Wednesday, July 14, 2021

7:57 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will reconvene at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 15. They will resume consideration of nomination of J. Nellie Liang to be Under Secretary of the Treasury. At 11:00 a.m. the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Liang nomination and also vote on confirmation of nomination of David Remy to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. At 1:45 p.m., the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Tiffany Cunningham  to be U.S. Circuit Court Judge for Illinois.

During wrap up:

Passed, S.65, Ensure that goods made with labor force in the Xinjiang Uyghur region do not enter the country.

Agreed to S. Res. 107, Sense of the Senate relating to the 10th anniversary of the March 11, 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan.

Agreed to S. Res. 289, Designating June 2021 National Post Traumatic Stress Awareness Month and June 27, 2021 as National Stress Awareness Day.

7:45 p.m. Senator Blackburn spoke about the voting rights bill and also about nominations.

7:13 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about voting rights.

7:02 p.m. Senator Gillibrand spoke about the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act. She attempted to get unanimous consent to proceed to the bill. Senator Reed objected.

7:01 p.m. Senator Schumer announced an agreement regarding H.R. 1652-Crime Victims Bill. At a time TBD there will be two hours of debate on the bill with only the Toomey amend #2121 be the only amendment in order. There will be a 60 vote affirmative threshold for passage.

7:00 p.m. By a vote of 90-8, cloture was invoked on the Remy nomination.

6:24 p.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of David Remy to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

6:23 By a vote of 72-27, cloture was invoked on the Liang nomination.

Senator Menendez joined 26 Republicans and voted no.

Senator Graham did not vote.

5:45 p.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of J. Nellie Liang to be Under Secretary of the Treasury.

5:27 p.m. Senator Inhofe spoke about the Defense Budget.

5:15 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about gun shows, climate change and also about voter suppression.

4:58 p.m. Senator Braun asked unanimous consent to pass S. 1920-ATF Accountability Act. Senator Durbin objected.

4:51 p.m. Senators Braun and Daines spoke in opposition to the Chipman nomination to be Director of ATF.

4:27 p.m. Senators Booker, Bennet and Brown spoke about the Child Tax Credit.

4:13 p.m. Senator Murphy spoke on gun violence and paid tribute to William Vanden Heuvel.

4:08 p.m. Senator Scott of Florida spoke about the Surfside building collapse. Senator Scott asked u.c. to call up and pass S.Res. 300, Honoring the memories of the victims of the building collapse in Surfside, FL, on June 24, 2021, and the bravery and selfless service of the individuals who responded to the building collapse. S.Res. 300, passed by unanimous consent.

4:07 p.m. By a vote of 53-46, the Senate confirmed Seema Nanda to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor.

3:30 p.m. The Senate began a vote on confirmation of the Nanda nomination.

3:22 p.m. By a vote of 52-47, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Jocelyn Samuels to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term expiring July 1, 2026. (Reappointment).

2:40 p.m. The Senate began a vote on confirmation of the Samuels nomination.

2:38 p.m. Senator Murray spoke supporting the Samuels nomination.

2:01 p.m. Senators Blunt, Ernst, Grassley, Wicker, Marshall and Scott of FL, spoke on inflation.

2:00 p.m. The Senate reconvened.

12:48 p.m. The Senate stands in recess until 2:00 p.m.

12:47 p.m. Cloture was invoked, 53-47: Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #120 Seema Nanda to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor.

12:16 p.m. The Senate began a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #120 Seema Nanda to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor.

12:16 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the Samuels nomination, 53-47.

Republican Senators Collins, Grassley and Murkowski joined all Democrats and voted yes.

11:26 a.m. The Senate began a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #121 Jocelyn Samuels to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term expiring July 1, 2026. (Reappointment).

11:16 a.m. Senators Boozman and Cotton spoke paying tribute to the life of Office Kevin Apple.

11:07 a.m. Senator Lummis spoke on nominations.

10:47 a.m. Senator Thune spoke on election laws and on agriculture issues.

10:26 a.m. RL McConnell spoke on H.R. 1. and election laws.

10:12 a.m. ML Schumer spoke about the American Jobs and Families plan.

10:00 a.m. The Senate convened.

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Following Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and resume consideration of the nomination of Jocelyn Samuels to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

At 11:30 a.m., the cloture motions with respect to the Samuels nomination and the nomination of Seema Nanda to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor will ripen and Senate will proceed to two roll call votes relative to the following:

o             Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Jocelyn Samuels to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

o             Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Seema Nanda to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor.

Following the Nanda vote, the Senate will recess until 2:00 p.m.

At 2:35 p.m., if cloture is invoked on either nomination, all post-cloture time will expire and the Senate will proceed to two roll call votes relative to the following:

o             Confirmation of the nomination of Jocelyn Samuels to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

o             Confirmation of the nomination of Seema Nanda to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor. Additional roll call votes are expected during Wednesday’s session