amendment at the desk, which is the text of S.Con.Res.8, the budget resolution passed by the Senate, be inserted in lieu thereof; and that H.Con.Res.25, as amended, be agreed to. Further, that the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses; and the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate; and that following the authorization, two motions to instruct conferees be in order from each side:- Motion to instruct relative to the debt limit; and- Motion to instruct relative to taxes/revenue;That there be two hours of debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, prior to votes in relation to the motions; further, that no amendments be in order to either of the motions prior to the votes; all of the above occurring with no intervening action or debate.Senator Rubio requested to modify Senator Murray’s request to go to a conference without having the debt limit raised within that conference.  Senator Murray objected to Senator Rubio’s request to modify and finally, Senator Rubio objected to Senator Murray’s original request.  Senator McCain also spoke about his objections to Senator Rubios’s modification. The unofficial transcript is below.12:15:00 NSP (MRS. MURRAY) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }MRS. MURRAY: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. MADAM PRESIDENT,SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN WAITING ATIME TO GO TO CONFERENCE ON OUR BUDGET. IN FACT, IT HAS NOW

    BEEN 73 DA DAYS. AND UNTIL RECENTLY, WE’VE GOTTEN PRETTY USED

    TO SENATE REPUBLICANS JUST SIMPLY STANDING UP AND SAYING, “NO.”

    FOR MONTHS, REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN OFFERING A LOT OF EXCUSES FOR

    WHY THEY DON’T WANT TO GO TO CONFERENCE ON THE BUDGET. THEY

    HAVE SAID THEY WANT A PRECONFERENCE FRAMEWORK WHICH, BY THE

    WAY, IS WHAT A BUDGET IS. THEY HAVE SAID THEY WOULDN’T ALLOW US

    TO GO TO CONFERENCE UNTIL WE GUARANTEED THAT THE WEALTHIEST

    AMERICANS AND BIGGEST CORPORATIONS WOULD BE PROTECTED FROM

    PAYING A PENNY MORE IN TAXES. THEY SAID THEY DIDN’T WANT A

    BIPARTISAN CONFERENCE TO TAKE AWAY THE LEVERAGE THEY HAVE ON

    THE DEBT CEILING. AND THEN THEY CALLED FOR A DO-OVER, WHICH

    ACTUALLY MY RANKING MEMBER ON THE BUDGET CALLED FOR AGAIN THIS

    MORNING. TO BRING UP THE HOUSE BUDGET, HAVE 50 HOURS OF DEBATE,

    A WHOLE NEW ROUND OF UNLIMITED AMENDMENTS, GO THROUGH THE

    PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN. AND THEY DID THIS AFTER THEY PRAISED

    THE VERY OPEN AND THOROUGH FLOOR DEBATE WE HAD ON THE SENATE

    BUDGET. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, THE STORY KEEPS CHANGING. BUT EVEN

    AS SOME REPUBLICANS WERE FOCUSED ON FINDING EXCUSES TO MOVE US

    CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THIS CRISIS RATHER THAN HAVE A BUDGET

    DEAL, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS WHO ARE NOW JOINING WITH

    US TO CALL ON REGULAR ORDER. SENATOR COBURN SAID THAT BLOCKING

    CONFERENCE IS, AND I QUOTE, NOT A GOOD POSITION TO BE IN.

    SENATOR BOZEMAN SAID — QUOTE — HE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE

    A CONFERENCE. SENATOR WICKER SAID WEEKS AGO THAT — QUOTE –

    “BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK, WE SHOULD BE READY TO GO TO

    CONFERENCE.” SO WE HAVE KNOWN FOR A WHILE THAT BLOCKING REGULAR

    ORDER, ESPECIALLY AFTER CALLING FOR IT SO EAGERLY JUST A MATTER

    OF MONTHS AGO, WAS NOT SITTING WELL WITH A NUMBER OF OUR

    REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES. AND NOW ACCORDING TO “POLITICO,” MORE

    REPUBLICANS APPEAR TO FAVOR HEADING TO CONFERENCE THAN BLOCKING

    IT. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WELCOME THAT. WE NEED TO MOVE THIS TO

    CONFERENCE. IT IS THE REGULAR ORDER. IT WILL ALLOW US TO SOLVE

    OUR COUNTRY’S PROBLEMS, AND WE — WE TRULY NEED A PROCESS TO

    ALLOW US TO DEAL WITH OUR NATION’S PROBLEMS. MADAM PRESIDENT,

    SENATOR McCAIN IS ON THE FLOOR, AND I WANT TO THANK HIM BECAUSE

    HE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE, NOT JUST FOR THIS BILL BUT FOR

