[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 1, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this week the Senate is continuing to 
make progress in consideration of the President's nominees. By the end 
of this week, three more executive branch and five court vacancies will 
have been filled with thoroughly qualified individuals.
  Already, these uncontroversial nominees have earned overwhelming 
bipartisan support. Yesterday, more than two-thirds of the Senate voted 
to confirm William Cooper to serve as general counsel for the 
Department of Energy. Mr. Cooper's expertise and energy policy was 
evident to Chairman Murkowski and our colleagues in committee who voted 
by voice to report this nomination to the full Senate. Now we have put 
a sharp lawyer on the job at DOE.
  Later in the day, we confirmed two more well-qualified executive 
branch nominees to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and the 
State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs by even wider 
margins. Each received bipartisan support in committee. So, again, I am 
glad to see a similar degree of swift, reasonable consideration here on 
the floor.
  I might add that these are the kinds of nominees who, a few years 
ago, would have been approved on a voice vote. Today the Senate will 
turn to a slate of judicial nominees with their own impressive trail of 
credentials--things like prestigious clerkships and strong reviews from 
the American Bar Association. Most importantly, all have demonstrated 
their commitment to the rule of law.
  Celebrating small wins for comity in the personnel business is, of 
course, only necessary in the wake of, literally, years of 
unprecedented partisan obstruction. But I will readily express my hope 
that in the coming days and weeks, we will continue to work toward 
clearing the Executive Calendar backlog and confirming more well-
qualified nominees.

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