This Week in the Senate: 10/21/2019

This week, the Senate is holding votes on two nominations, a treaty, and two bills, and the Judiciary Committee will convene an executive business meeting.

Floor Action:¹
Monday:

• The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to invoke cloture on the protocol to the NATO Treaty of 1949 admitting North Macedonia to the coalition.

Tuesday:

• The Senate will vote to ratify the treaty, and then will vote to invoke cloture on and confirm the nomination of Andrew Bremberg to representative of the United States to the United Nations mission in Geneva, Switzerland. At some point in the week, the Senate will vote to invoke cloture on the motions to proceed to H.R. 3055 and H.R. 2740, two minibus appropriations bills.

Wednesday:

• At 2:45 pm, the Senate will vote on passage of S.J. Res. 50, a Congressional Review Act joint resolution disapproving of the SALT Rule. The Senate will continue consideration of the appropriations bills.

Thursday:

• The Senate will continue consideration of the appropriations bills. At 12:00 pm, the Senate will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of Dinsmore & Shohl attorney and Brandeis School of Law Associate Professor Justin R. Walker to serve as a district judge for the Western District of Kentucky. At 1:45 pm, there will be a final vote on confirmation. If appointed to the bench, Walker would fill a vacancy from June 2019. Walker has been rated not qualified by the American Bar Association due to a lack of trial experience, but it is still likely he will be confirmed, albeit along partisan lines, due to having a patron in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Walker, a former clerk to then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh, made numerous television appearances around this time last year in support of his boss's elevation.

On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee will hold an executive session to vote on and/or hold over the following nominations (the number in the parentheses appearing after the nominee's name signifies whether this is the first or second time appearing on the agenda; first-time appearances are typically held over and nominees appearing for the second time usually receive votes):

Court of Appeals:

1. Halil Suleyman Ozerden, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit (3)
2. Steven J. Menashi, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit (2)
3. Danielle J. Hunsaker, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit (2)
4. William Joseph Nardini, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit (2)

District Court:

1. Jodi W. Dishman, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma (2)
2. Karen S. Marston, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (2)
3. Richard E. Myers II, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina (2)
4. Sarah E. Pitlyk, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri (2)
5. Anuraag Singhal, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida (2)
6. Daniel Mack Traynor, to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of North Dakota (2)

Notes:

¹The floor schedule is an approximate guide to when votes may occur. It may not necessarily be completely accurate due to things changing in the Senate during the week.

Update # 1 (10/22/2019): Updated floor schedule.
Update # 2 (10/23/2019): Updated floor schedule.