10:16 p.m. The Senate adjourned this evening at 10:16 p.m. and will return tomorrow Thursday May 26th at 10:00 a.m. Following leader remarks the Senate will proceed to consideration of the motion to proceed to Calendar #371, H.R. 350, Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act. At 11:30 a.m. The Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 350.
If cloture is not invoked, the Senate will immediately vote on passage of Calendar #396, S.J. Res 46, a joint resolution providing congressional disapproval under Chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security relating to “Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers”
Following disposition of the Joint Resolutions, the Senate will proceed to consider Executive Calendar #461 – Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, to be Director General of the Foreign Service. At 1:45 p.m. the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Bernicat nomination.
10:15 p.m. By a vote of 48-46, The Senate confirmed Cathy Ann Harris to be a Member of the Merit Systems Protection Board for the term of seven years expiring March 1, 2028.
Party Line Vote
Not Voting – Blunt, Cornyn, Cruz, Merkley, Murkowski, and Van Hollen.
9:26 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of the nomination of Cathy Harris to be a member of the Merit Systems Protection Board.
9:20 p.m. ML Schumer achieved the following unanimous consent agreement:
The cloture motions on the following nominations were vitiated:
1. Kenneth Wainstein to be Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security.
2. Todd Harper to be a Member of the National Credit Union Administration.
3. Samuel Bagenstos to be General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services.
4. Robert Huie to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California.
5. Shalanda Baker to be Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact, Department of Energy.
6. Jane Hartley to be Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
**Further, S. Res 134, a resolution expressing the Sense of the Senate that the President should work with the government of the United Kingdom to conclude negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, with a Lee substitute amendment was passed by voice vote.
**Further, the nomination of Jane Hartley to be Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was confirmed by voice vote.
9:19 p.m. By a vote of 54-40 The Senate invoked cloture on Executive Calendar #669 Amy Loyd to be Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of Education. GOP in favor- Capito, Collins, Cramer, Portman, Rounds, Sasse, and Young. Senators not voting: Blunt, Cornyn, Cruz, Merkley, Murowski and Van Hollen.
8:19 p.m. The Senate is now voting on Executive Calendar #669 Amy Loyd to be Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of Education.
8:19 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the Jacobs-Young nomination, 89-3. Senators voting against: Hawley, Paul and Sullivan.
Senators not voting: Blunt, Cornyn, Cruz, Lee, Manchin, Merkley, Murkowski, Toomey and Van Hollen.
7:35 p.m. The Senate began voting on cloture on the Jacobs-Young nomination.
7:34 p.m. ML Schumer achieved UC for the Senate to vote on cloture on the following nominations:
1. Chavonda Jacobs-Young to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics.
2. Amy Loyd to be Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education.
7:33 p.m. By a vote of 47-46, the Senate invoked cloture on the Gomez nomination. This was a party line vote.
Senators not voting: Blunt, Cornyn, Cruz, Merkley, Murkowski and Van Hollen.
7:03 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Lisa Gomez to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.
7:02 p.m. By a vote of 51-43, the Senate confirmed Henry Christopher Frey to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
6:13 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the confirmation of Henry C. Frey to be an Assistant Administratior of the Environmental Protection Agency.
6:09 p.m. Senator Brown spoke in support of Todd M. Harper, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Credit Union Administration Board.
6:02 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about gun violence and spoke in support of the nomination of Samuel R. Bagenstos, of Michigan, to be General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services.
5:56 p.m. Senator Murray paid tribute to the victims of the mass shooting in Texas.
5:30 p.m. Senator Durbin paid tribute to the victims of the mass shooting in Texas and The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act.
5:21 p.m. Senator Lee spoke about in support of the Bipartisan State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act. He then asked for the Senate to proceed to immediate consideration of S. 1787 (State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act of 2021) with the Lee amendment being added and agreed to. Senator Durbin objected on behalf of Senator Klobuchar.
5:18 p.m. Senator Whitehouse asked for unanimous consent for the Senate to consider Executive Calendar #768 Jainey Kumar Bavishi to be Assistant Secretary of Commence for Oceans and Atmosphere. Senator Collins objected.
5:06 p.m. Senator Collins spoke about NOAA.
4:43 p.m. Senator Duckworth spoke about gun violence.
4:29 p.m. Senator Kaine spoke on the mass shooting in Texas.
4:02 p.m. Senator Scott (FL) spoke on Ukraine.
3:54 p.m. Senator Tester spoke in support of the Elnahal nomination to be the Under Secretary for Health for the Department of VA and asked unanimous consent for the Senate to confirm Executive Calendar #902 Shereef M. Elnahal, of NJ, to be Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Senator Scott (FL) objected.
