Thursday, June 10, 2021

4:10 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will next convene at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 14.

At 5:30 p.m. 2 votes:

  1. Confirmation of Katanji Brown Jackson to be to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the DC Circuit.
  2. Cloture on the nomination of Lisa M. Khan, NY to be A Federal Trade Commissioner.

During wrap-up:

  • 1.S. 1511, Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021, and the Grassley amendment, was adopted by unanimous consent.
  • H.J. Res. 27, Providing for the appointment of Barbara Barrett as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, was adopted by unanimous consent.
  • S. Res. 254, Expressing support for the designation of May 2021 as Mental Health Awareness Month, was adopted by unanimous consent.

4:05 p.m. The Senate confirmed the following nominations en bloc by voice vote:

  • exec. cal. 118 – Leslie B. Kiernan, MD, to be General Counsel of the Department of Commerce.
  • exec. cal. 125 – Adrianne Todman, Virgin Islands, to be Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
  • exec. cal. 126 – Nuria I. Fernandez, CA, to b Federal Transit Administrator.

3:42 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on the southwest border.

3:17 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke on the southwest border and the Keystone XL Pipeline.

3:00 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke on the US sending covid vaccines to other countries.

2:38 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke on the Alaskan of the Week, Michael Martinez and then on the defense budget.

2:26 p.m. Senator Gillibrand spoke on the military justice system and asked unanimous consent that at a time to be determine, the Senate consider S.1520, Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act of 2021, and then vote on the legislation. Senator Reed objected.

2:25 p.m. By a vote of 81-16 the Senate confirmed the Quarishi nomination.

Senators voting no: Blackburn, Blunt, Braun, Cassidy, Cruz, Hawley, Inhofe, Johnson, Lankford, Marshall, Paul, Sasse, Scott (FL), Shelby, Sullivan, and Tuberville.

Senators Burr, Moran, and Smith.

1:46 p.m. The Senate began a vote on confirmation of Zahid N. Quraishi to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey.

1:33 p.m. Senator Lee spoke about the Paycheck Fairness Act and asked unanimous consent to pass S.247, Working Families Flexibility Act of 2021. Senator Murray objected.

1:27 p.m. Senator Boozman spoke on the Hunger-Free Summer for Kids Act.

1:25 p.m. ML Schumer filed cloture on:

exec. cal. 119 – Lina M. Khan, NY, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner.

exec. cal. 107 – Kiran Arjandas Ahuja, MA, to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management.

and 107 1:18 p.m. Senator Booker spoke on the Quraishi nomination.

1:14 p.m. Senator Menendez spoke on the Quraishi nomination.

1:05 p.m. Senator Marshall spoke on the southwest border.

1:02 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke in favor of the Quraishi nomination.

1:02 p.m. Cloture was invoked on Ketanji Brown Jackson, 52 – 46.

Senators Collins, Graham and Murkowski voted AYE.

12:19 p.m. The Senate is voting now on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the DC Circuit.

Senators Collins, Graham, and Murkowski joined Dems and voted yes.

Senators Moran and Smith did not vote.

12:18 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the Quraishi nomination by a vote of 83-16.

11:30 a.m. The Senate began a vote motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #131, Zahid N. Quraishi, of New Jersey, to be US District Judge for the District of New Jersey.

11:18 a.m. RL McConnell spoke on infrastructure.

11:07 a.m. Senator Thune spoke about Ellsworth Air Force base.

10:41 a.m. ML Schumer paid tribute to Judge Robert Katzmann and spoke on the Endless Frontier Act, nominations, and cyber attacks.

The Senate will convene at 10:30 a.m. and will resume consideration of the nomination of Zahid N. Quaraishi, NJ, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey.

At 11:30, the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Quaraishi nomination. Following that vote, the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the DC Circuit.

At 1:45, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Quaraishi nomination.