Blog

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

7:46 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 31st for a pro forma session.

7:45 p.m. ML McConnell asked u.c. that the Senate meet in a pro forma session om Friday, August 31st at 10:00 a.m. and when the Senate adjourns on Friday, it will next convene at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4th. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of Executive Calendar #1061, Elad L. Roisman, of Maine, to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission. At 5:30 p.m., the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Roisman nomination.

7:38 p.m. S Res 617, recognizing the American Legion for 100 years of service to veterans and members of the Armed Forces in the United States and their families, and designating the week of August 24 through August 30, 2018, as “American Legion Week” – adopted by u.c.

7:38 p.m. S.Res. 620, Congratulating the National Academy of Inventors on the milestone of achieving 200 member institutions – adopted by u.c.

7:37 p.m. #869 Dept of Defense nomination #869, James H. Anderson, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense  – confirmed by voice vote en bloc.

7:36 p.m. Commodity Futures Trading Commission #270, Dawn DeBerry Stump, of Texas, to be a Commissioner of the CFTC; #1039, Dan Michael Berkovitz, of Maryland, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for a term expiring April 13, 2023; Dept of Agriculture #1040, James E. Hubbard, of Colorado, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment – nominations confirmed by voice vote en bloc.

7:35 p.m. United States Postal Service #832, Robert Duncan of KY to be a Governor of the U.S. Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2018 and  #834, David William of IL to be a Governor of the U.S. Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2019 – nominations were confirmed by voice vote en bloc.

7:34 p.m. #1015 Department of Energy nomination – Karen Evans of WV to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response) – nomination confirmed en bloc

7:33 p.m. U.S. Tax Corps nominations #995 Elizabeth Copeland of TX to be a Judge on the US Tax Court and #996 Patrick Urda of IN to be a Judge on the US Tax Court – nominations confirmed by voice vote en bloc.

7:32 p.m. Department of Justice nominations #1066, Ariana Fajardo Orshan, of Florida, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida for the term of four years; #1067, Peter G. Strasser, of Louisiana, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana for the term of four years; #1068, G. Zachary Terwilliger, of Virginia, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia for the term of four years – nominations confirmed by voice vote en bloc.

7:30 p.m. Department of Justice nominations, #916, Charles L. Goodwin, of Hawaii, to be United States Marshal for the District of Hawaii for the term of four years; #917, R. Don Ladner, Jr., of Florida, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Florida for the term of four years; #918, Susan Llewellyn Pamerleau, of Texas, to be United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas for the term of four years; #919, Gadyaces S. Serralta, of Florida, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Florida for the term of four years; #948, John D. Jordan, of Missouri, to be United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri for the term of four years; #949, Mark F. Sloke, of Alabama, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Alabama for the term of four years; #950, Nick Willard, of New Hampshire, to be United States Marshal for the District of New Hampshire for the term of four years; #1004, Maria Chapa Lopez, of Florida, to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida for the term of four years; #1005, Richard E. Taylor, Jr., of Texas, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Texas for the term of four years; – nominations confirmed by voice vote en bloc.

7:29 p.m. Department of State nomination – #1060, David Hale, of New Jersey, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be an Under Secretary of State (Political Affairs) – confirmed by voice vote

7:28 p.m. ML McConnell asked u.c. that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the treaty transmitted to the Senate on August 28, 2018 by the President. Amendments to the Treaty on Fisheries between the governments of certain Pacific Island States and the government of the United States. The Treaty be considered read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

7:27 p.m. ML McConnell began wrap up and filed cloture on Executive Calendar #1061, Elad L. Roisman, of Maine, to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

7:14 p.m. Senator Casey spoke on Senator McCain.

6:51 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke on Senator McCain.

6:30 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke on Senator McCain.

6:16 p.m. Senator Sasse spoke on Senator McCain.

6:07 p.m. Senator Tester spoke about health care.

5:56 p.m. Senator Hoeven spoke on Senator McCain.

5:47 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke on Senator McCain.

5:35 p.m. Senator Moran spoke on Senator McCain.

5:30 p.m. Senator Schatz spoke on Senator McCain.

5:18 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke on Senator McCain.

5:18 p.m. The Senate confirmed Exec. Cal. #837 Nancy Brasel to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Minnesota by a voice vote.

5:17 p.m. The Senate confirmed Exec. Cal. #692 Susan Baxter to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

5:17 p.m. The Senate confirmed Exec. Cal. #676 James R. Sweeney II to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana by a voice vote.

5:16 p.m. The Senate confirmed Exec. Cal. #674 Barry Ashe to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana by a voice vote.

