9:38 p.m. The Senate stands adjourned until 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will stand in recess subject to the call of the Chair. There will be no roll call votes on Wednesday, the next roll call votes are expected on January 8, 2024.
9:33 p.m. ML Schumer spoke on his joint statement with RL McConnell regarding Supplemental National Security Legislation and continued wrap up:
- By unanimous consent the Senate passed H.R. 6503, Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2023, Part II.
- The Senate confirmed by voice vote: Executive Calendar #445 John David Russell, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
7:56 p.m. Senator Bennet spoke on funding for Ukraine and on lifting his hold on the FAA reauthorization.
7:01 p.m. Senator Merkley began wrap up:
- Passed by unanimous consent: H.R. 2839, To amend the Siletz Reservation Act to address the hunting, fishing, trapping, and animal gathering rights of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and for other purposes.
- Passed by unanimous consent: H.R. 1722, Grand Ronde Reservation Act Amendment.
- Passed by unanimous consent: S. 484, Combating Human Rights Abuses Act with the Peters substitute amendment.
- Passed by unanimous consent: S. 1478, A bill to designate United States Route 20 in the States of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts as the “National Medal of Honor Highway”, and for other purposes.
- Adopted by unanimous consent: S.Res. 423, A resolution recognizing the University of Iowa women’s basketball team’s historic “Crossover at Kinnick” game and the importance of women’s sports, with the Ernst amendment at the desk.
6:46 p.m. Senator Carper spoke on military nominations.
6:28 p.m. Senator Sanders spoke on Israel and Palestine.
6:18 p.m. Majority Leader Schumer got unanimous consent to confirm the following by voice vote en bloc: Cal. #188, 198, 202, 236, 262, 288, 292, 328, 335, 338, 416, 449-452, and all nominations on the Secretary’s Desk in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force.
- Majority Leader Schumer filed cloture on Executive Calendar #174, S. Kato Crews, of Colorado, to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado
- Majority Leader Schumer filed cloture on Executive Calendar #311, Karoline Mehalchick, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
- Majority Leader Schumer filed cloture on Executive Calendar #376, John A. Kazen, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas.
- At a time TBD before January 31, 2024, the Senate vote on passage of S.J.Res. 32, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to “Small Business Lending Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B)”, the objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding.
5:32 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke on the Supreme Court.
5:27 p.m. Senator Menendez spoke on Firefighter Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act of 2023, and asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to and agree to S. 2119, Firefighter Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act of 2023. Senator Cotton objected on behalf of Senators Paul and Lee.
5:26 p.m. By a vote of 49-15, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Elizabeth H. Richard a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be Coordinator for Counterterrorism, with the rank and status of Ambassador at Large. Senator Young voted in favor. Senators not voting: Barrasso, Blackburn, Boozman, Braun, Budd, Capito, Cassidy, Cornyn, Cramer, Cruz, Daines, Ernst, Graham, Hagerty, Hawley, Hyde-Smith, Johnson, Lee, Lummis, Marshall, Moran, Mullin, Padilla, Paul, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Rubio, Schatz, Schmitt, Scott (FL), Scott (SC), Tillis, and Vance.
4:47 p.m. The Senate is now voting on confirmation of Elizabeth H. Richard to be Coordinator for Counterterrorism.
4:46 p.m. By a vote of 52-14, the Senate confirmed Sara Hill to be a district judge for northern Oklahoma
- Senators Collins, Grassley, Lankford, and Murkowski voted in favor
- Senator Manchin voted against
4:10 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the Hill nomination, 52-14.
- Republicans voting in favor: Collins, Grassley, Lankford and Murkowski.
- Democrat voting against: Manchin.
- Republicans not voting: Barrasso, Blackburn, Boozman, Braun, Budd, Capito, Cassidy, Cornyn, Cramer, Cruz, Daines, Ernst, Graham, Hagerty, Hawley, Hyde-Smith, Johnson, Lee, Lummis, Marshall, Moran, Mullin, Paul, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Rubio, Schmitt, Scott, (FL), Scott (SC), Tillis and Vance.
- Democrats not voting: Padilla and Schatz.
3:35 p.m. The Senate began voting on cloture on the nomination of Sara Hill to be a District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
3:34 p.m. The Senate confirmed the Fonzone nomination 50-17. Independent voting against: Sinema.
Republicans voting in favor: Collins and Murkowski.
Republicans not voting: Barrasso, Blackburn, Boozman, Braun, Budd, Capito, Cassidy, Cornyn, Cramer, Cruz, Daines, Ernst, Graham, Hagerty, Hawley, Hyde-Smith, Johnson, Lee, Lummis, Marshall, Moran, Mullin, Paul, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Rubio, Schmitt, Scott, (FL), Scott (SC) and Tillis.
Democrats not voting: Padilla and Schatz.
2:56 p.m. The Senate is now voting on confirmation of Christopher Fonzone be an Assistant Attorney General.
2:55 p.m. By a vote of 49-18, the Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of Christopher Fonzone be an Assistant Attorney General.
- Democrat voting against: Menendez
- Independent voting against Sinema
- Republicans voting in favor: Collins and Murkowski
- Republicans not voting: Barrasso, Blackburn, Boozman, Braun, Budd, Capito, Cassidy, Cornyn, Cramer, Cruz, Daines, Ernst, Graham, Hagerty, Hawley, Hyde-Smith, Johnson, Lee, Lummis, Marshall, Moran, Mullin, Paul, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Rubio, Schmitt, Scott, (FL), Scott (SC) and Tillis.
- Democrats not voting: Padilla and Schatz.
2:15 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to invoke cloture on Christopher Fonzone to be an Assistant Attorney General.
12:58 p.m. The Senate stands in recess until 2:15 p.m. to accommodate the weekly caucus luncheons.
12:44 p.m. Senator Collins spoke on the border security crisis and on funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
12:37 p.m. Senator Murray spoke on the I-5 bridge replacement grant.
12:32 p.m. Senator Gillibrand spoke on American-Israeli hostages.
12:24 p.m. Senator Thune spoke on aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Senator also spoke on national security interests at the border.
12:16 p.m. Senator Hirono spoke on Secretary of Labor Julie Su.
1:13 p.m. Senator Brown spoke on Social Security.
11:30 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke on the Israel and Hamas war.
11:18 a.m. Republican Leader McConnell spoke on border security, Israel, and anti-Semitism.
11:08 a.m. Majority Leader Schumer spoke on supplemental appropriations, border security, nominations, FAA, and military promotions.
11:00 a.m. The Senate convened.
***
The Senate will convene at 11:00 a.m. and following any leader remarks will resume consideration of the nomination of Christopher Fonzone to be an Assistant Attorney General.
At 12:30 p.m. the Senate will recess for the weekly caucus luncheons until 2:15 p.m.
At 2:15 p.m., the Senate will proceed to up to five votes:
- Cloture on the Fonzone nomination.
- (If cloture is invoked) Confirmation of the Fonzone nomination.
- Cloture on the nomination of Sara Hill to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
- (If cloture is invoked) Confirmation of the Hill nomination.
- Confirmation of the nomination of Elizabeth Richard to be Coordinator for Counterterrorism.
Cloture has also been filed on the following nominations:
- John Russell to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
- Jose Rodriguez to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.
- Joseph Goffman to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
