5:35 p.m. The Senate adjourned. The Senate will next meet in these pro forma sessions, with no business to be conducted:
— Friday, September 7 at 9 a.m.
— Tuesday, September 11 at 5 p.m.
The Senate will next meet in regular session at 3 p.m. Wednesday, September 12 and will resume consideration of cloture for the nomination of Charles Rettig to be commissioner of Internal Revenue. There will be a cloture vote at 5:30 p.m.
5:23 p.m. By voice votes, the Senate agreed to go to conference with the House and named conferees for these appropriations bills:
— The “minibus” for Interior and other agencies, HR. 6147: Republicans Collins, Lankford, Hoeven, Shelby, Hyde-Smith; Democrats Udall, Reed, Coon, Murphy, Leahy.
— The Defense Department, H.R. 6157: Republicans Shelby, Blunt, Graham, Moran; Democrats Durbin, Murray, Leahy.
By voice vote, en bloc, the Senate confirmed these nominations to ambassadorships:
— Donald. L. Tapia, Jamaica;
— Michael A. Hammer, Congo;
— Dereck J. Hogan, Moldova;
— Philip S. Kosnett, Kosovo;
— Stephanie Sanders Sullivan, Ghana;
— Judy Rising Reinke, Montenegro.
Also by voice vote, en bloc, the Senate confirmed these nominations of Foreign Service officers to ambassadorships:
— Randy W. Berry, Nepal;
— Donald Lu, Kyrgyz Republic;
–Alaina B. Teplitz, Sri Lanka and Republic of Maldives.
The Senate consented to these measures:
— S. 1417, as amended, on vegetation management;
— H.R. 6124, amending Title II of the Social Security Act;
— S-1586, on the Environmental Sensitivity Index;
— S.Res. 522, making the week of Sept. 23 Gold Stars Remembrance Week;
— S.Res. 603, making this School Bus Safety Month;
— S.Res. 612, making this National Child Awareness Month;
— S.Res. 624, commemorating Arthur Ashe;
— H.R. 302, as amended, on sports medicine.
The Senate consented to consider and vote on S.2554, and the Lee Amendment #4011 at a time to be determined.
The Senate consented to consider and vote on H.R. 6, and the Alexander Amendment #4013 at a time to be determined.
The Senate agreed to meet next week in these pro forma sessions, with no business to be conducted:
— Friday, September 7 at 9 a.m.
— Tuesday, September 11 at 5 p.m.
2:43 p.m. The Senate recessed subject to the call of the chair.
2:42 p.m. S. Res. 623 (To constitute the Majority Party’s membership on certain committees for the 115th Congress or until successors are appointed) was passed by voice vote.
2:41 p.m. Senator McConnell filed cloture on the nomination of Charles Rettig to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
2:40 p.m. The Senate confirmed the following nominations by voice vote:
- Robert Summerhays to be District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana
- Eric Tostrud to be District Judge for the District of Minnesota
- Alan Albright to be District Judge for Western Texas
2:40 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Charles Williams
2:14 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Dominic Lanza by a vote of 60-35.
1:48 p.m. The Senate voted on the nomination of Dominic Lanza to be District Judge for the District of Arizona.
1:46 p.m. The Senate confirmed the following nominations by voice vote:
- Marilyn Horan to be District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- William Jung to be District Judge for the Middle District of Florida
- Kari Dooley to be District Judge for the District of Connecticut
1:29 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on the Kavanaugh nomination and opioid overdoses.
1:13 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke on the Kavanaugh nomination.
12:56 p.m. Senator Leahy spoke about appropriations.
12:45 p.m. Senator Murray spoke about appropriations.
12:38 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination.
12:28 p.m. Senator Cotton endorsed Dominic Lanza’s nomination to the U.S. District Court for Arizona.
12:12 p.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination.
12:03 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about the Kavanaugh nomination. He paid tribute to Walter Oleszek’s 50 years of service in the Library of Congress.
******
The Senate will convene at 12:00 p.m. and proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each.
At least one roll call vote is expected at 1:45 p.m.
At a time to be determined during the week of September 4th, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the following nominations, in the order listed:
o Marilyn Horan for the Western District of Pennsylvania
o William Jung for the Middle District of Florida
o Kari Dooley for the District of Connecticut
o Dominic Lanza for the District of Arizona
o Charles Williams for the Northern District of Iowa
o Robert Summerhays for the Western District of Louisiana
o Eric Tostrud for the District of Minnesota
o Alan Albright for the Western District of Texas
