6:54 p.m. The Senate adjourned.

6:08 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on Ohio First Responders Week; before turning to discuss sex trafficking.

5:37 p.m. ML McConnell wrapped up Senate business for the evening. UC that at 9:30 a.m. Thursday the Senate vote on confirmation of the Pizzella nomination.
Items passed by UC: S. Res 224, recognizing the 5th anniversary of the death of Oswaldo Paya Sardinas; S. Res 457, S Res 458.

5:06 p.m. Senator Gardner spoke on the opioid epidemic.

5:02 p.m. Senator Murray spoke against the Pizzella nomination.

4:23 p.m. Senator Thune spoke about tax reform.

4:08 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke on steel tariffs.

2:04 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about tax reform.

1:46 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about the Fair Housing Act.

1:19 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke on the Pompeo nomination.

1:18 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Pizzella nomination, 50-48.

12:59 p.m. The Senate began a cloture vote on the nomination of Patrick Pizzella to be Deputy Secretary of Labor.

12:58 p.m. The Ring nomination was confirmed by a party line vote of 50 to 48. Senators Duckworth and McCain were absent.

12:20 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of John Ring to be a member of the NLRB.

12:15 p.m. Senator Peters spoke against the Ring nomination.

12:04 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke about the rise of China.

11:47 a.m. Senator Lankford spoke about tariffs.

11:30 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about China, the year anniversary of the Gorsuch confirmation and legislation passed fighting sex trafficking.

11:11 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about Venezuela.

11:01 a.m. Senator Cotton spoke about the Army’s “Old Guard.”

10:42 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer responded to Senator McConnell’s remarks about taxes. He spoke about Speaker Ryan. He spoke about the Mueller investigation.

10:34 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell paid tribute to Speaker Ryan. He spoke about nominations. He spoke about the tax program.

*******

The Senate will convene at 10:30 a.m., as a mark of respect to the late Senators Daniel Akaka of Hawaii and Zell Miller of Georgia.

After leader remarks, the Senate will resume post-cloture consideration of Executive Calendar #728, the nomination of John F. Ring, to the National Labor Relations Board.

At 12:20 p.m., theer will be two roll call votes:

1.      Confirmation of the Ring nomination;

2.      Cloture on Executive Calendar #605, the nomination of Patrick Pizzella, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of Labor. If cloture is invoked, there will be up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate before a confirmation vote.