Wednesday, October 20, 2021

6:28 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will next convene at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 21. Following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of Tana Lin to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington.

3 votes at 10:30 a.m.:

  1. Motion to invoke cloture on Tana Lin, WA, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington.
  2. Motion to invoke cloture on Douglas L. Parker, WV, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.
  3. Motion to invoke cloture on Myrna Perez, NY, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.

1 vote at 1:45 a.m.:

  1. Confirmation of Tana Lin, WA, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington (if cloture is invoked).

Note: If cloture is invoked on the Parker and Perez nominations, the confirmation votes will occur at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, October 25.

During wrap-up:

  • S.2899, Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021, was passed by unanimous consent.

6:24 p.m. Senator Hoeven spoke on President Biden’s policies.

6:17 p.m. Senator Marshall spoke on President Biden’s policies and Kansas City’s bid to hold the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

6:09 p.m. Senator Tuberville spoke on President Biden’s policies.

5:58 p.m. Senator Blackburn spoke on President Biden’s policies.

5:44 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke on President Biden’s policies.

5:35 p.m. Senator Capito spoke on President Biden’s policies.

5:25 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies for FY 2022.

4:59 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on energy.

4:52 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke on America’s education system.

4:43 p.m. Senator Baldwin spoke on the Stop Wall Street Looting Act.

4:24 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke about the nomination of Saul Omarova to be Comptroller and the global minimum tax.

4:05 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke on Mike Enzi, Robert Travis Scott becoming the new director of the Public Affairs Research Council in Louisiana, and taxes.

3:42 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke on voting rights and vaccine mandates and asked unanimous consent that the Senate adopt S.2879, Stop Vaccine Mandates Act. Senator Peters objected.

3:34 p.m. ML Schumer spoke on voting rights.

3:33 p.m. The Senate did not invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2747 regarding voting rights, 49-51. ML Schumer changed his vote to no in order to bring the bill back up for reconsideration, otherwise this was a party line vote.

2:44 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2747, a bill to expand Americans’ access to the ballot box and reduce the influence of big money in politics, and for other purposes (Freedom to Vote Act).

2:43 p.m. By a vote of 50-50, with Vice President Harris being the tie-breaking vote, the Senate confirmed the Lhamon nomination.

1:55 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Catherine Elizabeth Lhamon to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education.

1:44 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke on the Freedom to Vote Act.

1:32 p.m. Senator Ernst spoke on the IRS.

1:16 p.m. Senator Bennet spoke on elections.

12:57 p.m. Senator Lee spoke on the vaccine requirement for the armed forces. He asked unanimous consent for the Senate to adopt S.2842 , Respecting Our Servicemembers Act. Senator Reed objected.

12:47 p.m. Senator Reed spoke on S.2747, Freedom to Vote Act.

12:43 p.m. Senator Tillis paid tribute to Knightdale Police Officer Ryan Hayworth.

12:29 p.m. Senator Murkowski paid tribute to Alaskan Chuck Bundrant of Trident Seafoods.

12:16 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke on the pandemic.

12:06 p.m. Senators Moran and Blunt spoke about Kansas City’s bid to hold the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

12:03 p.m. Senator Murray spoke in support of the Lhamon nomination.

12:02 p.m. By a vote of 50-50, with Vice President Harris being the tie-breaking vote, the Senate invoked cloture on the Lhamon nomination to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education.

11:01 a.m. The Senate began a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #414 Catherine Elizabeth Lhamon to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education.

10:53 a.m. Senator Thune spoke on inflation.

10:42 a.m. Senator Leahy spoke on voting rights.

10:26 a.m. RL McConnell spoke on winter heating bill increases and on Democrats anti-energy policies.

10:12 a.m. ML Schumer spoke on the voting rights legislation, on the Build Back Better plan, and on the nomination of Nick Perry.

10:11 a.m. ML Schumer completed the Rule XIV process on the following bills en bloc:

  •  S.3005, establishing appropriate thresholds for certain budget points of order in the Senate.
  • S.3006, amending the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to extend the discretionary spending limits for fiscal years 2022 through 2031.
  • S.3007, to amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to extend the discretionary spending limits.
  • S.3008, to establish the Federal Rainy Day Fund to control emergency spending.
  • S.3009, to amend title VI of the Social Security Act to remove the prohibition on States and territories against lowering their taxes.
  • S.3010, to cap noninterest Federal spending as a percentage of potential GDP to right-size the Government, grow the economy, and balance the budget.

10:00 a.m. The Senate convened.

*****

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and resume consideration of the nomination of Catherine Elizabeth Lhamon to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education.

At approximately 11:00 a.m., the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Lhamon nomination.

At 1:45 p.m., if cloture is invoked, all post-cloture time will be considered expired and the Senate will proceed to two roll call votes on the following:

  • Confirmation of the nomination of Catherine Elizabeth Lhamon to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education.
  • Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2747, a bill to expand Americans’ access to the ballot box and reduce the influence of big money in politics, and for other purposes. {Freedom to Vote Act}