[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 73 (Friday, May 21, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6250-S6251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
immediately proceed to executive session to consider the following
nominations on today's Executive Calendar: Calendar Nos. 582, 583, 584,
618, 621, 663, 666, 668, 670, 671, 675, and 684.
I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed en
bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, the President
be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then
return to legislative session.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want the record to reflect that we have
cleared a significant number of people today, and we have basically
filled the diplomatic corps, ambassadorial vacancies, except for one,
and that is in Nepal.
I was on the Senate floor about 10 days ago when we cleared another
batch of ambassadors. We had the same problem then that we have now. We
have not cleared the only vacant ambassadorial spot open, and that is
Nepal. There is an objection by the majority. The ambassadorial
appointments are all done except for Nepal. It is not our fault. It is
the fault of the majority.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is
so ordered.
The nominations considered and confirmed en bloc are as follows:
department of transportation
Linda Morrison Combs, of North Carolina, to be an Assistant
Secretary of Transportation.
Francis Mulvey, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Surface
Transportation Board for a term expiring December 31, 2007.
W. Douglas Buttrey, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the
Surface Transportation Board for a term expiring December 31,
2008.
consumer product safety commission
Thomas Hill Moore, of Florida, to be a Commissioner of the
Consumer Product Safety Commission for a term of seven years
from October 27, 2003. (Reappointment)
department of transportation
Deborah Hersman, of Virginia, to be a Member of the
National Transportation Safety Board for a term expiring
December 31, 2008, vice John Goglia, term expired.
department of state
Miles T. Bivins, of Texas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to
Sweden.
John J. Danilovich, of California, to be Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Federative Republic of Brazil.
Earle I. Mack, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the
Republic of Finland.
Jack Dyer Crouch II, of Missouri, to be Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to Romania.
Jendayi Elizabeth Frazer, of Virginia, to be Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Republic of South Africa.
Mitchell B. Reiss, of Virginia, for the rank of Ambassador
during his tenure of service as Special Envoy for Northern
Ireland.
Victor Henderson Ashe, of Tennessee, to be Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Republic of Poland.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, indeed, we just confirmed about 12 of the
96 pending nominations on the Executive Calendar, and I do thank my
colleagues for allowing us to proceed on this list. These ambassadorial
appointments and other nominations are all very important. It reflects
a lot of work on both sides of the aisle to make this progress. We
appreciate the cooperation of those to date. Again, that is 12 of 96
nominations on the Executive Calendar that I mentioned earlier this
morning.
Mr. President, thus, I now ask consent that the Senate proceed to the
consideration of the following nominations, en bloc: Calendar Nos. 429,
594, 595, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 617, 622, 623, 628, 629, 630,
631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 641, 642, 643, 654, 655, 656, 658, 687,
688, 689, 690, 691, 694, 695, and 696.
Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President.
Mr. FRIST. I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be
confirmed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table,
the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the
Senate then return to legislative session.
Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, the reason I got a little
out of sorts there, I thought I was in Nevada listening to a bingo game
being called. I apologize.
[[Page S6251]]
I reserve the right to object, and I do it for this reason: The two
leaders have worked hard to clear nominations. We got a little movement
on our side today. Therefore, we cleared some 12 nominations. We need
some reciprocation. I do not know what the numbers were today. I do not
know exactly, it is 3 to 12, 3 to 16. We got 3; they got 12 or 16. We
need some reciprocation. Let me give an example.
We have nominated and sent to the White House, and the White House
has sent back to us a man by the name of Dr. Greg Jasko. Dr. Greg Jasko
is to go on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I appeared at a hearing
yesterday. This is one of the most important sensitive commissions in
the entire American Government. They deal with the most sensitive
issues--nuclear powerplants, the nuclear repository in Nevada, other
nuclear facilities all over America. Dr. Jasko is eminently qualified.
He has a Ph.D. in physics. We cannot get him cleared.
This is one of many examples of how it is not fair. I hope the
distinguished majority leader will weigh in and help Dr. Jasko and
others to get this roadblock cleared. It just really is not fair. We
need some help on our boards and commissions. Therefore, I object, Mr.
President.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, indeed, I will continue to work with the
Democratic leadership to search for a way to confirm the remaining
nominations. For those people listening who are not familiar with this
process, as they can see, it is a give-and-take process that is a real
struggle, but it does involve very important positions and, just as the
distinguished Senator from Nevada said, individuals who are willing,
who put themselves forward for public service in very important
positions.
We will continue to work on those who remain on the calendar and
future nominations.
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