Thursday, September 6, 2018

5:35 p.m. The Senate adjourned. The Senate will next meet in these pro forma sessions, with no business to be conducted:

— Friday, September 7 at 9 a.m.

— Tuesday, September 11 at 5 p.m.

The Senate will next meet in regular session at 3 p.m. Wednesday, September 12 and will resume consideration of cloture for the nomination of Charles Rettig to be commissioner of Internal Revenue. There will be a cloture vote at 5:30 p.m.

5:23 p.m. By voice votes, the Senate agreed to go to conference with the House and named conferees for these appropriations bills:

— The “minibus” for Interior and other agencies, HR. 6147:  Republicans Collins, Lankford, Hoeven, Shelby, Hyde-Smith; Democrats Udall, Reed, Coon, Murphy, Leahy.

— The Defense Department, H.R. 6157:  Republicans Shelby, Blunt, Graham, Moran; Democrats Durbin, Murray, Leahy.

By voice vote, en bloc, the Senate confirmed these nominations to ambassadorships:

— Donald. L. Tapia, Jamaica;

— Michael A. Hammer, Congo;

— Dereck J. Hogan, Moldova;

— Philip S. Kosnett, Kosovo;

— Stephanie Sanders Sullivan, Ghana;

— Judy Rising Reinke, Montenegro.

Also by voice vote, en bloc, the Senate confirmed these nominations of Foreign Service officers to ambassadorships:

— Randy W. Berry, Nepal;

— Donald Lu, Kyrgyz Republic;

–Alaina B. Teplitz, Sri Lanka and Republic of Maldives.

The Senate consented to these measures:

— S. 1417, as amended, on vegetation management;

— H.R. 6124, amending Title II of the Social Security Act;

— S-1586, on the Environmental Sensitivity Index;

— S.Res. 522, making the week of Sept. 23 Gold Stars Remembrance Week;

— S.Res. 603, making this School Bus Safety Month;

— S.Res. 612, making this National Child Awareness Month;

— S.Res. 624, commemorating Arthur Ashe;

— H.R. 302, as amended, on sports medicine.

The Senate consented to consider and vote on S.2554, and the Lee Amendment #4011 at a time to be determined.

The Senate consented to consider and vote on H.R. 6, and the Alexander Amendment #4013 at a time to be determined.

The Senate agreed to meet next week in these pro forma sessions, with no business to be conducted:

— Friday, September 7 at 9 a.m.

— Tuesday, September 11 at 5 p.m.

2:43 p.m. The Senate recessed subject to the call of the chair.

2:42 p.m. S. Res. 623 (To constitute the Majority Party’s membership on certain committees for the 115th Congress or until successors are appointed) was passed by voice vote.

2:41 p.m. Senator McConnell filed cloture on the nomination of Charles Rettig to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

2:40 p.m. The Senate confirmed the following nominations by voice vote:

  • Robert Summerhays to be District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana
  • Eric Tostrud to be District Judge for the District of Minnesota
  • Alan Albright to be District Judge for Western Texas

2:40 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Charles Williams

2:14 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Dominic Lanza by a vote of 60-35.

1:48 p.m. The Senate voted on the nomination of Dominic Lanza to be District Judge for the District of Arizona.

1:46 p.m. The Senate confirmed the following nominations by voice vote:

  • Marilyn Horan to be District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • William Jung to be District Judge for the Middle District of Florida
  • Kari Dooley to be District Judge for the District of Connecticut

1:29 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on the Kavanaugh nomination and opioid overdoses.

1:13 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke on the Kavanaugh nomination.

12:56 p.m. Senator Leahy spoke about appropriations.

12:45 p.m. Senator Murray spoke about appropriations.

12:38 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination.

12:28 p.m. Senator Cotton endorsed Dominic Lanza’s nomination to the U.S. District Court for Arizona.

12:12 p.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination.

12:03 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination. He paid tribute to Walter Oleszek’s 50 years of service in the Library of Congress.

******

The Senate will convene at 12:00 p.m. and proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each.

At least one roll call vote is expected at 1:45 p.m.

At a time to be determined during the week of September 4th, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the following nominations, in the order listed:

o Marilyn Horan for the Western District of Pennsylvania
o William Jung for the Middle District of Florida
o Kari Dooley for the District of Connecticut
o Dominic Lanza for the District of Arizona
o Charles Williams for the Northern District of Iowa
o Robert Summerhays for the Western District of Louisiana
o Eric Tostrud for the District of Minnesota
o Alan Albright for the Western District of Texas