▶ 0:21:20Chair Grassley: This is the anniversary of 9/11. I wanted to remind my colleagues a couple of things I remember about it. When elliot got in the radio studio and he saw on television the first tower being hit, we didn't know anything about it at that time.
▶ 0:21:49Chair Grassley: I came back to the radio studio half an hour for another program I've done every tuesday for the last 30 years. Still didn't know. When I walked out of the radio studio, and this was before the visitor center was set up, so it was in an entirely different location, somebody said, "senator," some lady that worked there said, "senator grassley,
▶ 0:22:21Chair Grassley: You've got to be very careful, something bad happened at the defense department or the pentagon." then I went to my capital office and within five minutes, a policeman knocked on the door and said you've got to get out of here right away. So, let me say good morning to everybody.
▶ 0:22:41Chair Grassley: As I just said, before we begin, take a moment to reflect that today is the 24th anniversary of september 11, 2001 terrorist attack on our country.
▶ 0:22:56Chair Grassley: I think it is fitting that before we engage in the debate of our political disagreements of the day, to remember the tragedy and recall how it united us as american people in our resolve against those who inflict violence against our political ends.
▶ 0:23:16Chair Grassley: Tragically, we have another reason to reflect on this same topic, because yesterday, charlie kirk was assassinated while speaking at utah valley university. I'm sure we are all praying for him and his family.
▶ 0:23:31Chair Grassley: We don't know all the details about the shooting or the motive, it's a horrible reminder that acts of political terrorism and violence are something that we must resolve to oppose every day. On today's agenda, we have listed the nominations of joshua d.
▶ 0:23:59Chair Grassley: Dunlap and eric donald to be circuit judges. William w. Mercer and stephen chad meredith to be district judges, and a dozen individuals for nominations. We will hold over scott larry for mississippi to consider him at a later date.
▶ 0:24:29Chair Grassley: The nominees we are considering today are well-qualified for their roles and I look forward to supporting them. I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Before we turn to the agenda, I would like to address the ongoing obstruction of the executive branch employees in the united states senate. Historically, the consideration of U.S.
▶ 0:24:56Chair Grassley: Attorneys has been a routine and bipartisan exercise. Both in committee and on the senate floor. These men and women have answer the call to public service and are needed to uphold the public safety of their communities. U.S.
▶ 0:25:17Chair Grassley: Attorneys have nearly always been voted out of committee by a voice vote and then confirmed by unanimous consent. During the last administration, 94% of biden's U.S. attorney nominees were confirmed by voice vote on the senate floor, but so far not a single U.S. attorney has been confirmed on the senate floor by voice.
▶ 0:25:47Chair Grassley: In fact, the democrats haven't allowed a single voice vote on the floor for any civilian nominee this congress. The obstruction of U.S. attorneys hurts public safety. As I have said many times, and I've said this on the senate floor as well, 81% of americans think that crime in the large cities is a major concern.
▶ 0:26:16Chair Grassley: We have only to look at tragedies from the last few days to understand why americans are concerned about crime in our cities. The murder of charlie kirk, yesterday. The school shootings in colorado , yesterday. The recent mass shootings of little children at the catholic church in minnesota, or the senseless murder of a young woman on a train in charlotte.
▶ 0:26:46Chair Grassley: As elected leaders, we have a responsibility to do something about it. We can do something about it by installing federal law enforcement officers to keep people safe. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to do that in the united states senate the way it is being obstructed today.
▶ 0:27:08Chair Grassley: Senate democrats cannot accept that trump won the election, so they have chosen to light the senate traditions on fire in campaign partisan outrage. For months, I've begged my colleagues to put the safety of american communities over partisan obstruction.
▶ 0:27:34Chair Grassley: I've warned of the lasting damage that will be caused to the institution of the senate and to our constitutional advise and consent role. I've gone to the senate for multiple times to tell my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to relent from this destructive path. My appeals has a--of course fallen on deaf ears. The obstruction of U.S.
▶ 0:28:00Chair Grassley: Attorneys is one piece of a broader strategy of the democratic leadership to not have the senate move forward on very important issues. It only hurts the american people. And now this unprecedented obstruction is impacting the operation of our judiciary committee.
