The House was not in session last week.

Along with roll call votes, the Senate also concurred in the House amendment to the POWER Act (S. 717), to promote pro bono legal services as a critical way in which to empower survivors of domestic violence; and passed a resolution (S. Res. 607), reaffirming the vital and indispensable role the free press serves. There were no key votes in the House.

SENATE VOTES

APPEALS COURT JUDGE: The Senate confirmed the nomination of A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr., to serve as a judge on the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Quattlebaum, currently a federal district judge in South Carolina, was previously a partner at a law firm in the state.

A supporter, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said: “He will be a great addition to the Fourth Circuit. He is a very sound, conservative judge who is incredibly fairminded.” An opponent, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., called Quattlebaum “a novice judge” whose six months on the district court had not qualified him for the appeals court. The vote Thursday was 62 yeas to 28 nays.

YEAS: Susan Collins, R-Maine; Angus King, I-Maine

SECOND APPEALS COURT JUDGE: The Senate confirmed the nomination of Julius Ness Richardson to serve as a judge on the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Richardson has worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in South Carolina for the past nine years. A supporter, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., cited his unanimously well-qualified rating from the American Bar Association in saying: “Jay is one of the great legal minds of our time, and I think he is going to be a great addition to the Fourth Circuit.” The vote Thursday was 81 yeas to 8 nays.

YEAS: Collins, King