[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 150 (Wednesday, September 18, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5551-S5552]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     Nomination of Robert A. Destro

  Mr. President, on one final issue, the Destro nomination, today the 
Senate will vote on the confirmation of Robert Destro to serve as the 
Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 
responsible for the State Department's promotion of democracy, civil 
rights, and fair working standards across the world. Typical of the 
Trump administration, they have nominated someone whose record is 
diametrically opposed to the mission of the job to which he is 
nominated.
  Mr. Destro has vocally opposed the movement for LGBTQ equality and 
has been a staunch supporter of State-level religious freedom laws that 
have acted as backdoors to discriminate against LGBTQ Americans. He has 
a long record of opposition to a woman's constitutional right to make 
her own healthcare decisions. When asked about the requirement that 
insurance plans cover contraception, his response was ``the idea that 
you're entitled to have someone pay for your birth control pill is kind 
of ridiculous.''

[[Page S5552]]

  If confirmed, Mr. Destro--this very same Mr. Destro who is opposed to 
the rights of women, who is opposed to the rights of LGBTQ people--will 
be in charge of promoting civil rights around the world. What message 
would that send to women and members of the LGBTQ community who 
struggle under intolerant and oppressive governments? The answer is 
obvious. That is why yesterday every single Democrat, and even one 
Republican, voted against proceeding to his confirmation. I urge my 
Republican colleagues to study Mr. Destro's record, consider the job he 
is supposed to do, and join us in voting no on his nomination.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sasse).
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Destro 
nomination?
  Mr. BLUNT. 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 legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Roberts), 
and the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds).
  Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. 
Alexander) would have voted ``yea.''
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), 
the Senator from Minnesota (Ms. Klobuchar), the Senator from Vermont 
(Mr. Sanders), and the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are 
necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 49, nays 44, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 289 Ex.]

                                YEAS--49

     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Burr
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hawley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     McConnell
     McSally
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Paul
     Perdue
     Portman
     Risch
     Romney
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Shelby
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--44

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Collins
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Jones
     Kaine
     King
     Leahy
     Manchin
     Markey
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Murray
     Peters
     Reed
     Rosen
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--7

     Alexander
     Booker
     Klobuchar
     Roberts
     Rounds
     Sanders
     Warren
  The nomination was confirmed.

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