▶ 0:28:23Chair Grassley: For the last 75 years and probably much longer, the senate judiciary committee has reported many of our nominees by voice vote. This is an efficient and cooperative way to process nominations and is generally appreciated by both the majority and minority caucuses. Under my chairmanship of this committee, we have only taken voice votes with the explicit consent of the ranking member.
▶ 0:28:55Chair Grassley: Never when an objection has been raised, when we didn't understand fully what all of the minority members of this committee wanted to do. So, when I recently heard that some of our non-convert -- noncontroversial U.S. attorneys were reported by voice vote and might be challenged, I made a simple request, I went to the floor and asked colleagues to honor the validity of the voice votes and long-standing bipartisan practice.
▶ 0:29:29Chair Grassley: I was sincerely disappointed when senator schumer objected to my request and ruined this long-standing tradition. This was nothing more than an act of destructive partisanship. Because of a decision like so many of his other decisions since 2003, another senate norm has been broken and today we are post -- forced to vote again on 10 U.S. attorneys we have already voted on.
▶ 0:29:58Chair Grassley: This pattern of unrelenting partisan obstruction needs to end. We tried to end it by negotiations, but now we must ended by rule change. The american people deserve a functioning executive branch. They deserve a senate confirmed law enforcement officers. They deserve ace functioning senate.
▶ 0:30:23Chair Grassley: If leader schumer and the democrats won't agree to give that to the american people, then we must take decisive action and we will. As a final note, I have to say about my friend, senator durbin, the ranking member, he and I have good relationships. Even despite our political differences of views on legislative issues.
▶ 0:30:53Chair Grassley: I appreciate that we try to work together where we can and respectfully disagree and we cannot work together. I am disappointed that our cooperation in the management of this committee and as chairman and ranking member wasn't respected by senator schumer. Senator durbin?
▶ 0:31:12Sen. Durbin: Thank, chairman. Let me personally thank you for your closing remarks in terms of our relationship. I will repeat them to a word. I want to continue to have that relationship. It is based on many years of working together. Let's do our best to try to restore it as quickly as we can. Two things I want to mention. One, 9/11.
▶ 0:31:41Sen. Durbin: This 24th anniversary brings to mind that fateful morning where I was in the capitol building. I was meeting with senator daschle. We looked out the window, down the hall, saw black smoke billowing from the pentagon, realizing something terrible had happened beyond what we had seen on television in new york. It was just minutes until someone knocked on the door and said vacate the building. We think we are under attack.
▶ 0:32:11Sen. Durbin: And it was of course another plane that we knew was in the sky over pennsylvania, we thought that it might threaten the capitol building or the white house, we weren't sure. We literally believed our lives were at risk in that moment. Everybody vacated the building, stood on the lawn and didn't know where to turn. Tourists came up to me because I had a tie on, saying to you were here, where are we supposed to go? There was no place to go.
▶ 0:32:40Sen. Durbin: Today there is a much different attitude toward security and safety on capitol hill, but even more important as far as I'm concerned is what happened that night when members of the senate, house and democratic republicans, spontaneously gathered together on the steps of the capital to sing god bless america. It was a moment I will never forget, it really reflected an effort to bring the nation together at a time when there was no other way to solve this problem.
▶ 0:33:10Sen. Durbin: We were at our best and I want to salute president bush, a republican who stated importantly within a day or two of the attack that this was not a war against p -- people of the muslim faith. It was a faith of peace and the people who corrupted it as they did on 9/11 should not be allowed to define the religion. It was an important, historic statement.
▶ 0:33:37Sen. Durbin: I wish we had that same kind of leadership in both political parties if we ever face another terrible tragedy like that day. Let me say a word about this whole question of U.S. attorneys . I do disagree, Mr. chairman, with your phrase unprecedented obstruction. That's what you characterize the current situation on the calendar. Unprecedented speaks for itself. It's never happened before.
