10:18 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will next convene on Wednesday, December 8 at 10:00 a.m. Following leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business.
11:30 a.m. – 1 roll call vote:
- Motion to invoke cloture on Exec. Cal. #585, Rachel S. Rollins, MA, to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
2:15 p.m. – 2 roll call votes:
- Confirmation of the Rollins nomination (if cloture is invoked).
- Motion to invoke cloture on Exec. Cal. #482, Michael D. Smith, VA, to be Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service.
5:15 p.m. – 1 roll call vote:
- Confirmation of the Smith nomination (if cloture is invoked).
Additional roll call votes are expected.
During wrap-up:
- ML Schumer filed cloture on the motion to concur in the House Amendment to S.610 (vehicle for debt ceiling track/Pay-Go/Medicare fix) and filled the tree.
- Cloture was also filed on the following nominations:
- Exec. Cal. #486, Lucy Haeran Koh, CA, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.
- Exec. Cal. #533, Jennifer Sung, OR, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.
- Exec. Cal. #576, Samantha D. Elliott, NH, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of New Hampshire.
- The following nominations were confirmed via voice vote en bloc:
- Exec. Cal. #583, Brandon B. Brown, LA, to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana for the term of four years.
- Exec. Cal. #584, Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., LA, to be U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana for a term of four years.
- Passed by unanimous consent: S. 2629, Better Cyber Crimes Metrics Act.
- Adopted by unanimous consent: S. Con. Res. 22, To Provide for the Use of the Catafalque for the Honorable Robert Joseph Dole.
- Adopted by unanimous consent: S. Con. Res. 23, Authorizing Use of the Rotunda of the Capitol for the Lying in State of the Remains of Robert Joseph Dole.
7:41 p.m. Senator Murray spoke on child care.
6:53 p.m. The Senate is currently voting on the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 31, a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of certain defense articles. The vote was not agreed to 30-67. Voting No: Baldwin, Booker, Brown, Cantwell, Casey, Duckworth, Durbin, Gillibrand, Heinrich, Hirono, Kaine, Lee, Luján, Markey, Merkley, Murray, Ossoff, Padilla, Paul, Peters, Sanders, Schatz, Schumer, Smith, Stabenow, Tester, Van Hollen, Warnock, Warren, and Wyden.
6:51 p.m. RL McConnell spoke on the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 31 (Saudi Arabia).
6:48 p.m. Senator Risch spoke on the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 31 (Saudi Arabia).
6:42 p.m. Senator Menenedez spoke on the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 31 (Saudi Arabia).
6:29 p.m. Senator Sanders spoke on the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 31 (Saudi Arabia).
6:21 p.m. Senator Paul spoke on the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 31 (Saudi Arabia).
5:30 p.m. The Senate is currently voting on confirmation of the nomination of Chris Magnus to be Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection. The vote was agreed to by a vote of 50-47. Senator Collins vote in favor. Senators Cotton, Lankford, and Leahy did not vote.
Following the Magnus confirmation vote, 45 minutes of debate are expected prior to the Senate proceeding to a roll call vote on the motion to discharge S.J.Res.31, a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of certain defense articles.
4:50 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke on nominations and then asked unanimous consent for the following nominations to be confirmed en bloc. (Senator Cotton objected to the request. The differences were worked out and the nominations were confirmed via voice vote)
Executive calendar # 534, Clare E. Connors, of Hawaii, to be United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii for the term of four years.
Executive calendar #535, Zachary A. Cunha, of Rhode Island, to be United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island for the term of four years.
Executive calendar # 536, Nikolas P. Kerest, of Vermont, to be United States Attorney for the District of Vermont for the term of four years.
Executive calendar #581, Gregory K. Harris, of Illinois, to be United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois for the term of four years.
Executive calendar #582, Philip R. Sellinger, of New Jersey, to be United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey for the term of four years.
4:36 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke on the Magnus nomination.
4:27 p.m. Senator Peters asked for the Senate to confirm the following nominations by unanimous consent and Senator Scott (FL) objected:
Executive Calendar #404, Rupa Ranga Pattagunta, of the District of Columbia, to be Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for a term of fifteen years.
Executive Calendar #406, Kenia Seoane Lopez, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years.
Executive Calendar #410, Sean C. Staples, of the District of Columbia, to be a Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years.
Executive Calendar #556, Ebony M. Scott, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years.
Executive Calendar #557, Donald Walker Tunnage, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for a term of fifteen years.
Executive Calendar #551, Laurie E. Locascio, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for the Standards and Technology.
The following nominations were confirmed en bloc by voice vote:
Executive Calendar #558, Michael Kubayanda, of Ohio, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission for a term expiring November 22, 2026
Executive Calendar #555, Erik Adrian Hooks, of North Carolina, to be Deputy Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
4:05 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on Build Back Better, NDAA, debt limit and the continuing resolution.
3:47 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke on fentanyl.
3:46 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the Magnus nomination 52-47. Senators Cassidy and Collins voted in favor. Senator Lankford did not vote.
2:58 p.m. The Senate began a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Chris Magnus to be Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection.
2:57 p.m. The Senate confirmed the Hamilton nomination, 52-48. Senators Collins and Murkowski voted in favor.
2:17 p.m. The Senate began a vote on confirmation of Deirdre Hamilton to be a Member of the National Mediation Board.
2:15 p.m. The Senate returned from recess.
1:02 p.m. The Senate stands in recess until 2:15 p.m.
1:02 p.m. By a vote of 51-48, the Senate invoked cloture on Executive Calendar #480 Deirdre Hamilton to be a Member of the National Mediation Board (term expiring July 1, 2022). Senators Collins and Murkowski voted in favor. Senator Duckworth did not vote.
12:18 p.m. The Senate began a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #480 Deirdre Hamilton to be a Member of the National Mediation Board for a term expiring July 1, 2022.
12:17 p.m. By a vote of 68-31, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Jessica Rosenworcel to be a Member of the FCC.
11:31 a.m. The Senate began a vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #567 Jessica Rosenworcel to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission for a term of five years from July 1, 2020.
11:22 a.m. Senator Kelly paid tribute to former Congressman Ron Barber.
11:12 a.m. Senator Barrasso spoke on Build Back Better.
10:59 a.m. Senator Thune paid tribute to two WWII veterans: Marcella LaBeau, a U.S. Army Nurse, and Bob Dole. He then spoke on Build Back Better.
10:46 a.m. Senator Markey spoke in support of the nomination of Exec. Cal. #320, Rufus Gifford, MA, to be Chief of Protocol, and to have the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service and then asked unanimous consent for the Senate to confirm the nomination. Senator Cruz objected and spoke about his hold on the Gifford nomination. Senator Cruz asked unanimous consent that the Senate pass S.3322. Senator Markey objected.
10:22 a.m. RL McConnell spoke on Build Back Better,
10:11 a.m. ML Schumer spoke on the debt ceiling, the Rosenworcel nomination, Build Back Better, and former Brooklyn Dodger Gil Hodges.
The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and resume consideration of the nomination of Jessica Rosenworcel to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission, post-cloture.
At approximately 11:30 a.m., the Senate will proceed to two roll call votes relative to the following:
- Confirmation of the nomination of Jessica Rosenworcel to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission.
- Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Dierdre Hamilton to be a Member of the National Mediation Board.
Following the Hamilton vote, the Senate will recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus luncheon.
At approximately 2:15 p.m., if cloture is invoked on the Hamilton nomination, the Senate will proceed to two roll call votes relative to the following:
- Confirmation of the nomination of Dierdre Hamilton to be a Member of the National Mediation Board.
- Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Chris Magnus to be Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection.
At approximately 5:30 p.m., if cloture is invoked on the Magnus nomination, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on confirmation of the Magnus nomination.
As early as Tuesday’s session, the Senate may consider S.J.Res.31, providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of certain defense articles.