Friday, April 7, 2017

The Senate has adjourned and will next convene for pro forma sessions:

  • Monday, April 10th at 1:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, April 13th at 8:30 a.m.
  • Monday, April 17th at 4:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, April 20th at 7:20 p.m.

Following the pro forma on April 20th, the Senate will next convene at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, April 24th. A vote on the the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Sonny Perdue to be the Secretary of Agriculture is expected to occur at 5:30 p.m.   

During wrap-up,  S.861, Federal Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2017, and H.R. 1301, Department of Defense Appropriations Act2017, were read for the second time.

***

12:08 p.m. ML McConnell spoke in support of the Gorsuch confirmation and thanked everyone who helped with the nomination.

12:05 p.m. Senator Gardner spoke in support of the Gorsuch confirmation.

12:01 p.m. Senator Grassley thanked everyone who helped with the Gorsuch nomination.

11:58 a.m. ML McConnell called up and filed cloture on the nomination of Rod Rosenstein to be Deputy Attorney General, with a cloture vote following the vote on the Perdue nomination on Tuesday April 24.

11:57 a.m. The Gorsuch nomination was confirmed 54-45.

Senators in favor: 51 Republicans, 3 Democrats: Donnelly, Heitkamp and Manchin.

Senators against: 46 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders.

Senators not voting: 1 republican: Isakson.

11:32 a.m. Roll call vote began on confirmation of the Gorsuch nomination.

11:24 a.m. Senator Grassley spoke in favor of the Gorsuch nomination.

11:15 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke on the Gorsuch and Merrick Garland nominations.

11:07 a.m. Senator Cornyn spoke on the events in Syria and the Gorsuch nomination.

10:32 a.m. Senator Hatch spoke in favor of the nomination of Heather Wilson to be Secretary of the Air Force; as well as the Gorsuch nomination.

10:15 a.m. Senator McCain spoke about the Gorsuch nomination.

9:57 a.m. Senator Blunt spoke about the Gorsuch nomination.

9:52 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the Gorsuch nomination. He spoke about the U.S. missile attack on Syria.

9:33 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the Gorsuch nomination.

***

The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be associate justice of the Supreme Court.

At about 11:45 a.m., the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Gorsuch nomination.