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

[AndyHogan14]

So are we expecting the House to vote on the waiver at around 8pm ET?

[AndyHogan14]

So are we expecting the House to vote on the waiver at around 8pm ET?

Hoyer's daily forecast says 3-4 pm. Not sure where you're getting 8.

I was looking at the C-SPAN schedule and completely skipped over the earlier "House of Representatives" time. Ha.

Thanks.

[AndyHogan14]

The House is currently voting on the Austin waiver...so far, it looks like it will easily pass.

[AndyHogan14]

As I am watching the House vote, it has me wondering is there is a plan to allow voting by proxy in the Senate now that Democrats are in control? Anyone heard anything on the topic?

[AndyHogan14]

Will be interesting to see the final vote on the waiver. Likely a mix of the most partisan Republicans and extremely by the book pro overregulation Dems.

So far, there are healthy majorities from both parties in the House voting in favor of the waiver...they are closing in on 2/3 majority with 85 more left to vote.

[AndyHogan14]

Schumer just came on and said that the Senate is going to start debate on HR 335 (the waiver), so we may have a Defense Secretary by the end of the day.

[AndyHogan14]

The waiver passed the House, 326-78.

[AndyHogan14]

So far, the nays are Merkley, Warren, Blumenthal, Cotton, Hawley, Collins, Cortez-Masto, Blackburn, and Sasse. Strange group there.

22 yeas so far with Sanders voting in the affirmative.

EDIT:
Lummus, Toomey, and Young are nays. It currently stands at 26-12.

EDIT (2):
Scott (FL), Duckworth, Baldwin, Young, and Rubio are added to the nays. It's 40-17 favoring yea.

EDIT (3):
New nays are Lee and Gillibrand. It's now 53-19.

EDIT (4):
The waiver passes, however, they are still voting. It's 60-20. New nay is Barrasso.

EDIT (5):
It's 62-24 New nays are Murray, Wyden, Rosen, and Booker.

EDIT (6):
Getting close to the end, it's 68-27. New nays are Tester, Markey, and Van Hollen.

[AndyHogan14]

FINAL VOTE:

69-27, the waiver passes.

[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

[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?

[AndyHogan14]

https://mobile.twitter.com/SalehaMohsin/status/1352715699089772545

Boo.

[AndyHogan14]

So Blinken and Yellen are likely going to be confirmed early next week, right? Buttigieg and Mayorkas are the only other ones that have had hearings, right? Have we heard when they might be voted on? Also, I am surprised that Garland hasn't had any hearings considering the importance of the Attorney General. Although, if I am not mistaken, confirming an AG often takes longer than other cabinet officials (I remember reading something like that a few weeks back). In addition to Garland, do we know when some other hearings may get started?

[AndyHogan14]

So, on the Senate website, this is what I am seeing for the upcoming week:

Monday, January 25
Yellen (Treasury); full Senate vote

Tuesday, January 26
Raimondo (Commerce)
Mayorkas (DHS)

Wednesday, January 27
Granholm (Energy)
Thomas-Greenfield (UN Ambassador)
McDonough (VA)

Thursday, January 28
Fudge (HUD)
Rouse (Council of Economic Advisors Chair)

It also seems like Blinken will probably be confirmed Tuesday or Wednesday. The Foreign Relations committee is meeting on Tuesday...

[AndyHogan14]

Janet Yellen as well.

Janet Yellen is from New York. She's a born and bred Brooklynite like myself.

But her state of residence is California so we, at least, get some claim. Ha!

[AndyHogan14]

Mayorkas passes committee 7-5:

AYE:
Portman
Romney
Peters
Carper
Hassan
Sinema
Rosen

No:
Paul
Lankford
Scott (FL)
Hawley
Johnson

So should we expect a full Senate vote tomorrow, or could Schumer add it to the agenda for after Senators are sworn in for the impeachment trial?

[AndyHogan14]

The full Senate vote for Mayorkas will take place tomorrow; his name has been added to the executive calendar for 1/27. With the committee vote on Buttigieg tomorrow, it also seems likely that he will get his full Senate vote on Thursday.

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/executive_calendar/xcalv.pdf

[AndyHogan14]

I am surprised that a vote on Mayorkas wasn't scheduled for today. Dem Senators have been saying that there shouldn't be any sort of delay on him, so why delay? They could easily schedule a vote today and get that done.

[AndyHogan14]

To break a filibuster for a cabinet nomination you need 51, right? Mayorkas had Republican votes in the committee, so that shouldn't be a problem. I see no reason for his confirmation to go beyond this week.

[AndyHogan14]

Committee hearings have been scheduled by the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for Cardona (2/3 at 10am) and Walsh (2/4 at 10am), so does that mean that the organizing resolution is expected to be done by Monday or Tuesday? Because as far as I can tell, Lamar Alexander is still the chair of that committee meaning that the new organizing resolution has not been passed.

[AndyHogan14]

So, Becerca (Health) is among the last to be confirmed, during a pandemic situation ?

How stupid are the Senators of the US ?

The Health committee was chaired by Lamar Alexander, who retired, so it cannot meet until the organizing resolution passes.

But Cardona/Walsh have to go through that very same committee and they are on the schedule. Becerra should have come before both of those two.

[AndyHogan14]

https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1356037161737449483?s=20

So I guess both Mayorkas and Buttigieg will end up being confirmed on Tuesday.

[AndyHogan14]

Good that Pete is going to be confirmed with a bipartisan vote, but I am much more interested in Mayorkas' numbers. With that said, anyone hear anything about the organizing resolution?

[AndyHogan14]

Good that Pete is going to be confirmed with a bipartisan vote, but I am much more interested in Mayorkas' numbers. With that said, anyone hear anything about the organizing resolution?

Apparently Bernie expects the OR to be passed at some point today.

I heard that, I was just wondering if they passed it with unanimous consent this morning before the Buttigieg vote without much fanfare. Obviously not, I guess I will just keep an eye on C-SPAN now that I can. Haha.

[AndyHogan14]

If that 100th Senator were to vote yes, ButtiPete would be confirmed by a 74 margin, the same as Avril Haines and 2nd after Lloyd Austin.

I keep hearing that Mark Warner is in quarantine, so I think it's him and he's likely not going to vote.