Thursday, June 5, 2025

3:09 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will reconvene at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 9. There will be two votes at 5:30 p.m.:

  • Confirmation of the nomination of Brett Shumate to be an Assistant Attorney General.
  • Motion to invoke cloture on Cal. #49-David Fotouhi to be Deputy Administrator of the EPA

Passed by unanimous consent-S. Res. 266, Designating May 2025 as ALS Awareness Month

3:05 p.m. Senator Thune filed cloture on the following nominations:

  • Cal. #49-David Fotouhi to be Deputy Administrator of the EPA
  • Cal. #112-Stephen Vaden to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
  • Cal. #117-Andrew Hughes to be Deputy Secretary of HUD

3:03 p.m. By a vote of 49-40 the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Brett Shumate to be an Assistant Attorney General was agreed to. Senators not voting: Blackburn, Hagerty, King, Lujan, Moran, Ossoff, Padilla, Sanders, Sheehy, Smith and Warren.

2:16 p.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Brett Shumate to be an Assistant Attorney General.

2:15 p.m. By a vote of 52-43, the Senate confirmed John Eisenberg to be an Assistant Attorney General, party line.

Senators not voting: Lujan, Ossoff, Padilla, Sheehy, and Warren.

1:43 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of the Eisenberg nomination.

1:29 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke about his recent trip to the middle east.

1:10 p.m. Senator Schiff spoke on navy ships named after John Lewis, Harvey Milk and other civil rights icons. He asked UC to take up S Res 264, that the Department of Defense should not remove some of these names. Senator Budd objected.

12:55 p.m. Senator Cruz spoke on a resolution naming June as “National Life Month” and discussed abortion.

12:51 p.m. By a partly line vote of 52-43 the Senate invoked cloture on the Eisenberg nomination. Senators Lujan, Ossoff, Padilla, Sheehy, and Warren did not vote.

12:06 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of John Eisenberg to be an Assistant Attorney General.

12:06 p.m. By a vote of 52-43, the Senate confirmed James O’Neill to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services.

  • Senators Lujan, Ossoff, Padilla, Sheehy, and Warren did not vote.

11:30 a.m. The Senate is now voting on the confirmation of James O’Neill to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services.

11:26 a.m. Senator Cotton spoke in support of the nomination of John Eisenberg to be an Assistant Attorney General.

11:21 a.m. Senator Wyden spoke against the nomination of James O’Neill to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services.

10:57 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke on federal funding cuts and the war in Gaza.

10:32 a.m. Senator Barrasso spoke about guns.

10:23 a.m. Democratic Leader Schumer spoke on healthcare. He then spoke on the Ukraine-Russia war.

10:14 a.m. Majority Leader Thune spoke on the budget bill.

10:02 a.m. Senator Grassley paid tribute to researchers at University of Iowa’s Department of Ophthalmology.

10:00 a.m. The Senate is now in session.

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m., and following any Leader remarks will resume consideration of the nomination of James O’Neill to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services.

At 11:30 a.m. the Senate will proceed to a series of two votes:
1. Confirmation of the O’Neill nomination.
2. Cloture on the nomination of John Eisenberg to be an Assistant Attorney General.

At 1:45 p.m. the Senate will proceed to a series of two votes:
1. Confirmation of the Eisenberg nomination.
2. Cloture on the nomination of Brett Shumate to be an Assistant Attorney General.