Wednesday, February 2, 2022

9:32 p.m. The Senate stands adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 3, 2022.

9:09 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke about immigration policy.

9:08 p.m. Coast Guard Promotions confirmed by Unanimous Consent: All nominations on the Secretary’s Desk in the Coast Guard.

9:07 p.m. Military Promotions confirmed by Unanimous Consent: Executive Calendar #695-#700, and all nominations on the Secretary’s Desk in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy.

9:07 p.m. The Senate confirmed by voice vote: Executive Calendar #571 Shelly C. Lowe to be Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities for a term of four years.

9:06 p.m. By a vote of 76-18, the Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of John Coffey to be General Counsel of the Department of the Navy.

8:44 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of John Coffey to be General Counsel of the Department of the Navy.

8:44 p.m. The Senate confirmed by voice vote: Executive Calendar #474 Andrew Philip Hunter to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.

8:43 p.m. The Senate confirmed by voice vote: Executive Calendar #473 Gabriel Camarillo to be Under Secretary of the Army.

8:42 p.m. By a vote of 64-30, cloture was invoked on Chantale Yokmin Wong to be United States Director of the Asian Development Bank, with the rank of Ambassador.

8:17 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Chantale Yokmin Wong to be United States Director of the Asian Development Bank, with the rank of Ambassador.

8:17 p.m. By a vote of 68-26, cloture was invoked on Scott Nathan to be CEO of the International Development Finance Corporation.

8:02 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #627, Scott Nathan to be CEO of the International Development Finance Corporation.

8:02 p.m. By a vote of 66-28, cloture was invoked on the Carty nomination.

7:49 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #649, Lisa A. Carty to be Representative of the U.S. on the Economic and Social Council of the UN.

7:47 p.m. By a vote of 54-37, cloture was invoked on the Gutmann nomination.

Republicans voting Aye: Blunt, Collins, Graham, Kennedy, Romney, Rounds, and Toomey.

Not voting: Coons, Cornyn, Cramer, Daines, Hoeven, Lujan, Rubio, Tuberville, and Van Hollen.

7:29 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #644 Amy Gutmann to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Federal Republic of Germany.

7:28 p.m. ML Schumer asked u.c. to add an additional vote to the 6:30pm vote series today: Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #495 John Patrick Coffey to be General Counsel of the Department of the Navy.

7:27 p.m. By a vote of 55-40, the Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of Loren L. AliKhan to be Associate Judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals.

Repubican Senators voting yes: Blunt, Collins, Graham, Murkowski, Portman, Romney and Tillis.

Not voting: Senators Cramer, Daines, Lujan and Van Hollen.

6:40 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Loren L. AliKhan to be Associate Judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals.

6:35 p.m. Senator Menendez spoke in favor of the Gutmann nomination.

6:30 p.m. Senator Marshall spoke on border security and law and order.

6:18 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke on inflation.

6:00 p.m. Senator Scott (FL) spoke on the No Taxpayer Dollars for Communist China Covid Tests Act and asked unanimous consent that the Senate pass S.3565. Senator Wyden objected and Senator Scott asked unanimous consent that the Senate extend and modify the special rules for the Child Tax Credit and the advanced payments of the Child Tax Credit for one year. Senator Wyden objected.

5:47 p.m. Senator Cantwell spoke on science, space, and technology infrastructure.

5:28 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke on the Grassley-Johnson Report on Biden.

5:26 p.m. Senator Wyden achieved a UC to have cloture votes on the following seven nominations beginning this evening at 6:30 p.m:
1. Loren AliKhan to be an Associate Judge on the DC Court of Appeals.
2. Amy Gutmann to be Ambassador to Germany.
3. Lisa Carty to be Representative on the Economic and Social Council of the UN.
4. Scott Nathan to be CEO of the International Development Finance Corporation.
5. Chantale Wong to be Director of the Asian Development Bank.
6. Gabriel Camarillo to be Under Secretary of the Army.
7. Andrew Hunter to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.

Further, at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 3rd, the Senate proceed to cloture votes on the following four nominations:
1. John Coffey to be General Counsel of the Navy.
2. Alexander Baker to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
3. Reta Lewis to be President of the Export-Import Bank.
4. Leonard Stark to be Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit.

The confirmation votes on all eleven nominations would occur at a time to be determined.

5:03 p.m. Senator Braun spoke about an IRS bill of his, and asks UC to take up and pass S. 2132. Senator Wyden objected.

5:02 p.m. By a vote of 62-34, the Senate invoked cloture on the Howard nomination.

4:13 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on cloture on the nomination of John P. Howard III to be an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

4:12 p.m. By a vote of 59-38, the Senate confirmed the Staples nomination.

Republicans in favor: Blunt, Capito, Collins, McConnell, Murkowski, Portman, Rounds, Tillis, Toomey, & Young.

Senators not voting: Hoeven, Lujan, and Romney

3:22 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Sean Staples to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

3:21 p.m. By a vote of 59-38, the Senate confirmed the Lopez nomination.
Republicans in favor: Blunt, Capito, Collins, McConnell, Murkowski, Portman, Rounds, Tillis, Toomey & Young.
Senators not voting: Hoeven, Lujan and Romney.

2:34 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Kenia Lopez to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

2:09 p.m. Senators Portman, Blunt, and Blackburn spoke on the border.

1:50 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke on climate change.

1:22 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on the pandemic, sexual assault, energy, inflation, crime, appropriations.

1:13 p.m. Senator Peters spoke on nominations.

1:12 p.m. By a vote of 57-38, the Senate invoked cloture on the Tunnage nomination.

Republicans in favor: Blunt, Capito, Collins, Graham, Murkowski, Portman, Rounds, Tillis and Toomey.
Senators not voting: Hoeven, Lujan, Marshall, Romney and Van Hollen.

12:33 p.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Donald Tunnage to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

12:32 p.m. By a vote of 58-37, the Senate invoked cloture on the Scott nomination.

11:54 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Ebony Scott to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

11:53 a.m. By a vote of 57-38, the Puttagunta nomination was confirmed.

GOP voting Aye: Blunt, Capito, Collins, Graham, McConnell, Murkowski, Portman, Rounds, Tillis, and Toomey.

Senators not voting: Hoeven, Lujan, Romney, Sanders, and Van Hollen.

11:09 a.m. The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Rupa Puttagunta to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

11:03 a.m. Senator Braun spoke about abortion and asked unanimous consent that the Senate adopt S. Res. 494. Senator Murray objected.

10:49 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about appropriations, Ukraine, and big tobacco.

10:34 a.m. RL McConnell spoke about Senator Lujan, the pandemic, and Ukraine.

10:17 a.m. ML Schumer spoke about Senator Lujan, nominations, and banned books.

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m.  At that time, resume consideration of the nomination of Rupa Puttagunta to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

There will be three votes beginning at approximately 11:00 a.m.:

  1. Confirmation of Rupa Puttagunta to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  2. Cloture on the nomination of Ebony Scott to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  3. Cloture on the nomination of Donald Tunnage to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

There will be three further votes at approximately 2:15 p.m.:

  1. Confirmation of the nomination of Kenia Lopez to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  2. Confirmation of the nomination of Sean Staples to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  3. Cloture on the nomination of John Howard to be an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Further votes are possible on Wednesday.