The Senate is aiming to leave town late Friday night for a five-week recess and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) said Thursday night the chamber is hoping to pass a stopgap funding bill as well as S.5025 – The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 on Friday. They are also set to confirm 74 nominees and — Senate Republicans hope —Todd Blanche as attorney general now that Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) agreed to vote for him. Republicans will also hold an initial vote on a budget blueprint for a third party-line spending bill as well as potentially a vote related to the SAVE America Act. Senate leaders don’t believe the budget resolution has the votes within the conference to be adopted. Instead, the Senate is expected to hold an initial vote that will fail to clear even a simple majority threshold. The decision to hold that vote comes after leaders believed Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) or another member of the GOP’s far right flank would force a vote regardless on the framework, which they are able to do under the chamber’s rules. Any single senator could still object to expediting the chamber’s agenda, which would derail Leader Thune’s goal of getting members out of town by the end of the day Friday.
Late Thursday, the majority leader teed up a final vote on the Russia sanctions legislation for Friday morning, a confirmation vote for dozens of nominees and another procedural step on a stopgap funding bill. Leadership is hoping they’ll get a deal later in the day to finish other business, including final passage of the CR, advancing a college sports bill, confirming Blanche and voting on the budget resolution.
As of now, the Senate is expected to vote around 12 P.M. on the Paul (R-Kentucky) amendment #6715 to Graham-Blumenthal #6711, H.R.5334, as amended, Sanctions legislation, Confirmation of the 74 nominations en bloc as provided for in Executive Calendar #6, S.Res.817, and a Motion to invoke cloture on Collins substitute #6732 to Cal. #320 H.R.6500, vehicle for Continuing Resolution.
