Thursday, July 13, 2017

5:57 p.m. Senate adjourns until Monday July 17 at 3:00 p.m.

5:56 p.m. ML McConnell wraps up for the evening.  HR 2430, regarding the Food and Drug administration had its first reading.

5:05 p.m. Senators Cassidy, Cantwell and Stabenow spoke on health care.

4:52 p.m. Senator Sullivan paid tribute to the “Alaskan of the week.”  On this occasion, he recognized Gene Zerkel, an aviation entrepreneur.

4:30 p.m. Senator Johnson spoke on the opioid crisis.

4:18 p.m. Senator Blunt spoke about the nomination process in the Senate.

4:06 p.m. Senator Sanders spoke about the just released Health Care bill.

3:38 p.m. Senators Heitkamp, Capito, Whitehouse, and Manchin spoke about coal, electricity and Co2 emissions.

3:24 p.m. Senator Portman spoke about human trafficking.

3:10 p.m. Senator Heitkamp spoke about health care.

3:04 p.m. Senator Shaheen asked unanimous consent to proceed to and pass S.1462 and Senator Cornyn objected.

2:59 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about health care.

2:47 p.m. Senator Heitkamp spoke about health care.

2:40 p.m. Senator Shaheen spoke about health care.

2:15 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke about health care, and then paid tribute to a former staffer, Everett Eissenstat.

2:10 p.m. Senator Flake spoke about the national debt.

2:10 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell filed cloture on Executive Calendar #157, Patrick M. Shanahan to be Deputy Secretary of Defense.

2:08 p.m. The Senate confirmed the nomination of William F. Hagerty, IV to be ambassador to Japan by a vote of 86-12.

Senators voting against: Booker, Brown, Gillibrand, Harris, Heinrich, Hirono, Merkley, Peters, Sanders (I), Stabenow, Udall and Warren.

Senators not voting: McCaskill and Moran.

1:45 p.m. The Senate began voting on confirmation of William F. Hagerty IV to be ambassador to Japan.

1:30 p.m. Senators Alexander and Corker spoke supporting the Hagerty nomination.

1:20 p.m. Senator Markey spoke about health care and the opiod crisis.

1:09 Senator McCain spoke about defense issues and asked UC that on Monday, July 17th at 5:00 p.m., the Senate proceed to consideration of Executive Calendar #157 the nomination of Patrick Shanahan to be Deputy Secretary of Defense. Senator Schumer objected.

1:00 p.m. Senator Peters spoke about health care.

12:52 p.m. Minority Leader Schumer discussed the shortcomings of the Republican health care draft.

12:40 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke on the revised draft for health care reform.

12:33 p.m. Senator Thune welcomed today’s guest chaplain, Pastor Bill Ewing.

*****

The Senate will convene at 12:30 p.m. Following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of William F. Hagerty IV to be ambassador to Japan.

At about 1:45 p.m., the confirmation vote will occur on the Hagerty nomination.