4:33 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 2nd. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to resume consideration of Executive Calendar #5, Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, for up to 20 minutes of debate, equally divided.
Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the confirmation of the Carson nomination at approximately 10:00 am.
Following disposition of the Carson nomination, there will be up to 10 minutes of debate, equally divided, followed by a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #9, James Richard Perry, of Texas, to be Secretary of Energy.
Please note, if cloture is invoked on the Perry nomination, time will be counted as if invoked at 7:00 am on Thursday, March 2nd.
- Adopted S.Res.74, congratulating the State of Nebraska on the 150th anniversary of the admission of that State into the United States, by unanimous consent.
- Adopted S.Res.77, supporting the goals and ideals of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week, by unanimous consent.
4:10 p.m. Senator Rubio and Senator Coons entered into a colloquy about Russian aggression.
3:27 p.m. Senator Murphy spoke about hate crimes and also spoke about background checks for gun purchases.
3:10 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke about climate change.
2:40 p.m. Senator King spoke about Planned Parenthood and women’s health care centers.
2:32 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke about women’s health care.
2:22 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke about women’s health care.
2:18 p.m. Senator Murray spoke about women’s health care.
1:52 p.m. Senator Manchin spoke about health care for coal miners.
1:26 Senator Durbin spoke about the President’s Joint Address and health care.
1:19 Senator Sasse spoke about Nebraska’s anniversary of statehood.
1:05 p.m. Senator Fischer spoke about Nebraska becoming the 37th state in the union.
11:47 a.m. Senator Brown responded to Senator Cornyn and spoke about the Trump administration, his cabinet nominations; particularly the pending Carson nomination, and the Affordable Care Act.
11:35 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about the address by President Trump last night and the early days of his administration as well as his nominations.
11:30 a.m. Senator Crapo spoke in favor of the Carson nomination.
11:29 a.m. By a tally of 62-37, cloture was invoked on the Carson nomination. Under a previous unanimous consent agreement, time is counted as if cloture was invoked at 1:00 a.m., thus if all time is used, the 30 hours of post cloture time would expire at 7:00 a.m. Thursday.
Senators voting in favor: 51 Republicans, 10 Democrats (Brown, Cardin, Carper, Donnelly, Heitkamp, Manchin, Menendez, Reed, Tester and Warner). 1 Independent (King).
Senators voting against: 37 Democrats, 1 Independent (Sanders).
Senators not voting: Isakson.
11:04 a.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on the Carson nomination.
11:03 a.m. Senator Daines congratulated now Secretary Zinke.
11:01 a.m. The Zinke nomination was confirmed 68-31.
Senators voting in favor: 51 Republicans, 16 Democrats (Bennet, Brown, Coons, Cortez Masto, Donnelly, Heinrich, Heitkamp, Kaine, Manchin, McCaskill, Murphy, Nelson, Tester, Udall, Warner, Wyden), 1 Independent (King).
Senators voting against: 30 Democrats, 1 Independent (Sanders).
Senators not voting: Isakson.
10:34 a.m. Time was yielded back. The confirmation vote began.
10:29 a.m. The Senate went into executive session for up to 20 minutes of debate on the Zinke nomination. Senator Daines spoke for the nomination.
10:16 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the president’s speech. He spoke against the Zinke nomination.
10:02 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about President Trump’s speech last night.
* * *
The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. And will resume consideration of the nomination of Ryan Zinke to be Secretary of the Interior.
At about 10:30 p.m., the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the confirmation of the Zinke nomination.
Following disposition of the Zinke nomination, there will be up to 10 minutes of debate, followed by a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
If cloture is invoked on the Carson nomination, time will be counted as if cloture had been invoked at 1 a.m. on Wednesday. Thus, post-cloture debate time would expire at 7 a.m. on Thursday.
Look Ahead: Nominations and Resolutions of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act for rules finalized between June 13, 2016 and January 19, 2017