The Senate stands adjourned until 10:00am on Tuesday, March 25, 2014.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in 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 the motion to proceed to S.2124, the Ukraine Act, post-cloture.

All time during adjournment and morning business will count post-cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2124.

The Senate received H.R.3771, the Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act from the House. H.R.3771 is identical to the text of S.1821, a bill to accelerate the income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (which was passed by the Senate on March 6, 2014). Under a previous order, the Senate passed H.R.3771 by unanimous consent.

This morning, the Senate also reached consent to recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.  The time during the recess will count post-cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2124, the Ukraine Act.

The Senate received H.R.4275, the Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act. H.R.4275 is identical to the text of S.1302, an act to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide cooperative and small employer charity pension plans, as passed by the Senate on January 28, 2014. Under a previous order, the Senate passed H.R.4275 by unanimous consent.

Agreement on 4 district court judge nominations

The Senate has reached an agreement that at 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 26, 2014, the Senate proceed to Executive Session, and that notwithstanding Rule 22, the Senate proceed to vote on cloture on Executive Calendar numbers 581, 582, 583, 584;  further, that if cloture is invoked on any of these nominations, the time until 2:30pm be equally divided between the Leaders, or their designees, and that at 2:30 pm, all post-cloture time be expired, and the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the nominations in the order upon which cloture was invoked; further, that following Senate action on these nominations, the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar number #694; further that there be two minutes for debate prior to each vote and all roll call votes after the first vote in each sequence be 10 minutes in length; further that following the disposition of Calendar #694, the Senate resume Legislative Session;  further, that upon disposition of the listed nominations, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate’s action.

Agreement on Ukraine legislation

Further, that notwithstanding cloture having been invoked, the motion to proceed to S.2124 (the Senate Ukraine bill), be withdrawn; that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar #328, H.R.4152 (the House Ukraine bill); that following the reporting of the bill, a Menendez-Corker substitute amendment, the text of which is at the Desk, be made pending; that no other amendments be in order; that no points of order or motions be in order other than budget points of order and the applicable motions to waive; that on Thursday, March 27^th, following morning business, there be two hours of debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, prior to a vote in relation to the Menendez-Corker amendment; that upon disposition of the amendment, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended.

Cornyn request for Barrasso liquefied natural gas and unlimited amendments to Ukraine legislation

Prior to reaching the agreement, Senator Cornyn asked unanimous consent that the Ukraine consent request be modified so that the first amendment in order be a Barrasso amendment related to liquefied natural gas, and that following disposition of the Barrasso amendment, the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, or their designee, be recognized to offer relevant amendments in an alternating fashion. Senator Reid objected to the request and the original request was agreed to.

Senator Reid then moved to proceed to Calendar #333, H.R.3979, which will be the legislative vehicle used for the Unemployment Insurance extension legislation.

As a result of these agreements, there will be several votes on Wednesday and Thursday. We expect additional votes this week beyond the votes set up by this agreement, including, but not limited to, a potential cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the legislative vehicle for the Unemployment Insurance extension.

Vote Schedule

Wednesday, March 26:

4 votes at 11:00am:

–        Cloture on Executive Calendar #581, Christopher Reid Cooper, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia;

–        Cloture on Executive Calendar #582, M. Douglas Harpool, of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Missouri;

–        Cloture on Executive Calendar #583, Gerald Austin McHugh, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and

–        Cloture on Executive Calendar #584, Edward G. Smith, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

5 votes at 2:30pm:

–        Confirmation of Executive Calendar #581, Christopher Reid Cooper, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia;

–        Confirmation of Executive Calendar #582, M. Douglas Harpool, of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Missouri;

–        Confirmation of Executive Calendar #583, Gerald Austin McHugh, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and

–        Confirmation of Executive Calendar #584, Edward G. Smith, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

–            Confirmation of Executive Calendar #694, Joseph William Westphal, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Thursday, March 27:

2 votes in the 12:15pm range:

–          Menendez-Corker substitute (Ukraine compromise language)

–          Passage of H.R.4152, as amended

Again, additional votes are expected this week.

WRAP UP

No Roll Call Votes

Legislative items

Passed H.R.3771, the Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act.

Passed H.R.4275, the Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act.

Adopted S.Res.396, designating March 25, 2014, as “National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day”.

Adopted S.Res.397, expressing the sense of the Senate that public servants should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the United States during Public Service Recognition Week.

Adopted S.Res.398, authorizing production of records by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.2157, the Commonsense Medicare SGR Repeal and Beneficiary Acces Improvement Act (Wyden) in order to place the bill on the Legislative Calendar.

Completed the Rule 14 process of S.2149, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (Reed) in order to place the bill on the Legislative Calendar.

No Executive items

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Last Floor Action:3/25
10:00:39 A.M. – MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate.

At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 12:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.

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