6:57 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 10. By consent, the Senate will resume consideration of the Claria Boom nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky. There will be a confirmation vote at 12:10 p.m.
The Senate will recess for party lunches from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m., whereupon there will be a cloture vote on the nomination of John F. Ring to a five-year term on the National Labor Relations Board.
During wrap-up, Senator McConnell initiated action on these matters:
— Confirmation, en bloc by a voice vote, of these nominations to Energy Department positions: James Riley, director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Theodore Gerrish, assistant secretary for international affairs, and James Campos, director of the Office of Minority economic Impact
— Passage by consent of H.R. 3445, to accelerate programs under the African Growth and Opportunity Act; S. Res. 85, calling on Iran to assist in the case of Robert Levinson; S. Res. 432, congratulating Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania upon the 100th anniversary of their declarations of independence; H.R. 3979, to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act.
6:35 p.m. Senator Udall spoke in tribute to the friendship of Senator McCain and the late Morris Udall.
6:08 p.m. Senator Alexander achieves a UC agreement that a time to be determined, the Senate take up the nomination of Carlos Muniz to be General Counsel at the Department of Education, with up to ten (10) hours of debate before a roll call vote on the nomination.
6:07 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Boom nomination, 96-2. Voting NAY: Democrat Hirono and independent Sanders. Senators Duckworth and McCain did not vote.
5:31 p.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on the Boom nomination.
5:08 p.m. Senator Isakson paid tribute to former Senator Zell Miller.
4:52 p.m. Senator Schatz paid tribute to former Senator Akaka.
4:42 p.m. Senator Hirono paid tribute to former Senator Akaka.
3:04 p.m. Senator Wicker escorted Senator-designate Hyde-Smith to the well of the Senate, where Vice President Pence administered the oath of office.
Present, besides the senators from Mississippi, were Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, and Republican Senators Hatch, Collins, Alexander and Young. The Family Gallery and several rows in the Visitors Gallery were full.
3:05 p.m. Senator McConnell spoke in memory of former Senators Zell and Akaka. He spoke in favor of the nomination of Claria Boom to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky. He discussed other nominations. He spoke about the tax program.
Under Rule XIV, Senator McConell took steps to bring directly to the floor S. 2629, to improve postal operations, and H.R. 5247 to permit the prescription of certain drugs to certain patients.
3:11 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke in memory of Senator Akaka. He welcomed Senator Hyde-Smith. He spoke about nominations, the tax program and about Secretary Pruit.
***
•The Senate will convene at 3:00 p.m. At that time, Senator-designate Cindy Hyde-Smith will be sworn in as Senator from the State of Mississippi. The Senate will then resume consideration of the nomination of Claria Boom to be a US District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky.
• At 5:30 p.m., the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the Boom nomination.
• Majority Leader McConnell has filed cloture on the Boom, Ring, Pizzella, Wheeler, Broomes, and Jennings nominations. The cloture petitions on each of the nominations will ripen one at a time, after disposition of the previous nomination. Each is subject to up to thirty hours of post-cloture debate
