Blog

Thursday, April 26, 2018

5:37 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will reconvene for regular business at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, May 7. They will resume consideration of Kurt Englehart to be circuit judge for the 5th circuit with a vote on the cloture motion to occur at 5:30 p.m. There will be two pro forma sessions-Monday, April 30 at 2:30 p.m. and Thursday, May 3 at 10:30 a.m.

5:33 p.m. The following nominations were considered and confirmed en bloc:

  • 710-Rohit Chopra to be a Federal Trade Commissioner
  • 711-Noah Phillips to be a Federal Trade Commissioner
  • 712-Joseph Simons to be a Federal Trade Commissioner
  • 713-Christine Wilson to be a Federal Trade Commissioner
  • 714-Christine Wilson to be a Federal Trade Commissioner
  • 825-Rebecca Slaughter to be a Federal Trade Commissioner

The nomination of Andrea Thompson to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security was confirmed by voice vote.

The following were passed by voice vote:

  • S. Res. 440-April 2018 as Second Chance month
  • S. Res. 464-Supporting the goals and ideals of take our daughters and sons to work day.
  • S. Res. 489-500

4:58 p.m. Senator Cardin spoke about the rise of antisemitism.

4:11 p.m. Senator Portman spoke about the opioid crisis.

4:08 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke about the Alaskans of the week and also about the Pompeo confirmation.

3:47 p.m. The following nominations were considered and confirmed en bloc:

  • 791-Maj. Gen. Dorothy Hegg to be Surgeon General of the Air Force
  • 792-Rear Adm. Richard Snyder to be Vice Admiral
  • 793-Vice Adm. John Aquilino to be Admiral
  • 794-Vice Adm. Charles Richard to be Vice Admiral
  • 795-Capt. Gregory Todd to be Rear Admiral
  • 796-Capt. John Lemmon to be Rear Admiral
  • 797-Rear Adm. (lh) Ronald Copley  and Rear Adm.(lh) Katheleen Creighton to be Rear Admiral
  • 798-Rear Adm. (lh) Brian Corey, Lorin Selby and Johnny Wolfe, Jr. to be Rear Admiral
  • 799-Read Adm. (lh) Darse Crandall to be Rear Admiral
  • 800-Capt. Kristen Fabry and Capt. Joseph Noble to be Rear Admiral (lh)
  • 801-Capt. Heidi Berg, Capt. Michael Brookes, and Capt. William Chase III to be Rear Admiral (lh)
  • 802-Capt. John Adametz to be Rear Admiral (lh)
  • 803-Capt. Thomas Anderson to be Rear Admiral (lh)
  • 804-Capt. James Aiken, Capt. Richard Cheeseman, Capt. Craig Clapperton, Capt. Keith Davids, Capt. Joseph Diguardo, Capt. Leonard Dollaga, Capt. Christopher Gray, Capt. John Gumbleton, Capt. James Kirk, Capt. Timothy Kott, Capt. Fredrick Luchtman, Capt. Brendan McLane, Capt. Scott Pappano, Capt. Ryan Scholl, Capt. Lance Scott, Capt. Philip Sobeck, Capt. John Spence, Capt. Douglas Verissimo, and Capt. George Wikoff to be Rear Admiral (lh)
  • 805-Gen. Terrance O’Shaughnessy to be General
  • 806-Col. Michale Gerock to be Brigadier General
  • 807-Maj. Gen. Stephen Fogarty to be Lieutenant General
  • 808-Brig. Gen. Raymond Dingle to be Major General
  • 809-Maj. Gen. Francis Beaudette to be be Lieutenant General
  • 810-Brig. Gen. Eugene Leboeuf and Brig. Gen. Stephen Strand to be Major General. Col. Aida Borras, Col. Vincent Buggs, Col. Barry Edberg, Col. Cheryn Fasano, Col. Stephen Iacovelli, Col. Isaac Johnson, Col. James Kokaska, Col. Joseph Lestorti, Col. Edward Merrigan, Col. Michael Roache, Col. Beth Salisbury, Col. Charles Sentell, Col. Jamelle Shawley, and Col. Robert Suter to be Brigadier General.
  • 811-Adm. Philip Davidson to be Admiral
  • 812-Read Adm. David Kriete to be Vice Admiral
  • 813-Rear Adm. (lh) to be Rear Admiral
  • 814-Rear Admirals (lh) Eugene Black, William Byrne, Marc Dalton, John Fuller, Michael Holland, Hurgh Howard, Jeffrey Hughes, Thomas Ishee, Roy Kitchener, Stephen Koehler, Samuel Paparo, Jeffrey Trussler, William Wheeler, And Kenneth Whitesell to be Rear Admiral.
  • 815-Rear Adm. (lh) Brent Scott to be Rear Admiral
  • 816-Capt. Darin Via to be Rear Admiral (lh)
  • 817-Lt. Gen. Michael Dana to be Lieutenant General
  • 818-Lt. Gen David Berger to be Lieutenant General
  • 819-Colonels Stephen Liszewski, Lorna Hahlock, David Odom, Arthur Pasagian, Sean Salene, Kevin Stewart, William Swan, Calvert Worth to be Brigadier General
  • 820-Maj. Gen. Charles Chiarotti to be Lieutenant General.

3:46 p.m. Senator McConnell announced that at a time to be determined the Senate will proceed to 10 hours of consideration of the nomination of Mitchell Zais  to be Deputy Secretary of Education followed by a vote.

3:45 p.m. The following nominations were considered and confirmed en bloc:

  • 621-Yleem Poblete to be an Assistant Secretary of State.
  • 789-Thomas Hushek to be Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan
  • 790-Kirsten Madison to be an Assistant Secretary of State
  • 774-Kenneth Barbic to be an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
  • 768-Timothy Garrison to be US Attorney for Missouri
  • 769-Kenji Price to be US Attorney for Hawaii
  • 770-John Bittick to be US Marshal for Georgia
  • 771-David Lyons to be US Marshal for Georgia
  • 772-Rodney Ostermiller to be US Marshal for Montana
  • 784-Nicola Hanna to be US Attorney for California
  • 785-Steven Gladden to be US Marshal for North Carolina
  • 786-Brendan Heffner to be US Marshal for Illinois
  • 787-Theodor Short to be US Marshal for Maine
  • 821-John Peede to be Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities
  • 773-Hannibal Ware to be Inspector General, Small Business Administration
  • 775-Joseph Falvey to be a Judge of the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
  • 776-Paul Lawrence to be Under Secretary for Benefits for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

 

2:22 p.m. Senator Murray asked to consider legislation that would provide alternative minimum funding rules for certain single employer funding plans maintained by a community newspaper, Senator Hatch objected.

2:17 p.m. ML McConnell filed cloture on executive calendar #673, Kurt Englehardt of LA to be a Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit; #690 Michael Brennan to be a Circuit Judge for the 7th Circuit; #729 Joel Carson of New Mexico to be a Circuit Judge for the 10th Circuit; #777 John Nalbandian of Kentucky to be circuit judge for the 6th circuit; #780 Michael Scudder of IL to be a Circuit Court Judge for the 7th Circuit; #781 Amy St. Eve of IL to be Circuit Court Judge for the 7th Circuit.

2:16 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Richard Grenell to be Ambassador to Germany by a vote of 56-42. 6 Democrats voted yes: Senators Donnelly, Heitkamp, Jones, Manchin, McCaskill, and Tester. Senators Duckworth and McCain were absent.

1:45 p.m. Roll call vote began on the Grenell nomination.

1:43 p.m. Senator Corker spoke in favor of the Grenell nomination.

1:34 p.m. Senator Boozman spoke on the opioid crisis.

1:12 p.m. Senator Merkley spoke about the heritage foundation.

1:05 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke in favor of the recently confirmed Pompeo nomination.

1:04 p.m. Senator Cornyn achieved UC that cloture on the Grenell nomination be vitiated, and at 1:45 the Senate will conduct just ONE roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination.

1:03 p.m. By a tally of 57-42, the Pompeo nomination was confirmed.

Senators voting in favor: 50 Republicans, 6 Democrats: Donnelly, Heitkamp, Jones, Manchin, McCaskill and Nelson; 1 Independent: King.

Senators voting against: 41 Democrats, 1 Independent: Sanders.

Senators not voting: 1 Republican: McCain.

12:35 p.m. Roll call vote began on confirmation of the Pompeo nomination.

12:34 p.m. Cloture was invoked on the Pompeo nomination, 57-42.

Senators voting in favor: 50 Republicans, 6 Democrats: Donnelly, Heitkamp, Jones, Manchin, McCaskill and Nelson; 1 Independent: King.

Senators voting against: 41 Democrats, 1 Independent: Sanders.

Senators not voting: 1 Republican: McCain.

12:04 p.m. Roll call vote began on cloture on the Pompeo nomination.

12:00 p.m. Senator Corker spoke in favor of the Pompeo nomination.

11:55 a.m. Senator Menendez spoke against the Pompeo nomination.

11:45 a.m. Senators Burr and Blunt paid tribute to Matthew Pollard, former staffer of the Intelligence Committee who recently passed away from a heart attack.

11:38 a.m. Senator Ernst spoke in favor of the Pompeo nomination.

10:57 a.m. Senator Menendez spoke against the Grenell nomination.

10:53 a.m. Senator Peters spoke against the Pompeo nomination.

10:40 a.m. Senator Warren spoke against the Pompeo nomination.

10:34 a.m. Senator Roberts spoke supporting the Pompeo nomination.

10:24 a.m. Senator Cardin spoke against the Pompeo nomination.

10:22 a.m. Senator Roberts spoke about a bipartisan agreement to consider appropriations.

10:09 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about President Trump’s statements of today. He spoke about the Mueller investigation. He spoke about the medical system.

9:40 a.m. Senator Hatch spoke about undisciplined nominations.

9:33 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about nominations.

*****

The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and will resume consideration of the Pompeo nomination.

Four votes are expected today:

12:05 p.m.

  1. Cloture vote on the nomination of Mike Pompeo to be Secretary of State
  2. Confirmation vote on the Pompeo nomination

1:45 p.m.

  1. Cloture vote on the nomination of Richard Grenell to be Ambassador to Germany
  2. Confirmation vote on the Grenell nomination