The Floor
FLOOR UPDATES

The Senate has reached an agreement to vote at 5:00pm on confirmation of the Parish (district judge), Olvera (district judge), Cahill (Public Broadcasting), and Scarano (Northern Border Regional Commission) nominations. We expect roll call votes on the first two nominations and voice votes on the...

Senator Warren asked unanimous consent that the Senate take up and pass S.1381, a bill to require the President to make the text of trade agreements available to the public in order for those agreements to receive expedited consideration from Congress (Trade Transparency Act). Senator Hatch...

By a vote of 62-38, cloture was invoked on the Hatch amendment #1221 (Trade substitute) to H.R.1314. There will now be up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate. The following amendments are pending to H.R.1314, Trade: Hatch SA #1221 (substitute) Flake SA #1243 (strike TAA) Inhofe SA #1312, as modified...

Prior to the cloture vote, Senator Hatch asked unanimous consent to call up the following amendments en bloc: Boxer #1371 (minimum wage) Whitehouse #1387 (add port treaty) Brown #1252 (level the playing field) Feinstein #1424 (Nepal) Menendez #1430 (human trafficking) Paul #1383 (bonus for cost...

This morning, Senator McConnell filed cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.2048, USA Freedom Act, and S.1357, 2 month Patriot Act extension. Senators will be notified when these votes are scheduled.

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...

Senator Hatch asked unanimous consent that the time until 8:00pm today be equally divided in the usual form. That upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the following amendments in the order listed: Inhofe-Coons #1312, as further modified Shaheen...

Senator Merkley asked unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendments in order to call up Merkley amendment #1369 (trade objectives), Merkley amendment #1401 (investor-state dispute settlement), and #1409 (unfair wages. Senator Cantwell objected.

There will be no roll call votes on Monday, June 8 and Monday, July 20. Roll call votes are expected to occur before lunch on Tuesday, June 9 and Tuesday, July 21.

Senator Lee asked unanimous consent that the Senate set aside consideration of H.R.1314, the Trade legislation, and move to the immediate consideration of H.R.2048, the USA Freedom Act; that the motion to proceed be agreed to; the bill be open for amendments; and that upon disposition of the...

Senator Sessions asked unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendments in order to call up Sessions amendment #1233 (congressional approval) and amendment #1234 (immigration). Senator Cantwell objected.

At 5:30pm today, there will be 2 roll call votes on the Brown amendment and Lankford, as modified, amendment. The Lankford modification makes a technical correction to the instruction line of the amendment.  Each are subject to 60-affirmative vote thresholds. 5:30pm-2 roll call votes: Brown SA...

The Senate is in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. There will be no further roll call votes his week.

The Senate has reached an agreement for consideration of the Trade bill for the remainder of today. All post-cloture debate time has been yielded back and the motion to proceed to H.R.1314 was adopted. Senator Hatch then offered amendment #1221 (substitute that includes TPA and TAA), Flake amendment...

By a vote of 65-33, cloture, upon reconsideration, was invoked on the motion to proceed to H.R.1314, the legislative vehicle for the Trade Act of 2015 (TPA and TAA). Negotiations continue on a path forward on the Trade bill. If no agreement is reached, all post-cloture time would expire at 10:00pm...

The Senate has begun debate on H.R.1295, as amended with the text of S.1267 (AGOA), and H.R.644, as amended with the text of S.1269 (Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (Customs and Currency)). The time until 12:00pm will be equally divided between the two Leaders or their...

The Senate has reached an agreement that results in a series of 2 votes at 12:00pm and 1 vote at 2:00pm tomorrow, Thursday, May 14. Those votes would be on the following: 12:00pm-2 roll call votes: Passage of H.R.1295, as amended with S.1267, AGOA/Preferences (60-affirmative vote threshold) Passage...

At 1:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #80, the nomination of Sally Yates, of Georgia, to be Deputy Attorney General. There will be one for debate equally divided prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. If all time is used, the vote would...

The Senate stands in recess subject to the call of the Chair in order to allow for an all Senators briefing on FISA. We expect the recess to last approximately an hour.

Cloture was not invoked on the motion to proceed to H.R.1314 (Trade vehicle) by a vote of 52-45. Senator McConnell changed his vote to no and entered a motion to reconsider the failed cloture vote at a later time. The Senate is debating the McConnell motion to proceed to H.R.1314, with senators...