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Senate Floor Activity - Thursday, January 29, 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 (Thursday, January 29)

S. 1 (Sen. Hoeven): To approve the Keystone XL Pipeline .
-- Considered by Senate.
-- Motion to proceed to consideration of the motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on the measure (Roll Call Vote No. 30) agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
-- Motion by Senator McConnell to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on the measure (Roll Call Vote No. 30) agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
-- Upon reconsideration, cloture on the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 62 - 35. Record Vote Number: 45
-- Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 62 - 36. Record Vote Number: 49
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.
-- Proposed amendment SA 55 withdrawn in Senate.

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-- Proposed amendment SA 67 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 77 (Sen. Udall): To establish a renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 77, under the order of 1/28/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 45 - 53. Record Vote Number: 44

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-- Proposed amendment SA 80 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 92 (Sen. Burr): To permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 92, under the order of 1/28/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 59 - 39. Record Vote Number: 43

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.
-- Proposed amendment SA 98 withdrawn 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.
-- Proposed amendment SA 102 withdrawn in Senate.

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-- Proposed amendment SA 103 withdrawn in Senate.

S.Amdt. 124 (Sen. Cardin): To clarify that treaties with Indian tribes remain in effect.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Proposed amendment SA 124 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.
-- Amendment SA 130 not agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

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.
-- Proposed amendment SA 131 withdrawn in Senate.

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.
-- Amendment SA 141 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 36 - 62. Record Vote Number: 47

S.Amdt. 155 (Sen. Booker): To allow permitting agencies to consider new circumstances and new information.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 155 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 41 - 56. Record Vote Number: 46

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.
-- Proposed amendment SA 174 withdrawn 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.
-- Amendment SA 178 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 44 - 54. Record Vote Number: 48

S.Amdt. 245 (Sen. Barrasso): To clarify that certain consultation requirements with respect to Indian tribes remain in effect.
-- Amendment pending in Senate.
-- Amendment SA 245 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

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.
-- Amendment SA 246, under the order of 1/28/15, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, was not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 51. Record Vote Number: 42


S.Res. 58 (Sen. Isakson): A resolution recognizing January 2015 as "National Mentoring Month".
-- Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

Executive Business (Thursday, January 29)

PN24: 31 nominations in the Air Force beginning with Colonel Tony D. Bauernfeind and ending with Colonel William P. West
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN73: Rodrick A. Koch, in the Air Force, to be Lieutenant Colonel
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN74: James F. Richey, in the Air Force, to be Lieutenant Colonel
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN78: 3 nominations in the Marine Corps beginning with Morris A. Desimone III and ending with Andrew R. Strauss
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN79: 2 nominations in the Marine Corps beginning with Steven P. Hulse and ending with Anthony C. Lyons
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN81: Brian L. White, in the Marine Corps, to be Lieutenant Colonel
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

PN83: 2 nominations in the Marine Corps beginning with Steven R. Lucas and ending with James N. Shelstad
-- Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote.

Adjournment

Under the authority of the order of today, at 5:54 p.m, the Presiding Officer (Mr. Sasse in the chair) declared the Senate adjourned, under its order of today, until 10:30 a.m. tomorrow .