[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 185 (Monday, November 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7076-S7077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Business Before the Senate

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, with the Thanksgiving holiday behind 
us, we are reminded that this year and this Congress will soon come to 
a close. The past few years have been a time of historic 
accomplishments on behalf of the American people: historic tax and 
regulatory reform, landmark legislation to combat the opioid epidemic, 
a return to regular order appropriations, much needed reforms and 
resources for our men and women who wear the uniform today and for our 
veterans. The list goes on and on.
  As the 115th Congress comes to a close, my colleagues will have 
much--much, indeed--to be proud of. But we aren't finished yet. The 
Senate still has a full plate of important business that we must 
complete before the end of the year.
  At the top of the list are more nominations--well-qualified 
individuals that the President has chosen for executive and judicial 
service. Since the beginning of this Congress, the majority has taken 
the Senate's role in the personnel business very seriously. We have 
taken the opportunity to process nominations efficiently and fulfill 
our responsibility to advise and consent.
  Of course, thanks to a concerted delaying effort from our colleagues 
across the aisle, a number of important offices remain unfilled. 
Accomplished nominees have waited patiently on the Senate calendar. 
Important posts have remained vacant while my colleagues on the other 
side of the aisle slow-walk nominations and force a record-breaking 
number of cloture votes.
  We are 2 years into this administration. The President deserves his 
team, and our constituents deserve the government they voted for. So, 
as we have this entire Congress, we will continue to make nominations a 
top priority for as long as need be.
  The nominees we will consider this week are highly regarded and well 
equipped for public service. We will begin with Stephen Vaden, who has 
been nominated to serve as General Counsel at the Department of 
Agriculture. Mr. Vaden is a graduate of Vanderbilt and Yale Law School. 
He brings experience from multiple Federal court clerkships and from 
years in practice in administrative law and appellate litigation.
  This nominee was voted out of the Agriculture Committee with 
bipartisan support, including that of the ranking member. So I urge 
each of my colleagues to join me in voting to advance Mr. Vaden's 
nomination this afternoon and to confirm him this week.
  Then we will turn to more nominations for the Department of Commerce, 
for the Federal judiciary, and for the Consumer Financial Protection 
Bureau. I look forward to confirming each of them without undue delay.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.

[[Page S7077]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Ernst). The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. NELSON. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.