The Senate is considering the nomination of Amul Thapar to be a circuit court judge for the 6th circuit; post cloture. Further votes today are unlikely.
7:17 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 10:30 a.m. Thursday.
6:36 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about the House Republican health care bill.
6:17 p.m. Senator Sullivan secured agreement to the preamble to S. Res. 178 to to H.R. 1238, a measure to amend the Homeland Security Act, as amended by the Roberts amendment.
Senator Sullivan spoke about the North Korean threat.
5:59 p.m. Senator Manchin spoke about the House Republican health care bill.
5:39 p.m. Leader McConnell secured consent for a 1:30 p.m. vote Thursday on confirmation vote on the Thapar nomination to the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court.
Without objection, the Senate agreed to S. Res. 177, congratulating the Webster University chess team, and to S. Res. 17, regarding the case United States v. Kevin Lee Olson.
5:27 p.m. Senator Warren spoke against the Thapar nomination.
5:03 p.m. Senator Durbin engaged with Senator Shaheen in a colloquy about the House Republican health care bill.
4:50 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke on health care.
3:54 p.m. By a party line vote of 52-48, cloture was invoked on the Thapar nomination.
3:33 p.m. Roll call vote began on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Amul Thapar to be a circuit court judge for the 6th circuit.
3:32 p.m. The nomination of John Sullivan to be Deputy Secretary of State was confirmed 94-6.
Senators voting against: Booker, Duckworth, Gillibrand, Harris, Sanders and Warren.
Senators not voting:
3:00 p.m. The Senate began voting on the nomination of John J. Sullivan to be Deputy Secretary of State.
2:33 p.m. Senator Carper spoke about climate change.
2:22 p.m. Senator Barasso spoke about rising health care premiums.
2:13 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about health care.
2:05 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke about health care.
1:44 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke about the budget the President sent to Congress.
1:08 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about Puerto Rico.
12:25 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about the nomination of Courtney Elwood to be the CIA General Counsel.
12:12 p.m. Senator Alexander spoke about presidential cabinet nominees. H.R. 375, naming the federal building and courthouse in Nashville, Tennessee, the Fred B. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse, was approved by unanimous consent.
11:29 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on fighting human trafficking.
11:10 a.m. Senator Fischer spoke about transportation funding.
10:59 a.m. Leader McConnell secured consent for debate on the Sullivan nomination to conclude at 3 p.m., whereupon a confirmation vote will occur.
10:40 a.m. Senator Leahy spoke about the budget.
10:25 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the investigation of Russia’s involvement in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. He spoke about the president’s budget. He spoke about the House Republican bill to revise the health care law.
10:03 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the Obama administration’s health care law.
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The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of John J. Sullivan, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of State.
If all time is used, a confirmation vote on Sullivan will occur at 5:30 p.m.
Following disposition of the Sullivan nomination, the Senate will vote on cloture for the nomination of Amul R. Thapar to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit.
NOTE: Cloture has been filed on the nomination of Courtney Elwood, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency. A cloture vote for Elwood could be held on Thursday morning.