The Floor Log is for reference only. All information should be verified through official sources.

Today's Senate Floor Log

THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2009

The Senate will convene at 9:30 AM and will be in morning business for 95 minutes. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill). Shortly after 11:00 AM, the Senate will vote on the Kyl amend #1432 (To strike the earmark for the City of Whitefish, Montana, Emergency Operations Center).  Roll Call Votes are expected throughout the day. Reid filed cloture on both the Byrd-Inouye amend #1373 (In Nature of a Substitute) and H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill) last night.

H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill).

Byrd-Inouye amend #1373 (In Nature of a Substitute). For the purposes of this bill, the amendment will be considered as original text.

Vitter amend #1375 (To prohibit amounts made available from being used to amend the final rule to hold employers accountable if they hire illegal aliens), as modified. Agreed to by voice vote.

McCain amend #1378 (To strike the appropriation for the Advanced Training Center). Laid aside.

Kyl amend #1432 (To strike the earmark for the City of Whitefish, Montana, Emergency Operations Center).  Yeas and nays ordered. The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 36-59.

Hatch amend #1428 (Amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend to religious workers and Conrad-30 visa program, to protect orphans and widows with pending visa petitions), as modified.  Laid aside.

McCain amend #1378 (To strike the appropriation for the Advanced Training Center). Yeas and nays ordered. The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 35-61.

The following amendments were considered en bloc:
Tester amend #1459 (Condition funding for the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility).  Agreed to by voice vote.
Kyl amend #1455 (Require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a detailed report to Congress regarding the utilization and potential expansion of Operation streamline programs).  Agreed to by voice vote, as modified.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2009

The Senate will convene at 9:30 AM and will be in a period of morning business for one hour.  At 10:30 AM, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill).  Around 10:40 AM, there will be a series of two votes in relation to the Sessions amend #1371 (Make a pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation for aliens permanent and to improve verification of immigration status of employees) and DeMint amend #1399 (To require the completion of at least 700 miles of reinforced fencing along the Southwest border). 

The Senate convened and proceeded to a period of morning business.

H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill). 

Inouye amend #1373 (In Nature of a Substitute). For the purposes of this bill, the amendment will be considered as original text.

Sessions amend #1371 (Make a pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation for aliens permanent and to improve verification of immigration status of employees). Laid aside.

Nelson unanimous consent request that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 175 (Sense of the Senate that the Federal Government is a reluctant shareholder in the ownership of General Motors and Chrysler), and that the resolution be agreed to. Sessions objected.

Sessions amend #1371 (Make a pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation for aliens permanent and to improve verification of immigration status of employees). Schumer motion to table the amendment. The Motion to Table the amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 44-53.

DeMint amend #1399 (To require the completion of at least 700 miles of reinforced fencing along the Southwest border).  Yeas and nays ordered.  The amendment was agreed to by a vote of 54-34. 

Vitter amend #1375 (To prohibit amounts made available from being used to amend the final rule to hold employers accountable if they hire illegal aliens), as modified.  Laid aside.

Grassley amend #1415 (To authorize employers to voluntarily verify the immigration status of existing employees).  Laid aside.

Feingold amend #1402 (To require grants for Emergency Operations Centers and financial assistance for the predisaster mitigation program to be awarded without regard to earmarks).  Yeas and nays ordered.  The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 48-60.

Kyl amend #1432 (To strike the earmark for the City of Whitefish, Montana, Emergency Operations Center).  Laid aside.

Hatch amend #1428 (amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend the religious workers and Conrad-30 visa programs).  Laid aside.

McCain amend #1406 (strike provisions relating to the Loran-C signal). The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 37-61.

On Monday July 13, the Senate will proceed to S. 1390 (DoD Authorization Bill).

Reid filed cloture on Inouye amend #1373 (In Nature of a Substitute) on H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill). 

Reid filed cloture on H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill). 

The Senate will convene at 9:30 AM on Thursday, July 9 and will be in morning business for 95 minutes. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill). Shortly after 11:00 AM, the Senate will vote on Kyl amend #1432 (To strike the earmark for the City of Whitefish, Montana, Emergency Operations Center).  Roll Call Votes are expected throughout the day.

The Senate adjourned at 7:40 PM.

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2009

The Senate will convene at 10:00 AM and will proceed with Morning Business for 1 hour.  The Senate will then proceed to the consideration of H. R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill).  The Senate will recess from 12:30 – 2:15 for party caucuses.  At 12:15 PM, Senator-elect Al Franken will be sworn-in. 

The Senate convened and proceeded with a legislative session.

