[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6519-S6520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NOMINATION OF CHAD F. WOLF

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I rise to object to the nomination of 
Chad Wolf to serve as DHS Undersecretary of the Office of Strategy, 
Policy, and Plans.
  This nomination is yet another example of the Trump administration's 
chaotic and inhumane approach to immigration issues. DHS is the third 
largest Federal agency, and under the Trump administration, it has had 
four directors in less than 3 years. It has been widely reported that 
Republicans are rushing to confirm Mr. Wolf so that President Trump can 
then appoint him Acting DHS Secretary. He will be the fifth DHS 
Secretary and the third Acting. Rather than go through the normal 
channels of selecting a nominee and allowing Senators to properly vet 
and question the nominee, Republicans are going along with Trump's plan 
to circumvent Federal law.
  When asked directly by my colleague, Senator Rosen, about his role in 
formulating the family separation policy, Mr. Wolf denied any direct 
knowledge of that policy. Leaked emails later revealed that, as 
Secretary Nielsen's chief of staff, he presented her with a memo with 
options to deter migrants coming to the border. Separating parents from 
their children was the second option on that list. The family 
separation policy is repugnant to our country's values.
  The timing of this nomination is especially concerning in light of 
the Supreme Court oral arguments this week on DACA. The Trump 
administration ended DACA and then rejected compromise legislation, 
written by a bipartisan group of Senators, that would have given over 
700,000 Dreamers who have grown up here stability and, ultimately, a 
path to citizenship. When those Senators were negotiating an 
immigration deal, in an unprecedented action, DHS Secretary Nielsen 
sent a letter lambasting the negotiations and accused them of 
undermining U.S. security.
  The Trump administration has weaponized and poorly managed DHS, and I 
cannot support this nominee.
  Mr. DURBIN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sasse). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, all postcloture time 
is expired.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Wolf 
nomination?
  Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), 
the Senator from California (Ms. Harris), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. 
Sanders), and the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are 
necessarily absent.
  The result was announced--yeas 54, nays 41, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 354 Ex.]

                                YEAS--54

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

                                NAYS--41

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

                             NOT VOTING--5

     Booker
     Harris
     Rounds
     Sanders
     Warren
  The nomination was confirmed.

[[Page S6520]]

  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.

                          ____________________