3/20/13  —  H.R.933, the Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, as amended; Passed: 73-26

The Senate stands in adjournment until 9:00am on Thursday, March 21, 2013.

• Following the prayer and pledge, the Senate will resume consideration of S.Con.Res.8, a concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2014, revising the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2013, and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2015 through 2023.
• When the Senate convenes on Thursday, there will be 34 hours remaining for debate on the budget resolution, equally divided and controlled between the Chair and Ranking Member of the Budget Committee.

The Senate has resumed consideration of S.Con.Res.8, the Budget resolution. Senator Reid reiterated his intention that the Senate will be in session until we complete the Budget resolution and that could mean being in session all night Friday night or whatever it takes. Senators should plan accordingly.

Senator Sessions made a motion to recommit S.Con.Res.8 back to the Committee on the Budget with instructions to report back no later than March 22, 2013 with such changes as may be necessary to achieve unified budget balance by Fiscal Year 2023.

Motions to recommit are debatable for up to 1 hour, equally divided, and are amendable in two degrees. Each amendment to a motion is debatable for 1 hour each and equally divided. It would take consent to return to the resolution side of the amendment tree to offer amendments to the resolution.

When a vote time is set, another message will be sent.

At 3:45pm today, there will be up to 60 minutes of debate equally divided between Senators Klobuchar and Coats, or their designees, for a report on the economic goals and policy under section 305(b) of the Congressional Budget Act.

We believe to be close to locking in an agreement that would result in a series of up to 5 roll call votes in the 8pm range tonight. When an agreement is reached and vote time is set, I will send another message.

Up to 5 votes around 8pm tonight:

–          Sessions motion to recommit (budget balance by 2023)

–          Murray #433 (Paul Ryan Budget)

–          Hatch #297 (medical device repeal)

–          Stabenow #432 (vouchers)

–          Grassley #156 (reserve fund-tax reform)

The Senate has reached an agreement that results in a series of 5 votes at 8:10pm tonight, 6 votes at 11am tomorrow, and provides for the commencement of the so-called vote-a-rama around 3pm tomorrow. All votes after the first vote tonight will be 10 minutes in duration with 2 minutes for debate equally divided between each vote. No amendments are in order to the amendments or motion in this agreement prior to the votes in relation to the amendment. Following the votes tonight, the remainder of tonight’s session will be for debate only on the Budget resolution.

Up to 5 votes at 8:10pm tonight:

–          Sessions motion to recommit (budget balance by 2023)

–          Murray #433 (Paul Ryan Budget)

–          Hatch #297 (medical device repeal)

–          Stabenow #432 (vouchers)

–          Grassley #156 (reserve fund-tax reform)

Up to 6 votes at 11am tomorrow:

–          Mikulski #431 (equal pay)

–          Ayotte #158 (prohibits budget with revenue increase while unemployment is above 5.5%)

–          Cruz #202 (reserve fund to repeal PPACA and Education reconciliation)

–          Murray #439 (side by side to Crapo PPACA)

–          Crapo #222 (reserve fund re: repeal tax increase under PPACA for low and middle income Americans)

–          Shaheen #438 (women’s health)

2 hours for debate

Vote-a-rama!

–          Democratic amendment

–          Republican alternative to Shaheen (women’s health)

Text of the agreement is as follows:

Leader:            I ask unanimous consent that the pending motion be set aside and the following amendments to S.Con.Res.8 be called up:

–          Murray #433;

–          Hatch #297;

–          Stabenow #432;

–          Grassley #156;

–          Mikulski #431;

–          Ayotte #158;

–          Cruz #202;

–          Murray #439;

–          Crapo #222; and

–          Shaheen #438.

That the time until 8:10pm be equally divided between the two managers, or their designees, prior to votes in relation to the Sessions motion and the first four amendments listed; that all after the first vote this evening be 10 minute votes; that there be two minutes equally divided in the usual form prior to each vote; that no amendments be in order to the motion or any of the amendments prior to the votes in relation to these items; that following the votes this evening, the remainder of today’s session be for debate only on the concurrent resolution; further, that when the Senate convenes at 9am on Friday, March 22^nd, the Senate resume consideration of S.Con.Res.8 with the time until 11am equally divided between the two managers, or their designees; that at 11am, the Senate proceed to votes in relation to the remaining amendments listed above; that there be two minutes equally divided prior to each vote and all after the first vote in this sequence be ten minute votes; that upon disposition of the last amendment listed, there be two hours equally divided between the two managers, or their designees, remaining on the concurrent resolution; finally, the next amendment in order be an amendment from the Majority side to be followed by a Republican alternative to Shaheen #438.

8:10pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Sessions motion to recommit (budget balance by 2023)

Not Agreed to: 46-53

8:52pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the Hatch amendment #297 (medical device repeal)

Agreed to: 79-20

9:10pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the Stabenow amendment #432 (Medicare vouchers);

Agreed To: 96-3

9:28pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Grassley amendment #156 (reserve fund-tax reform).

Not Agreed To: 45-54

This will be the last vote of the night. The next votes will occur at 11am tomorrow.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

–          Sessions motion to recommit (budget balance by 2023); Not Agreed To: 46-53

–          Murray #433 (Paul Ryan Budget); Not Agreed To: 40-59

–          Hatch #297 (medical device repeal); Agreed To: 79-20

–          Stabenow #432 (vouchers); Agreed To: 96-3

–          Grassley #156 (strikes tax reconciliation/establishes reserve fund-tax reform); Not Agreed To: 45-54

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.88, a resolution providing for Members on the part of the Senate of the Joint Committee on Printing and the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library.

Adopted S.Res.89, Designating March 25, 2013, as “National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day”

Adopted H.Con.Res.18, authorizing the use of the Capital Grounds for the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service-May 15, 2013.

Adopted H.Con.Res.19, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby-June 15, 2013.

Passed S.540, to designate the air route control center located in Nashua, New Hampshire, as the “Patricia Clark Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center”.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013. (Reid)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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The next meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on March 21, 2013.