▶ 0:34:05Sen. Durbin: Let me call to mind that in april of 2021, senator tom cotton of arkansas, member of this committee, announced he would lock U.S. attorney nominees on the floor from any state represented by a democrat on this committee. He held these nominees for eight months. He finally lifted his hold in december of 2021, only to block attorneys on the floor again for months beginning in february of 22.
▶ 0:34:35Sen. Durbin: The one that most of ■us remembr was much more current, when then senator vance, now vice president, announced he was going to grind the department of justice to a halt by requiring long roll calls on every U.S. attorney nominee of joseph biden. At that point, we have improved 68 of the 93 U.S. attorney positions and in the biden administration it.
▶ 0:35:06Sen. Durbin: Over 18 months, senator vance held to that position that he would not allowed a U.S. attorney to be considered by voice vote or unanimous vote on the floor. Keep in mind, when the president went through his first term in office, every one of his U.S. attorney positions was filled by a voice vote. Everyone of them. Under biden, 68 out of 93. And then the vance brooch stopped us cold. To say that holding U.S.
▶ 0:35:36Sen. Durbin: Attorneys on the calendar is unprecedented, it was done twice by members that we know personally and that is what we are dealing with now. I don't blame you for that at all. You and I have talked about that and we can safely relay the conversation, we knew that this would create a terrible situation sometime in the future, and it has.
▶ 0:35:57Sen. Durbin: The good news, I hope, based on the conversation I had this morning with my colleagues, there is a conversation to find a bipartisan way out of this mess. It's the best outcome we could hope for. Coming together on both political parties to have this imposed nuclear option, it's not the best way to go and I have been through it several times. It always comes back to haunt the party that moved it and it is happening in the situation too.
▶ 0:36:28Sen. Durbin: I haven't given up, I hope we can find a bipartisan approach to it and return to the comity that use to characterize this committee. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:36:37Chair Grassley: I could entertain other speakers as we wait for people to get here? It's a work in process. Senator britt?
▶ 0:36:48Senator Britt: You are saying that the agreement that you two came to to allow these to go by voice vote on the floor, senator durbin still stands by that, but senator schumer is the one who won't allow it to happen?
▶ 0:37:01Chair Grassley: I can't speak for senator durbin.
▶ 0:37:05Sen. Britt: Can we get clarification on that?
▶ 0:37:08Chair Grassley: Let me finish.
▶ 0:37:10Sen. Britt: Yes, sir.
▶ 0:37:12Chair Grassley: He and I set out from my point of view what was reasonable, at least for six of our people voted out of committee. We went to the senate floor with that in mind. I will have to let you speak to the rest of her question.
▶ 0:37:34Sen. Durbin: We had talked about agreeing to voice vote on the committee.
▶ 0:37:39Sen. Britt: No, sir, on the floor.
▶ 0:37:42Chair Grassley: She's referring to our discussion.
▶ 0:37:44Sen. Durbin: On several of them, it was that I would approve those. I'm not going to object to it. I cannot stop other colleagues from raising the question of the issue on the floor, but in terms of senator grassley, at least three of these nominees, I agreed I would not object. >> so, the objection is coming from senator schumer?
▶ 0:38:08Chair Grassley: Let me answer that question. Yes, it came from senator schumer.
▶ 0:38:12Sen. Britt: It did, but let me
▶ 0:38:15Out -- Sen. Durbin: It did, but we were at a point where the nuclear option had been announced.
▶ 0:38:21Sen. Britt: Actually, we've been doing this for 8, 9 months.
▶ 0:38:27Sen. Durbin: My impression, having been around here for a few months, is that it takes a looming deadline for people to finally spring into action. Let's hope it happens this morning.
▶ 0:38:40Chair Grassley: Ok. We cannot move forward until we get more members here. Particularly on our side. Do we know anything about our membership? Our membership is on the way. >> Mr. chairman?
▶ 0:39:02Chair Grassley: It might be convenient to speak for a few minutes respecting a nominee, joshua dunlap, who we will be considering today. He is a nominee to the first circuit court of appeals, which includes rhode island. We've had a good record, particularly working with senator graham when he was in your chair, sir.
