Thursday, July 15, 2021

3:35 p.m. The Senate adjourned.

3:18 p.m. Senator Lee spoke on federal spending.

3:10 p.m. Senator Cruz spoke on the situation in Cuba.

3:05 p.m. Senator Cortez Masto wrapped up for the day and week.

Passed by UC: S. 658, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to work for training and other purposes; S Res. 306, to authorize representation by the Senate Legal Counsel in the case of Jennifer Grapple (sp?).

2:20 p.m. Senator Kennedy discuss recent hurricane damage to Louisiana and asked UC to take up and pass S.2359 to give community development block grants, paid for with spectrum sales funds. Senator Paul objected.

2:19 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the Cunningham nomination, 63-34.

Senators voting in favor: All Democrats and Independents, 13 Republicans:
Capito, Collins, Cornyn, Ernst, Fischer, Grassley, Lee, Murkowski, Portman, Romney, Rounds, Rubio & Tillis.

Three Republicans did not vote: Graham, Johnson and Moran.

1:45 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Tiffany Cunningham  to be U.S. Circuit Court Judge for Illinois.

1:38 p.m. Senator Gillibrand spoke on military justice reform and asked unanimous consent for the Senate to vote on S.1520. Senator Reed objected.

1:31 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke on the Cunningham nomination.

1:11 p.m. Senator Tuberville spoke on taxes.

1:04 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke on the increase in crime.

12:58 p.m. Senator Brown spoke on the American Rescue Plan.

12:45 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about government spending.

12:45 p.m. Cloture was filed on the following nominations:

exec. cal. 195 – Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr., LA, to be an Assistant Attorney General.

exec. cal. 246 – Jennifer Ann Abruzzo, NY, to be General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board.

12:43 p.m. The Remy nomination was confirmed 91 to 8.

Senators voting no: Blackburn, Ernst, Hagerty, Hawley, Lankford, Scott (FL), Shelby, and Wicker.

Senators not voting: Graham.

11:53 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of David Remy to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

11:52 a.m. The Senate confirmed the Liang nomination, 72-27.

23 Republicans voting yes: Blunt, Burr, Capito, Collins, Cornyn, Crapo, Daines, Fischer, Grassley, Hyde-Smith, Johnson, McConnell, Moran, Murkowski, Portman, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Scott (SC), Thune, Toomey, Wicker, and Young.

Senator Menendez voted no and Senator Graham did not vote.

11:08 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of J. Nellie Liang to be an Under Secretary of theTreasury.

10:58 a.m. Senator Thune spoke on defunding police.

10:54 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke on government spending.

10:44 a.m. Republican Leader McConnell spoke on Cuba, abortion, and inflation.

10:29 a.m. Majority Leader Schumer spoke on the economy, budget, marijuana, and child tax credit.

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. today and will resume consideration of the nomination of J. Nellie Liang to be Under Secretary of the Treasury.

At 11:00 a.m., two votes:

  1. Confirmation of J. Nellie Liang to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury
  2. Confirmation of the nomination of David Remy to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs

At 1:45 p.m., one vote:

  1. Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Tiffany Cunningham  to be U.S. Circuit Court Judge for Illinois