7:04 p.m. The Senate adjourned until 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
6:51 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about climate change.
6:41 p.m. Senator McConnell secured consent for the Senate to take three votes at noon on Thursday:
1.) Confirmation of Joseph Otting’s nomination to be Comptroller of the Currency;
2.) Cloture for the nomination of Donald Coggins to the U.S. District Court for South Carolina;
3.) Cloture for the nomination of Dabney Friedrich to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The Senate consented to let post-cloture time on Coggins and Friedrich run concurrently, if cloture is invoked on those nominations.
During wrap-up, the Senate confirmed by voice vote, en bloc, the nominations of Bobby L. Christine to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia and David L. Freid to be U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
By consent, the Senate passed S. 80, to provide protection for anti-trust whistle-blowers, and H.R. 3949 and H.R. 1545, both measures to amend Title 38 of the U.S. Code.
By consent, the Senate passed, en bloc, Senate Resolutions 332, 333 and 334.
5:17 p.m Senator Van Hollen spoke about taxes.
5 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke about the investigation of Russian involvement in the 2016 election.
4:49 p.m. Senator Warren spoke against the Otting nomination.
4:29 p.m. Senator Brown spoke against the Otting nomination.
4:10 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about Children’s Health Insurance.
3:45 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke about tax reform and about pharmaceutical advertising.
3:34 p.m. Senator Barasso spoke supporting tax reform and about the Bells of Balangiga.
3:14 p.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke about climate change.
2:09 p.m. Senators Gardner, Perdue, Tillis, Kennedy, Capito, Lankford, Cassidy, Sullivan, and Ernst spoke about tax reform.
2:04 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about tax reform.
1:33 p.m. Senator Bennet spoke on health care and tax cuts.
1:16 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Otting nomination 54-44.
Senators in favor: 52 Republicans, 2 Democrats: Heitkamp and Manchin.
Senators against: 42 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders.
Senators not voting: 2 Democrats: Booker and Menendez.
1:01 p.m. The Senate began voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the Otting nomination to be Comptroller of the Currency.
1:00 p.m. The Senate confirmed the Zatezalo nomination by a vote of 52-46, party line vote. Senators Booker and Menendez did note vote.
12:40 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of the Zatezalo nomination to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health.
12:39 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Mark Esper to be Secretary of the Army by a vote of 89-6.
- 50 Republicans voted yes, 38 Democrats voted yes, and 1 Independent voted yes (King).
- 5 Democrats and 1 Independent voted no: Senators Gillibrand, Harris, Markey, Merkley, Sanders (I), and Warren
- Senators Booker, Cruz, Feinstein, Menendez and Tillis did not vote.
12:09 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of Mark Esper to be Secretary of the Army.
12:01 p.m. Senator Murray spoke against the Zatezalo nomination.
11:52 a.m. Senator Reed spoke supporting the Esper nomination.
11:02 a.m. Senator Cotton spoke about taxes.
10:20 a.m Senator Schumer spoke about taxes.
9:45 a.m. Senator Thune spoke about tax reform.
9:33 am Majority Leader McConnell spoke about tax reform and judicial nominations.
The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of David G. Zatezalo to be assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health.
At 11:50 a.m., the Senate will proceed to the consideration of Mark T. Esper’s nomination to be secretary of the Army.
At about noon, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Esper nomination.
Following disposition of the Esper nomination, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Zatezalo nomination.
Following disposition of the Zatezalo nomination, the Senate will vote on cloture for the nomination of Joseph Otting to be comptroller of the currency.
These nominations are next in line for cloture votes:
- Donald C. Coggins Jr., to be a Judge for the District of South Carolina
- Dabney Langhorne Freidrich to be a Judge for the District of Columbia