▶ 0:39:31Chair Grassley: Working effectively on first circuit nominees. In this case, this is a nominee who was only supported by one of the two senators from maine. Senator king has not supported this nominee.
▶ 0:39:52Chair Grassley: That puts us back in the position we have been in for some time, relating to the republican side of this committee's decision to blow up the blue slip first circuit court nominees. When that happened, I over and over again, as I think you will recall, senator grassley, expressed my warning that this was going to be bad for the committee and bad for the senate .
▶ 0:40:23Chair Grassley: And that when the shoe was on the other foot and we apply the same new rule that republicans had created, there would be anger and frustration on the republican side. Indeed, we have seen it when the rule that republicans created, that the blue slip would no longer matter for circuit court appointees, was then applied against those who broke the rule in the first place.
▶ 0:40:54Chair Grassley: That is one aspect of why I will be opposing Mr. dunlap. The other reason to oppose Mr. dunlap is that this individual is virulently anti-choice. To the point of having supported a wrongful death cause of action for a death of an unborn child,
▶ 0:41:25Chair Grassley: Presenting the prospect of actually criminalizing abortion procedures. I won't go on at length, but he has a considerable record that puts him as an ideologically antichoice individual, which is fine under the first amendment, but it raises questions about whether he will be fair as a judge.
▶ 0:41:55Chair Grassley: His views are so virulent that they likely extend towards pushing the dobbs analysis that undid roe v. Wade towards opposition to gay marriage. He is as hostile to gay marriage as he is to women's reproductive choice.
▶ 0:42:27Chair Grassley: Indeed, as a law student, and adults, he chose to intern for a group that had filed a brief in support of criminalizing, criminalizing homosexuality.
▶ 0:42:49Chair Grassley: So, because of the extremism of his views against women's rights and his views regarding gay marriage and because of the opposition of senator king and the once again republican choice to overrule a blue slip, I will be opposing his nomination.
▶ 0:43:12Chair Grassley: We will now turn to the nomination of joshua dunlap to serve as first circuit . Clerk will call the roll. >> graham? Aye by proxy. >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> kennedy?
▶ 0:43:42Chair Grassley: >> blackburn? >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? No by proxy. >> whitehouse? No by proxy. >> klobuchar? No by proxy. >> coons? >> no. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> hirono? >> no. >> booker? No by proxy. >> padilla? No by proxy. >> welch? No by proxy. >> schiff? No by proxy.
▶ 0:44:12Chair Grassley: >> grassley?
▶ 0:44:15Chair Grassley: Aye by proxy. -- chair grassley: >> aye. . >> I want to speak. >> I want to speak as well. >> brief remarks before the vote. I want to strongly register my opposition to his nomination to the fourth circuit court of appeals, Mr. tung.
▶ 0:44:48Chair Grassley: He is not here because of his experience. He is here simply because of his extreme ideologies. He believes in the extreme conception of the constitution that rejects equality and liberty and wants to turn back the clock to exclude much of the american public from equal justice.
▶ 0:45:10Chair Grassley: A month ago at the confirmation hearing I gave him an opportunity to clear the record by recanting his past history of sexist and antilabor comments. Instead of doing so, he chose the dodge and deflect. Offering the real explanation or evolved thinking that could absolve his behavior in the record. Deeply troubling, his lack of experience. As I pointed out during his confirmation hearing, Mr.
▶ 0:45:40Chair Grassley: Tung has never served in a sole lead counsel in a case that has been tried to verdict or judgment from the bench. The trump administration now hopes to catapult him to an appellate court position. Not even a district court position first. I would be happy to work with the administration to find someone suitable for such a critically important position. Senator schiff and I have worked to do just that.
▶ 0:46:09Chair Grassley: We have informed the white house that Mr. tung would be unacceptable and we put forward other candidates, republican candidates, including some who had been previously nominated by trump for district court judgeships. We took this matter and our responsibility seriously, working hard to put forward nominees who were qualified that we hoped the white house would consider.
▶ 0:46:39Chair Grassley: Instead, the white house chose not to respect that genuine outreach and effort and consultation with us on this particular vacancy. So, we have seen it time and again, unfortunately, the trump picks to staff the department of justice, the fbi, the attorneys offices, and I simply cannot support his nomination and urge you to oppose it as well. Thank you. Mr. chairman?
