This Week in Congress: Raising the Debt Limit & Budget Caps, Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia & the UAE, Plus Judicial Nominations
How do you feel about this week's congressional agenda?
The spotlight will be on the Senate side of the Capitol this week, with senators set to take up legislation raising the debt limit & budget caps for two years while the House begins a recess that's expected to last until September 9th.
The Senate’s week begins Monday with attempts to override President Donald Trump’s vetoes of three bills that would block arms sales related to precision-guided bombs for Saudi Arabia & the United Arab Emirates, which will require two-thirds majorities to succeed. Senators will then take a procedural vote on the nomination of a district court judge for Arizona in advance of a probable confirmation vote Tuesday.
At a time to be determined, the Senate will bring the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 to the floor -- which would increase the federal discretionary budget by $324 billion over the next two years and suspend the debt limit through July 31, 2021. It may also consider the nominations of another 18 district court judges and potentially other legislation before the end of the week.
Check here throughout the week to see the vote results and updates to the schedule.
Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.
SENATE
Monday after 5:30pm
- Overriding the veto message to accompany S.J.Res. 36: Blocking an arms sale & coproduction of laser guidance systems for precision bombs with Saudi Arabia Not agreed to 45-40.
- Overriding the veto message to accompany S.J.Res. 37: Blocking the sale of laser guidance systems for precision bombs to the United Arab Emirates Not agreed to 45-39.
- Overriding the veto message to accompany S.J.Res. 38: Blocking an arms sale allowing Saudi Arabia to manufacture fuzes for precision bombs Not agreed to 46-41.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Michael T. Liburdi to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona Invoked 51-37.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Peter Welte to be U.S. District Judge for the District of North Dakota Invoked 66-21.
Tuesday after 11:30am
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Michael T. Liburdi to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona Confirmed 53-37.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Peter Welte to be U.S. District Judge for the District of North Dakota Confirmed 68-22.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of James "Wes" Hendrix to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Invoked 85-5.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of James "Wes" Hendrix to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Confirmed 89-1.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Sean Jordan to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas Invoked 54-36.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Sean Jordan to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas Confirmed 54-34.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Mark Pittman to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Invoked 54-34.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Jeffrey Brown to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas Invoked 51-37.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Brantley Starr to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Invoked 51-37.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Stephanie Haines to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania Invoked 87-1.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Ada Brown to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Invoked 79-9.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Steven Grimberg to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia Invoked 72-16.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Jason Pulliam to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Texas Invoked 54-34.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Martha Pacold to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Invoked 86-2.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Steven Seeger to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Invoked 87-1.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of William Stickman IV to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania Invoked 57-31.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Kelly Craft to be U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Invoked 57-33.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of David Norquist to be Deputy Secretary of Defense Confirmed by voice vote.
Wednesday after 3pm
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Mark Pittman to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Confirmed 54-36.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Jeffrey Brown to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas Confirmed 50-40.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Brantley Starr to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Confirmed 51-39.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Jason Pulliam to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Texas Confirmed 54-36.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Martha Pacold to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Confirmed 87-3.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of William Stickman IV to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania Confirmed 56-34.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Karin Immergut to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Oregon Confirmed by voice vote.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of John Younge to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Confirmed by voice vote.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Mary Rowland to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Confirmed by voice vote.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Kelly Craft to be U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Confirmed 56-34.
Thursday after 11am
- Sen. Paul (R-KY) Cut, Cap, and Balance Amendment to H.R. 3877: Bipartisan Budget Act Not agreed to 23-70.
- Cloture motion on H.R. 3877: Bipartisan Budget Act Invoked 67-27.
- Passage of H.R. 3877: Bipartisan Budget Act Passed 67-28.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Mary McElroy to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Rhode Island Vote postponed.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Stephanie Gallagher to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland Vote postponed.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Steven Seeger to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Vote postponed.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Stephanie Haines to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania Vote postponed.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Ada Brown to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Vote postponed.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Steven Grimberg to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia Vote postponed.
HOUSE
- The House will next return for votes on Monday, September 9th.
Tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills and share your thoughts below!
— Eric Revell
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