[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 56 (Monday, April 9, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S1994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on another matter, this week the Senate 
will turn to one of its most important constitutional responsibilities, 
the personnel business. We have a number of nominees to consider in the 
next several days.
  First is Claria Horn Boom, President Trump's pick to serve as a 
Federal district judge for both the Eastern and Western Districts of 
Kentucky. Through her work in both the public and private sectors, Ms. 
Boom has distinguished herself as a problem-solver, a trusted adviser 
to clients and her community.
  Letters in support of her nomination share a theme: She has the 
skills and experiences to excel as a district judge. ``High standards, 
ample preparation, and a fears intellect''; ``unfailingly thoughtful, 
gracious, and diligent''--these are just some of the ways Ms. Boom is 
described by those she served and worked with in Kentucky. The 
Judiciary Committee came to the same conclusion, advancing her 
nomination on a voice vote.
  Later today the full Senate will vote to advance this talented and 
noncontroversial nominee, and then I hope we will be able to quickly 
confirm her.
  Then, in the coming days, we will consider several more judges and 
important nominees for the Department of Labor, the EPA, and the 
National Labor Relations Board. These and many other positions remain 
vacant nearly a year and a half into the Trump administration.
  Qualified nominees stand ready, but Senate Democrats are using the 
procedural playbook to obstruct and delay. In many cases, for example, 
they are insisting that the Senate exhaust postcloture time even on 
unobjectionable district court nominees who have gone on to 
overwhelming confirmation--for examples, Walter Counts, who was 
confirmed 96 to 0, or Karen Gren Scholer, who was confirmed 95 to 0.
  I will have more to say on these partisan tactics in the coming days. 
For now, let me make one thing clear. The Senate's workweek will not 
end--will not end--until all of these amply qualified nominees are 
confirmed.

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