▶ 0:47:13Senator Schiff: I would also like to join my colleague and express my opposition to the nomination for the same as my colleagues. In our discussion during the hearing on confirmation of his views of the dobbs decision and the potential impacts on a range of other due process issues that are likely to face the courts, I found his views well outside the mainstream and to be very extreme. It is not something I could support.
▶ 0:47:43Senator Schiff: For that reason among others I cannot support this nomination. Neither senator padilla nor I are willing to return blue slips on this nominee and I join my colleagues who have expressed concerns about the practice of the committee now going forward with nominees where both state senators object. But that, I yelled back.
▶ 0:48:05Sen. Durbin: I want to go on the record joining my california colleagues. I asked Mr. tung a few questions and he called himself an originalist. What is that? At the federalist society he made it clear what he means, saying it includes whether there is a constitutional right to abortion, same-sex marriage, and other things. Answer for originalists is simply no.
▶ 0:48:32Sen. Durbin: He's made it clear where he is and I would urge my californian colleagues to reinforce the position. Mr. tung has suggested turning back the time to when the government could criminally prosecute consenting adults for what they do in the privacy of their bedrooms. Is that the position of the members of this committee? It's not mine, and I won't support it.
▶ 0:48:55Chair Grassley: On the question of reporting the nomination, the clerk will call the role. >> graham? >> aye by proxy. >> cornyn? Aye. >> aye. >> lee? Aye. >> cruz? Aye. >> aye. >> hawley? Aye. >> tillis? >> kennedy? Aye. >> blackburn? Aye. >> schmitt? Aye. >> britt? Aye. >> moody? >> durbin?
▶ 0:49:27Chair Grassley: -- no. >> whitehouse? No. >> klobuchar? No by proxy. >> coons? No by proxy. >> blumenthal? No by proxy. >> hirono? No by proxy. >> booker? No. >> padilla? No. >> welch? >> schiff? No by proxy. >> grassley?
▶ 0:49:46Chair Grassley: Aye. The nomination will be favorably reported. Now we go to the nomination of william mercer for the district of montana. Go ahead.
▶ 0:50:00Sen. Durbin: Mr. chairman, I oppose the no minutes -- this nomination. He is demonstrated an inability to be a neutral arbiter. He opposed a bill designed to end the three year statute of limitations for civil lawsuits by sexual abuse victims. He said that eliminating the statute of limitations was a bad idea.
▶ 0:50:26Sen. Durbin: Victims disagreed, calling changes to the bill that he opposed a total sellout in favor of child molesters and insurance companies. While serving as the U.S. attorney for the district of montana, he was scolded by a federal judge for pursuing statistics rather than justice. I'm troubled by several aspects of his career and will be voting no.
▶ 0:50:48Chair Grassley: On this nomination, the clerk will call the role. >> graham? >> aye. Cornyn? >> aye. Lee? >> aye. Lee? >> aye. >> no. >> no by proxy. >> no by proxy. >> aye.
▶ 0:51:19Chair Grassley: -- >> no. >> no by proxy. >> no by proxy. >> no by proxy. >> no.
▶ 0:51:30Chair Grassley: >> aye. The nomination will be favorably reported. Now, the nomination of steve and meredith, eastern district of kentucky.
▶ 0:51:44Sen. Durbin: Mr. chairman, I will be opposing this nomination. Mr. meredith has insulted women everywhere when he argued in court that doctors should be required to provide certain information to female patients because these women "don't understand" their own medical needs.
▶ 0:52:05Chair Grassley: The clerk will call the roll. >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> aye. >> blackburn? >> aye. >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> no. >> whitehouse? >> no. >> klobuchar? >> no by proxy.
▶ 0:52:36Chair Grassley: >> coons? >> no. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> welch? >> no by proxy. >> schiff? >> no. >> chairman grassley?
▶ 0:52:56Chair Grassley: The nomination is favorably reported. Now we go to arch o -- arch capito, the clerk will call the roll. [roll call schmitt?
