[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 143 (Thursday, November 20, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6178-S6180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NOMINATION OF JAMES D. PETTIT, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN
SERVICE, CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY
AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF
MOLDOVA
______
NOMINATION OF PAMELA LEORA SPRATLEN, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR
FOREIGN SERVICE, CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR
EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO
THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
______
NOMINATION OF TAMARA WENDA ASHFORD TO BE A JUDGE OF THE UNITED STATES
TAX COURT FOR A TERM OF FIFTEEN YEARS
______
NOMINATION OF L. PAIGE MARVEL TO BE A JUDGE OF THE UNITED STATES TAX
COURT FOR A TERM OF FIFTEEN YEARS
______
NOMINATION OF CARY DOUGLAS PUGH TO BE A JUDGE OF THE UNITED STATES TAX
COURT FOR A TERM OF FIFTEEN YEARS
______
NOMINATION OF RAMIN TOLOUI TO BE A DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF THE
TREASURY
[[Page S6179]]
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NOMINATION OF LISA AFUA SERWAH MENSAH TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
______
NOMINATION OF GEORGE ALBERT KROL, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN
SERVICE, CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY
AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF
KAZAKHSTAN
______
NOMINATION OF LUIS G. MORENO, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN
SERVICE, CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY
AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO JAMAICA
______
NOMINATION OF DONALD LU, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN SERVICE,
CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND
PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF
ALBANIA
______
NOMINATION OF BRENT ROBERT HARTLEY, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR
FOREIGN SERVICE, CLASS OF COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND
PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF
SLOVENIA
______
ROBERT M. SPEER TO BE AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Warren). Under the previous order, the
Senate will consider the following nominations, which the clerk will
report.
The assistant bill clerk read the nominations of James D. Pettit, of
Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of
Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the United States of America to the Republic of Moldova; Pamela
Leora Spratlen, of California, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign
Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of
Uzbekistan; Tamara Wenda Ashford, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the
United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years; L. Paige Marvel,
of Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of
fifteen years; Cary Douglas Pugh, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the
United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years; Ramin Toloui, of
Iowa, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury; Lisa Afua Serwah
Mensah, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural
Development; George Albert Krol, of New Jersey, a Career Member of the
Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to
the Republic of Kazakhstan; Luis G. Moreno, of Texas, a Career Member
of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to Jamaica; Donald Lu, of California, a Career Member of the
Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to
the Republic of Albania; Brent Robert Hartley, of Oregon, a Career
Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Republic of Slovenia; and Robert M. Speer, of Virginia,
to be an Assistant Secretary of the Army.
Vote On Pettit Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Warren). Under the previous order, there
will be 2 minutes of debate prior to a vote on the Pettit nomination.
Mr. MENENDEZ. I yield back all time on the nominations.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, all time is yielded back.
The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination
of James D. Pettit, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign
Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of
Moldova?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Spratlen Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Pamela Leora Spratlen, of California, a
Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-
Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the
United States of America to the Republic of Uzbekistan?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Ashford Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Tamara Wenda Ashford, of Virginia, to be a
Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Marvel Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of L. Paige Marvel, of Maryland, to be a
Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Pugh Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Cary Douglas Pugh, of Virginia, to be a
Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Toloui Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Ramin Toloui, of Iowa, to be a Deputy
Under Secretary of the Treasury?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Mensah Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Lisa Afua Serwah Mensah, of Maryland, to
be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Krol Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of George Albert Krol, of New Jersey, a
Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-
Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the
United States of America to the Republic of Kazakhstan?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Moreno Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Luis G. Moreno, of Texas, a Career Member
of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to Jamaica?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Lu Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Donald Lu, of California, a Career Member
of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Republic of Albania?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Hartley Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Brent Robert Hartley, of Oregon, a Career
Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Republic of Slovenia?
The nomination was confirmed.
Vote On Speer Nomination
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of Robert M. Speer, of Virginia, to be an
Assistant Secretary of the Army?
The nomination was confirmed.
[[Page S6180]]
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motions to
reconsider are considered made and laid upon the table, and the
President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
MARVEL NOMINATION
Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I would like to say a few words of
congratulations to these nominees and particularly to Judge Paige
Marvel, a great Marylander, on her reappointment to the Tax Court.
As we know, the Tax Court serves a crucial role in this country's tax
system. It is a highly specialized court that provides an important
forum in which taxpayers can dispute determinations by the IRS. Tax
Court judges have the difficult task of ably and fairly analyzing the
highly technical legal issues that arise under our complex tax code.
At the close of Judge Marvel's first term on the U.S. Tax Court, I
was a strong supporter of her reappointment, and I am an equally strong
supporter of her confirmation. Judge Marvel has served on the court
with distinction, and it is in the best interests of this country to
keep someone with her integrity and expertise on the Tax Court bench.
This integrity and expertise was also apparent prior to Judge Marvel's
assumption of her current office. I worked extensively with her on a
variety of issues when I served in the Maryland General Assembly in
Annapolis.
My colleagues on the Finance Committee, including Chairman Wyden and
Ranking Member Hatch, have worked hard and in a bipartisan manner to
bring these nominations forward, for which I am grateful. And, I am
extremely proud that a fellow Marylander has been nominated to continue
the important work of fairly interpreting and applying our tax laws,
which affect the lives of every American citizen and resident.
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