[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 28, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D72-D74]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                        Wednesday, January 28, 2015

[[Page D72]]

                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S549-S609
Measures Introduced: Twenty-six bills and ten resolutions were 
introduced, as follows: S. 273-298, and S. Res. 43-52.    
  Pages S589-90
Measures Reported:
  S. Res. 35, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of 
the Auschwitz extermination camp in Nazi-occupied Poland, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  S. Res. 44, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  S. Res. 45, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Small 
Business and Entrepreneurship.
  S. Res. 46, authorizing expenditures by the Special Committee on 
Aging.
  S. Res. 47, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Foreign 
Relations.
  S. Res. 48, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry.
  S. Res. 49, authorizing expenditures by the Senate Committee on 
Indian Affairs.                                           
Pages S588-89
Measures Passed:
  Congratulating The Ohio State University Football Team: Senate agreed 
to S. Res. 50, congratulating The Ohio State University football team 
for winning the 2015 College Football Playoff national championship. 
                                                              Page S609
  Catholic Schools Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 51, recognizing the 
goals of Catholic Schools Week and honoring the valuable contributions 
of Catholic schools in the United States.                     
  Page S609
Measures Considered:
Keystone XL Pipeline--Agreement: Senate continued consideration of S. 
1, to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, after agreeing to Murkowski 
Amendment No. 2, in the nature of a substitute, as amended, which will 
be considered as original text for the purpose of further amendment, 
and taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: 
                                                          Pages S555-77
Adopted:
  Collins/Warner Amendment No. 35 (to Amendment No. 2), to coordinate 
the provision of energy retrofitting assistance to schools. (A 
unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the requirement 
of a 60 affirmative vote threshold, be vitiated.)      
Pages S556, S571
  Murkowski Amendment No. 2, in the nature of a substitute. (Amendment, 
as amended and agreed to, will be considered as original text for the 
purpose of further amendment.)                                
Page S555
Rejected:
  By 36 yeas to 62 nays (Vote No. 31), Cardin Amendment No. 75 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to provide communities that rely on drinking water 
from a source that may be affected by a tar sands spill from the 
Keystone XL pipeline an analysis of the potential risks to public 
health and the environment from a leak or rupture of the pipeline. (A 
unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the amendment, 
having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, the amendment was not 
agreed to.)                                         
Pages S555-56, S567
  By 40 yeas to 58 nays (vote No. 32), Peters/Stabenow Amendment No. 70 
(to Amendment No. 2), to require that the Administrator of the Pipeline 
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration make a certification and 
submit to Congress the results of a study before the pipeline may be 
constructed, connected, operated, or maintained. (A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to 
achieve 60 affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed to.) 
                                                    Pages S556, S567-68
  By 40 yeas to 58 nays (Vote No. 33), Sanders Amendment No. 23 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to increase the quantity of solar photovoltaic 
electricity by providing rebates for the purchase and installation of 
an additional 10,000,000 photovoltaic systems by 2025. (A unanimous-
consent agreement was reached providing that the amendment, having 
failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed 
to.)                                                   
Pages S556, S568

[[Page D73]]


  By 53 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 34), Cruz Amendment No. 15 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to promote economic growth and job creation by 
increasing exports. (A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 affirmative 
votes, the amendment was not agreed to.)            
Pages S556, S568-69
  By 54 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. 35), Moran/Cruz Amendment No. 73 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to delist the lesser prairie-chicken as a threatened 
species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. (A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to 
achieve 60 affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed to.) 
                                                              Page S556
  By 44 yeas to 52 nays (Vote No. 36), Whitehouse Amendment No. 148 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to require campaign finance disclosures for certain 
persons benefitting from tar sands development. (A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to 
achieve 60 affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed to.) 
                                                       Pages S556, S570
  By 50 yeas to 47 nays (Vote No. 37), Daines Amendment No. 132 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to express the sense of Congress regarding the 
designation of National Monuments. (A unanimous-consent agreement was 
reached providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 
affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed to.) 
                                                    Pages S556, S570-71
  By 47 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 38), Coons Amendment No. 115 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to express the sense of Congress regarding climate 
change and infrastructure. (A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 affirmative 
votes, the amendment was not agreed to.)               
Pages S556, S571
  By 50 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 39), Murkowski Amendment No. 166 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to release certain wilderness study areas from 
management for preservation as wilderness. (A unanimous-consent 
agreement was reached providing that the amendment, having failed to 
achieve 60 affirmative votes, the amendment was not agreed to.) 
                                              Pages S556, S558-66, S572
  By 47 yeas to 51 nays (Vote No. 40), Heitkamp Amendment No. 133 (to 
Amendment No. 2), to express the sense of Congress that the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 should be amended to extend the credit with 
respect to facilities producing energy from certain renewable 
resources. (A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that 
the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 affirmative votes, the 
amendment was not agreed to.)                       
Pages S556, S572-73
  By 35 yeas to 63 nays (Vote No. 41), Cantwell (for Gillibrand) 
Amendment No. 48 (to Amendment No. 2), to modify the definition of 
underground injection. (A unanimous-consent agreement was reached 
providing that the amendment, having failed to achieve 60 affirmative 
votes, the amendment was not agreed to.)            
Pages S556, S573-74
Withdrawn:
  Merkley Amendment No. 125 (to Amendment No. 2), to eliminate 
unnecessary tax subsidies and provide infrastructure funding. 
                                                    Pages S556, S569-70
  Carper Amendment No. 120 (to Amendment No. 2), to amend the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the credits for new qualified fuel cell 
motor vehicles and alternative fuel vehicle refueling property. 
                                                    Pages S556, S571-72
Pending:
  Vitter/Cassidy Further Modified Amendment No. 80, to provide for the 
distribution of revenues from certain areas of the outer Continental 
Shelf.                                                 
Pages S555, S574
  Murkowski (for Sullivan) Amendment No. 67 (to Amendment No. 2), to 
restrict the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to arm 
agency personnel.                                             
Page S555
  Murkowski Amendment No. 98 (to Amendment No. 2), to express the sense 
of Congress relating to adaptation projects in the United States Arctic 
region and rural communities.                                 
Page S556
  Flake Amendment No. 103 (to Amendment No. 2), to require the 
evaluation and consolidation of duplicative green building programs. 
                                                              Page S556
  Boxer Amendment No. 130 (to Amendment No. 2), to preserve existing 
permits and the authority of the agencies issuing the permits to modify 
the permits if necessary.                                     
Page S556
  Merkley Amendment No. 174 (to Amendment No. 2), to express the sense 
of Congress that the United States should prioritize and fund 
adaptation projects in communities in the United States while also 
helping to fund climate change adaptation in developing countries. 
                                                              Page S556
  Cantwell/Boxer Amendment No. 131 (to Amendment No. 2), to ensure that 
if the Keystone XL Pipeline is built, it will be built safely and in 
compliance with United States environmental laws.             
Page S556
  Tillis/Burr Amendment No. 102 (to Amendment No. 2), to provide for 
leasing on the outer Continental Shelf and the distribution of certain 
qualified revenues from such leasing.                         
Page S556
  Markey Amendment No. 178 (to Amendment No. 2), to ensure that 
products derived from tar sands are treated as crude oil for purposes 
of the Federal excise tax on petroleum.                       
Page S556

