7:35 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 10:00 a.m. Thursday April 19. Next vote expected at 1:45 p.m. on the Bridenstine nomination to be Administrator, NASA.
7:25 p.m. Senator Portman spoke in tribute to fomer first lady Barbara Bush.
6:40 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke on human rights in Ethiopia.
6:37 p.m. Senator Durbin gave tribute to Senator Duckworth.
6:36 p.m. Senator McConnell spoke and the Senate passed the following by unanimous consent:
S. Res 426 – International Woman’s day.
S. Res 463 – to allow a Senator to bring an infant onto the Senate floor during Senate votes.
Passed en bloc: S. Res 474, 475 and 476
6:30 p.m. Senator Heitkamp spoke on Export Import Bank.
6:25 p.m. Senator Toomey offered an unanimous consent agreement to confirm the nomination of Mark Greenblatt, MD, to be Inspector General of Export Import Bank. Senator Brown objected.
6:22 p.m. Senator Brown offered an unanimous consent agreement to pass pending nominations for the Export Import bank. Senator Toomey objected.
5:44 p.m. Senator Brown spoke on the Coast Guard Reauthorization bill and Ex Im Bank.
5:42 p.m. Senator Thune spoke on the Coast Guard Reauthorization bill.
5:34 p.m. Senator Cantwell spoke on Coast Guard Reauthorization bill.
5:30 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke on the Coast Guard Reauthorization bill.
5:28 p.m. Senator Schumer offered an unanimous consent agreement to pass a clean Coast Guard Reauthorization bill. McConnell objected.
5:24 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke on Coast Guard reauthorization and the Clean Air Act.
5:16 p.m. Senator Gardner spoke in favor of the Pompeo nomination.
5:15 p.m. The Muniz nomination was confirmed 55-43.
Senators voting in favor: 50 Republicans, 5 Democrats (Donnelly, Heitkamp, Jones, Manchin and Nelson)
Senators voting against: 41 Democrats, 2 Independents (King and Sanders).
Senators not voting: 1 Democrat (Duckworth), 1 Republican (McCain).
4:30 p.m. Roll call vote began on the nomination of Carlos Muniz to be General Counsel of the Department of Education.
4:13 p.m. Senator Alexander paid tribute to Barbara Bush.
4:07 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke about Sikhism.
3:51 p.m. Senator Markey spoke against the Bridenstine nomination.
3:25 p.m. Senator Isakson paid tribute to John Williams.
3:00 p.m. Senator Cruz spoke supporting the Bridenstine nomination and about Israel’s Independence Day.
2:43 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about the choose Medicare Act.
2:32 p.m. Senator Murray spoke against the Muniz and Bridenstine nominations.
2:17 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about Barbara Bush, the Pompeo nomination, and Tax policy.
2:15 p.m. Senator Alexander spoke in favor of the Muniz nomination.
2:14 p.m. On a party line vote, cloture was invoked on the Bridenstine nomination 50-48. Senators Duckworth and McCain did not vote.
1:07 p.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on the nomination of James Bridenstine to be Administator of NASA.
1:06 p.m Cloture on S.140, WMAT with Coast Guard authorization NOT invoked, 56-42. (6o necessary).
Senators in favor: 49 Republicans, 7 Democrats: Casey, Donnelly, Heitkamp, Jones, Manchin,McCaskill and Nelson.
Senator against: 39 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders; 1 Republican: McConnell (only switched to no to be able to bring back up.)
Senators not voting:1 Democrat: Duckworth, 1 Republican:McCain.
12:39 p.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on S.140, WMAT with Coast Guard authorization amendment.
12:35 p.m. Senator Thune urged passage of the bill.
12:34 p.m. Senator Baldwin spoke against passage of the Coast Guard reauthorization due to a vessel discharge title.
12:33 p.m. S.J. Res 57 was agreed to 51-47. Senator Manchin joined all Republicans present in favor. Senators Duckworth and McCain did not vote.
12:00 p.m. The Senate is now voting on S.J. Res. 57, the resolution to disapprove of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s automobile lending regulation.
11:50 a.m. Senator Crapo spoke about the car loan regulation.
11:40 a.m. Senator Wicker spoke in favor of the Coast Guard reauthorization.
11:22 a.m. Senator Nelson spoke about the civilian space program.
11:08 a.m. Senator Booker spoke about the car loan regulation.
10:59 a.m. Senator Wicker joined Senator Sullivan in discussing the Coast Guard reauthorization.
10:44 a.m. Senator Sullivan spoke in favor of the Coast Guard reauthorization.
10:38 a.m. Senator Moran spoke about the auto loan measure.
10:19 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer paid tribute to Barbara Bush. He spoke about White House policy on Russia sanctions. He spoke about China policy. He criticized the Senate majority’s legislative program.
9:46 a.m. Senator Toomey spoke for repeal of the auto loan regulation.
9:36 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell paid tribute to Barbara Bush. He spoke against the car loan regulation at issue in S.J.Res. 57. He spoke for the Coast Guard reauthorization. He spoke about the tax program.
9:33 a.m. The Senate resumed consideration of the resolution of disapproval of a regulation of automobile lending.
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The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and will resume consideration of S.J.Res. 57, the resolution to disapprove of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s automobile lending regulation.
At noon, there will be two votes:
— On passage of the auto loan resolution;
— On cloture for the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 140, which includes the Coast Guard Reauthorization.
If cloture is invoked on the Coast Guard measure, there will be up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate before a roll call vote on passage.
If the Senate fails to invoke cloture on the Coast Guard measure, there will be an immediate vote on cloture for the nomination of James Bridenstine to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
At 2 p.m., the Senate will vote on confirmation of the nomination of Carlos Muniz to be general counsel of the Education Department.