▶ 0:53:26Chair Grassley: >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> no. >> whitehouse? >> no. >> klobuchar? >> no. >> coons? >> no. >> blumenthal? >> no by proxy. >> hirono? >> no by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> no. >> welch? >> no by proxy. >> schiff? >> no by proxy. >> grassley?
▶ 0:53:49Chair Grassley: >> aye by proxy. >> the eyes are 12, the nays r 10.
▶ 0:53:56Chair Grassley: The nomination will be favorably reported. Now we take up the U.S. district attorney of tennessee, david done event.
▶ 0:54:17Senator: I want to remind my colleagues on the other side of the day is that they tossed away the advise and consent responsibility not once, not twice, but three times the biden administration overrode senator hagerty and I and you all sat there and never said a word. Senator tillis had the same situation.
▶ 0:54:41Senator: On the nomination, he is an experienced prosecutor who knows the job and has previously served in this position and was confirmed unanimously by the senate in 2017 under his leadership of violent crime decreasing in memphis by 13% and during his tenure he increased the number of federal firearms cases filed in the district by 58% and led the project safe neighborhoods task force in
▶ 0:55:12Senator: Memphis. We all know that the fbi and the doj have worked with us to address the crime issues in memphis. I urge yes vote on this nomination.
▶ 0:55:25Chair Grassley: The clerk will call the roll. >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> aye. >> blackburn? >> aye. >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> aye. >> whitehouse? >> no. >> klobuchar? >> aye by proxy. >> coons? >> no.
▶ 0:55:57Chair Grassley: -- >> aye. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> hirono? >> no by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> no. >> welch? >> no by proxy. >> schiff? >> no by proxy. >> grassley? >> aye. The nomination will be favorably reported. Now, matthew harvey, northern district of west virginia. The clerk will call the roll.
▶ 0:56:31Chair Grassley: >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> lee? >> cruz? >> hawley? >> tillis? >> kennedy? >> blackburn? >> schmitt? >> britt? >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> aye. >> whitehouse? >> no. >> klobuchar? >> aye by proxy. >> coons? >> aye. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> hirono? >> aye by proxy.
▶ 0:57:01Chair Grassley: >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> no. >> welch? >> aye by proxy. >> schiff? >> no. >> grassley? >> aye. The nomination will be favorably reported.
▶ 0:57:28Chair Grassley: Now we go to john heekin, northern district of florida. The clerk will call the roll. >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> aye. >> blackburn? >> aye. >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> no. >> whitehouse? >> no. >> klobuchar?
▶ 0:58:00Chair Grassley: >> no by proxy. >> coons? >> no. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> hirono? >> no by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> no. >> welch? >> no by proxy. >> schiff? >> no. >> grassley? >> >> aye. >> by vote, 12-10.
▶ 0:58:26Chair Grassley: The nomination will be favorably reported. Now, leif olson, northern district of iowa U.S. attorney. The clerk will call the roll. >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> cruz? >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> day. Sorry. >> blackburn? >> aye.
▶ 0:58:56Chair Grassley: >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> no. >> whitehouse? >> no. >> klobuchar? >> no. >> coons? >> no. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> hirono? >> no by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> no by proxy. >> welch? >> no by proxy. >> schiff? >> no. >> chairman grassley? >> aye.
▶ 0:59:28Chair Grassley: >> 12-10.
▶ 0:59:28Chair Grassley: The nomination, 5 -- favorably reported. Adam sleeper, district attorney to the virgin islands. The clerk will call the roll. >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> aye. >> blackburn? >> aye. >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> aye. >> whitehouse?
▶ 0:59:58Chair Grassley: >> no. >> klobuchar? >> no. -- >> aye. >> coons? >> aye. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> hirono? >> aye by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> no by proxy. >> welch? >> aye by proxy. >> schiff? >> no. >> chairman grassley?
▶ 1:00:29Chair Grassley: >> aye by proxy. >> 17-5.
▶ 1:00:35Chair Grassley: The nomination, favorably reported. Now, northern district of ohio, david toepfer. >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> aye. >> blackburn? >> aye. >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> durbin? >> aye. >> whitehouse? >> no.
▶ 1:01:05Chair Grassley: >> klobuchar? >> aye. >> coons? >> aye. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> hirono? >> aye by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> no. >> welch? >> aye by proxy. >> schiff? >> aye by proxy. -- >> no. >> chairman grassley? >> aye.
▶ 1:01:37Chair Grassley: This nomination will be favorably reported. Now, I understand we can have a roll call vote on these nominees. Kurt alme, montana.
▶ 1:01:59Chair Grassley: Chase, metcalf, leslie murphy, district of nebraska. Kurt wall , middle district of louisiana. On block these nominations, the clerk will call the roll. >> graham? >> aye by proxy.
▶ 1:02:30Chair Grassley: -- >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> blackburn? >> schmitt? >> aye. >> aye. >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> aye. >> whitehouse? >> no. >> klobuchar? >> aye. >> coons? >> blumenthal? >> aye. >> no by proxy.
▶ 1:03:00Chair Grassley: >> hirono? >> no by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> no. >> welch? >> aye by proxy. >> schiff? >> no. >> chairman grassley? 15-6.
▶ 1:03:28Sen. Durbin: Reported favorably. Now we turn to the nomination of david waterman to serve as the U.S. attorney for the southern district of iowa.
▶ 1:03:45Sen. Durbin: I want to speak to this one, this person was also nominated for the same position by senator biden, but it went back to the at the end of the last congress, so it ought to have bipartisan support. The clerk will call the roll.
▶ 1:04:21Sen. Durbin: >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> aye. >> blackburn? >> aye. >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> aye. >> whitehouse? >> klobuchar? >> aye. >> coons? >> aye. >> blumenthal? >> hirono? >> aye. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla?
▶ 1:04:51Sen. Durbin: >> no. >> welch? >> aye by proxy. >> schiff? [inaudible] >> grassley? >> aye. >> on the boats -- >> chairman, chairman, chairman.
▶ 1:05:12Chair Grassley: Senator padilla changes his vote to aye. Waterman is favorably reported. Now, we are going to david rosen .
▶ 1:05:28Sen. Durbin: Daniel. Daniel.
▶ 1:05:31Chair Grassley: The clerk will call the roll. >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> blackburn? >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> aye. >> whitehouse? >> aye. >> klobuchar? >> aye. >> coons? >> aye. >> blumenthal?
▶ 1:06:02Chair Grassley: >> no. >> hirono? >> aye by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> aye. >> welch? >> aye by proxy. >> schiff? >> aye. >> grassley? >> aye. >> on this vote, 20-two.
▶ 1:06:26Sen. Durbin: Chair grassley: the the nomination will be favorably reported. Now we go to erik siebert, district of virginia. The clerk will call the roll. >> graham? >> aye. >> cornyn? >> aye. >> lee? >> aye. >> cruz? >> aye. >> hawley? >> aye. >> tillis? >> aye. >> kennedy? >> aye. >> blackburn? >> aye. >> schmitt? >> aye. >> britt? >> aye. >> moody? >> aye. >> durbin? >> whitehouse?
▶ 1:06:58Sen. Durbin: >> klobuchar? >> aye. >> coons? >> aye. >> blumenthal? >> no. >> hirono? >> aye by proxy. >> booker? >> no by proxy. >> padilla? >> aye. >> welch? >> aye by proxy. >> schiff? >> aye. >> grassley? >> aye.
▶ 1:07:30Sen. Durbin: >> 20-2.
▶ 1:07:30Chair Grassley: The nomination is favorably reported.
▶ 1:07:34Sen. Durbin: Chairman, I would like to stay for the record that senator welch has asked that he show on the record that he would have voted no on david metcalf, attorney for the eastern district of pennsylvania if it had to be in an individual vote.
▶ 1:07:50Chair Grassley: Without objection, so ordered. I asked senator blackburn and senator britt, before you speak, I want to thank everybody for their nomination for moving this money by roll call vote. Senator blackburn, senator britt? Ok. Meeting adjourned.