Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings **live commentary thread**

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #726 Frank Brogan to be Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Education @usedgov

UC: At a date & time to be determined, the Senate will proceed to up to 5 hours of debate, equally divided, followed by a vote on confirmation of Exec. Cal. # 601 James Blew to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, & Policy Development, Department of Education @usedgov

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #925 Joseph Mondello to be Ambassador of the U.S. to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #927 Gordon Sondland to be Representative of the U.S. to the European Union, with the rank and status of Ambassador

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #923 Robin Bernstein to be Ambassador of the U.S. to the Dominican Republic

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #928 Harry B. Harris, Jr. to be Ambassador of the U.S. to the Republic of Korea

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #929 Ronald Gidwitz to be Ambassador of the U.S. to the Kingdom of Belgium

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #930 Brian Nichols to be Ambassador of the U.S. to the Republic of Zimbabwe

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #932 Tibor Nagy, Jr. to be an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs)

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #902 Tara Sweeney, of Alaska, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior

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The Senate now stands adjourned until July 9. At that time, the next nominations to be considered are:

Exec. Cal. #836 Mark Bennett, of Hawaii, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit
Exec. Cal. #639 Brian Benczkowski to be an Assistant Attorney General
Exec. Cal. #686 Paul C. Ney, Jr., of Tennessee, to be General Counsel of the Department of Defense
Exec. Cal. #601 James Blew to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, & Policy Development, Department of Education

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Committee vote on the nomination of Robert Wilkie to be VA Secretary scheduled for July 10th: https://www.veterans.senate.gov/hearings/business-meeting-meeting-to-consider-pending-nomination-of-robert-wilkie

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Bennett passes CLOTURE 72-25:

NAYs ---25
Barrasso (R-WY)
Blunt (R-MO)
Booker (D-NJ)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Cotton (R-AR)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Daines (R-MT)
Enzi (R-WY)
Ernst (R-IA)
Flake (R-AZ)
Gardner (R-CO)
Heller (R-NV)
Hirono (D-HI)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Lankford (R-OK)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Rounds (R-SD)
Sasse (R-NE)
Scott (R-SC)
Thune (R-SD)

Not Voting - 3
Fischer (R-NE)
McCain (R-AZ)
Sullivan (R-AK)

To answer the obvious question: Bennett is a compromise choice who was nominated with the support of Hawaii's Democratic Senators (Hirono is just up to her usual tactics re: cloture votes and will join the affirmative side on final confirmation).

2:15 Tomorrow: Final Vote on Bennett and CLOTURE Vote on Benczkowski

[KingSweden]

So crazy seeing that many R no votes for once

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Bennett confirmed 72-27:

NAYs ---27
Barrasso (R-WY)
Blunt (R-MO)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Cotton (R-AR)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Daines (R-MT)
Enzi (R-WY)
Ernst (R-IA)
Fischer (R-NE)
Flake (R-AZ)
Gardner (R-CO)
Heller (R-NV)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Lankford (R-OK)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Portman (R-OH)
Risch (R-ID)
Rounds (R-SD)
Sasse (R-NE)
Scott (R-SC)
Sullivan (R-AK)
Thune (R-SD)

Not Voting - 1
McCain (R-AZ)


Benczkowski passes CLOTURE 51-48:

NAYs ---48
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)
Donnelly (D-IN)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hassan (D-NH)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Heitkamp (D-ND)
Hirono (D-HI)
Jones (D-AL)
Kaine (D-VA)
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)
Peters (D-MI)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Smith (D-MN)
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 - 1
McCain (R-AZ)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

At 2:00pm 7/11 the Senate will proceed to 2 votes on the following:
1. Confirmation of Exec. Cal. #639, Brian Benczkowski to be an Assistant Attorney General
2. Motion to invoke cloture on Exec. Cal. #686 Paul Ney, Jr. to be General Counsel of the Department of Defense

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Robert Wilkie passed Committee overwhelmingly, with only Senator Sanders voting No:  https://www.veterans.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/07102018%20VAFF%20Exec.pdf

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Benczkowski confirmed by the same 51-48 vote.

