Congressional roll call

Voterama in Congress

Here’s how senators voted on major issues during the week ending May 12. The House was in recess.

SENATE FDA COMMISSIONER:

Voting 57-42, the Senate on May 9 confirmed Dr. Scott Gottlieb, 45, a faculty member at the New York University School of Medicine, as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Democrats questioned Gottlieb’s financial links to the pharmaceutical industry and doubted he would confront the scourge of opioid addiction or the firms that manufacture and market prescription pain killers. A yes vote was to confirm Gottlieb.

Kirsten Gillibrand D-N.Y. No Charles Schumer, DN.Y.: No U.S. TRADE REP.: Voting 82-14, the Senate on May 11 confirmed Robert E. Lighthizer, 69, as U.S. trade representative, putting him in charge of

administering the administration’s trade policies and negotiating international trade agreements. A partner in a Washington law firm, Lighthizer held a high trade post under President Ronald Reagan and was chief counsel and staff director of the Senate Finance Committee. A yes vote was to confirm Lighthizer.

Gillibrand: No Schumer: No AIR FORCE SECRETARY:

Voting 76-22, the Senate on May 8 confirmed Heather Wilson, 56, as secretary of the Air Force. An Air Force veteran, Rhodes scholar and former GOP congresswoman from New Mexico, Wilson served most recently as president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. She drew Democratic criticism over a congressional incident in which she improperly contacted a U.S. attorney about federal corruption cases in New Mexico. Democrats also noted her consulting firm was required to return hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Department of Energy in a contracting dispute. A yes vote was to confirm Wilson.

Gillibrand: No Schumer: No

COMING UP

The Senate this week will debate Trump administration nominations. The House schedule was still to be announced.