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5:18 p.m. The Senate stands adjourned.

5:08 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell announced the Senate meets next Monday, October 2nd at 3:00 p.m. Following Leader remarks the Senate will resume consideration of Executive Calendar #251, Ajit Pai, to be a member of the FCC. At 5:30 p.m. all post-cloture time will expire and the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Pai nomination.

During wrap up:

Passed by voice vote H.R. 2519: The American Legion 100^th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act.

Passed Calendar #217, S.770: to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to disseminate resources to help reduce small business cybersecurity risks, and for other purposes, with committee-reported amendment and Schatz amendment.

Adopted S.Res.267: designating September 2017, as “National Workforce Development Month”.

Adopted S.Res.272: commemorating the 230^th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States.

Adopted S.Res.273: expressing support for the designation of September 2017 as “Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month” in order to educate communities across the United States about sickle cell disease and the need for research, early detection methods, effective treatments, and preventative care programs with respect to sickle cell disease, complications from sickle cell disease, and conditions related to sickle cell disease.

Adopted S.Res.274: supporting the goals and ideals of National Retirement Security Week, including raising public awareness of the various tax-preferred retirement vehicles, increasing personal financial literacy, and engaging the people of the United States on the keys to success in achieving and maintaining retirement security throughout their lifetimes.

Adopted S.Res.275: congratulating Northeastern Illinois University on the sesquicentennial of the University.

Adopted S.Res.276: designating September 2017, as “Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month”.

Adopted S.Res.277: designating the week of September 25, through September 29, 2017, as “National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week”.

Began the Rule 14 process to place on the Legislative Calendar of Business S.1894, to exempt Puerto Rico from the coastwise laws of the United States (commonly known as the “Jones Act”) [McCain-Lee].

Executive Business

Confirmed the following nominations:

ARMY

• Executive Calendar #338 – Col. Michael R. Fenzel to be Brigadier General

AIR FORCE

• Executive Calendar #339 – Maj. Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost to be Lieutenant General
• Executive Calendar #340 – The following to be Brigadier General:
• Col. Jeffery D. Aebischer
• Col. Nathan B. Alholinna
• Col. Boris R. Armstrong
• Col. Kimberly A. Baumann
• Col. Robert L. Bell
• Col. Shawn N. Bratton
• Col. Jeffrey L. Butler
• Col. Michael E. Callahan
• Col. Kevin J. Campbell
• Col. Thomas S. Cauthen
• Col. Lawrence L. Christensen
• Col. Shawn A. Clouthier
• Col. Darwin L. Craig
• Col. Robert C. Desko
• Col. Kevin M. Donovan
• Col. Bobbi J. Doorenbos
• Col. David M. Dziobkowski
• Col. Randal K. Efferson
• Col. Howard L. Eissler, III
• Col. Shawn D. Ford
• Col. Jed J. French
• Col. Daniel E. Gabrielli
• Col. Mark P. Gaul
• Col. Rainer G. Gomez
• Col. Patrick M. Guinee
• Col. Penny C. Hodges-Goetz
• Col. Jeremy C. Horn
• Col. Cassandra D. Howard
• Col. Paul D. Johnson
• Col. Edward S. Jones
• Col. Gary W. Kirk
• Col. Heidi L. Kjos
• Col. Meaghan Q. LeClerc
• Col. Gregor J. Leist
• Col. Suzanne B. Lipcaman
• Col. Keith G. MacDonald
• Col. Rolf E. Mammen
• Col. Gerald E. McDonald
• Col. Christopher G. McGraw
• Col. Michael R. Morgan
• Col. Rebecca L. O’Connor
• Col. Duke A. Pirak
• Col. Jeffrey L. Ryan
• Col. Jon S. Safstrom
• Col. William L. Sparrow
• Col. James R. Stevenson, Jr.
• Col. Jeffrey D. Storey
• Col. Bryan J. Teff
• Col. Edward L. Vaughan, IV
• Col. April D. Vogel
• Col. Charles M. Walker
• Col. Christopher S. Walker
• Col. David A. Weishaar
• Col. Wendy B. Wenke
• Col. Gregory T. White
• Col. Brent W. Wright
• Col. William T. Yates
• Col. Daniel S. Yenchesky

