Wednesday, January 24, 2018

 

6:03 p.. The Senate adjourned until 10 a.m. Thursday, January 25.

5:58 p.m. The Brownback nomination was confirmed 50-49, with Vice President Pence breaking a 49-49 tie.  Senators Corker and McCain did not vote.

5:00 p.m. The vote on confirmation of the Brownback nomination began.

4:55 p.m. Senator Menendez spoke against the Brownback nomination.

4: 05 p.m. Senator Van Hollen spoke on North Korea.

4:03 p.m. ML McConnell achieved UC that at 5:00 p.m. today, the Senate vote on the confirmation of the Brownback nomination, and that at 1:45 p.m. Thursday, the Senate vote on confirmation of RD James to be Assistant Secretary of the Army.

3:46 p.m. Senator Whitehouse gave his weekly climate change speech .

3:30 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Brownback nomination by a party line vote of 50-49, with Vice President Pence breaking a 49-49 tie. Senators Corker and McCain did not vote.

2:52 p.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the Brownback nomination.

2:51 p.m. The Azar nomination as confirmed by a vote of 55 to 43. Dems/IND in favor: Carper, Coons, Donnelly, Heitkamp, Jones, King (I), and Manchin. Senator Paul voted NO. Not voting: Corker and McCain.

2:17 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of the Azar nomination.

2:02 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke on health care and the Azar nomination.

1:30 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about the Rowingan people.

1:09 p.m. Senators Nelson and Murphy spoke against the Azar nomination.

12:22 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke about the Senate Judiciary Committee.

12:00 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke on the Children’s health insurance program.com and the Azar nomination.

11:24 a.m. Senators Hatch and Alexander spoke on the music modernization act, which they will introduce later in the day.

11:11 a.m. Senators Menendez and Shaheen spoke against the Azar nomination.

11:00 a.m. Senator Murray spoke about the opioid epidemic and the Azar nomination.

10:48 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about needs to be addressed in a new spending deal. He spoke about immigration.

10:27 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about legislative needs, such as disaster relief and defense readiness.

10:09 a.m.  Senator Durbin spoke about the need for an immigration agreement.

10:03 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the school shooting in Kentucky. He spoke about pending nominations and about the economy.

*****

The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of Alex Michael Azar II to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.

At 2:15 p.m., post-cloture time will expire for Azar and there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination.

Following disposition of the Azar nomination, there will be a roll call vote on cloture for the nomination of Samuel Dale Brownback to be Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.

Following the cloture vote on Brownback nomination, a voice vote is expected on confirmation of the nomination of R. D. James to be an Assistant Secretary of the Army (Army Corps of Engineers).