When the Senate resumed consideration of H.R.2354, the Energy and Water appropriations bill, Senator Reid withdrew the committee reported substitute amendment. He then offered a new substitute amendment #956, which included the text of Energy and Water, Financial Services/General Government; and State/Foreign Operations appropriations. Senator Menendez raised a Rule 16 point of order that was well taken and the amendment fell.
Senator Reid then offered a new substitute (Reid amendment #957), which includes the 3 appropriations bills minus the offending Cuba related language.
The Divisions of the Reid substitute amendment #957 are as follows:
Division A: text of the withdrawn committee-reported amendment (Energy and Water appropriations)
Division B: text of Calendar #171, S.1573 with the exception of sections 620 and 624 (Financial Services/General Government appropriations minus the offending Cuba language)
Division C: text of Calendar #179, S.1601 (State/Foreign Operations appropriations)
Senator Reid then asked consent that H.R.2434, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee and Division C of amendment #957 be deemed House passed text in H.R.2354 for purpose of Rule 16 and that amendment #957 for the purposes of paragraph 1 Rule 16 be considered a committee amendment. In English, that means Senator Reid was seeking consent to use the following bills for defense of germaneness purposes: H.R.2354 (Energy and Water), H.R.2434 (Financial Services), S.1601 (State/Foreign Operations).
Senator Moran objected to Senator Reid’s request and Senator Vitter also spoke in opposition to the request.
Senator Reid then filled the amendment tree so that we can continue to work on an agreement to consider the Energy and Water appropriations bill.