    ALL LEGISLATION IN THE SENATE, THAT WE COME HERE, WE

    COMPROMISE, WE FIGHT HARD FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN, BUT AT THE

    END OF THE DAY JUST SAYING MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY, EVEN IF

    YOU’RE A SMALL MINORITY, DOESN’T MOVE THIS COUNTRY TO THE PLACE

    WHERE WE NEED IT TO GET TO. IT ISN’T A CRISIS BY MANAGEMENT

    PLACE. AND I THANK HIM FOR TAKING A LEAD AND CALLING FOR

    REGULAR ORDER. HE HAS SAID THAT REPUBLICAN PRECONDITIONS LIKE

    DEMANDING THE CONFERENCE AGREE TO NOT RAISE THE DEBT CEILING OR

    RAISE TAXES ARE ABSOLUTELY OUT OF LINE AND UNPRECEDENTED.

    SENATOR COLLINS JOINED US ON THE FLOOR A FEW WEEKS AGO TO SAY

    THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A LOT WE DON’T SEE EYE TO EYE ON, WE

    SHOULD AT LEAST GO TO CONFERENCE AND MAKE OUR BEST EFFORT TO

    GET A DEAL. MADAM PRESIDENT, I COULDN’T AGREE MORE. THE

    STALLING THAT WE HAVE SEEN IS, AS SOME HAVE SAID ON THEIR SIDE,

    A LITTLE BIZARRE AND IRONIC, TO SAY THE LEAST, ESPECIALLY AFTER

    I WOULD REMIND EVERYONE 50 HOURS OF DEBATE, INNUMERABLE

    AMENDMENTS THAT TOOK US WAY INTO THE EARLY HOURS, WE OFFERED

    EVERYBODY THE CHANCE TO SPEAK OUT, AND AFTER THAT SESSION WAS

    OVER, MANY OF OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES CAME TO ME PERSONALLY

    AND THANKED ME FOR FINALLY HAVING AN OPEN PROCESS. IF THEY WANT

    US TO HAVE AN OPEN PROCESS, THEN THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT PROCESS

    AND TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I AM DEEPLY

    CONCERNED. WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS ANOTHER MANUFACTURED CRISIS

    THIS FALL. WE HAVE OUR APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES THAT NEED TO

    MOVE FORWARD. THE COUNTRY IS VERY CLEARLY TIRED OF THIS COUNTRY

    BEING MANAGED BY CRISIS, AND WE JUST HAD A BUDGET HEARING THIS

    MORNING WHERE OUR WITNESSES, BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS

    ALIKE, SAID THAT MOVING US TO A CONSERVED CRISIS WOULD IMPACT

    THIS ECONOMY IN A HORRIFIC WAY THIS FALL. WE DO NOT NEED TO

    HAVE THAT HAPPEN. I WANT TO GO TO CONFERENCE. DO I WANT TO HAVE A COMPROMISE?

    NOT REALLY. I LOVE WHERE I STAND, BUT I HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG

    TIME. YOU DON’T GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO

    COMPROMISE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD. AND I AM

    WILLING TO GO TO CONFERENCE WITH MY COUNTERPART, CHAIRMAN RYAN,

    WHO IS ON A VERY DIFFERENT PAGE THAN I AM, AND FIND OUR

    COMPROMISE AND BE WILLING TO MOVE THAT FORWARD HERE IN THE

    CONGRESS SO WE CAN GET TO A PLACE THAT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO

    LEAD THIS COUNTRY AGAIN. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I THINK WE ARE AT

    A VERY CRITICAL POINT. I SEE SENATOR McCAIN IS ON THE FLOOR. I

    WOULD BE HAPPY TO YIELD TO HIM FOR A COMMENT.

    MR. McCAIN: MADAM PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT, –

    THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM ARIZONA.

    MR. McCAIN: I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO WILL

    OBJECT IS COMING TO THE FLOOR, SO PERHAPS I WOULD RESERVE THE

    RIGHT TO OBJECT ON — ON HIS BEHALF EVEN THOUGH I’M IN STARK

    DISAGREEMENT. BUT INSTEAD, I’LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT AND I’M

    SURE THAT MY COLLEAGUE WILL — ON THIS SIDE OF THE AISLE WILL

    VOICE AN OBJECTION WHEN HE ARRIVES. HE’S HERE.

