Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 2/27 ~~ the House


2ebe4-gulfwindsunsetThe Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Thursday, February 27, 2014. 

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.1982, the Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014 with the time until 2:00pm equally divided and controlled in the usual form with Sessions controlling 30 minutes of the Republican time and Senator Graham or his designee recognized at 1:45pm.

 During Wednesday’s session, cloture was filed on the Sanders substitute amendment #2747 and S.1982; as a result, the filing deadline for first degree amendments is 10:30am and the filing deadline for 2nd degree amendments is 1:30pm.

 At approximately 2:00pm, there will be at least 2 roll call votes:

–        Graham (or designee) motion to table the Reid second degree amendment #2766 (date change) and

–        Murray (or designee) motion to waive the Sessions (or designee) budget act point of order with respect to S.1982

If the motion to waive is successful, there will be up to 4 additional roll call votes:

–        Motion to invoke cloture on the Sanders substitute amendment #2747

–        If cloture is invoked on the substitute amendment, the next vote will be on adoption of amendment #2747

–        Motion to invoke cloture on S.1982, as amended, if amended and

–        If cloture is invoked on the bill, the final vote will be passage of S.1982, as amended, if amended.

 We expect to consider Executive Calendar #561, the nomination of Michael Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior during Thursday’s session. The previous order provided for up to 20 minutes of debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination.  It is likely this vote could occur in the series at 2:00pm or before. Senators will be notified when votes are scheduled.

At 1:57pm, the Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the Graham motion to table the Reid motion to commit S.1982 (majority vote threshold);

Not Tabled: 44-52

We expect a total of 3 roll call votes during this series of votes.

Next:

–          Sanders motion to waive all applicable Budget points of order (60-affirmative vote threshold)

(2 minutes for debate equally divided)

–          Confirmation of Calendar #561, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of Interior (majority vote threshold)

Prior to the vote, Senator Graham asked unanimous consent to set aside the pending motion so that he may offer amendment #2752 (substitute with Iran Sanctions) to S.1982, Comprehensive Veterans bill.

Senator Sanders said this and ultimately objected: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT. I DO

FIND IT INTERESTING THAT IN THE MIDST OF THIS IMPORTANT DEBATE

ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OUR VETERANS, MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES ARE

ON THE FLOOR AND HAVE NOTHING TO SAY, NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT

VETERANS. THIS BILL IS NOT ABOUT BENGHAZI. THIS VETERANS BILL

IS NOT ABOUT IRAN SANCTIONS. IT IS NOT ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON.

IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING THE NEEDS OF OUR VETERANS. SO SENATOR

BURR’S BILL DOES NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR AS FAR AS WE NEED TO GO

IN TERMS OF VETERANS ISSUES. IT BRINGS THE IRAN SANCTIONS

ISSUES INTO A DEBATE WHERE IT SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT INTO. I

OBJECT.

Senator Graham then made a parliamentary inquiry and asked if it is correct that no senator is permitted to offer an amendment to this bill while the majority leader’s amendments and motions are pending.

The Chair said that is correct.

He then made a further parliamentary inquiry and asked if a motion to table the Reid motion to commit is successful, would there be an opportunity to offer a motion to commit the bill to the veterans committee, to be reported back as a fully amendable bill with the Iran Sanctions language included?

The Chair stated that there would be an opportunity for a senator to offer another motion to recommit with instructions to which the senator’s amendment could be offered.

2:26pm The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on the Sanders motion to waive all applicable Budget points of order with respect to S.1982, Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014;

Not Waived: 56-41

2:45pm The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Calendar #561, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of Interior;

Confirmed: 97-0

This will be the last vote of the week.

Senator Flake asked unanimous consent the Finance Committee be discharged from further consideration of S.2011, a bill to prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from modifying the standard for determining whether an organization is operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare for purposes of section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Senator Wyden objected.

This evening, Senator Reid asked unanimous consent to confirm 4 district judges (Hernandez, Reeves, Brooks, and Chhabria). Senator Moran objected on behalf of Senator Grassley. Senator Reid then filed cloture on 6 nominations, including those 4 district judges, and the motion to proceed to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. The number of post-cloture debate hours is listed next to each nomination.

–          Exec. Cal.#659, Debo Adegbile, of New York, to be an Assistant Attorney General (8 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#568, Pedro A. Delgado Hernandez, of Puerto Rico, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico (2 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#569, Pamela Reeves, of Tennessee, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee (2 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#565, Timothy Brooks, of Arkansas, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas (2 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#571, Vince Chhabria, of California, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California (2 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#636, Rose Gottemoeller, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security (8 hours equally divided); and

–          Motion to proceed to Calendar #309, S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (30 hours).

The first cloture vote will occur at 5:30pm on Monday, March 3. As a reminder, when cloture is filed sequentially on several items, the Senate will consider one motion at a time. If cloture is invoked on the Adegbile  nomination, there would be up to 8 hours for debate equally divided prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. If cloture is not invoked or upon disposition of the nomination, we would immediately proceed to the cloture vote on the Hernandez nomination. If cloture is invoked on the Hernandez nomination, there would be up to 2 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. We will continue through the list until we get to cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. We hope to vitiate the cloture motion and adopt the motion to proceed by consent and begin legislating on the bill.

The mandatory quorums under Rule 22 were waived by consent.

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1)     Graham motion to table the Reid motion to commit S.1982, the Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014; Not Agreed to: 44-52

2)     Sanders motion to waive all applicable Budget points of order with respect to S.1982; Not Waived: 56-41

3)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #561, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of Interior; Confirmed: 97-0

Additional Legislative items

Adopted S.Res.366, Expressing support for the goals and ideals of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week.

Adopted S.Res.367, Designating March 3, 2014, as “Read Across America Day”.

Adopted S.Res.368, Designating February 28, 2014, as “Rare Disease Day”.

Began the Rule 14 process of the following items in order to place the bills on the Legislative Calendar:

–        S.2066, Prohibit Intentional Discrimination by IRS Employee (Cruz)

–        S.2067, Prohibit Treasury from assigning tax status to organizations based on political beliefs and activities (Cruz)

–        S.2062, the Constitutional Check and Balance Act (Paul) and

–        H.R.3865, the Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act (Republican request)

 

No additional Executive items

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Last Floor Action:2/27
12:00:48 P.M. – Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.

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