Cloture filed on substitute and H.R.1314, Trade - Hatch goes behind and offers amendment to language proposed to be stricken by Portman-Stabenow

This evening Senator McConnell filed cloture on the Hatch amendment #1221 (Trade substitute) and the underlying bill, H.R.1314. Unless an agreement can be reached, the cloture vote on the substitute would occur one hour after the Senate convenes on Thursday. If cloture is invoked, there would be up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate. Upon the use or yielding back of time, all pending germane amendments would be disposed of and the question would be on the substitute. If cloture is not invoked, the Senate would immediately proceed to the cloture vote on the underlying bill.

The filling deadline for first degree amendments is 1:00pm tomorrow, Wednesday May 20. If cloture is invoked, amendments must be germane and timely filed to be considered in order post cloture. The filing deadline for second degree amendments would be 1 hour prior to the cloture vote on Thursday.

After cloture was filed, Senator Hatch called for the regular order with respect to the Portman-Stabenow amendment #1299. He then "went behind" and offered an amendment to the language proposed to be stricken by the Portman-Stabenow amendment. This is a first degree amendment to the language proposed to be stricken by the Portman-Stabenow amendment.