    MRS. MURRAY: I CAN GO AHEAD AND OFFER THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT AT

    THIS TIME AND WE CAN MOVE FROM THERE.

    MR. McCAIN: IF IT’S OKAY WITH THE SENATOR, BECAUSE WE KNOW

    WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE REMARKS AND

    THEN THE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA WILL MAKE THE SAME ARGUMENT THAT

    WE HAVE MADE THE LAST FEW DAYS, AND FORTUNATELY I DON’T HAVE TO

    BE LISTEN AGAIN. FOR FOUR YEARS, MEMBERS ON THIS SIDE OF THE

    AISLE ARGUED STRENUOUSLY THAT WE WERE DOING A GREAT DISSERVICE

    TO THE COUNTRY BY NOT TAKING UP AND DEBATING AND AMENDING A

    BUDGET THAT WOULD THEN GO TO CONFERENCE WITH THE HOUSE OF

    REPRESENTATIVES — THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAPITOL, THE HOUSE OF

    REPRESENTATIVES, AND THEN WE WOULD DO WHAT WE EXPECT, AND

    UNFORTUNATELY EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA HAS TO DO, AND THAT IS TO

    PASS A BUDGET UNDER WHICH WE WOULD BE GUIDED IN OUR

    AUTHORIZATION AND APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS. NOW, MY COLLEAGUE

    FROM FLORIDA WILL COME TO THE FLOOR AND SAY THAT WE HAVE

    AMASSED A DEBT BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET, BUT WE DIDN’T HAVE A

    BUDGET FOR FOUR YEARS, SO HOW CAN YOU ARGUE THAT THE FACT THAT

    WE MAY HAVE TO — WE MAY GO TO CONFERENCE ON A BUDGET, THAT

    SOMEHOW THAT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEBT?

    OBVIOUSLY, IT’S NONSENSE. OBVIOUSLY, IT’S NONSENSE. JUST AS

    FRANKLY IT WAS NONSENSE WHEN THE SAME GROUP OF SENATORS SAID WE

    SHOULDN’T EVEN DEBATE GUN MEASURES IN LIGHT OF A TRAGEDY THAT

    TOOK PLACE IN CONNECTICUT AND ANOTHER TRAGEDY THAT TOOK PLACE

    IN TUCSON, ARIZONA. DIDN’T EVEN WANT TO TAKE UP AND DEBATE A

    WAY THAT SOME OF US HAD IDEAS TO TRY TO KEEP THE WEAPONS OUT OF

    THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS, AND THE HANDS OF THE MENTALLY ILL. SO

    NOW WE HAVE A SENATE WHERE WE REFUSE TO MOVE FORWARD ON ISSUES

    AND HAVE OPEN DEBATE AND DISCUSSION AND VOTES. I ALWAYS

    BELIEVED IN THE YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE WITH REPUBLICAN AND

    DEMOCRAT MAJORITIES THAT THE WAY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO FUNCTION IS

    TO SAY OKAY, LET’S GIVE IT OUR BEST SHOT AND LET’S DO THE BEST

    WE CAN AND LET’S HAVE VOTES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS OUR

    OBJECTIONS AGAIN TO THE MAJORITY LEADER WAS THAT HE WOULDN’T

    LET US HAVE VOTES ON AMENDMENTS. WE HAD I HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW

    MANY VOTES ON THE BUDGET THAT LASTED

    UNTIL, I BELIEVE, AROUND 7:00 IN THE MORNING. SO THE OPPONENTS

    OF MOVING FORWARD ON ANYTHING CAN’T ARGUE WE DIDN’T HAVE VOTES

    ON THE BUDGET, CAN’T ARGUE THAT THEY WERE BLOCKED FROM WHATEVER

    AMENDMENT THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE VOTED ON, SO NOW WE’RE FACED

    WITH A SITUATION WHERE WE WILL NOT GO TO CONFERENCE, AND I WANT

    TO TELL MY COLLEAGUES THAT CONTINUE TO DO THIS THAT, WITH MY

    STRENUOUS OBJECTIONS, THE MAJORITY WILL BECOME FRUSTRATED AND

    THE MAJORITY CAN CHANGE THE RULES OF THE SENATE, THEY CAN DO

    THAT. AND I MUST SAY THAT ALTHOUGH I

    WOULD STRENUOUSLY. MAJORITY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAPITOL IS

    OF OUR PARTY. THAT’S REALLY VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND.

