[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 78 (Monday, May 14, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Oil Prices

  Mr. President, finally, on oil prices, few things matter more to the 
average consumer than the price of a gallon of gasoline. When gas 
prices go through the roof, it eats away at a family's income, leaving 
less to cover the cost of everything else--groceries, medicines, 
tuition, summer vacation.
  Recent data suggests that gas prices are about to spike this summer, 
the result of the actions and inactions of the Trump administration. As 
gas prices head toward $3 a gallon, the U.S. Energy Information 
Administration estimates that the average family could expect to pay 
$200 more this summer's driving season than last year.
  Part of the reason is, President Trump triggered greater uncertainty 
and increased instability in the Middle East when he pulled out of the 
Iran deal and is about to levy additional sanctions on the oil-
producing nation. Another part of the reason is, OPEC has decided to 
cut oil production. President Trump has tweeted that OPEC's decision 
``will not be accepted.'' We are waiting to see some action that will 
help America's motorists.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Moran). The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Scudder 
nomination?
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the 
Senator from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz), 
the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), the Senator from Nevada 
(Mr. Heller), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Lankford), the Senator 
from Utah (Mr. Lee), and the Senator from Arizona (Mr. McCain).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. 
Duckworth), the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Manchin), and the 
Senator from Florida (Mr. Nelson) are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Johnson). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 90, nays 0, as follows:

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 92 Ex.]

                                YEAS--90

     Alexander
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Boozman
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Crapo
     Daines
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Flake
     Gardner
     Gillibrand
     Grassley
     Harris
     Hassan
     Hatch
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson
     Jones
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Markey
     McCaskill
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Paul
     Perdue
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden
     Young

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Blunt
     Cruz
     Duckworth
     Graham
     Heller
     Lankford
     Lee
     Manchin
     McCain
     Nelson
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motion to 
reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the President 
will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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