This Week in the Senate: 11/16/2020

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This week, the Senate is holding votes on seven nominations, including six to the judiciary, and the Judiciary Committee will convene a nominations hearing and an executive business meeting.

Floor Action:¹
Monday:
  • The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to invoke cloture on the nomination of Solicitor General of Mississippi Kristi H. Johnson to be a Judge of the Southern District of Mississippi. Democrats oppose Johnson for her work for the State of Mississippi, and if confirmed, she would fill a judicial emergency from 2019.
Tuesday:
  • The Senate will vote to confirm Johnson, and will then vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of Squire Patton Boggs partner Benjamin J. Beaton to be a Judge of the Western District of Kentucky. Democrats oppose Beaton for his writings on affirmative action, among other things, and if confirmed, he would fill a vacancy from September 2020. In the afternoon, the Senate will vote to confirm Beaton and will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of Judy Shelton to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Senate will also vote to invoke cloture on (and confirm) the nomination of Solicitor General of Kansas Toby Crouse to be a Judge of the District of Kansas. Democrats oppose Crouse for his work for the State of Kansas, and if confirmed, he would fill a vacancy from April 2020. 
Wednesday:
  • The Senate will vote to invoke cloture on (and confirm) the nomination of United States Department of Agriculture General Counsel Stephen Vaden to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, in New York City. Democrats oppose Vaden for his work in the Trump administration and for his work on voter ID litigation in private practice. If confirmed, he would fill a vacancy from 2019. The Senate will then vote to invoke cloture on (and confirm) the nomination of Jones Day associate Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to be a Judge of the Middle District of Florida, in Tampa. Democrats oppose Mizelle due to her lack of experience as a practicing attorney and her "not qualified" rating from the American Bar Association. If confirmed, she would fill a judicial emergency from July 2020.
Thursday:
On Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee will hold a nominations hearing for the following nominees:
    Court of Appeals:
    1. Thomas L. Kirsch II, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit
      District Court / Court of Federal Claims:
      1. Charles Edward Atchley, Jr., to be a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee
      2. Katherine A. Crytzer, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee
      3. Joseph Dawson III, to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of South Carolina
      4. Zachary N. Somers, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims
        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.

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