loeffler: thank you. if i have the honor of being confirmed, i will be a voice for small businesses, but let me assure you, there is no bigger small business champion that president trump. he will make sure small business has a voice at the table, but i also think it is important we pay attention to the data and not a hyperbole that happens in the media. president trump was successful in implementing tariffs in his first term but also successful at keeping inflation right around that 2% mark, which is really -- some facts that the media always overlooks. you have my commitment that small businesses will be considered in all the decisions we make and that is something i know firsthand president trump is their biggest advocate. chair ernst: thank you, senator curtis, for managing the chair. i now recognize senator hirono. senator hirono: as part of my responsibility as a member of this committee as well as other companies on which i serve, i asked questions of all nominees, so i will ask you, have you ever

senator loeffler is also a successful entrepreneur. she was the first employee and ceo of a financial technology company. through her hard work and tenacity, she aggressively grew the company and took it public within three years. additionally, senator loeffler knows what it means to work for main street and the american people. during covid, as a u.s. senator, she worked tirelessly to bring relief to the people of georgia, specifically through the paycheck protection program. however, she, like me, recognizes that some took advantage of this program, and they need to be held accountable. during her confirmation hearing, senator loeffler detailed her zero tolerance policy for waste, fraud, and abuse in the sba. mr. president, that should be welcome news for all of us. in addition, senator loeffler indicated the need for a full-scale audit. i started my political career as an auditor, so i agree with this. the full-scale audit at the sba to uncover improper spending and stated she would rely on that data to make the best decisions for t

loeffler, the welcome. as part of my response but as a of this committee as well as the of the committee's on which i said i asked the following questions of all nominees who come before any of my committees. since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests or sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature? >> no, senator. >> have ever faced discipline or entered into a somewhat related to that type of conduct? >> no, senator. >> during the pandemic you oppose planned parenthood health centers receiving loans for ideological reasons even though like other nonprofits they were eligible for loans. as later determined by sba's own inspector general. last week the president fired the ig without proper notice as required by law. it's clear president trump thinks he can do whatever he wants. as the administrator and should you be confirmed would you commit to implementing sba programs in a fair and impartial manner? >> that me first say i hope that we could be

. >> will you try to stretch out other nominees less contlo tro versial, like kelly loeffler loeffler and -- >> we are focusing on r.f.k. jr., he would be a disaster. his belief and conspiracy would hurt health of american people. >> chad: democrats relented and will allow confirmation vote on brooke rawlins today and break filibusters on two other nominees today. back to you. >> steve: chad, getting in the way-back machine, you were with us talking about upcoming confirmation hearings and talking democrats were going to throw everything at all of them, the kitchen sink approach. fast-forward to today with exception of gaetz, they have all sailed through, a lot has to do with testimony and a lot has to do with donald trump and a phone. >> chad: you mentioned j.d. vance, he's relied on his relationships with some of the senators during his time in the s senate. it was brief. he's worked with republicans who are skeptical. there has been bipartisan support. through gabbard they confirmed 14 so far and 11 had gotten bipartisan support. gabbard did not get any democrats yesterday and kenn

kelly loeffler for sba administrator who else? daniel driscoll for army secretary.l for fbi director and tulsi gabbard director of national intelligence. all being held up because the democrats do not want them to get to the floor. if they get to the floor they're going to require cloture vote in order to get past the filibuster. so soon, to his credit they're working at night, the work over the weekend they're going through this process in order to hopefully to get most of these people through print and want to talk about three republicans in a moment. but i am not done. voted out of committee but they went for a floor vote rest for omb director, why? because he's a fiscal conservative they do not want him. i guess they want some leftist under donald trump. who else question released a phonic for un ambassador. what is the wait for? awaiting procedural floor vote on nomination. scott turner, hud secretary holding up the hud secretary? pam bondi for attorney general for attorney general of the united states. federal law and order, criminal investigations and prosecu

the theory would be will the kelly loeffler -- will be trump administration go back and look at things they would look at now and say we believe those are rules because the cra is not limited, rulemaking is very broad. >> if we are getting into the weeds here, svetlana gans, the parliamentarian office laid out the practical roadmap. you have a rule or regulation you are looking for the date it was submitted, that's the text to start the procedure, the date that is used for the fast track. you say what about this thing that has not been, we believe it is a raid, the very next stop would be the gao. they are the ones that make that determination, right or wrong in the agency and the congress pivot from this. >> what would happen in this example is new agencies would submit to gao something adopted by the agency. when gao is supposed issue a report. i forgot the contours of about whether certain procedures have been followed, here, what you are asking is it wouldn't be that someone would ask gao for the opinion, the agency would just say we found this guidance document and forgot to send

also in the queue next week, commerce secretary howard lutnick and kelly loeffler to run the small businessery much, indeed. we appreciate it. >>> still ahead, over 40 hauts have already been file filed -- lawsuits have been filed against the trump administration. former u.s. attorney guy lewis will tell us how quickly the president can get those settled. rosanna scotto on new york's mayor with adams saying, guess what? he's going to work with i.c.e. the 10 is a.m. hour of "varney & company" is next. only servicenow connects every corner of your business so people can do all their work on one platform. .. between platforms. or swivel chairing between apps. no more swivel chairing! i don't feel so good. what does he do here again? mostly that kind of stuff. will you push me back? no. ♪ chocolate fundraiser. with the chase mobile app, things move a little more smoothly. ♪ deposit checks easily and send money quickly. ♪ that's convenience from chase.

