Senate GOP Leaders Double Down on Working Through Labor Day

Despite rumors of early exit, McConnell, Cornyn say chamber will process nominations

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., center, and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, are adamant that the chamber confirm a batch of the president's nominees this month. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., center, and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, are adamant that the chamber confirm a batch of the president's nominees this month. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Posted August 23, 2018 at 10:51am

Despite rumors of an early exit for the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the chamber wouldn’t be cutting short the August session unless all 17 of the president’s nominations on which he sought to cut off debate Wednesday are confirmed.

“None are particularly controversial. All are qualified. No more obstruction, no more delays — it’s time to confirm them all,” the Kentucky Republican said. “And the Senate will continue to work right through August until every single one of them is confirmed.”

His chief lieutenant, Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, reiterated that the chamber was here to process the president’s nominees. 

“To any of our Democratic colleagues who are not here and preventing us from making a quorum, I can guarantee we will be here in session next week because this is important work to get these judges processed,” he said.

On Wednesday, McConnell set up the contours of the nomination gambit, which could mean virtually continuous sessions of the Senate for weeks, although it is more likely that a bipartisan agreement will be reached at least ahead of the long Labor Day weekend.

Here is the list of nominees:

  • Lynn A. Johnson to be assistant secretary for Family Support, Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Richard Clarida to be vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
  • Richard Clarida to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
  • Joseph H. Hunt to be an assistant attorney general.
  • Isabel Marie Keenan Patelunas to be assistant secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Treasury.
  • Terry Fitzgerald Moorer to be U.S. District judge for the Southern District of Alabama.
  • R. Stan Baker to be U.S. District judge for the Southern District of Georgia.
    Charles Barnes Goodwin to be U.S. District judge for the Western District of Oklahoma.
  • Barry W. Ashe to be U.S. District judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
  • James R. Sweeney II to be U.S. District judge for the Southern District of Indiana.
  • Susan Paradise Baxter to be U.S. District judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
  • Marilyn Jean Horan to be U.S. District judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
  • William F. Jung to be U.S. District judge for the Middle District of Florida
  • Dominic W. Lanza to be U.S. District judge for the District of Arizona.
  • Charles J. Williams to be U.S. District judge for the Northern District of Iowa.
  • Robert R. Summerhays to be U.S. District judge for the Western District of Louisiana.
  • Alan D. Albright to be U.S. District judge for the Western District of Texas.

Todd Ruger contributed to this report.