[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 144 (Tuesday, August 28, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5961-S5962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             AUGUST RECESS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, August is usually a time for Senators 
to spend more time in our home States, meeting with our constituents 
and reporting on the progress we have made here in Washington, but this 
August had to be different. There was too much business left 
unfinished. So I made the decision to keep the Senate in session this 
month to continue working on behalf of the American people. I am proud 
to report that is just what we have done.
  The Senate has now passed regular appropriations measures that 
account for 87 percent of next fiscal year's discretionary spending, we 
finalized our work on the National Defense Authorization Act named for 
Senator McCain, and in August alone, we have confirmed eight more of 
the President's well-qualified nominees for the Federal courts. But, as 
I have stated, the continuing, historic obstruction from Democrats on 
the President's nominees continues to make our progress on that front 
insufficient, so we will stay at it.
  Currently before us are nominees to be Assistant Secretary to the 
Department of Health and Human Services, a Vice Chairman for the 
Federal Reserve, important posts at the Departments of Justice and 
Treasury, and a slate of impressive nominees for the Federal judiciary. 
I hope we can continue to make progress. It remains my intention to 
confirm all 17 of the nominees currently before us before the Senate 
concludes our business this week.

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