7:34 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 10:00 a.m. Tuesday December 19, 2017.
7:32 p.m. ML McConnell wraps up for the evening, morning business from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. At 12:00 p.m, consider the nomination of Jennifer Newstead to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State; for ten minutes followed by a vote on the nomination. Following the vote, recess until 2:15 p.m.
7:17 p.m. Senator Casey spoke about DACA.
6:51 p.m. Senator Bennet spoke against the tax bill.
6:30 p.m. The West vote was confirmed by a vote of 74 to 23.
Senators voting in favor: 51 Republicans, 22 Democrats (Bennet, Blumenthal, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Coons, Donnelly, Feinstein, Hassan, Heinrich, Heitkamp, Kaine, Manchin, McCaskill, Murphy, Nelson, Reed, Shaheen, Tester, Udall, Warner and Whitehouse) 1 Independent (King).
Senators voting against: 22 Democrats, 1 Independent (Sanders).
Senators not voting: 2 Democrats (Baldwin and Duckworth), 1 Republican (McCain).
6:04 p.m. Roll call vote began on the confirmation of Owen West to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
6:03 p.m. The Compton vote was confirmed by a tally of 62-34.
Senators voting in favor: 50 Republicans, 11 Democrats (Bennet, Carper, Coons, Donnelly, Heitkamp, Manchin, McCaskill, Murphy, Nelson, Shaheen and Tester), 1 Independent (King).
Senators voting against: 33 Democrats, 1 Independent (Sanders).
Senators not voting: 2 Republicans (Capito and McCain), 2 Democrats (Baldwin and Duckworth).
5:30 p.m. Roll Call vote began on the nomination of Paul Compton to be General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
5:22 p.m. Senator Crapo spoke in favor of the Compton nomination.
5:18 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about the tax bill.
5:03 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke about the tax bill.
4:53 p.m. Senator Nelson spoke about the tax bill.
4:18 p.m. Senator C0llins spoke about the tax bill.
4:04 p.m. Senator King spoke about the Senate’s workload and deadlines.
3:40 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about tax reform.
3:21 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke about the train derailment in Washington state, paid tribute to Bob Wilmers, Robert Mueller, and the CR.
3:02 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the train derailment in Washington state, tax reform, and the CR.
****
The Senate convenes at 3:00 pm. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and proceed to the consideration of the following nominations: Executive Calendar #241, J. Paul Compton, Jr., of Alabama, to be General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Executive Calendar #193, Owen West, of Connecticut, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense, en bloc with the debate time on the nominations to run concurrently.
At 5:30pm, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the following nominations in the following order:
- Executive Calendar #241, J. Paul Compton, Jr., of Alabama, to be General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- Executive Calendar #193, Owen West, of Connecticut, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Please note, at a time and date to be determined the Senate will proceed to 10 minutes of debate followed by a vote on confirmation of Cal. #430 – Jennifer Gillian Newstead, of New York, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State.