Wednesday, December 13, 2017

7:02 p.m. The Senate adjourned. The Senate will reconvene at 10 a.m. Thursday.

6:44 p.m. Senator Brown spoke about the tax bill.

6:29 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about immigration.

5:53 p.m. Senator Duckworth spoke about immigration.

5:41 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about immigration.

5:35 p.m. Senator Udall spoke about immigration.

5:30 p.m. Senator Nelson spoke on DACA.

5:28 p.m. ML McConnell achieves UC that following speeches by Democratic colleagues, the Senate adjourn until 10:00 a.m and at that time resume consideration of the Ho nomination, post cloture.

5:26 p.m. ML McConnell achieves UC that a time to be determined, the Senate take up the following nominations:
1. Owen West to be Assistant Secretary of Defense, with a 30 minute time agreement.

2. Paul Compton to be General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with a 20 minute time agreement.

5:25 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Ho nomination, 53-44.

Senators voting in favor: 50 Republicans, 3 Democrats: Donnelly, Heitkamp and McCaskill.

Senators voting against: 42 Democrats, 2 Independents.

Senators not voting: 2 Republicans: Cochran and McCain, 1 Democrat: Murray.

5:00 p.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on the nomination of James Ho to be a US Circuit court judge for the fifth circuit.

4:59 p.m. The Willett nomination was confirmed on a party line vote of 50-47, with Senators Cochran, McCain and Murray not voting.

4:30 p.m. The Senate is now voting on confirmation of Don R. Willett to be Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit.

4:20 p.m. Senator Manchin spoke about CHIP.

4:09 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke about tax reform.

3:54 p.m. Senator Hoeven spoke about tax reform.

3:39 p.m. Senator Hassan spoke about net neutrality.

3:21 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke about global diplomacy.

3:03 p.m. Senator Cotton paid tribute to Captain Thomas J. Hutner and Colonel Wesley L. Foxx and spoke about A.L.S. Disability Access Act.

2:54 p.m. Senator Fischer spoke about Nebraskan fallen soldier.

2:45 p.m. Senator Coons spoke about arts in education.

2:30 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke about net neutrality.

2:19 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke about the tax bill.

2:08 p.m. Senator Cruz spoke about judicial nominations.

1:56 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about judicial nominations.

1:25 p.m. Senators Wyden, Franken, Merkley spoke about net neutrality.

1:11 p.m. Senator Warren spoke about tax reform and net neutrality.

1:02 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about the Internet.

12:55 p.m. Senator Leahy spoke about Internet policy.

12:47 p.m. Senator Peters spoke about the Internet. He spoke about the children’s health program.

12:35 p.m. Senator Markey spoke in favor of net neutrality noting that a number of Democrats would join him on the floor today to take this position.

12:29 p.m. Senator Capito spoke about “Net neutrality” policy.

12:11 p.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the Alabama election. He spoke about the GOP tax legislation.

12:03 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about judicial nominations. He spoke about Internet policy.

*****

The Senate will convene at noon and will resume post-cloture debate on the nomination of Don R. Willett of Texas to be a circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.