Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings **live commentary thread**

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Today, Heather Wilson was confirmed to be Secretary of the Airforce, 76-22:

NAYs ---22
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hassan (D-NH)
Hirono (D-HI)
Leahy (D-VT)
Markey (D-MA)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murray (D-WA)
Reed (D-RI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Van Hollen (D-MD)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 2
Isakson (R-GA)
Sanders (I-VT)

Following this, Gottlieb passed CLOTURE 57-41:

NAYs ---41
Baldwin (D-WI)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Casey (D-PA)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Donnelly (D-IN)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hassan (D-NH)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Hirono (D-HI)
Kaine (D-VA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Leahy (D-VT)
Manchin (D-WV)
Markey (D-MA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murphy (D-CT)
Murray (D-WA)
Peters (D-MI)
Reed (D-RI)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-NM)
Van Hollen (D-MD)
Warner (D-VA)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 2
Isakson (R-GA)
Sanders (I-VT)

The Gottlieb nomination should receive a final vote tomorrow.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Why vote nay on Wilson? She's the least objectionable nominee outside of Mattis

To show opposition to Trump.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Gottlieb has been confirmed by a vote of 57-42.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Today, we finally got a Trade Representative! Robert Lighthizer passed a CLOTURE motion by 81-15, and was later confirmed by a vote of 82-14.

CLOTURE:

NAYs ---15
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Markey (D-MA)
McCain (R-AZ) (!)
Merkley (D-OR)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sasse (R-NE) (!)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Udall (D-NM)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)

Not Voting - 4
Capito (R-WV)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Sullivan (R-AK)

FINAL VOTE:

NAYs ---14
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Gardner (R-CO) (!)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Markey (D-MA)
McCain (R-AZ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sasse (R-NE)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)

Not Voting - 4
Capito (R-WV)
Isakson (R-GA)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Sullivan (R-AK)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

5:30 PM Monday: CLOTURE vote on Jeffrey Rosen, who has been nominated to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Rosen passes CLOTURE 52-42:

NAYs ---42
Baldwin (D-WI)
Bennet (D-CO)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Coons (D-DE)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hassan (D-NH)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Hirono (D-HI)
King (I-ME)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Leahy (D-VT)
Markey (D-MA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murphy (D-CT)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-NM)
Van Hollen (D-MD)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 6
Flake (R-AZ)
Isakson (R-GA)
Moran (R-KS)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Sasse (R-NE)
Toomey (R-PA)


FINAL VOTE on Rosen tomorrow.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Today, Rosen was confirmed by a vote of 56-42.

NAYs ---42
Baldwin (D-WI)
Bennet (D-CO)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Coons (D-DE)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hassan (D-NH)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Hirono (D-HI)
King (I-ME)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Leahy (D-VT)
Markey (D-MA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murphy (D-CT)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-NM)
Van Hollen (D-MD)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 2
Isakson (R-GA)
Moran (R-KS)

---------

NOON TOMORROW - CLOTURE VOTE on Rachel Brand, who has been nominated to be Associate Attorney General.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Brand passes CLOTURE by a vote of 51 to 47. This was completely along party lines except for Senators Hirono and Tillis, both of whom abstained.

Tomorrow: FINAL VOTE on Brand and CLOTURE VOTE on Branstad

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Today, Brand was confirmed by a vote of 52 to 46. The vote was exactly the same as the CLOTURE vote, except for Tillis switching from Abstain to Yes, and Kaine switching from No to Abstain.


Following that, Branstad passed CLOTURE by a vote of 86 to 12:

NAYs ---12
Baldwin (D-WI)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Peters (D-MI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Warren (D-MA)

Not Voting - 2
Hirono (D-HI)
Kaine (D-VA)

---

5:30 PM Monday - FINAL VOTE on Branstad

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The following  nominations were confirmed by voice vote this week:

Confirmation of Executive Calendar #56, the nomination of Todd Philip Haskell, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Congo

Confirmation of Executive Calendar #57, the nomination of Tulinabo Salama Mushingi, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Trump's nominee for Deputy Treasury Secretary, Jim Donovan, has withdrawn his name from consideration, as he has realized that the Trump Administration is a failure not worth working for.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/19/jim-donovan-trump-deputy-treasury-secretary-238611

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

So far this week:

The Senate has confirmed Branstad 82-13:

NAYs ---13
Baldwin (D-WI)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Hirono (D-HI)
Markey (D-MA)
Peters (D-MI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Warren (D-MA)

Not Voting - 5
Alexander (R-TN)
Harris (D-CA)
Isakson (R-GA)
Lee (R-UT)
Murkowski (R-AK)


John J. Sullivan, the nominee for deputy secretary of state, has passed CLOTURE 93-6:

NAYs ---6
Booker (D-NJ)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Sanders (I-VT)
Warren (D-MA)

Not Voting - 1
Isakson (R-GA)

FINAL VOTE on Sullivan tomorrow. After the vote on the Sullivan nomination, the senate will proceed to the nomination of Amul Thapar to the 6th circuit court.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Gillibrand and Warren are voting no on absolutely everyone, and I'm sure there's absolutely no connection to them running for president. 

Gillibrand, as literally the only senator to vote against Mattis, holds the record for no votes on Trump nominees, which I'm sure she will stress on the campaign​ trail.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Today, John J. Sullivan was confirmed by a vote of 94 to 6:

NAYs ---6
Booker (D-NJ)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Sanders (I-VT)
Warren (D-MA)

Afterward, Amul Thapar passed CLOTURE by a vote of 52 to 48. This vote was completely along party lines.

FINAL VOTE on Thapar tomorrow.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Thapar confirmed 52-44. Same as CLOTURE VOTE except for four senators switching from No to Abstain:

Not Voting - 4
Cantwell (D-WA)
Hirono (D-HI)
Schatz (D-HI)
Udall (D-NM)

Also Today, the following nominees were confirmed by voice vote:

David Norquist to be an Undersecretary of Defense
Kari Bingen to be a Deputy Undersecretary of Defense
Robert Karem to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The senate stands adjourned until June 5.

UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT
Courtney Elwood (Cal. No. 54)
Ordered, That following Leader remarks on Tuesday, June 6, 2017, the Senate resume consideration of
the nomination of Courtney Elwood, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency, with
the time equally divided until 2:15 p.m.
Ordered further, That at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, 2017, the Senate vote on confirmation of the
Elwood nomination, and that if confirmed the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table
and the President be immediately notified of the Senate’s actions. (May 25, 2017.)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The Elwood nomination was confirmed by a vote of 67 to 33.

NAYs ---33

Baldwin (D-WI)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Coons (D-DE)
Durbin (D-IL)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Hassan (D-NH)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Heller (R-NV)
Hirono (D-HI)
Leahy (D-VT)
Markey (D-MA)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murray (D-WA)
Paul (R-KY) (!)
Peters (D-MI)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-NM)
Van Hollen (D-MD)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Scott Brown has been confirmed as Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa by a vote of 94 to 4:

NAYs ---4
Booker (D-NJ)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Schatz (D-HI)

Not Voting - 2
Alexander (R-TN)
Menendez (D-NJ)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Scott Brown has been confirmed as Ambassador to New Zealand by a vote of 94 to 4:

NAYs ---4
Booker (D-NJ)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Schatz (D-HI)

Not Voting - 2
Alexander (R-TN)
Menendez (D-NJ)

I didn't even know he was looking for a post

That wench Gillibrand voting no is no surprise, but Warren voted yes?

Yeah. Warren (and Sanders) seem to want to give Trump a pass on certain low-profile nominees, while Gillibrand is insistent on voting no on every nominee (except for Shulkin who is a democrat and Haley because "She took down the confederate flag! Yahoo!")

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

At 5 PM on Monday, there will be a vote to confirm Kenneth Rapuano to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Rapuano confirmed 95-1:

NAYs ---1
Sanders (I-VT)

Not Voting - 4
Burr (R-NC)
Perdue (R-GA)
Risch (R-ID)
Stabenow (D-MI)

And yes, in a shock decision, Gillibrand voted for this nominee.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

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[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Update on Long nomination: https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/876898078841810944

Following the disposition of the Long nomination, there will be a CLOTURE vote on the nomination of Sigal Mandelker, to be Under Secretary of Terrorism and Federal Crimes.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Long has been confirmed by a vote of 95-4:

NAYs ---4
Booker (D-NJ)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Schatz (D-HI)
Warren (D-MA)

Not Voting - 1
Graham (R-SC)

Mandelker has passed CLOTURE by a vote of 94-5:

NAYs ---5
Booker (D-NJ)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Sanders (I-VT)
Warren (D-MA)

Not Voting - 1
Graham (R-SC)


FINAL VOTE on Mandelker tomorrow.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Yesterday, Mandelker was confirmed 96-4:

NAYs ---4
Booker (D-NJ)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Warren (D-MA)



After that, a CLOTURE motion on Marshall Billingslea to be Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing passed 65-34:

NAYs ---34
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hassan (D-NH)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Hirono (D-HI)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Markey (D-MA)
McCain (R-AZ)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murphy (D-CT)
Murray (D-WA)
Peters (D-MI)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Udall (D-NM)
Van Hollen (D-MD)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 1
Leahy (D-VT)

FINAL VOTE on Billingslea later today.