the clerk: nomination, department of state, todd d. robinson of new jersey to be an assistant secretary. mr. schumer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. 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 executive calendar number 240, todd d. robinson of new jersey, to be an assistant secretary of state, international narcotics and law enforcement affairs, signed by 18 senators as follows -- mr. schumer: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar 334. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in f

the clerk: nomination, department of state, todd b. robinson of new jersey to be an assistant secretary, international narcotics and law enforcement affairs. the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. menendez: mr. president, we heard over the course of many hours last week and indeed over the many nonts that foreign affairs nominees have been languishing on the senate floor. the concerns of the junior senator from texas related to the nord stream 2 pipeline. we have also heard from members of this body about the humanitarian situation in afghanistan, the junior senator from missouri. as i have said publicly and repeatedly, i share my colleagues' concerns about the nord stream 2 pipeline. he put up a series of my quotes. they're all true. i'm still of that view. but i'm not of the view that you stop the national security apparatus in order to pursue a policy difference and create a whole host of other serious risks for the united states. i believe and have said that the evacuation from afghanistan was fatally flawed. in fact, the f

todd robinson to be the assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement. you know, i hear speeches about fentanyl. i agree. wouldn't it be nice to have the assistant secretary of state to work hemisphereically and beyond to make sure that we don't get more fentanyl into our country. and jessica lewis to be the assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs. if ever we needed someone who is engaged on the -- the conduct of political and military affairs and how that faces national security challenges, it's now. these are the people we're voting on. these are the people overwhelming will i came out of the committee on unanimous or bipartisan votes. this is a superbly qualified -- these are superbly qualified nomes. if it's not -- nominees. if it's not obvious, i have deep frustration about them languishing on the floor for weeks, weeks due to republican holds. and i have a frustration that we have not been able to more precipitous loy move -- -- precipitously move people to the floor. we have close to 100 nominations for the state department and

the clerk: nomination, department of state, todd d. robinson of new jersey to be an assistant secretary of state. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture cloture. the clerk: we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of of the rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 334, jessica lewis of ohio to be an assistant secretary of state, political military affairs, signed by 18 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of jessica lewis of ohio to be assistant secretary of state, political military affairs, shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: the presiding officer: on this vote the yeas are 62, the nays are 21. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, department of state,s je