    UNLESS YOU TAKE THE WORD OF ONE PI MY COLLEAGUES TO CAME TO

    FLOOR AND SAID I DON’T TRUST DEMOCRATS AND I DON’T TRUST

    REPUBLICANS. LET ME REPEAT WHAT HE SAID. I DON’T TRUST

    DEMOCRATS AND I DON’T TRUST REPUBLICANS. IT’S NOT A MATTER OF

    TRUSTING DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS. WHAT THIS IS A MATTER OF IS

    WHETHER WE WILL GO THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAT PEOPLE

    SENT US HERE TO DO. AND I’VE PROBABLY LOST MANY MORE TIMES THAN

    I HAVE WON. BUT I’VE BEEN SATISFIED IN THE TIMES THAT I HAVE

    LOST THAT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE MY ARGUMENT, WAS — PUT IT TO THE

    WILL OF THE BODY AND IT WAS EITHER ACCEPTED OR REJECTED. THAT’S

    HOW PEOPLE, SCHOOL CHILDREN ALL OVER AMERICA, EXPECT TO US

    BEHAVE. THAT’S THE WAY OUR CONSTITUTION IS WRITTEN. THAT’S WHAT

    THIS BODY IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT. SO WHEN WE HAVE A — BY THE

    WAY, MADAM PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE LAST TIME I’M GOING TO COME

    TO THE FLOOR ON THIS EXERCISE BECAUSE IT’S OBVIOUSLY A

    FRUITLESS KIND OF EFFORT, UNTIL SOMETHING CHANGES. AND

    OBVIOUSLY THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE SHORT TERM. NOW, MY

    FRIENDS ON THE — WILL BE SAYING THEY’RE REAGAN REPUBLICANS,

    YOU’RE A REAGAN REPUBLICAN. I WAS HERE WHEN RONALD REAGAN WAS

    PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. PRESIDENT REAGAN RIGHTLY OR

    WRONGLY PASSED AMNESTY FOR THREE MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY

    ILLEGALLY. HE SAT DOWN WITH TIP O’NEILL AND THEY SAVED SOCIAL

    SECURITY FROM BANKRUPTCY. RONALD REAGAN-RANK SAT DOWN WITH THE

    DEMOCRATS AND THEY AGREED IN WAYS OF INCREASING REVENUES AND

    CUTTING SPENDING. RONALD REAGAN’S RECORD IS VERY CLEAR. AND, BY

    THE WAY, IT WAS ONE OF AN ASSERTIVE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES

    OF AMERICA AND LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD AND NOT COME HOME TO

    FORTRESS AMERICA. SO SOMETIMES WHEN I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES HERE

    TALK ABOUT HOW THEY ARE RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICANS, I DON’T

    THINK RONALD REAGAN WOULD HAVE DISAGREED WE SHOULD HAVE A

    BUDGET. WE SHOULD HAVE A BUDGET FOR — TO GUIDE THE LEGISLATIVE

    AGENDA OF THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. SO AS I SAID, I

    WON’T BE COMING BACK TO THE FLOOR AGAIN WHILE MY COLLEAGUES

    OBJECT AND I SEE MY COLLEAGUE FROM UTAH THAT WAS SO UNFAMILIAR

    WITH THE — WITH WHAT WE DO HERE THAT HE CLAIMED IT WAS BEHIND

    CLOSED DOORS IN BACK ROOMS WHEN THE FACT IS THE BUDGET

    CONFERENCE IS ON C-SPAN AND OPEN TO ALL. SO I CAN JUST SAY TO

    MY COLLEAGUES THIS IS NOT A PROUD MOMENT FOR ME AS WE BLOCK A

    PROCESS THAT WAS AGREED TO AND ENACTED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS,

    WAS NOT ENACTED FOR FOUR YEARS OVER THE STRENUOUS OBJECTIONS OF

    MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO DID NOT ENACT A BUDGET, WE ENACTED

    A BUDGET AFTER AN ALL-NIGHTMARE THON OF VOTE AFTER VOTE AFTER

    VOTE ON LITERALLY ANY ISSUE AND THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE VOTE

    PROPOSED BY MY COLLEAGUES HERE THAT SAID THAT WE CAN’T AGREE TO

    A LIFTING OF THE DEBT LIMIT. NOW, THE FLOOR WAS OPEN FOR THAT

    AMENDMENT. AND I DON’T KNOW WHY MY COLLEAGUES NOW VIEW THIS AS

    THE CRITERIA FOR US MOVING FORWARD ON THE BILL. SO I WISH THEM

    LUCK, AND I WILL NOT BE COMING TO THE FLOOR AGAIN TO OBJECT TO

    THEIR OBJECTION, AND WE’LL LET THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MAKE THE

    JUDGMENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR.

    THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON.

    MRS. MURRAY: I WANT TO THANK THE SENATOR FROM ARIZONA FOR HIS

    VERY HEARTFELT REMARKS. HE AND I DON’T AGREE ON A LOT BUT WE

    AGREE WE WANT THIS COUNTRY TO WORK. BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE

    ISN’T GREAT. AND THE WAY FOR THIS COUNTRY TO WORK IS FOR FOR TO

    US COME TOGETHER WITH OUR DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AND MOVE

    FORWARD AND THAT’S WHAT THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE IS ALL ABOUT.

    SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE

    PROCEED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF CALENDAR NUMBER 33, H. CON.

    RES. 25, THE AMENDMENT WHICH IS AT THE DESK, THE TEXT OF S.

    CON. RES. 8, THE BUDGET RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE SENATE BE

    INSERTED IN LIEU THEREOF, THAT THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER BE LAID

    ON THE TABLE, THE SENATE INSIST ON ITS AMENDMENT, REQUEST A

    CONFERENCE WITH THE HOUSE ON THE DISAGREEING VOTES OF THE TWO

    HOUSES, AND THE CHAIR AUTHORIZED TO APPOINT CONFEREES ON THE

    PART OF THE SENATE, FOLLOWING THE AUTHORIZATION TWO MOTIONS TO

    INSTRUCT CONFERENCES BE IN ORDER FROM EACH SIDE. MOTION TO

    INSTRUCT RELATIVE TO THE DEBT LIMIT AND MOTION TO INSTRUCT

    RELATIVE TO TAXES AND REVENUE. THERE BE TWO HOURS OF DEBATE

    EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS OR THEIR DESIGNEES

    PRIOR TO VOTES IN RELATIONS TO THE MOTIONS, FURTHER NO

    AMENDMENTS ANY OF THE AMENDMENTEDS PRIOR TO THE VOTE ALL OF THE

    ABOVE OCCURRING WITH NO INTERVENING ACTION OR DEBATE.

    THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTIONAM ?

    THE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA.

    MR. RUBIO: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT — FIRST I THANK THE

    SENATOR FROM ARIZONA FOR PROTECTING MY RIGHT TO OBJECT IN MY

    ABSENCE BEFORE I MADE IT TO

    FLOOR AND JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT, I DON’T THINK THAT

    WE OBJECT TO MOVING THE BUDGET CONFERENCE. WE OBJECT TO MOVING

    THE BUDGET CONFERENCE AND HAVING THE DEBT LIMIT RAISED WITHIN

    THAT CONFERENCE. I WOULD ASK THE SENATOR IF SHE WOULD CONSIDER

    A UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT SHE MODIFY HER REQUEST SO IT NOT BE IN

    ORDER FOR THE SENATE TO CONSIDER A CONFERENCE REPORT THAT

    INCLUDES RECONCILIATION INSTRUCTIONS TO RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT.

    MRS. MURRAY: MADAM PRESIDENT, IF THE SENATOR HEARD MY REQUEST,

    I SAID THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A MOTION TO INSTRUCT RELATIVE TO

    THE DEBT LIMIT AS PART OF OUR AGREEMENT TO MOVE TO CONFERENCE.

    SO SO THE SENATOR WOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE HIS VOICE HEARD AT

    THAT TIME, AND I WOULD OBJECT TO MAKING A REQUIREMENT WITHOUT A

    VOTE OF THE SENATE THAT SAYS THE MAJORITY WOULD AGREE WITH

    THAT. SO I WOULD OBJECT TO HIS AMENDMENT AND AGAIN ASK FOR

    CONSENT ON THE AGREEMENT THAT I HAVE BEFORE ME.

    THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION IS HEARD. IS THERE OBJECTION

    TO THE ORIGINAL REQUEST?

    MR. RUBIO: MADAM PRESIDENT?

    THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA.

    MR. RUBIO: I OBJECT.

    THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION IS HEARD.

