Agreements on Ukraine legislation, 4 district judges and Saudi Arabia Ambassador, motion to proceed to legislative vehicle for Unemployment Insurance extension
The Senate has reached an agreement that at 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 26, 2014, the Senate proceed to Executive Session, and that notwithstanding Rule 22, the Senate proceed to vote on cloture on Executive Calendar numbers 581, 582, 583, 584; further, that if cloture is invoked on any of these nominations, the time until 2:30pm be equally divided between the Leaders, or their designees, and that at 2:30 pm, all post-cloture time be expired, and the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the nominations in the order upon which cloture was invoked; further, that following Senate action on these nominations, the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar number #694; further that there be two minutes for debate prior to each vote and all roll call votes after the first vote in each sequence be 10 minutes in length; further that following the disposition of Calendar #694, the Senate resume Legislative Session; further, that upon disposition of the listed nominations, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
Agreement on Ukraine legislation
Further, that notwithstanding cloture having been invoked, the motion to proceed to S.2124 (the Senate Ukraine bill), be withdrawn; that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar #328, H.R.4152 (the House Ukraine bill); that following the reporting of the bill, a Menendez-Corker substitute amendment, the text of which is at the Desk, be made pending; that no other amendments be in order; that no points of order or motions be in order other than budget points of order and the applicable motions to waive; that on Thursday, March 27th, following morning business, there be two hours of debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, prior to a vote in relation to the Menendez-Corker amendment; that upon disposition of the amendment, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended.
Cornyn request for Barrasso liquefied natural gas and unlimited amendments to Ukraine legislation
Prior to reaching the agreement, Senator Cornyn asked unanimous consent that the Ukraine consent request be modified so that the first amendment in order be a Barrasso amendment related to liquefied natural gas, and that following disposition of the Barrasso amendment, the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, or their designee, be recognized to offer relevant amendments in an alternating fashion. Senator Reid objected to the request and the original request was agreed to.
Senator Reid then moved to proceed to Calendar #333, H.R.3979, which will be the legislative vehicle used for the Unemployment Insurance extension legislation.
As a result of these agreements, there will be several votes on Wednesday and Thursday. We expect additional votes this week beyond the votes set up by this agreement, including, but not limited to, a potential cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the legislative vehicle for the Unemployment Insurance extension.
Vote Schedule
Wednesday, March 26:
4 votes at 11:00am:
- Cloture on Executive Calendar #581, Christopher Reid Cooper, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia;
- Cloture on Executive Calendar #582, M. Douglas Harpool, of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Missouri;
- Cloture on Executive Calendar #583, Gerald Austin McHugh, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and
- Cloture on Executive Calendar #584, Edward G. Smith, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
5 votes at 2:30pm:
- Confirmation of Executive Calendar #581, Christopher Reid Cooper, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia;
- Confirmation of Executive Calendar #582, M. Douglas Harpool, of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Missouri;
- Confirmation of Executive Calendar #583, Gerald Austin McHugh, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and
- Confirmation of Executive Calendar #584, Edward G. Smith, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- Confirmation of Executive Calendar #694, Joseph William Westphal, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Thursday, March 27:
2 votes in the 12:15pm range:
- Menendez-Corker substitute (Ukraine compromise language)
- Passage of H.R.4152, as amended
Again, additional votes are expected this week.
