Mike ROUNDS
Republican · South Dakota
Ranked #10 of 100 senators
Total Score350
Actions16
Avg/Action21.9
Era Comparison
Biden Term
Jan 2021 - Jan 2025
Score0
Actions0
Avg0.0
Trump 2nd Term
Jan 2025 - Present
Score350
Actions16
Avg21.9
Tactics Breakdown
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND16 actions (350 pts)
Action History
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Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND15
Motion to proceed on S.J. Res. 86 regarding South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan
Senator Rounds requested a recorded vote (yeas and nays) on a motion to proceed, which is a routine procedural right that consumed standard voting time. While it adds time compared to voice votes, this appears to be normal Senate procedure rather than obstructive tactics.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND15
Motion to proceed on S.J. Res. 86 regarding South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote on a motion to proceed, which is a routine procedural right that consumed standard voting time but shows no clear obstructive intent.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND15
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 regarding EPA's Regional Haze Implementation Plan
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote on a motion to proceed after giving a substantive floor speech opposing the resolution. This appears to be routine legislative procedure rather than obstructive tactics, as recorded votes on contentious matters are standard practice.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 (Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan)
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote ('I ask for the yeas and nays') on a motion to proceed, which is a routine procedural right with minimal obstructive intent, resulting in a standard 15-minute roll call vote that the motion ultimately lost.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed on S.J. Res. 86 (Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan)
Senator Rounds requested a recorded vote ('I ask for the yeas and nays') on a motion to proceed, which is a routine procedural right that consumed standard roll call time but was not clearly obstructive in intent.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed on S.J. Res. 86 (EPA Regional Haze Implementation Plan repeal)
Senator Rounds requested a recorded vote ('I ask for the yeas and nays') on a motion to proceed, which forced a roll call vote consuming approximately 15 minutes of floor time. This appears to be routine procedural practice rather than obstructive tactics.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 (EPA Regional Haze Implementation Plan repeal)
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote on a motion to proceed after giving a substantive policy speech, which is a standard parliamentary right that adds procedural time but appears routine rather than obstructive.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 regarding EPA's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote on the motion to proceed after giving a substantive speech opposing the resolution. This appears to be standard minority party procedure to force a roll call vote rather than obstructive delay tactics.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 (EPA Regional Haze Implementation Plan repeal)
Senator Rounds requested yeas and nays on a motion to proceed, forcing a recorded vote that consumed floor time, but this appears to be standard legislative procedure rather than obstructive tactics.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 (EPA Regional Haze Implementation Plan repeal)
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote on a motion to proceed, which is a standard parliamentary right that adds modest delay but is not inherently obstructive in this context.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed on S.J. Res. 86 (EPA Regional Haze Implementation Plan repeal)
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote on a motion to proceed after delivering opposition speech, which is a standard procedural right that adds minimal delay. This appears to be routine legislative process rather than obstructive tactics.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 regarding EPA's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan
Senator Rounds requested a recorded vote (yeas and nays) on a motion to proceed, which is a standard procedural tactic that consumes floor time through roll call voting but appears routine rather than obstructive.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND15
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 regarding South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote ('I ask for the yeas and nays') on the motion to proceed, which is a routine procedural right that consumed floor time for a roll call vote but appears to be standard legislative process rather than obstructive tactics.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 (Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan)
Senator Rounds demanded a recorded vote ('I ask for the yeas and nays') on a motion to proceed, which is a standard procedural tactic that consumes floor time through the roll call process but appears routine rather than strategically obstructive.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, January 8, 2026
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND15
Motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 86 (Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Haze Implementation Plan)
Senator Rounds requested yeas and nays on a motion to proceed, forcing a roll call vote. This appears to be routine legislative process rather than obstructive, as the vote was on substantive legislation he opposed on policy grounds.
View floor text
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 86. This resolution would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of South Dakota's Regional Haze Implementation Plan. South Dakota has made substantial progress toward meeting EPA's ambitious 2064 visibility goals and has determined that no additional emissions goals are needed to make reasonable progress. Overturning EPA's approval would force the State to adopt unnecessary pollution control measures, despite clear evidence that they would not meaningfully improve visibility. These requirements would impose significant costs on South Dakota communities and businesses for little to no environmental benefit, essentially burning money without improving outcomes. This CRA ignores the fact that South Dakota's emission sources have a minimal impact on visibility in nearby class I areas. In recent years, the primary driver of visibility impairment has been wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States, not in-State emissions. This resolution substitutes Washington mandates for State-level expertise, dictating decisions on a State the sponsors do not represent and unnecessarily constraining South Dakota's economy. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution. Vote on Motion Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla), and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 43, nays 50, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.] YEAS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NAYS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NOT VOTING--7 Britt Coons Gillibrand Graham Padilla Schiff Schmitt The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). The Senator from Virginia. S.J. Res. 59
Thu, March 27, 2025
RECORDED VOTE DEMAND25
Faulkender nomination confirmation
Senator Rounds requested a recorded vote on a nomination, which is a standard procedural right that adds time but appears routine rather than obstructive given the context and successful confirmation.
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Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the nomination. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate? If not, the question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Faulkender nomination? Mr. ROUNDS. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant executive clerk called the roll. Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Gallego), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Warner), and the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Warnock) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 53, nays 43, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 149 Ex.] YEAS--53 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--43 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--4 Fetterman Gallego Warner Warnock The nomination was confirmed. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Justice). Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action. Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 55 (Wednesday, March 26, 2025) LEGISLATIVE SESSION