  • This afternoon, there were multiple requests for additional amendments to be called up to S.954, the Farm bill.  None of the amendments received the consent necessary.  The details of each request are below.Senator McCain asked unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment so that his amendment #956 (catfish) could be made pending. Senator Landrieu objected to his request because she would like to call up her amendment #1113 (flood insurance) and is currently unable to receive unanimous consent.Senator Coburn asked unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment and call up his amendments:-          Coburn #1003 (prohibit Federal farm subsidies to person having seriously delinquent tax debts),-          Coburn #1004 (conservation purposes to end subsidies to millionaires),

    –          Coburn #1005 (consolidate nutrition programs),

    –          Coburn #1006 (access and safety of specialty crops),

    –          Coburn #1007 (funding for market access program),

    –          Coburn #1008 (eliminate duplicative access to broadband telecommunications in rural areas),

    –          Coburn #1010 (prohibit replacement of ICD-9 with ICD-10 in implementing HIPAA standards),

    –          McCaskill #1076 (prohibition on performance awards in Senior Executive Service during sequestration),

    –          Coburn #1152 (allow demonstration projects to promote healthy eating among SNAP recipients).

    Senator Landrieu objected to the first 5 requests.  Senator Stabenow objected on Senator Landrieu’s behalf to the subsequent requests.

    Senator Landrieu asked unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment and call up the following amendments:

    –          Landrieu #1113 (flood insurance)

    –          Johnson SD-Crapo #1117 (flood insurance)

    –          Cardin #1159 (side by side to Grassley #1097) and

    –          Grassley #1097 (protect information of livestock producers)

    that the time until 5:00pm be for debate on the amendments, that at 5:00pm, the Senate proceed to vote on the amendments and that all amendments be subject to a 60 affirmative vote threshold.

    Senator Toomey objected to Senator Landrieu’s request because he would like additional amendments to be permitted to be made pending and receive votes.

    Senator Coburn asked unanimous consent that every amendment filed to the Farm bill be considered read, debatable, and be available for a vote.  Senator Stabenow objected to the request.

  • During Tuesday’s session of the Senate, cloture was filed on the following items in the following order:
  • –          S.954, the Farm bill.-          Motion to proceed to S.1003, A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reset interest rates for new student loans (Coburn) and

    –          Motion to proceed to S.953, the Student Loan Affordability Act (Reed).

    The filing deadline for first degree amendments to S.954, the Farm bill is 1:00pm on Wednesday, June 5th. The filing deadline for second degree amendments is 9:45am on Thursday, June 6th.

    At 10:00am on Thursday, there will be 3 roll call votes in relation to the following in the following order:

    –          Motion to invoke cloture on S.954, the Farm bill,

    –          Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1003, A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reset interest rates for new student loans (Coburn) and

    –          Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.953, the Student Loan Affordability Act (Reed).

    Details of the agreement are below.

    If cloture is invoked on S.954, the Farm bill, the Senate will proceed vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar #76, S.1003 [Republican bill]. Upon conclusion of the vote, notwithstanding cloture having been invoked on S.1003, if it is invoked on S.1003, the Senate will proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar #74, S.953 [Democratic bill].

    Upon conclusion of the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.953 [Democratic bill], and notwithstanding cloture having been invoked, if it is invoked on S.953, the Senate will resume consideration of S.954, the Farm bill, post-cloture, if cloture was invoked on S.954.

    Upon disposition of S.954, the Farm bill, if cloture was invoked on either of the motions to proceed to S.953 or S.1003, the Senate then will resume the motion to proceed on which cloture was invoked, post-cloture.

    Further, if cloture was invoked on both motions to proceed, the Senate will consider the motions, post-cloture, in the order in which cloture was invoked. Finally, if the motion to proceed to S.1003 [Republican bill] is agreed to, and notwithstanding cloture having been invoked on the motion to proceed to S.953 [Democratic bill], the Senate will resume the motion to proceed to S.953 [Democratic bill], post-cloture, upon disposition of S.1003 [Republican bill].

  • WRAP UP
  • No ROLL CALL VOTESLEGISLATIVE ITEMS

    Adopted S.Con.Res.18, a concurrent resolution providing for the use of the catafalque situated in Exhibition Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center in connection with memorial services to be conducted in the United States Senate Chamber for the Honorable Frank R. Lautenberg, a late Senator from the State of New Jersey.

    Adopted S.Res.160, a resolution relative to the memorial observances of the Honorable Frank R. Lautenberg, a late Senator from the State of New Jersey.

    Adopted S.Res.161, relative to the death of the Honorable Frank R. Lautenberg, Senator from the State of New Jersey.

    Adopted S.Res.162, Expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to childhood stroke and recognizing May 2013 as “National Pediatric Stroke Awareness Month”.

    No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity

Last Floor Action:
8:36:25 P.M. – The House adjourned pursuant to H. Res. 242, as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Honorable Frank R. Lautenberg.

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on June 4, 2013.

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