at this time I know Senators are interested in coming to the floor and offering their amendments. We have been discussing a process forward on this side of the aisle. Earlier in the day Senator Fischer had been working on an amendment that…

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The Senator from West Virginia.

I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To express the sense of the Senate regarding the conditions for the…

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The yeas and nays are ordered. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll.

I yield 1 minute on our side to the Senator from Oklahoma. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.

I ask for the yeas and nays, Mr. President. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk called the roll.

When Canadian oil sands are refined, they produce petroleum coke, which is this high-energy, mostly carbon, coal-like substance, but it does have economic value. It can be used for fuel; it can be used for smelting; it can be used for…

No objection, Mr. President. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on January 21, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on commerce…

I ask unanimous consent that it be in order for Senator Hoeven or his designee to offer his amendment No. 87, as modified; further, that the time until 3:15 p.m. this afternoon be equally divided in the usual form; that following the use…

we are back on the bill before us, a measure that would allow for the permit to be approved to allow for construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline from Canada into the United States. We had good discussion last week, certainly on Friday. We…

at this time I call for regular order with respect to Markey amendment No. 13. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment is now pending.

I have a parliamentary inquiry. Is there a request from the Senator from Massachusetts to speak to this amendment for 1 minute? What is the request? The PRESIDING OFFICER. He asked unanimous consent to speak for 1 minute.

I will take a couple of minutes before we vote to speak to the Franken amendment. I think all of us want to buy American and buy local whenever and wherever we can. We strongly support that since it does mean jobs--whether we are talking…

I ask unanimous consent that Portman amendment No. 3 be modified with the changes that are at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment, as modified, is as follows: At the end…

I move to table the Markey amendment and ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second.

I believe the sponsor of this legislation, Senator Hoeven, would like to address the Chamber for a few minutes this afternoon not only on the amendments that are pending but the bigger picture of Keystone XL. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The…

I ask unanimous consent that Senator Shaheen be recognized to speak for 1 minute and that Senator Portman be recognized to speak for 1 minute. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from…

we have disposed of three pending amendments that were before us. As we mentioned earlier, we are looking forward to Members coming down to the floor to offer their amendments. We have agreed to a process here this afternoon. Today will be…

I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment to call up Senator Lee's amendment No. 33. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The…

I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To conform citizen suits under the Endangered Species Act of 1973)…

I thank my colleague. I think discussions we have had just in the past hour here since we have had the vote and the various amendments we now have pending before us--this is a good conversation. This is a good discussion and debate for us…

at this time I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment to call up the Toomey amendment No. 41. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The assistant…

Very briefly on Senator Lee's amendment--he will be here to speak to it--this is a measure which would ensure that the rate of legal fees that are paid in Endangered Species Act cases would be consistent with those in other cases that are…

I know of no further debate on the amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the amendment, as modified.