No more votes tonight, next vote 5:30pm Monday

The Reed amendment was tabled 49-45. Senator McConnell then filed cloture on the Murkowski amendment #2 (substitute ) and the underlying bill, S. 1, a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. Senator McConnell then asked consent to vote on a series of Republican amendments and the Cardin amendment at 9:30am tomorrow, with no second degree amendments in order and that the amendments be subject to 60 vote thresholds for adoption. Senator Durbin objected. The unofficial transcript of the exchange can be found below. The next vote will be at 5:30pm on Monday, January 26.

1. MCCONNELL: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT AT

9:30 A.M. FRIDAY, TOMORROW, THE SENATE PROCEED TO VOTE IN

RELATION TO THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS IN THE ORDER LISTED --

SULLIVAN 67, CARDIN 75, MURKOWSKI 98, FLAKE 103, CRUZ 15, MORAN

73, DAINES 132. FURTHER, THAT ALL AMENDMENTS ON THE LIST BE

SUBJECT TO A 60-VOTE AFFIRMATIVE THRESHOLD FOR ADOPTION AND

THAT NO SECOND DEGREES BE IN ORDER TO THE AMENDMENTS. I ASK

CONSENT THERE BE TWO MINUTES OF DEBATE EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN

EACH VOTE AND THAT ALL VOTE AFTER THE FIRST IN THE SERIES BE

TEN-MINUTE VOTES.

1. DURBIN: NOW THAT WE HAVE PURGED THE CALENDAR OF FIVE OF THE

SIX DEMOCRATIC AMENDMENTS, THE MAJORITY LEADER TELLS US IT'S

TIME TO VOTE. IT DOESN'T STRIKE ME THAT THIS IS IN THE BEST

INTERESTS OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE IN GOING BACK

AND FORTH IN A BIPARTISAN, CONSTRUCTIVE FASHION. I WOULD LIKE

TO ASK THE MAJORITY LEADER ARE YOU PREPARED TO BE IN SESSION

TOMORROW AND TO CONSIDER DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN AMENDMENTS

AND WORK THROUGH THE LIST, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT YOU JUST

TABLED?

1. McCONNELL: DOES THE SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS INTEND TO OBJECT

TO MY CONSENT?

1. DURBIN: WHAT I'M ASKING, FRANKLY, IS TO TRY TO AMEND THIS

SO IT DOES HAVE SOME BALANCE. YOU MENTIONED ONE DEMOCRATIC

AMENDMENT AND AT LEAST FIVE OR SIX REPUBLICAN AMENDMENTS TO BE

CONSIDERED TOMORROW.

1. McCONNELL: WELL, WE JUST HAD VOTES ON DEMOCRATIC AMENDMENTS

THAT YOUR MEMBERS HAD OFFERED AND DIDN'T WANT TO AGREE TO -- TO

HAVE A VOTE ON.

1. DURBIN: AND THE RECORD WILL REFLECT THE SPIRITED DEBATE ON

THOSE AMENDMENTS WHEN YOU WOULDN'T EVEN GIVE THE AUTHORS 60

SECONDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT WAS IN THE AMENDMENT.

1. MCCONNELL: MR. PRESIDENT, AM I CORRECT THAT THE SENATOR

FROM ILLINOIS IS GOING TO OBJECT TO THIS CONSENT AGREEMENT?

1. DURBIN: I OBJECT.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION IS HEARD.

1. MCCONNELL: I SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.