Senate Postpones Monday Vote
Republican disabled list grows
The scheduled Senate vote on Monday evening to cut off debate on the nomination of Steven Engel to be an assistant attorney general has been moved to Tuesday.
The scheduling change is likely a result of Republican attendance issues, and to accommodate member schedules, according to congressional aides.
Because of the way the unanimous consent agreement to reschedule the vote was structured, the post-cloture time on Engel is not affected.
Sen. Rand Paul was unable to travel due to injuries sustained during an altercation on Friday with a neighbor at his home in a gated community in Kentucky that left him with five broke ribs. Paul’s timeline for return is still uncertain.
And while a handful of other Republicans also experienced recent health issues, they are expected to be present this week.
Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who is currently undergoing treatment for brain cancer, was treated over the weekend for a torn Achilles tendon but has since returned to work, his office said in a statement on Monday.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran also recently suffered from a urinary tract infection that prevented him from traveling to Washington D.C. A spokesman for the Mississippi Republican said the senator will be at work in the Capitol this week, though his panel is not expected to hold markups for its four remaining fiscal year 2018 spending bills.