[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 18, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S3457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Nomination of Rodney Scott

  Mr. President, finally, on the CPB nomination, today, Senate 
Republicans will confirm Rodney Scott as Commissioner of the U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection, CPB.
  It is hard to imagine a worse, more unqualified, more dangerous 
choice to lead the CPB in this moment than Mr. Scott. His lack of 
experience alone is enough to disqualify him from the position, but 
there is even more. During his time at the Border Patrol, Mr. Scott was 
directly implicated in the alleged coverup of the death of someone in 
Border Patrol custody. These are the people Donald Trump seems to like, 
people who break the law. Somehow, he likes that.
  There is another one. When pressed by the committee about these 
allegations, Mr. Scott described his actions as ``routine.'' To cover 
up the death of someone who is in custody--that is routine? This is 
sick. This is a person who may have covered up the death of someone in 
Border Patrol custody, and now Republicans want to put him in charge of 
border security?
  No one who allegedly covered up a wrongful death at the hands of law 
enforcement should ever be named to a position of leadership.
  The Senate should reject his nomination.
  At a time when the Trump administration is snatching people off the 
streets, conducting military-style raids across America, and demonizing 
immigrants, Mr. Scott would be nothing more than a rubberstamp for some 
of Donald Trump's nastiest, cruelest immigration policies.
  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote 
in favor of the motion to invoke cloture on Mr. Rodney Scott, who is 
nominated to serve as the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, or CBP.
  CBP's mission priorities include countering terrorism and 
transnational crime, securing the border, facilitating lawful trade and 
travel, and protecting revenue.
  Mr. Scott is well-positioned to lead CBP in fulfilling these 
important priorities. He has nearly three decades of relevant 
experience, including serving as a chief patrol agent in the U.S. 
Border Patrol and as the associate chief in CBP's Office of Anti-
Terrorism. At his nomination hearing, Mr. Scott said he ``would 
leverage [his] experience to empower the men and women of CBP to do 
what they were hired to do--safeguard every American by providing 
secure borders and keeping trade and travel moving.'' I know that if 
confirmed, he will do so.
  I thank Mr. Scott for his commitment and for his responsiveness 
throughout this nomination process. I strongly encourage my colleagues 
on both sides of the aisle to join me today in voting to advance Mr. 
Scott's nomination.
  Mr. SCHUMER. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Mullin). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Ricketts). The majority whip.
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.