Senate passes 7 day CR to fund DHS

The Senate passed H.R. 33, as amended with a substitute amendment (SA#268) that contains a 7 day CR to fund the Department of Homeland Security through March 6, 2015.

The House Message with respect to H.R.240, Department of Homeland Security appropriations, was laid before the Senate.

We expect Senator McConnell to file cloture at 3:30pm on Monday, March 2 on the consolidated motion to go to conference. Under the expedited rule for going to conference, once cloture has been filed, there would be 2 hours for debate equally divided prior to a cloture vote. That would result in a cloture vote at 5:30pm on Monday (60 vote threshold) and, if cloture is invoked, an immediate vote on the motion (majority vote threshold).

The consolidated motion to go to conference includes the following motions:

• Motion to insist upon the Senate amendment;
• Motion to agree to a request by the House for a committee of conferees; and
• Motion to authorize the Presiding Officer to appoint conferees.

The next vote is expected at 5:30pm on Monday, which will be a cloture vote on the motion to agree to the House request to go to a conference on the DHS appropriations bill.