[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11571-11572]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

   NOMINATION OF JULIAN CASTRO TO BE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN 
                              DEVELOPMENT

                                 ______
                                 

  NOMINATION OF DARCI L. VETTER TO BE CHIEF AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATOR, 
  OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE, WITH THE RANK OF 
                               AMBASSADOR

                                 ______
                                 

   NOMINATION OF WILLIAM D. ADAMS TO BE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL 
                      ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES

  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 legislative clerk read the nominations of Julian Castro, of 
Texas, to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Darci L. 
Vetter, of Nebraska, to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the 
United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador; and 
William D. Adams, of Maine, to be Chairperson of the National Endowment 
for the Humanities.


                       Vote on Castro Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will be 2 
minutes of debate equally divided in the usual form prior to the vote 
on the Castro nomination.
  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I support the nomination 
of Mayor Julian Castro to be the next Secretary of the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development.
  As Mayor of San Antonio, Mayor Castro has been on the front lines of 
helping his community reach its housing and economic development goals. 
In his tenure as mayor, he has focused on attracting well-paying jobs 
in 21st century industries, raising educational attainment, and 
revitalizing the city's urban core. HUD is a critical partner in these 
efforts nationwide. Mayor Castro will bring both direct experience with 
and an appreciation of the importance of HUD's programs to families and 
communities to the role of HUD Secretary.
  Mayor Castro's nomination has been endorsed by a wide spectrum of 
stakeholders, including the National Association of Realtors, National 
Association of Homebuilders, and housing, local government, civil 
rights and Hispanic leadership organizations. He has also been endorsed 
by several recent HUD Secretaries who have served in both Democratic 
and Republican administrations, including Henry Cisneros and former 
Senator Mel Martinez.
  I urge my colleagues to support Mayor Castro's nomination.
  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to yield back all 
time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, all time is yielded back.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination 
of Julian Castro, of Texas, to be Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development?
  Mr. GRASSLEY. 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. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. 
Rockefeller) and the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz) are necessarily 
absent.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Louisiana (Mr. Vitter).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Donnelly). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 71, nays 26, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 219 Ex.]

                                YEAS--71

     Alexander
     Ayotte
     Baldwin
     Begich
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Booker
     Boxer
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Chambliss
     Cochran
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (SD)
     Kaine
     King
     Klobuchar
     Landrieu
     Leahy
     Levin
     Manchin
     Markey
     McCaskill
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Nelson
     Portman
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Walsh
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden

                                NAYS--26

     Barrasso
     Boozman
     Burr
     Coats
     Coburn
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Enzi
     Fischer
     Flake
     Grassley
     Hatch
     Inhofe
     Johnson (WI)
     Kirk
     Lee
     McCain
     McConnell
     Moran
     Paul
     Risch
     Roberts
     Scott
     Sessions
     Thune
     Toomey

                             NOT VOTING--3

     Rockefeller
     Schatz
     Vitter
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Vetter Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will be 2 
minutes of debate divided in the usual form.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I yield back the time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, all time is yielded back.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination 
of Darci L. Vetter, of Nebraska, to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative, with the rank of 
Ambassador?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Adams Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will be 2 
minutes of debate divided in the usual form.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the 
nomination of Dr. William ``Bro'' Adams to be Chairman of the National 
Endowment for the Humanities, NEH.
  The NEH is one of the largest supporters of humanities programs in 
the United States. The individual scholars, museums, libraries, 
universities, and other cultural institutions it supports enrich 
communities across the country. Through his extensive and impressive 
work in public service, education, and the humanities, Dr. Adams is 
well-qualified to lead the Endowment.
  A Vietnam war veteran, Fulbright Scholar, college president, and 
board member for both the Maine Film Center and the Maine Public 
Broadcasting Corporation, Dr. Adams' diverse experiences have prepared 
him to lead the Nation's cultural agency. He is a graduate of Colorado 
College and earned his Ph.D. in the history of consciousness from the 
University of California at Santa Cruz.
  Dr. Adams recently retired from a successful tenure as president of 
Colby College in Waterville, ME, where he served from 2000 through June 
of this year. He launched and executed an ambitious plan to expand the 
school and

[[Page 11572]]

its cultural presence, overseeing a $376 million capital campaign--the 
largest ever in the State of Maine. In doing so, Dr. Adams helped found 
the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, construct 
the Diamond Building for Social Sciences, launch a film studies 
program, and expand Colby's creative writing curriculum. Additionally, 
he played a pivotal role in growing Colby's Museum of Art into one of 
the largest art collections in Maine.
  Under Dr. Adams' leadership, Colby College has supported several 
projects that have helped to reinvigorate the humanities in the 
Waterville community. These have included forging partnerships on major 
renovation projects such as of the Waterville Opera House, the Hathaway 
Creative Center's historic mill property, the Waterville Public 
Library, and the Maine Film Center.
  Dr. Adams is a proven leader whose engagement and direction have 
enriched the State of Maine. I am confident that Bro Adams will lead 
the NEH and serve our country with great vision and integrity. I urge 
my colleagues to support this nomination.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the time be yielded back.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, all time is yielded back.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination 
of William D. Adams, of Maine, to be Chairperson of the National 
Endowment for the Humanities for a term of 4 years?
  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.

                          ____________________