Thursday, April 4, 2019

6:39 p.m. The Senate stands adjourned until 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. There will be no roll call votes during Monday’s session. We expect the next roll call vote to be on Tuesday morning (April 9th) on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Daniel Desmond Domenico, of Colorado, to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado.

6:37 p.m. During wrap up the Senate passed: S.Res 123, supporting NATO; S.Res. 145, commemorating the bicentennial of the birth of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise; S.Res. 146, Recognizing the centennial of the Institute of International Education.

4:37 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Executive Calendar #30 David Morales to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas.

4:36 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Executive Calendar #31 Holly Brady to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Indiana.

4:34 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Executive Calendar #173 John Abizaid to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the U.S. to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

4:33 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Executive Calendar #105 Cheryl Stanton to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor.

4:32 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Executive Calendar #27 Patrick Wyrick to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma.

4:31 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on Executive Calendar #21 Daniel Domenico to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Colorado.

4:05 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke about NATO’s 70th anniversary.

3:58 p.m. Senator Enzi spoke about disaster funding.

3:20 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about the President’s tax returns.

3:19 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Mark Calabria to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency by a vote of 52-44. Senators Booker, Harris, Lee and Sanders did not vote.

2:40 p.m. Roll call vote began on confirmation of the nomination of Mark Calabria to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency

2:24 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke against the Calabria nomination.

2:16 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about the deaths of Trooper Jones Story, Trooper Jerry Ellis and Trooper Lambert.

1:54 p.m. Senator Brown spoke in opposition to the Calabria nomination.

1:49 p.m. Senator Tillis spoke about NATO’s 70th anniversary.

1:35 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke on the Calabria nomination and on taxing unrealized investment gains.

1:30 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke about NATO’s 70th anniversary.

1:19 p.m. Senator Warner spoke on the Mueller report. Senator Warner asked u.c to consider H.Con.Res. 24,  Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress. Senator Paul asked u.c to amend the Senator Warner’s request to include all of the communications. Senator Warner objected. Senator Paul objected to the original request.

12:55 p.m. Senator Alexander spoke on the agreement between the US and China to reduce the flow of fentanyl.  He later spoke on health care.

12:54 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Calabria nomination, 53-46.

Senators voting in favor: 53 Republicans.

Senators voting against: 44 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders.

Senators not voting: 1 Democrat: Harris.

12:23 p.m. Roll call vote began on the nomination of Mark Calabria to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

12:22 p.m. The Altman nomination was confirmed 66-33.

Senators voting in favor: 52 Republicans, 14 Democrats (Cardin, Cortez Masto, Duckworth, Feinstein, Hassan, Jones, Kaine, Manchin, Murphy, Rosen, Shaheen, Sinema, Tester and Warner .

Senators voting against: 30 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders; 1 Republican: Paul.

Senators not voting: 1 Democrat: Harris.

11:45 a.m. Roll call vote began on the confirmation of the nomination of Roy Kalman Altman to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.

11:43 a.m. Senator Leahy spoke about disaster relief.

11:41 a.m. Senator Shelby spoke about disaster relief.

11:28 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about disaster relief.

11:21 a.m. Senator Thune spoke about taxes.

11:11 a.m. Senator Crapo spoke in favor of the Calabria nomination.

11:03 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the new limitation of post-cloture debate on nominations.

*****

The Senate will convene at 11 a.m. and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of Roy Kalman Altman to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.

At 11:45 a.m., the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on confirmation of the Altman nomination.

Following disposition of the Altman nomination, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Mark Anthony Calabria to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The Calabria nomination will be subject to up to two hours of post-cloture debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination.