Blog

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

The Senate has adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 1st.

There will be 3 votes beginning at 11:45 a.m.:

  1. Confirmation of the Quattlebaum nomination.
  2. Cloture on the nomination of Karen Gren Scholer, to be US District Judge for the Northern District of Texas
  3. Cloture on the nomination of Tilman Eugene Self III to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Georgia

There will be 1 vote at 1:30 p.m.

  1. Cloture on the nomination of Terry A. Doughty to be US District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana

During wrap-up the following legislation was agreed to by unanimous consent:

  • R. 535 – Taiwan Travel Act
  • R. 1625 – TARGET Act
  • Con. Res. 106 – Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall for a ceremony to present the Congressional Gold Medal collectively to the members of the Office of Strategic Services.
  • Res. 404 – A resolution recognizing the coordinated struggle of workers on the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike to voice their grievances and reach a collective agreement for rights in the workplace.
  • Res. 409 – Honoring the Buffalo Soldiers
  • Res. 418 – EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF MARCH 21, 2018, AS NATIONAL ROSY THE RIVETER DAY.
  • R. 1865 had its first reading – Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017.

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6:24 p.m. Senator Hassan spoke about the school shooting in Florida.

6:14 p.m. Senator Booker spoke about the school shooting in Florida.

6:05 p.m. Senator Menendez spoke about the school shooting in Florida.

5:56 p.m. Senator Nelson spoke about the school shooting in Florida.

5:41 p.m. Senator Casey spoke about the school shooting in Florida.

5:40 p.m. The motion to invoke cloture on Marvin Quattlebaum to be U.S. District Judge for South Carolina was agreed to by a vote of 69-29.

5:00 p.m. The nomination of Russell Vought was confirmed by a vote of 49-49 with Vice President Pence breaking the tie. Senators McCain and Rounds did not vote.

3:58 p.m. Senator Gardener spoke about energy resources and federal land.

3:45 p.m. Senator Barrasso spoke about the economy and energy independence.

3:04 p.m. Senator Kennedy spoke about Don Alhart and Sally Ann Roberts.

2:34 p.m. Senator Reed spoke about Russian interference.

2:21 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about taxes and corporate stock buybacks.

2:15 p.m. Senator Lankford spoke about the Rev. Billy Graham.

2:09 p.m. Senator Isakson spoke about Rev. Billy Graham.

2:05 p.m. Senator Thune spoke about Rev. Billy Graham.

1:55 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about Rev. Billy Graham.

1:38 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about tax cuts.

1:23 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about the Fix NICS legislation.

1:21 p.m. Under the provisions of rule 14 S. 2464, a bill to improve border security was read for the second time and placed on the Senate calendar.

1:13 p.m. Senator Murphy spoke about gun safety.

1:00 p.m. Senators Burr and Tillis spoke about Rev. Billy Graham and asked u.c. to consider S.J.Res 53, Honoring the life of William Billy F. Graham Jr., the measure was agreed to by u.c.

12:50 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke about gun legislation and Russian meddling.

12:45 p.m. The Senate convened.

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The Senate will convene at 12:45 p.m., and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of Russell Vought to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

At 4:30 p.m., all post-cloture time on the Vought nomination will expire and the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination.

Following disposition of the Vought nomination, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Marvin Quattlebaum  to be a United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina.

Senator McConnell has also filed cloture on the following nominations:

  • Karen Scholer to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas
  • Tilman Eugene Self III, to be a United States District Judge for the Middle District of Georgia
  • Terry Doughty to be a United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana
  • The cloture petitions on each of the above nominations will ripen one at a time, after disposition of the previous nomination. Each is subject to up to thirty hours of post-cloture debate.