Senate Floor Activity - Thursday, May 21, 2015

The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 9 a .m., the Chaplain offered a prayer, and the President pro tempore 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, May 21)

H.R. 1314 (Rep. Meehan): To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a right to an administrative appeal relating to adverse determinations of tax-exempt status of certain organizations .

-- Considered by Senate.

S.Amdt. 1221 (Sen. Hatch): In the nature of a substitute.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

-- Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 62 - 38. Record Vote Number: 183

S.Amdt. 1226 (Sen. McCain): To repeal a duplicative inspection and grading program.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1227 (Sen. Shaheen): To make trade agreements work for small businesses .

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1243 (Sen. Flake): To strike the extension of the trade adjustment assistance program.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1251 (Sen. Brown): To require the approval of Congress before additional countries may join the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement .

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1299 (Sen. Portman): To make it a principal negotiating objective of the United States to address currency manipulation in trade agreements .

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1312 (Sen. Inhofe): To amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act to require the development of a plan for each sub-Saharan African country for negotiating and entering into free trade agreements.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1327 (Sen. Warren): To prohibit the application of the trade authorities procedures to an implementing bill submitted with respect to a trade agreement that includes investor-state dispute settlement .

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

S.Amdt. 1411 (Sen. Hatch): Of a perfecting nature.

-- Amendment pending in Senate.

H.R. 1690 (Rep. Doyle): To designate the United States courthouse located at 700 Grant Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the "Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States Courthouse".

-- Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R. 2048 (Rep. Sensenbrenner): To reform the authorities of the Federal Government to require the production of certain business records, conduct electronic surveillance, use pen registers and trap and trace devices, and use other forms of information gathering for foreign intelligence, counterterrorism, and criminal purposes, and for other purposes.

-- Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.

-- Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate.

-- Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate.

S. 261 (Sen. Inhofe): To designate the United States courthouse located at 200 NW 4th Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as the William J. Holloway, Jr. United States Courthouse.

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 501 (Sen. Udall): To make technical corrections to the Navajo water rights settlement in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes .

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 612 (Sen. Cornyn): To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the "George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse".

-- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

S. 1357 (Sen. McConnell): To extend authority relating to roving surveillance , access to business records, and individual terrorists as agents of foreign powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 until July 31 , 2015, and for other purposes.

-- Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.

-- Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate.

S.Res. 109 (Sen. Schatz): A resolution acknowledging and honoring brave young men from Hawaii who enabled the United States to establish and maintain jurisdiction in remote equatorial islands as prolonged conflict in the Pacific led to World War II.

-- Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and an amended preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.Amdt. 1437 (Sen. Schatz): To amend the preamble.

-- Amendment SA 1437 proposed by Senator Perdue for Senator Schatz.

-- Amendment SA 1437 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 168 (Sen. Grassley): A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system, and encouraging Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in the foster care system.

-- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.

-- Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res. 185 (Sen. Hirono): A resolution recognizing the significance of May 2015 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States.

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

S.Res. 186 (Sen. Inhofe): A resolution designating the week of May 17 through May 23, 2015, as "National Public Works Week".

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

S.Res. 187 (Sen. Menendez): A resolution expressing support for the designation of the month of May 2015, as "National Bladder Cancer Awareness Month"

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

Executive Business (Thursday, May 21)

PN19: Jose Rolando Olvera, Jr., of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 5/21/2015.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 100 - 0. Record Vote Number: 185

PN20: Jill N. Parrish, of Utah, to be United States District Judge for the District of Utah

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 5/21/2015.

-- Considered by Senate.

-- Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 100 - 0. Record Vote Number: 184

PN28: Patricia D. Cahill, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2020

-- By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 5/21/2015.

-- Considered by Senate.