The Senate will convene for pro forma sessions on the following days, with no business being conducted:

•  Friday, June 29^th at 8:30 am
• Tuesday, July 3^rd at 9:00 am
• Thursday, July 5^th at 1:00 pm

On Monday, July 9, 2018 the Senate will convene at 3:00 pm and proceed to the nomination of Mark Jeremy Bennett to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.

• At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Bennett nomination.

• ML McConnell filed cloture on the Bennett, Benczkowski, and Ney nominations during today’s session. Those cloture motions will be processed one at a time, after disposition of the previous nomination. Each is subject to up to thirty hours of post-cloture debate.

7:38 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 29th.

7:36 p.m. The Senate passed calendar #424, S.2559, Marrakesh Treaty Implementation.

7:35 p.m. The Senate passed H.R. 5956, Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act.

7:34 p.m. The Senate passed the following (hydro) bills en bloc:

• S. 724, Hydropower Authorizations (amended on the floor)
• H.R. 219, Swan Lake Hydroelectric Project Boundary Correction Act
• H.R. 220, Authorizing Expansion of a Hydroelectric Project
• S. 215, A bill to authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue an order continuing a stay of a hydroelectric license for the Mahoney Lake hydroelectric project in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes.
• S. 490, A bill to reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the Gibson Dam.
• H.R. 2292, To extend a project of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission involving the Cannonsville Dam.
• H.R. 951, To extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project.
• H.R. 446, To extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project.
• H.R. 447, To extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project.
• H.R. 2122, To reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving Jennings Randolph Dam.

7:34 p.m. The Senate adopted S.Res. S.Res. 568, Designating June 2018 as “Great Outdoors Month”.

7:33 p.m. The Senate adopted S. Res. 567, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the American Homebrewers Association.

7:32 p.m. The Senate passed Exec. Cal. #453-465 (postal naming bills) en bloc.

7:31 p.m. The Senate passed H.R. 1029, Pesticide Registration w/ Udall amendment by voice vote.

7:30 p.m. The Senate confirmed the following Military Promotions: Exec. Cal. 951-973 and 975-993 and all nominations placed on the Secretary’s desk in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy.

7:29 p.m. The Senate ratified Executive Treaty #6, Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled.

7:28 p.m. The Senate confirmed Exec. Cal. #902, by voice vote

• Tara Sweeney, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior

7:25 p.m. The Senate confirmed the following Department of State nominations en bloc and all nominations on the Secretary’s desk in the foreign service:

• #923 Robin Bernstein to be Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
• #925 Joseph Mondello to be Ambassador to Trinadad and Tobago
• #927 Gordon Sondland to be Ambassador to the European Union
• #928 Harry Harris to be Ambassador to the Republic of Korea
• #929 Ronald Gidwitz to be Ambassador to Belgium
• #930 Brian Nichols to be Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe
• #932 Tibor Nagy to be an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs)

7:24 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Exec. Cal. #686 Paul C. Ney, Jr., of Tennessee, to be General Counsel of the Department of Defense

7:24 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Exec. Cal. #639 Brian Benczkowski to be an Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department.

7:23 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Exec. Cal. #836 Mark Bennett, of Hawaii, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit

7:23 p.m. ML McConnell began wrap up.

6:11 p.m. Senator Schatz spoke about the Kilauea volcano.

6:06 p.m. Senator Daines spoke about the priorities of ranchers in H.R. 2.

5:56 p.m. Senator Stabenow spoke thanking Senator Roberts and staff for efforts on H.R. 2.

5:54 p.m. Senator Roberts spoke thanking staff and Senator Stabenow for their work on H.R. 2.

5:53 p.m. The Senate passed H.R. 2, the Farm bill, as amended 86-11.

• 11 Republicans voted no: Senators Burr, Corker, Cotton, Flake, Heller, Inhofe, Johnson, Lankford, Lee, Paul, and Toomey.
• 3 Senators did not vote: Senator Alexander, Leahy, and McCain

5:27 p.m. The Senate is voting on passage of H.R. 2, the Farm bill, as amended.

5:26 p.m. The Lee amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 38 to 57. The Thune amendment #3134 was agreed to by voice vote and the Roberts substitute amendment #3224 was agreed to by a voice vote.