[[Page D74]]


  Markey Amendment No. 141 (to Amendment No. 2), to delay the effective 
date until the President determines that the pipeline will not have 
certain negative impacts.                                     
Page S556
  Booker Amendment No. 155 (to Amendment No. 2), to allow permitting 
agencies to consider new circumstances and new information.   
Page S556
  Burr Modified Amendment No. 92 (to Amendment No. 2), to permanently 
reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund.   
Pages S556, S566-67
  Cardin Amendment No. 124 (to Amendment No. 2), to clarify that 
treaties with Indian tribes remain in effect.                 
Page S556
  Cantwell (for Peters/Stabenow) Amendment No. 55 (to Amendment No. 2), 
to require a study of the potential environmental impact of by-products 
of the Keystone XL pipeline.                              
Pages S556-58
  Murkowski (for Barrasso) Amendment No. 245 (to Amendment No. 2), to 
clarify that treaties with Indian tribes remain in effect.    
Page S556
  Daines Amendment No. 246 (to Amendment No. 2), to express the sense 
of Congress that reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund 
should be a priority.                                         
Page S556
  Udall Amendment No. 77, to establish a renewable electricity 
standard.                                                     
Page S575
  Subsequently, the motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was 
not invoked on Murkowski Amendment No. 2, in the nature of a 
substitute, on Monday, January 26, 2015, was rendered moot.   
Page S573
  A unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing that at 
approximately 10:30 a.m., on Thursday, January 29, 2015, Senate will 
continue consideration of the bill, and that there be 15 minutes 
equally divided in the usual form, and Senate vote on or in relation to 
the following amendments, in the order listed: Murkowski (for Barrasso) 
Amendment No. 245 (to Amendment No. 2) (listed above), Cardin Amendment 
No. 124 (to Amendment No. 2) (listed above), Daines Amendment No. 246 
(to Amendment No. 2) (listed above), Burr Modified Amendment No. 92 (to 
Amendment No. 2) (listed above), Vitter/Cassidy Further Modified 
Amendment No. 80 (listed above), and Udall Amendment No. 77 (listed 
above); that all amendments on this list be subject to a 60 vote 
affirmative threshold for adoption, and that no second-degree 
amendments be in order to any of the pending amendments to the bill; 
that there be two minutes of debate equally divided between each vote, 
and that all votes after the first in the series be 10 minute votes; 
and that once these amendments have been disposed of, Senate agree to 
proceed to the motion to reconsider the failed cloture vote on the 
bill; that the motion to reconsider be agreed to, and Senate vote on 
the motion to invoke cloture on the bill, upon reconsideration; if 
cloture is invoked on the bill as amended, all post-cloture time be 
considered and expired at 2:30 p.m.                       
Pages S573-74
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at approximately 10:30 a.m., on Thursday, 
January 29, 2015.                                             
Page S609
Messages from the House:                                      
  Page S586
Measures Referred:                                        
  Pages S586-87
Measures Placed on the Calendar:                       
  Pages S549, S587
Executive Communications:                                 
  Pages S587-88
Executive Reports of Committees:                              
  Page S589
Additional Cosponsors:                                    
  Pages S590-91
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:             
  Pages S591-S607
Additional Statements:
Amendments Submitted:                                     
  Pages S607-08
Authorities for Committees to Meet:                       
  Pages S608-09
Privileges of the Floor:                                      
  Page S609
Record Votes: Eleven record votes were taken today. (Total--41) 
                                                         Pages S589-573
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 7:01 p.m., 
until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 29, 2015. (For Senate's program, 
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page 
S609.)