kelly loeffler lost a georgia senate race in 2020. trump named her to head the small business administration. david perdue lost a georgia senate race in 2020. trump named him to be ambassador to china. doug collins lost in the primary for georgia senate in 2020. trump named him to run the va. herschel walker lost a georgia senate race in 2022. trump named him to be ambassador to the bahamas. kari lake lost her run for arizona governor in 2022, and then she lost her run for arizona senator in 2024. trump just named her to run the voice of america. lori chavez-deremer lost her house seat in 2024. in oregon, trump named her to run the u.s. labor department. brandon williams lost his house seat in 2024. in new york, trump named him to run the national nuclear security administration. god help us all. lee zeldin lost his race for new york. governor trump named him to run the epa. caroline leavitt lost her campaign for a congressional seat in new hampshire. trump named her white house press secretary. the only thing wrestling executive lind

include howard lutnick service commerce secretary brooke rollins for agriculture secretary and kelly loeffler to lead small business administration but watch live coverage of the senate on cspan2. cspanshop.org as he spends online store browse to the latest collection of c-span or products, apparel, books, home to cork, and accessories. there's something for every c-span fan every purchase help support the nonprofit operation. shop now or any time at cspanshop.org. ♪ c-span democracy unfiltered we are funded by these television companies and more including a media calm. >> nearly 30 years ago, media, was founded on a powerful idea. bring cutting edge broadband to underserved communities from coast to coast we connect to eight or 50000 miles of fiber. our team broke speed bears, delivered one gig speech every customers led the way in developing a 10g platform and not with media, mobile offering the fastest most reliable network on the go. media calm decades of dedication, decades of deliverance, and decades ahead. >> media cal support c-span as a public service. along with these other televisi

many kelly loeffler, head of the small business administration worth $1.1 billion. robert f. kennedy jr., nominated for the department of health and human services, estimated to be worth about $15 million, and ep has refused to give up a lucrative arrangements with a law firm that will enable his family to make millions on vaccine related lawsuits. steven -- take this piece. elon musk plowed it at least $260 million into efforts to send donald trump back to the white house, a massive infusion that makes him one of the largest single underwriters of a presidential campaign and underscores the outsized influence of the world's wealthiest person in this year's election. thursday's filings with the federal election commission show that the tesla and spacex executive gave a total of $238 million to a super pac that he founded this year, american pac, which worked to turn out voters on trump's behalf in key states. but he was also the financial backer of other groups that cropped up in the final days of the election to support trump, including one that spent millions on advertising

further, that at 12:00 noon, the senate execute the order of february 13 in relation to the loeffleromination, and that following disposition of the loeffler nomination, the senate recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly conference lunches. finally, that all time during recess and adjournment count equally towards calendar number 13, s. con. res. 7, and that if any nominations are confirmed during wednesday's session the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be immediately notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. kennedy: mr. president, is it wednesday yet? feels like it. i got over here to vote at 5:00. mr. president, if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of senator merkley. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kennedy: to whom i apologize for him having to wait so long, because of our inefficiencies.. a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from or

voteard lutnick to serve as commerce secretary, brooke mueller for agriculture secretary and kelly loefflerlead the small business administration. as always live coverage of the senate here on c-span2. >> c-band, democracy and filtered. we are by these television companies and more including charter communications. >> chart is proud to be recognized as one of the best internet providers and we're just getting started building 100,000 miles of new infrastructure to reach those who need it most. >> charter communications supports c-span as a public service along withhese other television providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> hearing on ways to modernize american healthcare by focusing on prevention, flexible insurance and tech innovations. flight at two p.m. eastern on c-span3 come c-span c-spe mobile video at and online at c-span.org. >> democracy, it isn't just an idea. it's a process, a process shaped by leaders elected to the highest office and entrusted to a select few with regarding its basic principles. it's where debates unfold, decisions are made, and the nation's co

nomination, and if cloture is invoked on the loeffler nomination, all postcloture time be expired and the senate vote on confirmation of the loeffler and lutnick nominations at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the democratic leader no earlier than tuesday, february 18. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that the senate resume legislative session and be in a period of morning business for debate only with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: mr. president, i have seven requests for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on the judiciary be discharged from further consideration of s. 32 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 32, a bill to clarify where court may be held for certain district co

first, it's a chance to provide an assurance, loeffler to big oil telling -- a love letter to big oil telling them house republicans have have their backs. an early valentine's day gift. it's a distracting. house republicans are distracting the american people by saying they are doing something. put it in theological terms, jesus is coming, look busy. as we have laid out, this will do nothing for energy costs. the entire drill, baby, drill agenda will do nothing for inflation because the industry's already producing record amounts of oil and gas. they are doing more than that. they are purposefully and illegally price gouging americans, colluding with cartels. they are not interested in lowering costs to the american people. this is also distraction from the trade war that president trump is starting to unleash, including against close allies of the united states. something that is going to painfully raise prices for everyday americans. and it's a distraction from the president's threats and attacks on democracy. we are sliding we are sliding down the slippery slope to dictatorship, f

the clerk: small business administration, kelly loeffler of georgia to be administrator. mr.the clerk will report the cloture motion. the clerk: we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of kelly loeffler of georgia to be administrator of the small business administration, signed by 17 senators as follows. mr. thune: mr. president, i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. the presiding officer: the senator from arkansas. mr. cotton: i ask unanimous consent that the senate resume legislative session and be in a period of morning business for debate only with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. cotton: mr. president, i have two requests for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. mr. cotton: mr. president, i ask unani