4:56 p.m. The Senate is voting on the Lee amendment #3074 (60 vote threshold). Following the vote on the Lee amendment, there will be three additional votes:

1. Adoption of Thune Amendment #3134 (voice vote expected)
2. Roberts substitute amendment #3224, as amended if amended (voice vote expected)
3. Passage of H.R.2, the Farm Bill, as amended if amended (60 vote affirmative threshold)

4:53 p.m. Senator Roberts asked u.c. that the following amendments be called up and agreed to en bloc:

• Isakson amendment #3348 to modify the provision relating to economic adjustment assistance for upland cotton users, to provide payments for losses relating to peach and blueberry crops, and the strike the provision relating to the use of the Commodity Credit Corporation
• Wyden-Murkowski amendment #3346 to provide that research and extension grants may be made for the purposes of researching hop plant health
• Enzi amendment #3181 to improve the Rural Energy for America Program
• King-Collins amendment #3221 to provide for a report on funding for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and other extension programs
• Gillibrand-Toomey amendment #3390 to prohibit the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption
• Heinrich amendment #3287 to modify the study of marketplace fraud of traditional foods
• Rubio amendment #3364 to prohibit the use of funds to carry out programs in Cuba in contravention of the National Security Presidential Memorandum prohibiting transactions with entities owned, controlled, or operated by or on behalf of military intelligence or security services of Cuba
• Sullivan amendment #3303 to ensure that the Secretary of Agriculture enforces certain Buy American requirements with respect to fish harvested within United States waters
• Hirono amendment #3321 to provide additional assistance under the non-insured crop assistance program for certain producers
• Cortez Masto-Portman amendment #3388 to establish the Council on Rural Community Innovation and Economic Development
• Durbin amendment #3389 to reauthorize the rural emergency medical services training and equipment assistance program under section 330J of the Public Health Service Act
• Brown amendment #3323 to add a provision relating to extension and agricultural research at 1890 land-grant colleges
• Cantwell amendment #3365 to avert the waiving of liability for a utility whose line clearing work ignites a wildfire
• Moran amendment #3171 to include a provision on requirements for the calculation of a separate actual crop revenue and agriculture risk coverage guarantee for irrigated and non-irrigated covered commodities
• Thune amendment #3371C to provide that producers may change their election to participate in agriculture risk coverage or price loss coverage in the 2021 crop year

4:47 p.m. Senator Lee spoke about amend his #3074 (commodity promotion programs).

3:29 p.m. Senator Heitkamp spoke about the food stamp program.

3:08 p.m. Senator Murkowski and Senator Sullivan spoke in favor of Tara MacLean Sweeney as the nominee to be assistant secretary of the Interior for Indian affairs.

3:03 p.m. Senators Roberts and Stabenow announced they hope to have a unanimous consent agreement to finalize the farm bill shortly.

3:02 p.m. The motion to table the Kennedy amendment was agreed to 68-30.

YEAS: 46 Democrats, 2 independents, 20 Republicans.

NAYS (all Republican): Barrasso, Burr, Cassidy, Cornyn, Cotton,  Cruz, Daines, Enzi, Ernst, Fischer, Flake, Gardner, Heller, Hyde-Smith, Inhofe, Johnson, Kennedy, Lankford, Lee, McConnell, Paul, Risch, Rubio, Sasse, Scott, Thune, Tillis, Toomey, Wicker, Young.

NOT VOTING: Duckworth, McCain.

2:21 p.m. The Senate began voting on the Motion to table Kennedy/Cruz/Lee amendment #3383 in relation to H.R.2, the Farm Bill

2:12 p.m. Senator Stabenow spoke against the Kennedy/Cruz/Lee amendment.

2:08 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke about his amendment regarding work requirements with Senators Cruz and Lee.

2:00 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about the farm bill.

1:48 p.m. Senator Graham spoke about Syria.

1:21 p.m. Senator Nelson asked u.c. to consider S. 2066, Disaster Displacement Act of 2017; Senator Johnson objected.

1:18 p.m. Senator Nelson asked u.c. to consider S. 2880, Disaster Housing Assistance Act; Senator Johnson objected.

12:51 p.m. Senator Ernst spoke supporting the farm bill.

12:41 p.m. Senator Rounds spoke supporting the farm bill.

12:28 p.m. Senator Hirono spoke about the KIWI Act and the Kennedy seat.

12:24 p.m. S. 2245, the KIWI Act, was passed without objection and Senator Lee spoke about the KIWI Act.

12:00 p.m. Senator Cantwell spoke about the farm bill.

11:41 a.m. Senator Heinrich spoke about immigration.

11:30 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke about the Kennedy seat.

11:19 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about the Kennedy seat.

10:37 p.m. Senator Perdue spoke about the farm bill.

10:27 a.m. Senator Stabenow spoke about the farm bill.

10:20 a.m. Senator Roberts spoke about the farm bill.

9:57 a.m. Minority Leader spoke about the Kennedy seat.

9:34 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about Justice Kennedy and the nomination of his successor. He spoke about the farm bill. He spoke about the tax program.

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The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and resume consideration of H.R. 2, the 2018 Farm Bill.

On Wednesday evening, ML McConnell filed cloture on both the substitute amendment and the underlying bill.

Roll call votes in relation to the farm bill are expected during Thursday’s session.