Senate advances public lands bill in late-night vote

The Senate voted 65-19 early Friday morning to advance a bipartisan conservation bill after lawmakers couldn’t reach a deal to skip the procedural vote.

The vote, conducted after 1:00 a.m., was required to advance the Great American Outdoors Act, which would provide $900 million annually in oil and gas revenues for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

The LWCF funds conservation projects like acquiring land for national parks, and the legislation would separately put $6.5 billion towards addressing a maintenance backlog in the National Park system.

The Senate will take three additional votes on Monday on the bill, when, absent an 11th-hour snag, it is expected to pass.

Sleepy-eyed senators returned to the Capitol in the middle of the night after some members refused to give unanimous approval to move up the vote.

A private stalemate over the bill spilled into public view on Thursday afternoon when GOP senators warned that they expected to have to return to the Capitol for the rare 1 a.m. vote Friday.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote GOP senator to try to reverse requirement that Pentagon remove Confederate names from bases No, ‘blue states’ do not bail out ‘red states’ MORE (R-Ky.) moved to end debate on the lands bill Wednesday, meaning under Senate rules the earliest he could have the first vote was as soon as 1 a.m. on Friday absent an agreement.

Senators routinely agree to move up votes, or delay it until Monday, so that they can leave Washington mid-Thursday. But GOP senators said there was no sign that a deal would be worked out amid a stalemate over allowing amendment votes, none of which are expected to be held.

“We would have to have consent, and we don’t have that,” Sen. Roy BluntRoy Dean BluntSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Hillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate headed for late night vote amid standoff over lands bill | Trump administration seeks to use global aid for nuclear projects | EPA faces lawsuit alleging failure to update flaring requirements MORE (R-Mo.), a member of GOP leadership, said about trying to get an earlier vote. “I think that’s primarily over the amendment process.”

Sen. Mike RoundsMarion (Mike) Michael RoundsSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate headed for late night vote amid standoff over lands bill | Trump administration seeks to use global aid for nuclear projects | EPA faces lawsuit alleging failure to update flaring requirements Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (R-S.D.) added that some senators want votes on amendments to the bill and “this is their way of sending a message.”

Any sign that the stalemate might thaw out and let the Senate avoid a middle-of-the-night session appeared unlikely earlier Thursday evening, when Sen. Cory GardnerCory Scott GardnerSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Interior faces legal scrutiny for keeping controversial acting leaders in office | White House faces suit on order lifting endangered species protections | Lawmakers seek investigation of Park Police after clearing of protesters The Hill’s Campaign Report: Republicans go on attack over calls to ‘defund the police’ MORE (R-Colo.) warned that they were “tracking” for a 1 a.m. vote.

The Senate bill is currently on track to be wrapped up without any amendment votes, something that has frustrated senators who want changes to the bill.

“This legislation was written as if on stone tablets, there is no more to be written, this book is sealed, you can’t have anymore to say … That’s how one would treat a subordinate. And I think it’s insulting not to me but to those I represent,” Sen. Mike LeeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Senate headed for late night vote amid standoff over lands bill Hillicon Valley: Facebook employees speak up against content decisions | Trump’s social media executive order on weak legal ground | Order divides conservatives MORE (R-Utah) said.

Lee added that the bill is “perpetuating and worsening our already highly problematic federal public lands policy.”

Lee on Thursday tried to get votes on five amendments — two from himself, one from Sen. Mike BraunMichael BraunSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Senate at logjam over changing ‘qualified immunity’ for police Trump tweets spark fresh headache for Republicans MORE (R-Ind.), one from Sen. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump’s public standing sags after Floyd protests GOP senators introduce resolution opposing calls to defund the police MORE (R-Texas) and one from Sen. John KennedyJohn Neely KennedyMORE (R-La.) — but Gardner objected.

Sen. Bill CassidyWilliam (Bill) Morgan CassidySenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote GOP senators dodge on treatment of White House protesters The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – US virus deaths exceed 100,000; Pelosi pulls FISA bill MORE (R-La.) also made a pitch to get an amendment on offshore revenue sharing, which has not gotten a a vote, included in the bill, saying that it would pass.

“It deserves a vote, it would pass. It protects so many lives,” Cassidy said.

Although some Republicans have expressed opposition to the legislation, it is also supported by members of both parties.

President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE also announced support for funding the LWCF this year, though this was a turnaround from a previous proposal to slash the fund by about 97 percent.

When he proclaimed his support, the president particularly named Gardner and Steve DainesSteven (Steve) David DainesSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Koch-backed group launches ad campaign to support four vulnerable GOP senators OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Interior faces legal scrutiny for keeping controversial acting leaders in office | White House faces suit on order lifting endangered species protections | Lawmakers seek investigation of Park Police after clearing of protesters MORE (R-Mont.), major backers of the bill, both of whom are up for reelection.

Some view the legislation as an attempt to boost the vulnerable incumbents, but McConnell pushed back on that idea this week, saying “It’s in proximity to the election but nobody said you ought to quit doing things just because there’s an election.”