Thursday, January 20th, 2022

4:38 p.m. The Senate adjourned.

4:26 p.m. Senator Merkley paid tribute to departing Communications Director Ray Zaccaro.

4:22 p.m. Senator Merkley did wrap-up part two, passing the following by UC:
By UC: S Res 482, recognizing the 50 anniversary of the Alaska Native Claims Act.
By UC: S Con Res 28, expressing the Sense of the Senate that September 30th should be observed as a Senate day of Remembrance for the Native American children who died while attending an Indian boarding school.

4:02 p.m. Senator Brown announced the Senate adjourn following the remarks of Senator Merkley.

4:01 p.m. Senator Brown announced pro forma schedule for next week:
Monday January 24th at 1:00 p.m.
Thursday January 27th at 10:00 a.m.; after which the Senate adjourn until Monday January 31 at 3:00 p.m.

3:54 p.m. Senator Brown wrapped up for the day. Achieved in wrap-up:
By voice vote: Confirmed the nomination of Joe Donnelly to be Ambassador to the Vatican.
By UC: all nominations on the Secretary’s Desk in the Foreign Service. (PN480, PN903)
By UC: S Res 471, recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Alabama Farmers Organization.
By UC: S Res 487, congratulating the Wisconsin Badgers on the NCAA Women’s volleyball championship.
By UC: S Res 488, congratulating Wisconsin-Eau Claire on the Division III Women’s volleyball championship.
By UC: S Res 497, congratulating North Dakota State on the NCAA subdivision championship. 

3:48 p.m. Senator Brown spoke on the infrastructure bill.

3:18 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke on Taiwan, and later paid tribute to the Alaskan of the week; Emma Broyles, the newest Miss America.

2:52 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on Ukraine and the Biden administration.

2:46 p.m. Senator Padilla recognized his one year anniversary as a Senator, and then applauded today’s confirmation of Holly Thomas.

2:30 p.m. Senator Lee spoke on abortion.

2:17 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke on the Democrats agenda.

1:40 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke on abortion and asked unanimous consent that the Senate pass S.401 by unanimous consent. Senator Murray objected.

1:34 p.m. Senator Murray spoke on abortion.

1:10 p.m. Majority Leader Schumer filed cloture on the following nominations:

  1. Executive Calendar #655– Bridget Meehan Brennan, OH, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.
  2. Executive Calendar #657 – Charles Esque Fleming, OH, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.
  3. Executive Calendar #658 – David Augustin Ruiz, OH, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.
  4. Executive Calendar #404– Rupa Ranga Puttagunta, D.C., to be Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  5. Executive Calendar #406 – Kenia Seone Lopez, D.C., to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  6. Executive Calendar #410 – Sean C. Staples, D.C., to be an Associate Judge for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  7. Executive Calendar #556 – Ebony M. Scott, D.C., to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  8. Executive Calendar #557 – Donald Walker Tunnage, D.C., to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  9. Executive Calendar #613 – John P. Howard III, D.C., to be an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
  10. Executive Calendar #614 – Loren L. AliKhan, D.C., to be an Associate Judge for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
  11. Executive Calendar #644 – Amy Gutmann, PA, to be Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany
  12. Executive Calendar #649 – Lisa A. Carty, MD, to be Representative of the U.S. on the Economic and Social Council of the UN with the rank of Ambassador.
  13. Executive Calendar #627 – Scott A. Nathan, MA, to be Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
  14. Executive Calendar #616 – Chantale Yokmin Wong, D.C., to be U.S. Director of the Asian Development Bank with the rank of Ambassador.
  15. Executive Calendar #473 – Gabriel Camarillo, TX, to be Under Secretary of the Army.
  16. Executive Calendar #474 – Andrew Philip Hunter, VA, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
  17. Executive Calendar #495 – John Patrick Coffey, NY, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Navy.
  18. Executive Calendar #496 – Alexander Baker, NJ, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
  19. Executive Calendar #673 – Reta Jo Lewis, GA, to be President of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S.
  20. Executive Calendar #654 – Leonard Philip Stark, DE, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit.

1:10 p.m. By a party line vote of 48-40, the Senate confirmed Holly Thomas to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit. Senators not voting: Burr, Capito, Cassidy, Cramer, Inhofe, Marshall, Moran, Rounds, Scott (SC), Sinema, Tester and Toomey.

11:57 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Holly A. Thomas to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.

11:45 a.m. Senator Thune spoke about the March for Life.

11:24 a.m. RL McConnell spoke about the March for Life, Biden Administration, and Ukraine.

11:04 a.m. ML Schumer spoke about voting rights.

The Senate will convene at 11:00 a.m. and will be in a period of morning business.

At 12:00 Noon, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the nomination of Holly A. Thomas to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.