Blog

Thursday, November 9, 2017

5:47 p.m. The Senate adjourned and will convene on Monday, November 13th at 4:00p.m. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to executive session and resume consideration of Executive Calendar 159, Derek Kan nomination to be an Undersecretary of Transportation for Policy. The Senate will have 2 votes at 5:30 p.m. 1) Confirmation of the Kan nomination 2) Cloture on Executive Calendar #254 Steven Bradbury to be General Counsel for the Department of Transportation.

5:37 p.m. Leader McConnell proceeded to the en bloc consideration of the following nominations which were confirmed en bloc by a voice vote:

  • Executive Calendar 373, Robert Duncan, of Kentucky to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky
  • 374, Charles E. Peeler of Georgia to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
  • 375, Bryan D. Schroeder of Alaska to be United States Attorney for the District of Alaska.
  • 392, Scott C. Blader of Wisconsin to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
  • 393, John R. Lausch, Jr., of Illinois to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
  • 394, J. Douglas Overbey of Tennessee to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
  • 395, Mark A. Klaassen of Wyoming to be United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming.
  • 396, William C. Lamar of Mississippi to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi.
  • 440, John F. Bash of Texas to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas.
  • 441, Erin Angela Nealy Cox of Texas to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
  • 442, R. Andrew Murray of North Carolina to be United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
  • 459, Matthew G. T. Martin of North Carolina to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
  • 460, Christina E. Nolan of Vermont to be United States Attorney for the District of Vermont.

Leader McConnell asked consent to proceed to the consideration of Executive Calendar 412, Department of State, Peter Hoekstra of Michigan to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Hoekstra nomination was confirmed by a voice vote.

Leader McConnell asked consent to agree to the following by u.c:

  • S. 324 as amended (Hatch Substitute Amend) – a bill to amend Title 38, U.S. Code
  • S. 886 as amended (Daines Substitute Amend) – a bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002
  • S. 906, as amended (McCaskill Substitute Amend) – a bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002
  • S. 1153, a bill to prohibit or suspend certain health care providers from providing nondepartment of Veterans Affairs health care services to veterans
  • S. 1266, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with nonprofit organizations
  • S. Res. 328, Recognizing November 25, 2017 as Small Business Saturday
  • S. Res. 329, Expressing Support for the designation of October 2017 as National Audiology Awareness Month
  • S. Res. 330, Mandating Anti-Harassment Training for Senators and Officers, Employees, and Interns of and Detailees to the Senate

5:21 p.m. Senator Sullivan spoke about the Alaskan of the Week.

4:42 p.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke about sexual assault.

4:33 p.m. Senator Peters spoke about Lake Michigan.

4:11 p.m. Senator Heitkamp spoke about health care.

3:54 p.m. Senator Cassidy spoke about tax reform.

3:46 p.m. Senator Portman spoke about tax reform.

3:41 p.m. Senator Toomey spoke about tax reform.

3:35 p.m. Senator Isakson spoke about tax reform.

3:32 p.m. Senator Thune spoke about tax reform.

3:28 p.m. Senator Cornyn spoke about tax reform.

3:26 p.m. Senator Scott spoke about tax reform.

3:19 p.m Senator Grassley spoke about tax reform.

3:12 p.m. Senator Hatch spoke about tax reform.

2:49 p.m. Senator Fischer spoke in support of the nomination of Steve Gratz to the US Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit.

2:40 p.m. Majority Leader McConnell filed cloture on the following nominations (which would ripen on Monday):

  • Steven Gill Bradbury to be General Counsel of the Department of Transportation
  • David G. Zatezalo to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health
  • Joseph Otting to be Comptroller of the Currency
  • Donald Coggins, Jr. to be the US District Judge for the District of South Carolina
  • Dabney Langhorne Friedrich to be US District Judge for the District of Columbia

2:16 p.m. Senator Thune spoke in support of the Kan nomination.

2:15 p.m. The Senate invoked cloture on the Kan nomination by a vote of 87 to 9. Senators Menendez, Paul, Roberts and Tester did not vote.

1:46 p.m. The Senate is now voting on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Derek Kan to be Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy.

12:03 p.m. The Senate stands in recess until 1:45 p.m.

12:00 p.m. Senator Cantwell spoke on tax proposals.

11:59 a.m. The Wehrum nominaton was confirmed 49-47.

  • Voting in favor: 49 Republicans.
  • Voting against: 44 Democrats, 2 Independents: King and Sanders; and 1 Republican: Collins.

Not voting: 2 Republicans: Paul and Roberts, 2 Democrats: Menendez and Tester.

11:20 a.m. Roll call vote began on confirmation of the Wehrum nomination.

11:19 a.m. Senator Carper spoke against the Wehrum nomination.

11:05 a.m. Senator Durbin spoke about Veterans Day.

10:55 a.m. Senator Klobuchar spoke against the Wehrum nomination.

10:32 a.m. Senator Whitehouse spoke about the Wehrum nomination.

10:15 a.m. Senator Warren spoke about the Wehrum nomination.

9:59 a.m. Senator Carper spoke about the Wehrum nomination.

9:41 a.m. Minority Leader Schumer spoke about taxes.

9:37 a.m. Majority Leader McConnell spoke about nominations and about the overhaul of the tax code.

***

The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. and will resume post-cloture consideration of the nomination of William L. Wehrum to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

A confirmation vote will occur on the nomination at 11:30 a.m.

Following the Wehrum vote, the Senate will recess until 1:45 p.m, at which time will conduct a cloture vote on the nomination of Derek Kan to be Under Secretary of Transportation.