Thursday, October 28, 2021

6:36 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will next convene on Monday, November 1 at 3:00 p.m. Following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of Exec. Cal. #168, Jonathan Davidson, MD, to be Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury.

2 votes at 5:30 p.m.:

  1. Confirmation of Beth Robinson to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.
  2. Confirmation of Toby Heytons to be US Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit.

During wrap-up:

  • All the nominations placed on the Secretary’s Desk for the Navy were confirmed by unanimous consent.
  • The Senate received a message from the House of Representatives that it has passed the Surface Transportation Authorization Extension, that is identical to the text of S. 3122, and the Senate passed it by unanimous consent.

5:51 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on infrastructure and the opioid epidemic.

5:29 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke on the Alaskan of the Week, Veteran Jim Schmidt.

5:16 p.m. ML Schumer filed cloture on the following nominations:

  1. Exec. Cal. #168, Jonathan Davidson, MD, to be Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury.
  2. Exec. Cal. #170, Benjamin Harris, VA, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
  3. Exec. Cal. #337, Isobel Coleman, NY, to be a Deputy Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.
  4. Exec. Cal. #360, Jeffrey M. Prieto, CA, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  5. Exec. Cal. #191, Rajesh D. Nayak, MD, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.

The following nominations were confirmed en bloc via voice vote:

  • Exec. Cal. #369, Matthew M. Graves, D.C., to be United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.
  • Exec. Cal. #412, Rahul Gupta, WV, to be Director of the National Drug Control Policy.
  • Exec. Cal. #470, Guy T. Kiyokawa, HI, to be an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Enterprise Integration).

The following nominations were confirmed en bloc via unanimous consent:

  • Exec. Cal. #467, Read Admiral James M. Kelly, to be appointed to serve as the Director of the Coast Guard Reserve, to be Rear Admiral (Upper Half).
  • Exec. Cal. #478, Brigadier General Randall E. Kitchens, to be appointed as Chief of Chaplains, U.S. Air Force and appointed to be Major General.
  • Exec. Cal. #479, Brigadier General William S. Lynn to be appointed in the Reserve of the Army, to be Major General.
  • All the nominations placed on the Secretary’s Desk for the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Foreign Service, Marine Corps, and Space Force.

The following were adopted by unanimous consent:

  • H.R. 2911, VA Transparency & Trust Act of 2021
  • H.R. 3475, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Columbus, Georgia, as the “Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic”
  • H.R. 4172,  To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Aurora, Colorado, as the “Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley VA Clinic”
  • H.R. 3919, Secure Equipment Act of 2021

5:15 p.m. By a vote of 51-31, cloture was invoked on Toby Heytons to be US Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit.

Republicans voting in support: Collins, Grassley, and Murkowski.

Not voting: Barrasso, Burr, Cramer, Daines, Feinstein, Fischer, Graham, Inhofe, Johnson, Kennedy, Moran, Romney, Rounds, Sanders, Scott (FL), Scott (SC), Tuberville, and Young.

4:09 p.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on Toby Heytons to be US Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit.

4:08 p.m. By a vote of 51-36 , cloture was invoked on Beth Robinson to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.

Republicans voting in support: Collins, Graham and Murkowski.

Not voting: Senators Barrasso, Burr, Cramer, Feinstein, Fischer, Johnson, Kennedy, Moran, Romney, Rounds, Sanders, Scott (FL), and Young.

3:40 p.m. Roll call vote began on the motion to invoke cloture on EBeth Robinson to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.

3:39 p.m. By a vote of 53-36 , the nomination of Elizabeth Prelogar to be Solicitor General was confirmed.

Republican senators voting in support: Collins, Crapo, Graham, Murkowski, Risch, and Tillis.

Senator Hassan voted against.

Senators Barrasso, Burr, Cramer, Feinstein, Johnson, Kennedy, Moran, Rounds, Sanders, Scott (FL), and Young, were absent.

3:11 p.m. Roll call vote began on confirmation of Elizabeth Prelogar to be Solicitor General.

3:06 p.m. Majority Leader Schumer, Republican Leader McConnell and Senators Thune and Durbin paid tribute to Senator Collins on her 8,000 vote.

3:05 p.m. The Senate confirmed Hampton Dellinger to be an Assistant Attorney General 53-37. GOP in favor: Collins, Graham, Murkowski & Tillis. Absent: Barrasso, Burr, Cramer, Feinstein, Johnson, Kennedy, Moran, Rounds Scott of Florida and Young.

2:15 p.m. Senator Reed asked unanimous consent the begin the 2:30 p.m. vote series immediately. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #368 Hampton Y. Dellinger to be an Assistant Attorney General.

1:49 p.m. Senator Cantwell spoke on affordable housing.

1:35 p.m. Senator Tillis spoke on the IRS.

1:12 p.m. Senators Lee and Lummis spoke on government spending and vaccine mandates. Senator Lee asked unanimous consent to call up and pass S. 2851, Transparency in COVID–19 Expenditures Act. Senator Peters objected.

1:08 p.m. By a vote of 56-41, Executive Calendar #263, Christopher Schroeder to be Assistant Attorney General, was confirmed.

Republicans Blunt, Collins, Graham, Grassley, Murkowski, Portman, and Tillis voted in support and Senators Feinstein, Kennedy, and Rounds were absent.

12:26 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #263, Christopher Schroeder to be Assistant Attorney General.

12:25 p.m. By a vote of 53-45, Executive Calendar #347, Matthew Olsen to be an Assistant Attorney General, was confirmed.

Republicans Burr, Collins, Graham, and Murkowski joined in support and Senators Feinstein and Rounds were absent.

`11:48 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of
Executive Calendar #347, Matthew Olsen to be an Assistant Attorney General.

11:47 a.m. By a vote of 52-46 Executive Calendar #367, Omar Williams to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut was confirmed. Republicans Collins, Graham and Murkowski joined in support and Senators Feinstein and Rounds were absent.

11:03 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #367, Omar Williams to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut.

10:55 a.m. Senator Thune spoke on spending legislation.

10:43 a.m. Senator Moran spoke on spending legislation.

10:20 a.m. Republican Leader spoke about AG Garland and spending legislation.

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. and following any leader remarks will resume consideration of the nomination of Executive Calendar #367, Omar Williams to be a US District Judge for the District of Connecticut.

Approximately 11:00 a.m. – 3 roll call votes:

  1. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #367, Omar Williams to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut.
  2. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #347, Matthew Olsen to be an Assistant Attorney General.
  3. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #263, Christopher Schroeder to be Assistant Attorney General.

Approximately 2:30 p.m. – 4 roll call votes:

  1. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #368, Hampton Dellinger to be an Assistant Attorney General.
  2. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #413, Elizabeth Prelogar to be Solicitor General of the United States.
  3. Cloture on Executive Calendar #471, Beth Robinson to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.
  4. Cloture on Executive Calendar #363, Toby Heytens to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit.