Senate begins voting on highway conference report

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) decided to stop waiting on the House and begin voting on a highway bill conference report shortly after noon on Friday.

Through unanimous consent, the Senate proceeded to four votes on the highway bill. The first three votes were on motions to waive points of order on the highway bill and then proceed to final passage of the conference report.

Reid had been waiting for the House to vote on the conference report but changed his mind as the day continued without a certain time for when the House would proceed.

One point of order related to making the conference report available for 48 hours prior to voting on it. Another had to do with the "scope" of the report. The third point of order related to objections to the highway bill under the Budget Control Act.

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