Tuesday, September 10, 2019

5:45 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11th.

5:43 p.m. Senator Cassidy conducted wrap up. Passed S.1881, Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act; Passed S.2035, TSA Credential and Endorsement Harmonization Act.

Wednesday September 11 at 11:00am – 3 roll call votes:

  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #174, Stephen Akard, of Indiana, to be Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with the rank of Ambassador
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #246, Dale Cabaniss, of Virginia, to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #294, James Byrne, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Wednesday September 11 at 2:45 pm – up to 9 roll call votes:

  • Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #333, Michelle Bowman, of Kansas, to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
  • Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #335, Thomas Feddo, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Investment Security
  • Motion to invoke cloture Executive Calendar #407, Jennifer Nordquist, of Virginia, to be United States Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #233, Stephanie L. Haines, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #326, Ada E. Brown, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #327, Steven D. Grimberg, of Georgia, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #352, Steven C. Seeger, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #344, Mary S. McElroy, of Rhode Island, to be United States District Judge for the District of Rhode Island
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #346, Stephanie A. Gallagher, of Maryland, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland

4:37 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke about climate change.

4:27 p.m. Senator Cassidy congratulated the East Bank Little League team for winning the 2019 Little League World Series.

3:55 p.m. Senator Booker spoke on S. 169, updating water infrastructure in cities.

3:55 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture cloture on Executive Calendar #294, James Byrne, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs by vote 81-13.

3:15 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on Executive Calendar #246, Dale Cabaniss, of Virginia, to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management for a term of four years by a vote of 53 to 41.

2:44 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of Stephen Akard to be Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with the rank of Ambassador by a vote 91-3.

2:43 p.m. The confirmed Elizabeth Darling to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services by a vote of 57-37.

Senators Jones, King (I), Manchin, Murphy, Tester, and Whitehouse joined 51 Republicans in voting yes.

Not voting: Alexander, Harris, Roberts, Sanders, Sinema and Warren

2:15 p.m. The Senate reconvened and began voting on confirmation of the Darling nomination.

1:06 p.m. By a vote of 57 to 37, cloture was invoked on the Darling nomination. Senate recessed for policy luncheons.

12:32 p.m. By a vote of 56 to 38, the Craft nomination was confirmed. YEAS: 51 Republicans and Democrats Coons, Hassan, Manchin, Murphy and Shaheen. NAYS 37 Democrats and independent King. Not voting: Alexander, Harris, Roberts, Sanders, Sinema and Warren. Vote on cloture for the Darling nomination began.

11:55 a.m. The Senate began voting on Confirmation of Kelly Craft to be Representative of the U.S. to the United Nations General Assembly.

11:44  a.m. Senator Leahy spoke against cuts to Defense spending.

11:29 a.m. Senator Kaine spoke supporting the Defense Authorization and Appropriations bills.

11:20 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on rape kit backlogs.

11:03 a.m. Senator Peters spoke against the Cabaniss nomination.

10:18 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the administration’s transfer of funds from the military to pay for border wall construction.

He spoke about appropriations and gun control.

10:04 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell about nominations, appropriations and a temporary spending measure. He spoke about the milestone — in 1619 — of the “original sin” of slavery in America.

10:02 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke about agriculture and the pending trade deal with Mexico and Canada.

***

The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of Kelly Craft to be representative of the United States to the United Nations General Assembly.

At 11:50 a.m. the Senate will proceed to two roll call votes:

  • Confirmation of the Craft nomination;
  • Cloture on the nomination of Elizabeth Darling to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services.

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

  • At 2:15 p.m., all post-cloture time will be considered expired on the Darling nomination and the Senate will proceed to four roll call votes:   
  • Confirmation of the Darling nomination;
  • Cloture on the nomination of Stephen Akard to be Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with a rank of Ambassador;
  • Cloture on the nomination of Dale Cabaniss to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management;
  • Cloture on the nomination of James Byrne to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Senator McConnell has filed cloture on these additional nominations, to considered during this week’s session:

  • Kelly Craft to be the U.S. representative of to the Sessions of the U.N. General Assembly of the United Nations.
  • Michelle Bowman to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for a term of fourteen years from February 1, 2020.
  • Thomas Feddo to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Investment Security.
  • Jennifer Nordquist to be United States Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.