5:15 p.m. The confirmed the nomination of Charles Goodwin to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma by a vote of 52-42.

4:55 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of Charles Goodwin to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma.

4:54 p.m. The confirmed Exec. Cal. #635, R. Stan Baker to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Georgia by a voice vote.

4:53 p.m. The Senate confirmed Exec. Cal. #633, Terry Moorer to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama by a voice vote.

4:52 p.m. The Senate confirmed by a vote of 75-20, Isabel Patelunas to be Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of the Treasury.

4:36 p.m. The Senate is voting on confirmation of Isabel Patelunas to be Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of the Treasury.

4:35 p.m. The Senate confirmed Joseph Hunt to be an Assistant Attorney General by a vote of 72-23.

4:23 p.m. The Senate is voting now on confirmation of Joseph H. Hunt, to be an Assistant Attorney General.

4:21 p.m. The Senate confirmed by voice vote, Exec. Cal. #911 Richard Clarida to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve for the unexpired term of 14 years from February 1, 2008.

4:19 p.m. The Senate confirmed the Clarida nomination to be Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System by a vote of 69-26.

3:46 p.m. The Senate voted on the confirmation of Richard Clarida to be the Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

3:43 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke on Senator McCain.

3:30 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about Richard Clarida’s nomination.

3:22 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on Senator McCain.

3:09 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke on Senator McCain.

At 3:45 p.m., the Senate will proceed to up to 11 roll call votes.

3:00 p.m. Senator Thune spoke on Senator McCain.

2:54 p.m. Senator Reed spoke on Senator McCain.

2:49 p.m. Senator Cassidy spoke on Senator McCain.

2:16 p.m. Senator Graham spoke honoring the life and legacy of his friend, Senator John McCain.

2:15 p.m. The Senate reconvened.

12:48 p.m. The Senate is in recess until 2:15 p.m.

12:38 p.m. Senator Tillis spoke on Senator McCain and Pastor Andrew Brunson.

12:24 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke on Senator McCain and the Kavanaugh nomination.

12:07 p.m. Senator Coons spoke on Senator McCain.

11:51 a.m. Senator Nelson spoke on Senator McCain.

11:38 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on Senator McCain and the Kavanaugh nomination.

11:37 a.m. By a vote of 69 to 26, the Senate invoked cloture on the Clarida nomination to the to the vice chairmanship of the Fed.

11:14 a.m. The cloture vote began on the Clarida nomination to the vice chairmanship of the Fed.

11:13 a.m. By a vote of 67 to 28, the Senate confirmed Lynn Johnson as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services. All Republicans present voted YEA. Nineteen Democrats voted YEA: Baldwin, Bennet, Cantwell, Casey, Donnelly, Hassan, Heitkamp, Hirono, Jones, Kaine, Manchin, McCaskill, Murphy, Murray, Nelson, Schumer, Shaheen, Tester, Wyden. Independent King voted YES.  Not voting: Cruz, Graham, Leahy, Murkowski.

10:41 a.m. The confirmation vote began on the Johnson nomination.

10:31 a.m. Senator Schumer spoke about Senator McCain and about the Kavanaugh nomination.

10:14 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about Senator McCain.

10:03 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about Senator McCain, about nominations, and about the economy.

The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of Lynn A. Johnson to be Assistant Secretary for Family Support, Department of Health and Human Services.

At 10:40 a.m., the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Johnson nomination.

Following disposition of the Johnson nomination, the Senate will vote on cloture for the nomination of Richard Clarida to be Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

From 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m., the Senate will recess for the weekly caucus luncheons.

  • Additional roll call votes are possible today.

NOTE: Cloture has been filed on these additional nominations.  They will be dealt with in this order, with up to thirty hours of post-cloture debate possible on each. 

  • Richard Clarida to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (as distinct from his earlier nomination to be vice chairman of the Fed);
  • Joseph H. Hunt to be an assistant attorney general;
  • Isabel Marie Keenan Patelunas to be assistant Treasury secretary for intelligence and analysis;
  • Terry Fitzgerald Moorer to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama;
  • Stan Baker to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia;
  • Charles Barnes Goodwin to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma;
  • Barry W. Ashe to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana;
  • James R. Sweeney II, to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana;
  • Susan Paradise Baxter to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania;
  • Marilyn Jean Horan to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania;
  • William F. Jung to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida;
  • Dominic W. Lanza to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona;
  • Charles J. Williams to the the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa;
  • Robert R. Summerhays to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana;
  • Alan D. Albright to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.