[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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