3:53 p.m. By a vote of 51-43, the Senate invoked cloture on Executive Calendar #651 Henry Christopher Frey to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Republicans voting in favor – Senators Burr, Collins, Cramer, and Portman. Senators not voting – Cornyn, Cruz, Merkley, Murkowski, Van Hollen and Whitehouse.
3:16 p.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Henry Christopher Frey to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
3:15 p.m. By a vote of 49-46 the nomination of Sandra L. Thompson to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency for a term of five years was confirmed.
2:29 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of Sandra L. Thompson to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency for a term of five years.
2:25 p.m. Senator Capito spoke in opposition to the nomination of Christopher Frey’s nomination to Assistant Administrator of the EPA.
2:21 p.m. Senator McConnell spoke about the nomination of Christopher Frey to be Assistant Administrator of the EPA.
2:08 Senator Johnson and Senator Scott (FL) spoke about the TX shooting and the Luke and Alex School Safety Act. Senator Johnson asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. 111-Luke and Alex School Safety Act. Senator Schumer objected.
1:54 p.m. Senator Carper spoke about the Uvalde, TX shooting.
1:45 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about pesticides.
1:26 p.m. Senator Brown spoke in support of Sandra Thompsons nomination to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
1:24 p.m. By a vote of 48-46, The Senate invoked cloture on Sandra L. Thompson to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency for a term of five years.
GOP YEA- Rounds
Not Voting – Cornyn, Cruz, Merkley, Murkowski, Reed, and Van Hollen
12:39 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #806 Sandra L. Thompson to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency for a term of five years.
12:38 p.m. By a vote of 48-46, the Senate confirmed Charlotte N. Sweeney to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado.
11:55 a.m. The Senate is now voting on confirmation of Charlotte N. Sweeney to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado.
11:54 a.m. By a vote of 51-43, The Senate confirmed Evelyn Padin to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey.
11:06 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on Executive Calendar #857 Evelyn Padin, of New Jersey, to be US District Judge for the District of New Jersey.
10:59 a.m. Senator Casey spoke on the mass shooting in Texas.
10:46 a.m. The following was agreed to by unanimous consent:
- H.R. 767 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 40 Fulton Street in Middletown, New York, as the Benjamin A. Gilman Post Office Building.
- H.R. 1170 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1 League in Irvine, California, as the Tuskegee Airman Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Friend Memorial Post Office Building.
- H.R. 1444 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 132 North Loudoun Street, Suite 1 in Winchester, Virginia, as the Patsy Cline Post Office.
- S. 2932 A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 430 South Knowles Avenue in New Richmond, Wisconsin, as the “Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson Post Office Building”.
- S. 3825 A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3903 Melear Drive in Arlington, Texas, as the “Ron Wright Post Office Building”.
- S. 3826 A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1304 4th Avenue in Canyon, Texas, as the “Gary James Fletcher Post Office Building”.
- H.R. 735
- H.R. 1298 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1233 North Cedar Street in Owasso, Oklahoma, as the “Technical Sergeant Marshal Roberts Post Office Building”.
- H.R. 2324
- H.R. 3613 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 202 Trumbull Street in Saint Clair, Michigan, as the Corporal Jeffrey Robert Standfest Post Office Building.
- H.R. 4168 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6223 Maple Street, in Omaha, Nebraska, as the Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office.
- H.R. 3579 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 200 East Main Street in Maroa, Illinois, as the Jeremy L. Ridlen Post Office.
10:37 a.m. Senator Stabenow spoke on the mass shooting in Texas and on healthy school meals.
10:37 a.m. Majority Leader Schumer spoke on gun violence.
10:27 a.m. Republican Leader McConnell spoke on the mass shooting in Texas.
10:25 a.m. The following legislation was placed on the calendar under the Rule 14 process:
- H.R. 3807 Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021
- H.R. 3967 Honoring our PACT Act of 2021
- H.R. 6833 Affordable Insulin Now Act
- H.R. 8 An act to require a background check for every firearm sale.
- H.R. 1446 Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021
10:06 a.m. Majority Leader Schumer spoke on gun violence and the mass shooting in Texas.
10:00 a.m. The Senate has convened.
The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. and following any Leader remarks, will resume consideration of the nomination of Sandra Thompson to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
At approximately 11:00 a.m., the Senate will proceed to three roll call votes:
1 Confirmation of the nomination of Evelyn Padin to be US District Judge for the District of New Jersey.
2. Confirmation of the nomination of Charlotte Sweeney to be US District Judge for the District of Colorado.
3, Cloture on the nomination of Sandra Thompson to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
Further votes are expected.
