[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 18776-18777]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

     NOMINATION OF MARK GILBERT TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND 
PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO NEW ZEALAND, AND TO 
 SERVE CONCURRENTLY AND WITHOUT ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AS AMBASSADOR 
 EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO 
                     THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF SAMOA

                                 ______
                                 

   NOMINATION OF ROBERT C. BARBER TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND 
  PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF 
                                ICELAND
  NOMINATION OF DAVID NATHAN SAPERSTEIN TO BE AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR 
                    INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

                                 ______
                                 
    

  NOMINATION OF AMY JANE HYATT, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN 
 SERVICE, CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY 
AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF 
                                 PALAU

                                 ______
                                 
    

 NOMINATION OF ARNOLD A. CHACON, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN 
  SERVICE, CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE 
                            FOREIGN SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 
    

NOMINATION OF VIRGINIA E. PALMER, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN 
 SERVICE, CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY 
AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF 
                                 MALAWI

                                 ______
                                 
    

 NOMINATION OF DONALD L. HEFLIN, A CAREER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN 
 SERVICE, CLASS OF MINISTER-COUNSELOR, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY 
AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF 
                               CABO VERDE

                                 ______
                                 
    

  NOMINATION OF MICHAEL W. KEMPNER TO BE A MEMBER OF THE BROADCASTING 
                           BOARD OF GOVERNORS

                                 ______
                                 
    

  NOMINATION OF LEON ARON TO BE A MEMBER OF THE BROADCASTING BOARD OF 
                               GOVERNORS

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations, 
which the clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read the nominations of Mark Gilbert, 
of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the 
United States of America to New Zealand, and to serve concurrently and 
without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and 
Plenipotentiary of the United States of

[[Page 18777]]

America to the Independent State of Samoa; Robert C. Barber, of 
Massachusetts, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of 
the United States of America to the Republic of Iceland; David Nathan 
Saperstein, of the District of Columbia, to be Ambassador at Large for 
International Religious Freedom; Amy Jane Hyatt, of California, a 
Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-
Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the 
United States of America to the Republic of Palau; Arnold A. Chacon, of 
Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of 
Minister-Counselor, to be Director General of the Foreign Service; 
Virginia E. Palmer, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign 
Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary 
and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of 
Malawi; Donald L. Heflin, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior 
Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador 
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to 
the Republic of Cabo Verde; Michael W. Kempner, of New Jersey, to be a 
Member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors; and Leon Aron, of 
Virginia, to be a Member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.


                       Vote on Gilbert Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is 2 minutes of debate equally divided 
prior to a vote on the Gilbert nomination.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I yield back all time on all of these 
nominations.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time is yielded back on all nominations.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination 
of Mark Gilbert, of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and 
Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to New Zealand, and to 
serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador 
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to 
the Independent State of Samoa?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Barber Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Robert C. Barber, of Massachusetts, to be 
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of 
America to the Republic of Iceland?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                     Vote on Saperstein Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of David Nathan Saperstein, of the District 
of Columbia, to be Ambassador at Large for International Religious 
Freedom?
  Mr. WICKER. 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 assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Begich), the 
Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and the Senator from Colorado (Mr. 
Udall) are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 62, nays 35, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 326 Ex.]

                                YEAS--62

     Alexander
     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Booker
     Boxer
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Cruz
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hirono
     Johnson (SD)
     Kaine
     King
     Kirk
     Klobuchar
     Landrieu
     Leahy
     Levin
     Markey
     McCaskill
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Nelson
     Paul
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Rockefeller
     Rubio
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott
     Shaheen
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall (NM)
     Walsh
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                                NAYS--35

     Ayotte
     Barrasso
     Boozman
     Burr
     Chambliss
     Coats
     Coburn
     Cochran
     Cornyn
     Crapo
     Enzi
     Fischer
     Flake
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hatch
     Hoeven
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (WI)
     Lee
     Manchin
     McCain
     McConnell
     Moran
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Sessions
     Shelby
     Thune
     Toomey
     Vitter
     Wicker

                             NOT VOTING--3

     Begich
     Sanders
     Udall (CO)
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Hyatt Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Amy Jane Hyatt, of California, a Career 
Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to 
be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of 
America to the Republic of Palau?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Chacon Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Arnold A. Chacon, of Virginia, a Career 
Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to 
be Director General of the Foreign Service?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Palmer Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Virginia E. Palmer, of Virginia, a Career 
Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to 
be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of 
America to the Republic of Malawi?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Heflin Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Donald L. Heflin, of Virginia, a Career 
Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to 
be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of 
America to the Republic of Cabo Verde?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Kempner Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Michael W. Kempner, of New Jersey, to be a 
Member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Aron Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Leon Aron, of Virginia, to be a Member of 
the Broadcasting Board of Governors?
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motions to 
reconsider are considered made and laid upon the table, and the 
President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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