Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of the Utah Heritage Foundation, the National Hemophilia Foundation, and the Utah Funeral Directors Association. He will also attend the Aspen Institute’s presentation on the Russian election, and host a joint press conference with Senators Rand Paul and Jim DeMint on the federal budget.

From the Senator’s Desk

From the Whip

The Senate will convene at 9:30am and will be in morning business for 1 hour. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 1813, the Highway bill. 

At a time to be determined this afternoon, the Senate will conduct a series of back-to-back votes on the amendments that are in order.

Note - a managers’ package will also be in order, along with applicable budget points of order and applicable motions to waive. 

It is expected that the Senate will not complete work on the Highway bill today and have to finish up next week.

Amendments in Order:           

-Vitter amendment #1535 (OCS) (60 votes required)                 

-Baucus amendment (rural schools) (60 votes required)                                           

-Collins amendment #1660 (Boiler MACT) (60 votes required)                            

-Coburn amendment #1738 (duplicative federal programs) (60 votes required)                

-Nelson (FL) amendment #1822 (RESTORE Act) (60 votes required)

-Wyden amendment #1817 (Keystone XL pipeline) (60 votes required)                      

-Hoeven amendment #1537 (approve Keystone XL pipeline) (60 votes required)      

-Levin amendment #1818 (offshore tax havens)                                      

-McConnell side-by-side to Stabenow amendment #1812 (60 votes required)                        

-Stabenow amendment #1812 (energy tax credits) (60 votes required)                                 

-DeMint amendment #1589 (repeal certain energy tax subsidies) (60 votes required)  

-Menendez/Burr amendment #1782 (energy tax credits) (60 votes required)           

-DeMint amendment #1756 (state authority)    

-Bingaman amendment #1759 (privatized highways)                     

-Coats amendment #1517 (gas taxes equal to percentage of apportioned funds)

-Brown (OH) amendment #1819 (Buy America)                                   

-Blunt amendment #1540 (off-system bridges)        

-Merkley amendment #1653 (farm vehicle exemptions)                             

-Portman amendment #1736 (state transportation spending flexibility)                 

-Klobuchar amendment #1617 (agricultural commodities and farm supplies)                          

-Corker amendment #1785, as modified (FY13 discretionary spending cap)            

-Shaheen amendment #1678 (increase funding for public transportation systems)                        

-Portman amendment #1742 (non-highway uses in rest areas)                  

-Corker amendment #1810 (Highway Trust Fund)      

-Carper amendment #1670 (removal of federal program limitations)             

-Hutchison amendment #1568 (prohibit new tolls)                          

-McCain amendment #1669, as modified (noise abatement over Grand Canyon)             

-Alexander amendment #1779 (over flights of national parks)             

-Boxer amendment #1816 (SoS re: environmental reviews)           

-Paul amendment #1556 (emergency exemptions)                                                                                                                                

Wednesday’s Session:

Roll Call Votes:

There were No Votes

UC Items:

S.1855 (Pandemic Preparedness)

S.Res.390 (Relative to death of Rep. Payne)

On Twitter

I just told @GeraldoRivera that my favorite biofuels are oil, gas, and coal.

— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 8, 2012

Lee opposes Kohl antitrust railroad amendment. Says it adds addtl gov oversight to already burdened industry: bit.ly/xbUKST #utpol

— Emily Bennion (@SenLeePressSec) March 7, 2012

Featured Tweet

Senators, including @SenRandPaul and @SenMikeLee, to Obama: Get out of Afghanistan politico.com/blogs/on-congr… via @POLITICO

— Aubrey Vaughan (@aubreyvaughan) March 8, 2012

Senate Judiciary Hearing, with @tomcoburn, @senmikelee, @orrinhatch, @chuckgrassley, @senatorleahy, @alfrank instagr.am/p/H6oJR3htNZ/

— Todd Ruger (@ToddRuger) March 8, 2012

Around the Water Cooler

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Hours after the storm arrived, officials said were no reports of problems with power grids, GPS, satellites or other technologies that are often disrupted by solar storms.

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