mr. vaden has strong legal experience, degrees from vanderbilt and yale, and he comes with an upbringing on agriculture. he grew up on his family's farm in union city, tennessee, and according to the tennessee farm bureau, it shows. as my friend, senator alexander, referenced yesterday, that organization wrote that vaden has a passion for agriculture that can't be taught but that is necessary for the job of general counsel. it's hardly surprising then that this nominee received bipartisan support at the committee level, including the support of the ranking member. what is surprising is the fact that since clearing the committee, mr. vaden's nomination has languished for 351 days, waiting for senate democrats to end their obstruction. long, even by the standards of this congress. so i hope that each of my colleagues will join me in turning the page and voting to confirm vaden later today. following the vaden nomination, we will turn to consideration of karen kelley to serve as deputy secretary o

mr. vaden is a graduate of vanderbilt and yale law school. he brings experience from multiple federal court clerkships and from years in practice in administrative law and appellate litigation. the nominee was voted out of agriculture with bipartisan support, including that of the ranking member. so i would urge each of my colleagues to join me in voting to advance mr. vaden's nomination this afternoon and to confirm him this week. then we'll turn to more nominations for the department of commerce, for the federal judiciary, for the bureau of consumer financial protection. i look forward to confirming each of them without undue delay. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: mr. nelson: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. nelson: i ask consent that the quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. nelson: madam president, i intend to be giving a number of speeches over the course of the next couple of weeks to comm

the clerk: nomination, department of agriculture, steven vaden of tennessee to be general counsel. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the cloture motion. the clerk: cloture motion, 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 stephen alexander vaden of tennessee to be general counsel of the department of agriculture. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to legislatives. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion carries. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 939. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will