Volume 161, No. 14 covering the 1st Session of the 114th Congress (2015 - 2016) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“Senate” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Daily Digest section on pages D72-D74 on Jan. 28, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
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
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
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.)
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