This Week in the Senate: 11/4/2019

This week, the Senate is holding votes on five judicial nominations, and the Judiciary Committee will convene an executive business meeting.

Floor Action:¹
Monday:

• No votes are scheduled. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is likely traveling with President Trump to Lexington, Kentucky for a rally with Governor Matt Bevin (R), who is up for reelection on Tuesday.

Tuesday:

• The Senate will vote at 2:15 pm to invoke cloture on the nomination of Kentucky 28th Circuit Court Judge David Tapp to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Clams. Tapp's nomination is relatively noncontroversial, despite him having no experience related to the Court of Federal Claims' docket. Later in the afternoon or evening, the Senate will vote to confirm Tapp, and then will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of Washington County Circuit Judge Danielle Hunsaker to be a Judge of the Ninth Circuit from Oregon. If confirmed, Hunsaker would succeed Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain and fill a judicial emergency from December 2016. Hunsaker's nomination is relatively noncontroversial. 

Wednesday:

• The Senate will vote at 12:00 pm to invoke cloture on the nominations of Walmart attorney Lee Rudofsky to be a Judge of the Eastern District of Arkansas and Philpott Wilson partner Jennifer Wilson to be a Judge of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Rudofsky is opposed by Democrats for his work as state solicitor general, while Wilson's nomination is relatively noncontroversial. If confirmed, Rudofsky would fill a judicial emergency from March 2018, and Wilson would fill a vacancy from October 2018. At 4:00 pm, the Senate will vote to confirm Hunsaker, and will then vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut William Nardini to be a Judge of the Second Circuit. Nardini's nomination is noncontroversial, and, if confirmed, he would fill a vacancy from June 2019.

Thursday:

• The Senate will vote to confirm Rudofsky, Wilson, and Nardini.

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 (5)
2. Steven J. Menashi, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit (4)
3. Barbara Lagoa, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit (2)
4. Robert J. Luck, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit (2)

District Court:

1. Silvia Carreño-Coll, to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico (2)
2. John M. Gallagher, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (2)
3. Sherri A. Lydon, to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of South Carolina (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 (11/4/2019): Updated floor schedule.
Update # 2 (11/5/2019): Updated floor schedule.