Ney passes CLOTURE 74-25:

NAYs ---25
Baldwin (D-WI)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Casey (D-PA)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hirono (D-HI)
Leahy (D-VT)
Lee (R-UT)
Markey (D-MA)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Paul (R-KY)
Peters (D-MI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Sullivan (R-AK)
Warren (D-MA)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 1
McCain (R-AZ)

Final Vote on Ney at 1:30 tomorrow.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Ney confirmed 70-23:

NAYs ---23
Baldwin (D-WI)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Casey (D-PA)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hirono (D-HI)
Leahy (D-VT)
Lee (R-UT)
Markey (D-MA)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Peters (D-MI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schatz (D-HI)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Sullivan (R-AK)
Warren (D-MA)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 7
Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
McCain (R-AZ)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Tillis (R-NC)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #912 Kelly Higashi to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #913 Emory A. Rounds III to be Director of the Office of Government Ethics

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Exec. Cal. #924 Georgette Mosbacher to be Ambassador of the U.S. to the Republic of Poland

-------------------

Vote Scheduled: At 5:30pm on Monday, July 16th, the Senate will proceed to a vote on confirmation of Exec. Cal. #936 Scott Stump to be Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of Education

During the rest of the week of the 16th, expect votes on the following nominations:

Exec. Cal. #595 Randal Quarles to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Exec. Cal. #892 Andrew Oldham to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit
Exec. Cal. #903 Ryan Bounds to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit

Action on the following nomination is also possible:

Exec. Cal. # 601 James Blew to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, & Policy Development, Department of Education

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Stump confirmed by a unanimous vote of 85-0.

Not Voting - 15
Boozman (R-AR)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Graham (R-SC)
Heller (R-NV)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Jones (D-AL)
Kennedy (R-LA)
Leahy (D-VT)
McCain (R-AZ)
Moran (R-KS)
Peters (D-MI)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Shelby (R-AL)
Stabenow (D-MI)

Votes Scheduled: 11:45am TMRW:
1.Confirmation Cal. #601 Blew to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, & Policy Development, Department of Education
2.Motion to invoke cloture on Cal. #595 Quarles to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Blew confirmed on a party line vote of 50-49.

Not Voting - 1
McCain (R-AZ)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Quarles passes CLOTURE 66-33:

NAYs ---33
Baldwin (D-WI)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Casey (D-PA)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Hassan (D-NH)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Hirono (D-HI)
Kaine (D-VA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Leahy (D-VT)
Markey (D-MA)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murphy (D-CT)
Murray (D-WA)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Smith (D-MN)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Udall (D-NM)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 1
McCain (R-AZ)


Stay tuned for additional votes shortly.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Quarles confirmed by the same 66-33 vote.

Oldham passes CLOTURE on a party line vote of 50-49.

2 ET Tomorrow: Final Vote on Oldham and CLOTURE vote on Bounds.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Oldham confirmed on a party line vote of 50-49.

Bounds passes CLOTURE on a party line vote of 50-49.

Tomorrow: Final Vote on Bounds.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

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https://twitter.com/alexanderbolton/status/1020014645946568704

[Beet]

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https://twitter.com/alexanderbolton/status/1020014645946568704

Wham. This is why we need more minority esp. black Republicans. One guy has been more effective against against racism than the entire CBC.

[KingSweden]

This is a big defeat. First Circuit Judge to be torpedoed. (Three or four district judges went down previously, late last year)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

This is a big defeat. First Circuit Judge to be torpedoed. (Three or four district judges went down previously, late last year)

Three District Judges went down last year (One of which didn't even get through committee), along with two nominees to the Court of Federal Claims.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Oh and I should mention this is the first real consequence of McCain being absent, it would have been 50-50 with Pence breaking the tie if McCain was able to vote.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Vote Scheduled: At 5:30pm on Monday, July 23rd, the Senate will proceed to a vote on confirmation of Exec. Cal. #1000 Robert Wilkie to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs @DeptVetAffairs

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Wilkie confirmed 86-9:

NAYs ---9
Booker (D-NJ)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harris (D-CA)
Markey (D-MA)
Merkley (D-OR)
Sanders (I-VT)
Warren (D-MA)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 5
Brown (D-OH)
Burr (R-NC)
Corker (R-TN)
Kennedy (R-LA)
McCain (R-AZ)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The @NTSB nominations Confirmed by Voice Vote:
1. Exec. Cal. #467 Bruce Landsberg to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board
2. Exec. Cal. #858 Jennifer Homendy to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Next week, expect action on the following nomination:

Exec. Cal. #1006 Britt Grant to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit