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Senate Floor Activity - Wednesday, January 28, 2015


The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 9:30 a.m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and Mr. Hatch 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 (Wednesday, January 28)

S. 1 (Sen. Hoeven): To approve the Keystone XL Pipeline .
-- Considered by Senate.
S.Amdt. 2 (Sen. Murkowski): In the nature of a substitute.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 2 as amended, as original text for purposes of further amendment, agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
-- Cloture motion on amendment SA 2 rendered moot in Senate.
-- Motion by Senator McConnell to reconsider the vote by which cloture on amendment SA 2 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 29) rendered moot in Senate.

S.Amdt. 15 (Sen. Cruz): To promote economic growth and job creation by increasing exports.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 15, under the order of 1/27/2015, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 45. Record Vote Number: 34

S.Amdt. 23 (Sen. Sanders): To increase the quantity of solar photovoltaic electricity by providing rebates for the purchase and installation of an additional 10,000,000 photovoltaic systems by 2025.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 23, under the order of 1/27/2015, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 40 - 58. Record Vote Number: 33

S.Amdt. 35 (Sen. Collins): To coordinate the provision of energy retrofitting assistance to schools.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 35 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

S.Amdt. 48 (Sen. Gillibrand): To modify the definition of underground injection .
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 48, under the order of 1/27/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 35 - 63. Record Vote Number: 41

S.Amdt. 55 (Sen. Peters): To require a study of the potential environmental impact of by-products of the Keystone XL pipeline.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 67 (Sen. Sullivan): To restrict the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to arm agency personnel.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 70 (Sen. Peters): To require that the Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration make a certification and submit to Congress the results of a study before the pipeline may be constructed, connected, operated, or maintained.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 70, under the order of 1/27/2015, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 40 - 58. Record Vote Number: 32

S.Amdt. 73 (Sen. Moran): To delist the lesser prairie-chicken as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 .
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 73, under the order of 1/27/2015, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 44. Record Vote Number: 35

S.Amdt. 75 (Sen. Cardin): To provide communities that rely on drinking water from a source that may be affected by a tar sands spill from the Keystone XL pipeline an analysis of the potential risks to public health and the environment from a leak or rupture of the pipeline.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 75, under the order of 1/27/2015, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 36 - 62. Record Vote Number: 31

S.Amdt. 77 (Sen. Udall): To establish a renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes.
-- Amendment SA 77 proposed by Senator Udall.

S.Amdt. 80 (Sen. Vitter): To provide for the distribution of revenues from certain areas of the outer Continental Shelf.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 92 (Sen. Burr): To permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 98 (Sen. Murkowski): To express the sense of Congress relating to adaptation projects in the United States Arctic region and rural communities.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 102 (Sen. Tillis): To provide for leasing on the outer Continental Shelf and the distribution of certain qualified revenues from such leasing .
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 103 (Sen. Flake): To require the evaluation and consolidation of duplicative green building programs.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 115 (Sen. Coons): To express the sense of Congress regarding climate change and infrastructure.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 115, under the order of 1/17/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 51. Record Vote Number: 38

S.Amdt. 120 (Sen. Carper): To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the credits for new qualified fuel cell motor vehicles and alternative fuel vehicle refueling property.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Proposed amendment SA 120 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 124 (Sen. Cardin): To clarify that treaties with Indian tribes remain in effect.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 125 (Sen. Merkley): To eliminate unnecessary tax subsidies and provide infrastructure funding.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Proposed amendment SA 125 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 130 (Sen. Boxer): To preserve existing permits and the authority of the agencies issuing the permits to modify the permits if necessary .
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 131 (Sen. Cantwell): To ensure that if the Keystone XL Pipeline is built, it will be built safely and in compliance with United States environmental laws.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 132 (Sen. Daines): To express the sense of Congress regarding the designation of National Monuments.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 132, under the order of 1/27/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 47. Record Vote Number: 37

S.Amdt. 133 (Sen. Heitkamp): To express the sense of Congress that the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 should be amended to extend the credit with respect to facilities producing energy from certain renewable resources .
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 133, under the order of 1/27/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 51. Record Vote Number: 40

S.Amdt. 141 (Sen. Markey): To delay the effective date until the President determines that the pipeline will not have certain negative impacts .
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 148 (Sen. Whitehouse): To require campaign finance disclosures for certain persons benefitting from tar sands development.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 148, under the order of 1/27/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 44 - 52. Record Vote Number: 36

S.Amdt. 155 (Sen. Booker): To allow permitting agencies to consider new circumstances and new information.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 166 (Sen. Murkowski): To release certain wilderness study areas from management for preservation as wilderness.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 166, under the order of 1/27/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 48. Record Vote Number: 39

S.Amdt. 174 (Sen. Merkley): To express the sense of Congress that the United States should prioritize and fund adaptation projects in communities in the United States while also helping to fund climate change adaptation in developing countries.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 178 (Sen. Markey): To ensure that products derived from tar sands are treated as crude oil for purposes of the Federal excise tax on petroleum .
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 245 (Sen. Barrasso): To clarify that treaties with Indian tribes remain in effect.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 246 (Sen. Daines): To express the sense of Congress that reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund should be a priority .
-- Amendment pending in Senate.


S.Res. 50 (Sen. Brown): A resolution congratulating The Ohio State University football team for winning the 2015 College Football Playoff national championship.
-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 51 (Sen. Vitter): A resolution recognizing the goals of Catholic Schools Week and honoring the valuable contributions of Catholic schools in the United States.
-- 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. Hoeven, at 7:01 p.m., the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.