H.R. 2454 (American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009). The second reading of the bill was agreed to. Further proceedings on the bill were objected to.

The Senate proceeded with a period of morning business.

H. R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill).

Inouye amend #1373 (In Nature of a Substitute). For the purposes of this bill, the amendment will be considered as original text.

Sessions amend #1371 (Make a pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation for aliens permanent and to improve verification of immigration status of employees).  Laid aside. 

S. Res. 208 (Regarding the constitution of the Majority Party’s membership on certain committees for the 111th Congress or until their successors are chose).  Agreed to by voice vote.

Sen. Reid announced that under the previous order and pursuant to the authority granted under S. Res. 18, Senator Franken is assigned to the Committee on Indian Affairs, the Select Committee on Aging, the Judiciary Committee and the “HELP” Committee. 

The Senate recessed for party caucuses.

The Senate convened at 2:15 PM and proceeded to a Legislative Session.

H. R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill).

Inouye amend #1373 (In Nature of a Substitute). For the purposes of this bill, the amendment will be considered as original text.

DeMint amend #1399 (). Laid aside.

McCain amend #1400 (To eliminate the appropriation for the Over-the-Road Bus Security Assistance).  Yeas and nays ordered.  The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 47-51.

Feingold amend #1402 (To require grants for Emergency Operations Centers and financial assistance for the predisaster mitigation program to be awarded without regard to earmarks).  Laid aside.

The Senate proceeded to a period of morning business.

S. Res. 209 (National Eye Institute Anniversary).  Agreed to by Unanimous Consent.

The Senate will convene at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 and will be in a period of morning business for one hour.  At 10:30 AM, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill).  Around 10:40 AM, there will be a series of two votes in relation to the Sessions amend #1371 (Make a pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation for aliens permanent and to improve verification of immigration status of employees) and DeMint amend #1399 (). 

The Senate adjourned at 7:06 PM.

MONDAY, JULY 6, 2009

The Senate will convene at 2:00 PM and will be in a period of morning business for one hour, Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 2918 (Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill). At 5:30 PM, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the McCain amend #1367 (Nebraska photo exhibit).  Following the disposition of the McCain amendment, the Senate is expected to vote on final passage of the bill.  On Tuesday, July 7, 2009, the Senate is expected to proceed to H.R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill).

The Senate convened and proceeded to a period of morning business.

The Senate proceeded to a Legislative Session.

H.R. 2918 (Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill).

Nelson amend #1365 (Substitute Amendment).

Coburn amend #1369 (To require expenditures by every Senate office be posted online for the public to review).  Agreed to by Voice Vote.

DeMint amend #1370 (Direct the Architect of the Capitol to engrave the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and the National Motto of “In God We Trust” in the Capitol Visitor Center).  Agreed to by Voice Vote.

DeMint amend #1367 (Reform the manner in which the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is audited by the Comptroller General of the US).  Nelson Point of Order was sustained and the amendment falls.

McCain amend #1367 (Strike the earmark for the Durham Museum in Omaha, Nebraska).  The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 31-61. 

DeMint Constitutional Point of Order that the Nelson amend #1365 (Substitute Amendment) which contains the language for the Durham Museum in Omaha Nebraska violates article 1, Section 8 and the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.  The Chair put the question to the Senate.  Is it in order to offer the Nelson amend #1365 (Substitute amendment) to the bill.  The Senate agreed that the amendment was in order to the bill by a vote of 70-23.    

Nelson amend #1365 (Substitute amendment) was agreed to by voice vote, as amended.

H. R. 2918 (Legislative Appropriations Bill).  The bill was read for a third time, as amended.  The yeas and nays on final passage were ordered. The bill was agreed to by a vote of 67-25.

The Senate insists upon its amendments and requests a Conference with the House.  The Senate appointed the following Conferees:  Sen. Nelson (Neb.), Sen. Inouye, Sen. Pryor, Sen. Tester, Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Cochran. 

Executive session
Cal. #197, Stephen Owens to be Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances of the Environmental Protection Agency.  Confirmed by voice vote.
Cal. #258, Daniel Ginsberg to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.  Confirmed by voice vote.

H. R. 2454 (Create clean energy jobs and achieve energy independence).  The first reading of the bill was agreed to.  The second reading of the bill was objected to. 

The Senate will convene at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, July 7, 2009.  The Senate will proceed with Morning Business for 1 hour.  The Senate will then proceed to the consideration of H. R. 2892 (Homeland Security Appropriations Bill).  The Senate will recess from 12:30 – 2:15 for party caucuses.  At 12:15 PM, Senator-elect Al Franken will be sworn-in. 

The Senate adjourned at 7:15 PM.