Objection to consideration of Military Sexual Assault bills
That if cloture is invoked, all post-cloture time be yielded back and the Senate immediately proceed to vote on passage on the bill; that no amendments, points of order or motions be in order to the bill prior to the vote on passage; that if the motion to invoke cloture on S.1752 is not agreed to, the bill be returned to the calendar; that upon disposition of S.1752, the Senate immediately proceed to the consideration of Calendar #293, S.1917; that if a cloture motion is filed on the bill, the Senate immediately proceed to the vote on the motion to invoke cloture; that if cloture is invoked, all post-cloture time be yielded back and the Senate immediately proceed to vote on passage on the bill; that no amendments, points of order or motions be in order to the bill prior to the vote on passage; that if the motion to invoke cloture on S.1917 is not agreed to, the bill be returned to the calendar.
Senator Moran asked the Leader to modify his request to include the Kirk amendment #2295 regarding Iran Sanctions (filed to the National Defense Authorization Act). Senator Reid did not agree to modify his request and Senator Moran objected to the original request. The unofficial transcript of the exchange is below.
{16:04:10 NSP} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MR. REID: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT AT A TIME
TO BE DETERMINED BY ME, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH SENATOR
McCONNELL, THE SENATE PROCEED TO CALENDAR NUMBER 251, THAT IF
CLOTURE -- THAT IF A CLOTURE MOTION IS FILED, THERE BE TWO
HOURS OF DEBATE ON S. 1752 AND S. 1917 EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN
THE TWO LEADERS OR THEIR DESIGNEES. THAT UPON THE USE OR
YIELDING BACK OF THAT TIME, THE SENATE PROCEED TO VOTE ON THE
MOTION TO INVOKE CLOTURE. THAT IF CLOTURE IS INVOKED, ALL TIME
BE YEEMEDDED BACK AND THE SENATE -- YIELDED BACK AND THE SENATE
IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO VOTE ON THE BILL. THAT NO MOTIONS OR POINTS
OF ORDER BE ALLOWED PRIOR TO THE FINAL VOTE. THE BILL BE RETURN
TO THE CALENDAR, THAT UPON THE DISPOSITION OF S. 1752, THE
SENATE IMMEDIATELY PROCEED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF CALENDAR
NUMBER 293, S. 1917, THAT IF CLOTURE -- THAT IF A CLOTURE
MOTION IS FILED ON THE BILL, THE SENATE PROCEED TO VOTE ON THE
MOTION TO INVOKE CLOTURE. THAT IF CLOTURE IS INVOKED, ALL
POSTCLOTURE TIME BE YIELDED BACK AND THE SENATE PROCEED TO VOTE
ON PASSAGE OF THE BILL. THAT NO AMENDMENTS, POINTS OF ORDER OR
MOTIONS BE IN ORDER TO THE BILL PRIOR TO THE VOTE ON PASSAGE
THAT. IF A MOTION TO INVOKE CLOTURE ON S. 1917 IS NOT AGREED
TO, THE BILL BE RETURNED TO THE CALENDAR.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?
A SENATOR: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM KANSAS.
A SENATOR: THE AMENDMENTS WERE FILED TO THE DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION BILL THAT THE SENATE PASSED IN DECEMBER OF LAST
YEAR.
MR. MORAN: THEY EACH HAVE SIGNIFICANT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. THE
MAJORITY LEADER FILLED THE TREE ON THAT BILL AND BLOCKED OUT
AMENDMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND, THEREFORE, THE
SENATE DID NOT VOTE ON THESE BILLS LAST YEAR. THERE ARE
HUNDREDS OF OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT WERE ALSO BLOCKED. WOULD THE
SENATOR MODIFY THIS REQUEST TO INCLUDE A VOTE AT A 60-VOTE
THRESHOLD ON ANOTHER PROPOSAL THAT WAS BLOCKED FROM
CONSIDERATION?
THE KIRK AMENDMENT, 2295, WAS FILED TO THE DEFENSE BILL. IT
WOULD IMPOSE ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF
IRAN IF IT VIOLATES THE INTERIM AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED
STATES. WILL THE SENATOR INCLUDE A VOTE ON THE KIRK AMENDMENT
AS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT?
MR. REID: MR. PRESIDENT?
I WOULD RESERVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: DOES THE MAJORITY LEADER AGREE TO THE
MODIFICATION?
MR. REID: I WOULD RESERVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT. MR. PRESIDENT,
THERE'S NO MORE IMPORTANT NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERN TODAY THAN
KEEPING IRAN FROM GETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITY. FOR ONE,
NATIONAL SECURITY, AND FOR THAT OF ISRAEL, OUR ALLY. WE'RE
COMMITTED TO STOPPING IRAN FROM GETTING THAT CAPABILITY. THAT'S
WHY PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ENTERED INTO INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS
WITH IRAN. THE SENATE HAS A LONG TRADITION OF BIPARTISANSHIP ON
THIS ISSUE, INCLUDING NUMEROUS STRONG, BIPARTISAN VOTES THAT WE
PUT IN PLACE TO INITIATE THE VERY SANCTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
BROUGHT IRAN TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, IN
SUMMATION, I'M TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED THAT MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS
ARE TRYING TO TURN THIS VITAL NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERN INTO A
PARTISAN ISSUE BY TRYING TO INJECT INTO IT A SETTING WHERE IT'S
CLEARLY NOT RELEVANT. I OBJECT.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION IS HEARD. IS THERE OBJECTION
TO THE ORIGINAL REQUEST?
MR. MORAN: I OBJECT.
