Wednesday, April 26, 2017

2:05 p.m. The Senate has adjourned until 10:00 a.m. Thursday, April 27. During wrap-up the Senate agreed to S. Res. 123, Designating May 20th as Kids to Parks Day, by unanimous consent. Post-cloture debate time on the Acosta nomination ends around 6:10 p.m. April 27th.

*****

1:48 p.m. Senator Warren spoke against the Acosta nomination.

1:05 p.m. Senator Nelson spoke on the anniversary of the deep water horizon mishap.

12:20 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about wilderness protections designations.

12:11 p.m. Senator Murray spoke against the Acosta nomination.

12:10 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Acosta nomination 61-39.

Senators voting in favor: 52 Republicans, 8 Democrats (‪Cortez Masto, Heitkamp, Manchin, McCaskill, Menendez, Nelson, Tester and Warner), 1 Independent: King.

Senators voting against: 38 Democrats, 1 Independent: Sanders.

11:31 a.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the Acosta nomination to be Secretary of Labor.

11:28 a.m. Senator Rubio spoke supporting the Acosta nomination.

11:13 a.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke about the 30th anniversary of the L’Ambiance Plaza disaster, against the Acosta nomination, and the pending government spending bill.

11:00 a.m. Senator Cotton spoke about former Congressman Jay Dickey.

10:28 a.m. Senator Flake spoke about mental illness among military veterans.

10 a.m. The Senate resumed consideration of the Acosta nomination. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the negotiations over a spending bill. He spoke about taxes, North Korea and the first 100 days of the Trump administration.

9:50 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about the repeal of economic regulations. He spoke about tax legislation.

9:33 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about today’s White House briefing on North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. He spoke about the Rosenstein and Acosta nominations. He spoke about the pending government spending bill.

The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m.  Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to resume consideration of the nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor.

At 11:30 a.m., the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Acosta nomination. If cloture is invoked, there will then be up to 30 hours of debate followed by a vote on confirmation of the nomination.

As a reminder, at 3:00 p.m., at the White House, the Administration will brief Senators on North Korea