Senate Floor Activity - Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Mr. Richard Blumenthal, from the State of Connecticut, called the Senate to order at 10 a.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mr. Blumenthal led the Senate in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.

The Journal

Pursuant to the order of yesterday, the Journal of the proceedings of the Senate was deemed approved to date.

Certain Procedures Dispensed With

Pursuant to the order of yesterday, the morning hour being deemed expired, and the times for the recognition of the two leaders being reserved.

Transaction of Morning Business

Pursuant to the order of yesterday, the Senate proceeded to a period for the transaction of morning business.

Legislative Business (Tuesday, April 24)

H.R. 4348 (Rep. Mica): To provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a multiyear law reauthorizing such programs, and for other purposes.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Senate struck all after the Enacting Clause and substituted the language of S. 1813 amended pursuant to the order of 3/7/2012.

-- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

-- Senate insists on its amendment, asks for a conference, appoints conferees Boxer; Baucus; Rockefeller; Durbin; Johnson SD; Schumer; Nelson FL; Menendez; Inhofe; Vitter; Hatch; Shelby; Hutchison; Hoeven pursuant to the order of 3/7/2012.

-- See also S. 1813.

-- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

S. 1789 (Sen. Lieberman): To improve, sustain, and transform the United States Postal Service.

-- Considered by Senate.

S.Amdt. 2000 (Sen. Lieberman): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Point of order raised in Senate with respect to amendment SA 2000.

-- Motion to waive all applicable budgetary discipline with respect to amendment SA 2000 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 62 - 37. Record Vote Number: 69

S.Amdt. 2020 (Sen. Wyden): To require the Postal Service to consider the effect of closing or consolidating a postal facility on the ability of the affected community to vote by mail and to provide for a moratorium on the closing or consolidation of post offices and postal facilities to protect the ability to vote by mail.

-- Amendment SA 2020 proposed by Senator Wyden to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2020 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2025 (Sen. Paul): To end the mailbox use monopoly .

-- Amendment SA 2025 proposed by Senator Paul to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2025, under the order of 4/19/2012, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 35 - 64. Record Vote Number: 76

S.Amdt. 2031 (Sen. McCaskill): To prohibit the closing of a rural post office unless certain conditions are met and to establish a moratorium on the closing of rural post offices.

-- Amendment SA 2031 proposed by Senator McCaskill to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2031 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2033 (Sen. McCain): To establish the Commission on Postal Reorganization.

-- Amendment SA 2033 proposed by Senator McCain to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2033, under the order of 4/19/2012, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, the amendment was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 30 - 69. Record Vote Number: 70

S.Amdt. 2034 (Sen. Akaka): To provide appropriate workers compensation for Federal employees.

-- Amendment SA 2034 proposed by Senator Akaka to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2034, under the order of 4/19/2012, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 53. Record Vote Number: 73

S.Amdt. 2043 (Sen. Udall, of NM): To strike the limitations on changes to mail delivery schedule, with an offset.

-- Amendment SA 2043 proposed by Senator Udall NM to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2043, under the order of 4/19/2012, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 43 - 56. Record Vote Number: 72

S.Amdt. 2047 (Sen. Bennet): To establish citizen's service protection advocates, to require the Strategic Advisory Commission on Postal Service Solvency and Innovation to study the advisability of the Postal Service entering into inter-agency agreements with respect to post offices, and to require the Postal Service to develop a strategic plan for entering into such inter-agency agreements.

-- Amendment SA 2047 proposed by Senator Bennet to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2047 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2049 (Sen. Akaka): To allow supervisory and other managerial organizations to participate in the planning and development of changes in, or termination of, pay policies and schedules and fringe benefit programs .

-- Amendment SA 2049 proposed by Senator Akaka to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2049, under the order of 4/19/2012, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 57 - 42. Record Vote Number: 75

S.Amdt. 2056 (Sen. Tester): To modify the process for closing or consolidating post offices and postal facilities.

-- Amendment SA 2056 proposed by Senator Tester to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2056 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2058 (Sen. Coburn): To improve access to postal services in communities potentially affected by a postal closing or consolidation .

-- Amendment SA 2058 proposed by Senator Coburn to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2058 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2060 (Sen. Coburn): To provide transparency, accountability, and limitations of Government sponsored conferences.

-- Amendment SA 2060 proposed by Senator Coburn to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2060 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2061 (Sen. Coburn): To achieve long-term cost-savings by allowing the Postmaster General to reduce the postal workforce through mandatory retirements for eligible employees.

-- Amendment SA 2061 proposed by Senator Coburn to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2061 as modified, under the order of 4/19/2012, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, the amendment was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 33 - 65. Record Vote Number: 71

S.Amdt. 2080 (Sen. Snowe): To require the Postal Rate Commission to evaluate area mail processing studies.

-- Amendment SA 2080 proposed by Senator Snowe to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2080 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2082 (Sen. Durbin): To prohibit the Postal Service from closing, consolidating, or reducing the workforce of certain postal facilities .

-- Amendment SA 2082 proposed by Senator Durbin to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2082 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 2083 (Sen. Corker): To improve the bill.

-- Amendment SA 2083 proposed by Senator Corker to Amendment SA 2000.

-- Amendment SA 2083, under the order of 4/19/2012, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 29 - 70. Record Vote Number: 74

S. 1813 (Sen. Boxer): To reauthorize Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs, and for other purposes.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Senate incorporated this measure in H.R. 4348, pursuant to the order of 3/7/2012, as an amendment.

-- See also H.R. 4348.

S. 1925 (Sen. Leahy): To reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.

-- Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate.

S. 2338 (Sen. Hutchison): To reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.

-- Ordered read the second time.

-- Read the second time. Ordered Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 364.

S.J.Res. 36 (Sen. Enzi): A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Labor Relations Board relating to representation election procedures.

-- Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate.

-- Motion to proceed to consideration of measure rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 45 - 54. Record Vote Number: 68

S.Res. 432 (Sen. Menendez): A resolution designating April 30, 2012, as "Dia de los Ninos: Celebrating Young Americans".

-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 433 (Sen. Collins): A resolution designating April 2012 as "National Child Abuse Prevention Month".

-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

Adjournment

By unanimous consent, on the request of Mr. Harry Reid, at 7:03 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.