do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 705, max vekich of washington to be a federal maritime commissioner, 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 max vekich of washington be -- to be a federal maritime commissioner shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: the yeas are 52, the nays are 45. the motion is agreed to. mr. sanders: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from vermont. mr. sanders: mr. president, before i begin, i would like to ask unanimous consent to put in the "congressional record" an open letter to the russian leadership from the russian congress of intellectuals who state, and i quote, this is the russian congress of intellectuals. our position is l simple. russia dmots need a war -- russia does not need a war with ukraine and the u.s. such a war has no mora

disposition of the h.r. 4445, the senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the vekich nomination and at 11:45, the senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination, and if cloture is is invoked, the senate vote on confirmation of the vekich nomination at 1:45 p.m. finally, if any nominations are confirmed during thursday'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: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, i understand that there is a bill at the desk and i ask for its first reading. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the title of the bill for the first time. the clerk: s. 3623, a bill to reauthorize the violence against women act of 1994, and for other purposes. mr. schumer:

the clerk: nomination, federal maritime commission, max vekich of washingtoning to a federal maritime commissioner. mr. schumer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. 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 705, max vekich of washington to be a federal maritime commissioner 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 ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call for the cloture motion filed today, february, be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent to shut off my phone. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: pursuant to s. res. 27, the committee on financing being tied onetime of reporting, i move to discharge the committee on finance from further