5:10 p.m. Senate stands adjourned until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, May 21, 2018.
The following were passed by unanimous consent in wrap up:
Exec Cal #593 – Brian Montgomery, TX, To be an asst secy of HUD
- S. 346 – National volcano early warning system
- S. J. Res 60 – Reappointment of Barbara M Barrett, citizen Regent, Board of Regents, Smithsonian Institute
- S. Res 515 – Honoring the 70th Anniversary of the reactivation in 1948 of the third infantry regiment of the U.S. Army
- S. Res 516 – May 1 – 7 Natl Phys Ed and Sport Week.
4:57 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on China.
4:22 p.m. Senator Moran spoke about veterans funding.
4:07 p.m. Senator Donnelly paid tribute to police officers.
4:03 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on the nomination of Jelena Williams to be Chair of the Board of Directors of the FDIC, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and separately to be a member of the Board of Directors. He also filed cloture on the nomination of James Evans to be Ambassador to Luxembourg.
4:00 p.m. ML McConnell filled the tree on the motion to concur with the House Amendment to S. 2372-Veterans Choice Act.
3:56 p.m. ML McConnell files cloture on the nomination of Dana Baiocco to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
3:55 p.m. The Haspel nomination was confirmed 54-45.
Senators voting in favor: 48 Republicans, 6 Democrats (Donnelly, Heitkamp, Manchin, Nelson, Shaheen and Warner)
Senators voting against: 41 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders, 2 Republicans: Flake and Paul.
Senators not voting: 1 Republicans:McCain.
3:24 p.m. Roll call vote began on confirmation of the Haspel nomination.
3:23 p.m. CLoture was invoked on the Haspel nomination, 54-44.
Senators voting in favor: 48 Republicans, 6 Democrats (Donnelly, Heitkamp, Manchin, Nelson, Shaheen and Warner)
Senators voting against: 41 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders, 1 Republican: Paul.
Senators not voting: 2 Republicans:McCain and Young.
2:56 p.m. Senator Cornyn moved to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Haspel nomination.
2:50 p.m. Senator Flake spoke about Chinese company ZTE. The Capitol Police removed a protestor from the visitors gallery.
2:13 p.m. Senator Leahy spoke about the Haspel nomination.
2:08 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about the Haspel nomination.
1:55 p.m. Senator Cotton spoke about the Haspel nomination.
1:10 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about the Haspel nomination.
1:05 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about opioid crisis and law enforcement.
12:27 p.m. Senator Cruz spoke about the embassy opening in Jersusalem.
12:07 p.m. Senators Warner and Burr spoke on the Haspel nomination.
12:06 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke about S Con Res 36.
12:05 p.m. The #Senate rejected a motion to proceed to S.Con.Res.36 (Sen Paul’s 5-year balanced budget resolution), 21-76.
Senators voting in favor: 21 Republicans: Barrasso, Cornyn, Crapo, Cruz, Daines, Enzi, Ernst, Flake, Grassley, Johnson, Kennedy, Lankford, Lee, Moran, Paul, Risch, Rubio, Sasse and Toomey.
Senators voting against: 45 Democrats, 29 Republicans, 2 Independents: King and Sanders.
Senator not voting: 2 Democrats: Booker and Duckworth, 1 Republican: McCain.
11:30 a.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to proceed to S. Con. Res. 36, the Budge Resolution.
11:29 a.m. Senator Inhofe received consent to speak about the balanced budget resolution after the vote.
11:18 a.m. Senator Paul spoke about the balanced budget resolution.
11:03 a.m. Senator Warren spoke against the Haspel nomination and paid tribute to 6 Massachusetts police officers killed in the line of duty.
10:58 a.m. Senator Merkley spoke in support of the Congressional Accountability Act.
10:48 a.m. Senator Graham spoke about the balanced budget resolution.
10:44 a.m. H.R. 2872, Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act, had its first reading and Senator Gillibrand spoke in support.
10:33 a.m. Senator Schumer spoke about the balanced budget resolution, net neutrality, the Russian investigation.
9:54 a.m. Senator Paul moved to proceed to S.Con.Res. 36, 5-year balanced budget resolution.
9:33 a.m. ML McConnell moved to proceed to the nomination of Gina Haspel to be Director of the CIA and filed cloture on the nomination. ML McConnell spoke about U.S. manufacturing, and about departing staffer Brendan Dunn.
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The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 17th. Following leader remarks, Senator Paul will be recognized to make a motion to proceed to S. Con. Res. 36 and that there be up to 90 minutes of debate, with 45 minutes under the control of Senator Paul, or his designee, and 45 minutes under the control of the Democratic Leader, or his designee and then a vote on the motion at about 11:15 a.m.