[Page S4684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on another matter, this week, the 
Senate will continue to make headway and confirm the President's highly 
qualified nominees for important Federal offices.
  We will begin by considering Daniel Bress, who has been nominated to 
serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Bress is 
a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Virginia School of 
Law. Clerkships after law school included time at the Supreme Court 
clerking for the late Justice Scalia. Since then, he has built an 
impressive reputation in private practice.
  I look forward to continuing the work of our colleagues on the 
Judiciary Committee, who favorably recommended Mr. Bress to the floor, 
when we vote to advance his nomination later today and vote on his 
confirmation later this week.
  After him, the Senate will weigh three nominees for district court 
vacancies in Florida, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. After them, we will 
continue to staff up the executive branch with nominees for important 
posts in the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, and the 
EPA.
  As I have said continually, I am sorry that it is necessary to file 
cloture on uncontroversial district court and Assistant Secretary 
nominees, but notwithstanding that hurdle, I am pleased that the 
Senate's modest rules change from several months back is proving 
successful and will enable us to get through this whole list of 
impressive professionals this very week. I look forward to getting 
these amply-qualified nominees on the job so they can go to work for 
the country and the American people can be governed by the government 
they elected.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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