Wednesday: Energy debate, nomination

by Jordain Carney - 01/27/16 10:07 AM ET

Senators on Wednesday will start debate on a wide-ranging energy reform bill.

The Senate is scheduled to convene at 11 a.m. After any leadership remarks, they’ll take up the energy bill from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who suggested Tuesday that she was “very serious about moving quickly and aggressively” on the legislation.

{mosads}”Given that we have a very short workweek and a lot to do, I’m going to ask colleagues to engage with us,” she added. “Senator [Maria] Cantwell [R-Maine] and I have both been here all weekend working on this.”

In addition to starting debate on the energy bill, senators are expected to vote on John Michael Vazquez’s nomination to be a U.S. district judge for the District of New Jersey.

Republicans are under pressure from conservative outside groups to block any of President Obama’s non-national security nominees.

Heritage Action said Tuesday that it reserves “the right to key vote against any and all judicial nominees retroactively.”

The Senate is also expected to recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for weekly policy lunches.

The House is not in session.

Tags Lisa Murkowski