Biden Cabinet Confirmation Live Thread ***hearings, votes, etc.***

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

From the Buttigieg hearing:

https://twitter.com/stevemorris__/status/1352283707441356805

Klobuchar-Buttigieg beef was easily my favorite part of the entire 2020 campaign cycle.

[AndyHogan14]

NAYS (Austin Waiver):
Cotton
Blumenthal
Rubio
Scott (FL)
Duckworth
Young
Marshall
Collins
Van Hollen
Warren
Markey
Hawley
Tester
Sasse
Cortez Masto
Rosen
Booker
Gillibrand
Wyden
Merkley
Toomey
Blackburn
Lee
Murray
Baldwin
Barrasso
Lummus

[cg41386]

FINAL VOTE:

69-27, the waiver passes.

Nice.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

NAYS (Austin Waiver):
Cotton
Blumenthal
Rubio
Scott (FL)
Duckworth
Young
Marshall
Collins
Van Hollen
Warren
Markey
Hawley
Tester
Sasse
Cortez Masto
Rosen
Booker
Gillibrand
Wyden
Merkley
Toomey
Blackburn
Lee
Murray
Baldwin
Barrasso
Lummus

Absolutely fascinating list. Kinda surprised Sanders isn't one of the nays

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

NAYS (Austin Waiver):
Cotton
Blumenthal
Rubio
Scott (FL)
Duckworth
Young
Marshall
Collins
Van Hollen
Warren
Markey
Hawley
Tester
Sasse
Cortez Masto
Rosen
Booker
Gillibrand
Wyden
Merkley
Toomey
Blackburn
Lee
Murray
Baldwin
Barrasso
Lummus

Not Voting - 4
Burr (R-NC)
Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
Moran (R-KS)
Tillis (R-NC)

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1352396045267955716

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I've finished watching the Buttigieg Hearing, and am delighted at how smooth it went. Proud of the GOP for not trying to obstruct this, and I look forward to this great man taking his office.

[Antonio the Sixth]

NAYS (Austin Waiver):
Cotton
Blumenthal
Rubio
Scott (FL)
Duckworth
Young
Marshall
Collins
Van Hollen
Warren
Markey
Hawley
Tester
Sasse
Cortez Masto
Rosen
Booker
Gillibrand
Wyden
Merkley
Toomey
Blackburn
Lee
Murray
Baldwin
Barrasso
Lummus

Absolutely fascinating list. Kinda surprised Sanders isn't one of the nays

This seems like a pure, non-partisan, non-ideological conscience vote, of the kind you'd see a lot of in the 70s and 80s but have become a rarity nowadays. Fascinating indeed.

[brucejoel99]

NAYS (Austin Waiver):
[snip]

Absolutely fascinating list. Kinda surprised Sanders isn't one of the nays

Seeing that he & Biden have actually been friends for a long time, I think it's just a matter of - as Pelosi asked House Democratic Caucus members to do today - giving the President the benefit of the doubt.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

ICYMI:

https://twitter.com/VP/status/1352392594442121223

[Bismarck]

NAYS (Austin Waiver):
Cotton
Blumenthal
Rubio
Scott (FL)
Duckworth
Young
Marshall
Collins
Van Hollen
Warren
Markey
Hawley
Tester
Sasse
Cortez Masto
Rosen
Booker
Gillibrand
Wyden
Merkley
Toomey
Blackburn
Lee
Murray
Baldwin
Barrasso
Lummus

Interesting that several of the senators most known for their military service (Cotton, Young, Duckworth, Blumenthal) all were against.

[Sir Mohamed]

I think Sanders voted for the waiver because Austin is less hawkish than potential replacements. Who knows, if his nomination failed, Biden may have ended up with Flournoy. I'm glad she wasn't picked due to ties to the defense industry and her hawkishness. Sanders for sure knew that and Austin was clearly the better alternative.

[Horus]

I think Sanders voted for the waiver because Austin is less hawkish than potential replacements. Who knows, if his nomination failed, Biden may have ended up with Flournoy. I'm glad she wasn't picked due to ties to the defense industry and her hawkishness. Sanders for sure knew that and Austin was clearly the better alternative.

Bernie the pragmatist.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1352643524727103492?s=21

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

From the Buttigieg hearing:

https://twitter.com/stevemorris__/status/1352283707441356805

‘I think you know how excited I am by your nomination’ in that tone his how Midwesterners say they hate you.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Lloyd Austin has been confirmed as the Defense Secretary by the Senate. Vote was 93-2.

The 2 no votes were from Mike Lee and Josh Hawley. 5 senators did not vote.

[😥]

Josh Hawley now clearly becomes the worst U.S. Senator

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the other more-or-less uncontroversial Biden picks, like Yellen, go through 94-1 or 95-1 with Hawley in the Gillibrandian #NeverAnyBidenNominee role.

[😥]

When will be a vote on Yellen confirmation?

[Pollster]

Somebody should remind Hawley how Gillibrand's Presidential campaign went.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

It seems the Pubs aren't slow walking or trying to stop any of Biden's nominees.  Good.  He won and he deserves to have his cabinet picks without partisan bullsh**t.  All that matters is that they are technically qualified. 

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Lloyd Austin has been confirmed as the Defense Secretary by the Senate. Vote was 93-2.

The 2 no votes were from Mike Lee and Josh Hawley. 5 senators did not vote.

Not Voting - 5
Burr (R-NC)
Capito (R-WV)
Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
Moran (R-KS)
Tillis (R-NC)

[AndyHogan14]

This morning, C-SPAN said that Yellen and Blinken could be voted on today, but McConnell, in his morning remarks, said that Blinken would be voted on next week. Any news on Yellen and/or Blinken?

[Sestak]

This morning, C-SPAN said that Yellen and Blinken could be voted on today, but McConnell in his morning remarks said that Blinken would be voted on next week. Any news on Yellen and/or Blinken?

Yellen was voted (unanimously) out of committee earlier today, so there are no obstacles to confirming her today.

It's been reported that there are a few holds against Blinken's nomination in committee at the moment, which would prevent them from using unanimous consent to discharge from the committee and vote immediately. If the holds aren't lifted, they'll have to wait for the Foreign Affairs committee to vote at their next regular meeting (which is on Monday).

Risch (chair of committee) said he was "working on" getting the holds lifted, but Menendez (lead Dem) said he expected it would only happen on Monday.

[Not Me, Us]

This morning, C-SPAN said that Yellen and Blinken could be voted on today, but McConnell in his morning remarks said that Blinken would be voted on next week. Any news on Yellen and/or Blinken?

Yellen was voted (unanimously) out of committee earlier today, so there are no obstacles to confirming her today.

It's been reported that there are a few holds against Blinken's nomination in committee at the moment, which would prevent them from using unanimous consent to discharge from the committee and vote immediately. If the holds aren't lifted, they'll have to wait for the Foreign Affairs committee to vote at their next regular meeting (which is on Monday).

Risch (chair of committee) said he was "working on" getting the holds lifted, but Menendez (lead Dem) said he expected it would only happen on Monday.

Why is Risch still committee chair? Dems have the majority.