Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings **live commentary thread**

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

3/20:

US Marshalls Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #736 Matthew Harris, District of Utah; Exec. Cal. #737 Johnny Kuhlman, Western District of Oklahoma; Exec. Cal. #738 Joseph McClain, Southern District of Indiana; Exec. Cal. #739 David Weaver, District of Colorado

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #735 William McSwain to be U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

3/21:

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #596 David Ryder to be Director of the Mint

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #671 Thomas Workman to be a Member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

US Attorneys Confirmed by Voice Vote: Cal. #762 Thomas Cullen to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia; Cal. #763 Robert Hur to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Cal. #764 David Joseph to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #330 Steven Mnuchin to be U.S. Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, U.S. Governor of the African Development Fund, and U.S. Governor of the Asian Development Bank

Confirmed: Exec. Cal. #331 Steven Mnuchin to be U.S. Governor of the International Monetary Fund, U.S. Governor of the African Development Bank, U.S. Governor of the Inter-American Development Bank, and U.S. Governor of the Intl Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #721 Anne White to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Environmental Management)

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #722 Brent Park to be Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, National Nuclear Security Administration

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #760 Josephine Olsen to be Director of the Peace Corps

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #754 Trevor Traina to be Ambassador of the U.S. to the Republic of Austria

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #753 Edward Prado to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the U.S. to the Argentine Republic

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #752 Robert Pence to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the U.S. to the Republic of Finland



Confirmed by Voice Vote: PN1369 Tim Thomas to be Federal Cochairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #723 James Williams to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Labor; Exec. Cal. #725 Mark Schneider to be Director of the Institute of Education Science, Department of Education

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The Senate stands adjourned until April 9. At that time, the next round of confirmations will begin:

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[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

It's time to return to the committees for new cabinet hearings. The Pompeo hearing will start us off at 10 AM Thursday:
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-041218

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Boom passes CLOTURE 96-2:

NAYs ---2
Hirono (D-HI)
Sanders (I-VT)

Not Voting - 2
Duckworth (D-IL)
McCain (R-AZ)

Confirmed by Voice Vote:
PN1637 - James Reilly to be Director of the @USGS

Confirmed by Voice Vote:
PN1653 - Theodore J. Garrish, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (International Affairs) @ENERGY

Confirmed by Voice Vote:
PN1680 - James Edward Campos, of Nevada, to be Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact, Department of @ENERGY

Tomorrow:

Final Vote on Boom
CLOTURE VOTE on Ring

-----------

UC: At a date and time to be determined, the Senate will proceed to up to 10 hours of debate, equally divided, followed by a vote on confirmation Executive Calendar #376, Carlos G. Muniz, of Florida, to be General Counsel, Department of @usedgov

[Dr. Arch]

Boom...

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Boom confirmed 96-1:

NAYs ---1
Sanders (I-VT)

Not Voting - 3
Booker (D-NJ)
Duckworth (D-IL)
McCain (R-AZ)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Ring passes CLOTURE on a 50-47 Party Line vote.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Votes Scheduled: at 12:20pm on Wednesday, April 11th, the Senate will proceed to 2 votes on the following:
1. Confirmation of Exec. Cal. #728, John Ring to be a Member of the @NLRB
2. Motion to invoke cloture on Exec. Cal. #605, Patrick Pizzella to be Deputy Secretary of Labor

[IndustrialJustice]

John Ring is professional trash and is as rife with conflicts as fellow union-buster William Emanuel.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Ring confirmed on a 50-48 Party Line Vote. Booker showed up to vote this time.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Pizzella passes CLOTURE on the same 50-48 vote.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Votes Scheduled: At 9:30am on Thursday, April 12th, the Senate will proceed to two votes:
1. Confirmation of Exec. Cal. #605 Patrick Pizzella to be Deputy Secretary of Labor
2. Motion to invoke cloture on Exec. Cal. #666 Andrew Wheeler to be Deputy Administrator of the @EPA

At about the same time, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will begin the hearing for Mike Pompeo's nomination to be Secretary of State. It will be streamed at: https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-041218 once it begins. Discuss the hearing on this thread as it proceeds.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Pizzella confirmed on the same 50-48 vote.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Supportive senators are introducing Pompeo at his hearing.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Wheeler passes CLOTURE 53-45. Donnelly, Manchin, Heitkamp in support.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Questioning beginning at Pompeo hearing.

[Frodo]

If and when Democrats take the Senate, they should not confirm any more Trump nominees for anything.  And if a Supreme Court justice dies or retires, they should take a page from Mitch McConnell and not let Trump replace him or her until a Democrat is once again in the White House.  And just for good measure, Chuck Schumer should read McConnell's words justifying his obstruction of Merrick Garland's nomination right back at him if he objects. 

 

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Literally refusing to confirm anyone for anything, even the sorts of Nominees that get upwards of 80 votes, would set a dangerous precedent that would leave future governments drastically unstaffed. Asserting revenge for Obama would be inaccurate - Republicans regularly allowed Obama's cabinet and district court nominees to go through, sometimes with some grumbling, but they were eventually confirmed. You can make the argument for a blanket ban on Supreme and Circuit Court nominees, but not for literally every position. Not to mention that it would make several committees obsolete.

[YE]

If and when Democrats take the Senate, they should not confirm any more Trump nominees for anything.  And if a Supreme Court justice dies or retires, they should take a page from Mitch McConnell and not let Trump replace him or her until a Democrat is once again in the White House.  And just for good measure, Chuck Schumer should read McConnell's words justifying his obstruction of Merrick Garland's nomination right back at him if he objects. 

 

They should hold a vote on Trump nominees. Just vote them down out of committee after a hearing unless Trump actually picks someone normal.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Wheeler confirmed by the same 53-45 vote.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Broomes passes CLOTURE 74-24:

NAYs ---24
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Coons (D-DE)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hassan (D-NH)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Hirono (D-HI)
Markey (D-MA)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murray (D-WA)
Peters (D-MI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Smith (D-MN)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Udall (D-NM)
Van Hollen (D-MD)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 2
Duckworth (D-IL)
McCain (R-AZ)

Broomes was then confirmed by Voice Vote.

Jennings passes CLOTURE 94-2:

NAYs ---2
Hirono (D-HI)
Sanders (I-VT)

Not Voting - 4
Coons (D-DE)
Duckworth (D-IL)
McCain (R-AZ)
Toomey (R-PA)

Jennings was then confirmed by Voice Vote.

[Frodo]

If and when Democrats take the Senate, they should not confirm any more Trump nominees for anything.  And if a Supreme Court justice dies or retires, they should take a page from Mitch McConnell and not let Trump replace him or her until a Democrat is once again in the White House.  And just for good measure, Chuck Schumer should read McConnell's words justifying his obstruction of Merrick Garland's nomination right back at him if he objects. 

Literally refusing to confirm anyone for anything, even the sorts of Nominees that get upwards of 80 votes, would set a dangerous precedent that would leave future governments drastically unstaffed. Asserting revenge for Obama would be inaccurate - Republicans regularly allowed Obama's cabinet and district court nominees to go through, sometimes with some grumbling, but they were eventually confirmed. You can make the argument for a blanket ban on Supreme and Circuit Court nominees, but not for literally every position. Not to mention that it would make several committees obsolete.

Fair point. 

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Tomorrow: Debate and Vote on the nomination of Carlos G. Muniz, of Florida, to be General Counsel of the Department of Education.

Leader McConnell has filed cloture on Exec. Cal. #609 James Bridenstine, of Oklahoma, to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration @NASA

(Before anyone asks, confirmation of Bridenstine does not create a Special Election for OK-1 due to it being too late in the election year)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

UC: vote on Muniz nomination tomorrow at approx 2:00 p.m.