[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 125 (Thursday, September 16, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S7180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Mr. GOODWIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to executive session to consider en bloc Executive Calendar
Nos. 628, 740, 741, 742, 743, 929, 931, 961, 993, 994, 995, 996, 997,
998, 1006, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, and 1082; that the nominations
be confirmed en bloc; that the motions to reconsider be laid upon the
table en bloc; and I now ask that the Senate proceed to Calendar Nos.
1083, 1084, 1085, 1086, 1087 and 1088, and that the nominations be
confirmed.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
nomination of robert d. reischauer
Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, I want to explain why I will vote no on
the nomination of Robert D. Reischauer to serve as a public trustee of
the Social Security and Medicare Programs.
Although he has a Ph.D. in economics and extensive experience with
Federal budgetary matters as former head of the Congressional Budget
Office, Dr. Reischauer claimed that he did not understand his basic
responsibility under Federal law to report income on his tax returns
from 2004 to 2008. He only paid back taxes on rental property in Canada
when he brought his failure to the attention of the White House during
the vetting process.
On his Finance Committee questionnaire, which he signed under penalty
of perjury, he claimed this was an ``oversight'' he did not discover
until 2009. But in discussions with bipartisan committee staff, he
appeared to tell a different story and said it was a deliberate choice
he made at the time he filled out his tax returns. In the same meeting,
he said he was sorry that he told the White House.
And while he said that he had offsetting expenses that would have
canceled out his tax liability and produced a loss, Dr. Reischauer kept
no receipts or records of those expenses, saying that he paid off
workers in cash.
It appears that Dr. Reischauer was not truthful or careful about his
Federal responsiblity to report income. Someone who has not earned the
public trust is not qualified to be a public trustee, and that is why I
oppose his confirmation.
I ask that the Record reflect my vote against Dr. Reischauer's
confirmation.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on confirmation en bloc of
Calendar Nos. 1083, 1084, 1085, 1086, 1087, and 1088.
The nominations were considered and confirmed en bloc, as follows:
farm credit administration
Jill Long Thompson, of Indiana, to be a Member of the Farm
Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit Administration, for
a term expiring May 21, 2014.
tennessee valley authority
Marilyn A. Brown, of Georgia, to be a Member of the Board
of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term
expiring May 18, 2012.
William B. Sansom, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the
Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a
term expiring May 18, 2014.
Neil G. McBride, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board
of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term
expiring May 18, 2013.
Barbara Short Haskew, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the
Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a
term expiring May 18, 2014.
pension benefit guaranty corporation
Joshua Gotbaum, of the District of Columbia, to be Director
of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
executive office of the president
Carl Wieman, of Colorado, to be an Associate Director of
the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
united states postal service
Dennis J. Toner, of Delaware, to be a Governor of the
United States Postal Service for the remainder of the term
expiring December 8, 2012.
department of agriculture
Elisabeth Ann Hagen, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of
Agriculture for Food Safety.
farm credit administration
Sara Louise Faivre-Davis, of Texas, to be a Member of the
Board of Directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation.
Lowell Lee Junkins, of Iowa, to be a Member of the Board of
Directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.
Myles J. Watts, of Montana, to be a Member of the Board of
Directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.
department of agriculture
Catherine E. Woteki, of the District of Columbia, to be
Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and
Economics.
department of commerce
Francisco J. Sanchez, of Florida, to be Under Secretary of
Commerce for International Trade.
united states parole commission
J. Patricia Wilson Smoot, of Maryland, to be a Commissioner
of the United States Parole Commission for a term of six
years.
asian development bank
Robert M. Orr, of Florida, to be United States Director of
the Asian Development Bank, with the rank of Ambassador.
broadcasting board of governors
Richard M. Lobo, of Florida, to be Director of the
International Broadcasting Bureau, Broadcasting Board of
Governors.
overseas private investment corporation
Mimi E. Alemayehou, of the District of Columbia, to be
Executive Vice President of the Overseas Private Investment
Corporation.
united states agency for international development
Mark Feierstein, of Virginia, to be an Assistant
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development.
Nisha Desai Biswal, of the District of Columbia, to be an
Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development.
department of commerce
Michael C. Camunez, of California, to be an Assistant
Secretary of Commerce.
federal hospital insurance trust fund
Charles P. Blahous III, of Maryland, to be a Member of the
Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust
Fund for a term of four years.
Robert D. Reischauer, of Maryland, to be a Member of the
Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust
Fund for a term of four years.
federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance trust funds
Charles P. Blahous III, of Maryland, to be a Member of the
Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors
Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance
Trust Fund for a term of four years.
Robert D. Reischauer, of Maryland, to be a Member of the
Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors
Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance
Trust Fund for a term of four years.
federal supplementary medical insurance trust fund
Charles P. Blahous III, of Maryland, to be a Member of the
Board of Trustees of the Federal Supplementary Medical
Insurance Trust Fund for a term of four years.
Robert D. Reischauer, of Maryland, to be a Member of the
Board of Trustees of the Federal Supplementary Medical
Insurance Trust Fund for a term of four years.
Mr. GOODWIN. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote and lay
that motion on the table; and I ask unanimous consent that no further
motions be in order, that any statements relating to the nominations
appear at the appropriate place in the Record; that the President be
immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate resume
legislative session.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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