Budget Resolution

By voice vote, the Senate adopted the motion to proceed to the consideration of S.Con.Res.11, setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2017 through 2025.

Under the law governing the Budget's consideration, there will now be up to 50 hours for debate equally divided on the concurrent resolution. Each first degree amendment is subject to 2 hours for debate equally divided and second degree amendments are subject to 1 hour for debate equally divided. We expect to vote on a few amendments each day. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will dispose of any pending amendments. There is no limit to the number of amendments that can be offered at the end of the debate time and before a vote on adoption of the concurrent resolution. As a result, there will be a number of roll call votes at the end of that time. We expect to begin the so-called "vote-a-rama" around noon on Thursday.

Debate time today

Debate time today will be controlled as followed:

The time until 1pm equally divided between the managers or their designees (20 minutes on Democratic side)

1-2pm under the control of the Majority

2-3pm under the control of the Democrats

3-4pm under the control of the Majority

4-5pm under the control of the Democrats

5-5:30pm equally divided

5:30pm vote/s expected tonight

At 5:30pm we expect to vote in relation to amendments to the Budget resolution. We are told the Republican's first amendment will be on a deficit neutral reserve fund on medically complex children in Medicaid offered by Senator Portman. Senator Sanders intends to offer the first amendment on the Democratic side on infrastructure. Another message will be sent when the votes are scheduled. We expect to vote in relation to the Portman and Sanders amendments tonight, not necessarily in that order.

Quorum calls equally divided

By consent, all time in quorum calls will be charged equally to the resolution.

Use of calculators on floor and tablets by managers at the managers' desks only

Also by consent, for the duration of the Senate's consideration of S.Con.Res.11, the Majority and Democratic managers of the bill while seated or standing at the managers' desk will be permitted to deliver floor remarks, retrieve and edit documents, and send email and other data communications from text displayed on wireless personal digital assistant devices and tablet devices. The Use of calculators will be permitted on the floor during consideration of the budget resolution. This agreement does not alter the existing traditions that prohibit the use of such devices in the Chamber by Senators in general, officers and staff. It does not allow the use of videos or pictures, the transmitting of sound, even through earpieces, for any purposes, the use of telephones or other devices for voice communications, any laptop computers, any detachable keyboards, the use of desktop computers or any other larger devices.

Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony on Tuesday at 3:00pm

There is a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring Jack Nicklaus on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. in the Rotunda of the Capitol. We expect the Senate to be in session during the ceremony, but roll call votes are not likely.

Joint Meeting with the President of Afghanistan on Wednesday at 11:00am

On Wednesday, at 11:00 a.m., His Excellency Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, will address a Joint Meeting of Congress in the Hall of the House of Representatives in the U.S. Capitol. Senators will gather in the chamber at 10:35am and depart as a body to the Hall of the House of Representatives at 10:40am. The Senate will be in recess for the joint meeting.