ARMY

• Executive Calendar #341 – Brig. Gen. John E. Cardwell to be Major General
• Executive Calendar #342 – Col. Joseph D’Costa to be Brigadier General
• Executive Calendar #343 – Maj. Gen. Michael A. Bills to be Lieutenant General
• Executive Calendar #344 – Brig. Gen. Daniel J. Christian to be Major General
• Executive Calendar #345 – Brig. Gen. Kenneth H. Moore to be Major General
• Executive Calendar #346 – Col. Matthew P. Easley to be Brigadier General
• Executive Calendar #347 – Col. Johnny R. Bass to be Brigadier General
• Executive Calendar #348 – Col. Tony L. Wright to be Brigadier General

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

• Executive Calendar #328 John R. Bass – to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
• Executive Calendar #334 Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. – to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the Russian Federation
• Executive Calendar #335 Justin Hicks Siberell – to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Bahrain
• Executive Calendar #336 A. Wess Mitchell – to be an Assistant Secretary of State (European and Eurasian Affairs)

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

• Executive Calendar #316 Robert J. Higdon, Jr. – to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina for the term of four years
• Executive Calendar #317 J. Cody Hiland – to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas for the term of four years
• Executive Calendar #318 Joshua J. Minkler – to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana for the term of four years
• Executive Calendar #319 Byung J. Pak – to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia for the term of four years

4:10 p.m. Senator Wyden spoke about tax reform.

3:51 p.m. Senator Hassan spoke against the Pai nomination.

3:40 p.m. Senator Schatz spoke about FCC.

3:29 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about hurricane relief.

3:11 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about Burma.

2:36 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke on health care.

2:29 p.m. Senator Portman spoke on child sex trafficking.

2:28 p.m. Senator Sasse spoke briefly on Puerto Rico.

2:27 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Pai nomination 55-41.

Senators in favor: 49 Republicans, 6 Democrats (Carper, Coons, Manchin, McCaskill, Peters and Tester).

Senators against: 39 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders.

Senators not voting: Cochran, Menendez, Strange and Tillis.

1:49 p.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on the Pai nomination.

1:41 p.m. Senator Thune spoke in support of the Pai nomination.

1:30 p.m. Senator Blumenthal spoke on the situation in Puerto Rico.

1:26 p.m. H.R. 3823 (FAA extension) with a Cassidy amendment (flood insurance) was passed by unanimous consent.

1:04 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke about the Alaskan of the Week, Roseanne Kimpton and also spoke about the U.S. economy.

12:56 p.m. Senator Moran spoke about privatization of FAA.

12:49 p.m. Senator Nelson spoke against the Pai nomination.

12:48 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Ralph R. Erickson to be US Circuit Judge for the Eight Circuit by a vote of 95-1. Senator Warren voted no. (Senators Cochran, Menendez, Strange, and Tillis did not vote).

12:15 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the nomination of Ralph R. Erickson to be US Circuit Judge for the Eigth Circuit.

12:12 p.m. Senator Hoeven spoke in favor of the Erickson nomination.

12:09 p.m. Senator Manchin paid tribute to West Virginia educator Mary Jo Brown.

12:01 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about recovery in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the FAA and the Pai nomination.

11:42 a.m. Senator Markey spoke against the Pai nomination.

11:31 a.m. At 12:15 p.m. there will be a confirmation vote on the Erickson nomination. Once that nomination is disposed of then the Senate will resume consideration of the Pai nomination with a cloture vote at 1:45 p.m. 

11:28 a.m. Senator Wicker spoke supporting the Ajit Varadaraj Pai nomination to be a member of the FCC.

11:14 a.m. Senator Baldwin spoke about student loan debt and asked u.c. to call up S. 1808, Federal Perkins Loan Program Extension Act. Senator Alexander objected.

11:13 a.m. Cloture was invoked on the Erickson nomination by a vote of 95-1. Senator Warren voted no. (Senators Cochran, Franken, Menendez, and Strange did not vote).

10:45 a.m. The cloture vote began on the Erickson nomination.

10:41 a.m. Senator Heitkamp spoke supporting the Erickson nomination.

10:24 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about the Pai nomination, health care, Puerto Rico’s hurricane damage, and taxes.

10:05 a.m. Senator Wyden spoke against the Pai nomination.

9:32 a.m. The Senate resumed consideration of the Erickson nomination.

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The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and will resume consideration of the nomination of Ralph R. Erickson, of North Dakota, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit.

A cloture vote on the Erickson nomination is expected between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

If cloture is invoked and post-cloture debating time is ceded back, a confirmation vote on Erickson would ensue, followed by a cloture vote on the nomination of Ajit Varadaraj Pai, of Kansas, to be a member of the Federal Communications Commission.