Senate Foreign Relations committee approves two ambassadorial nominations, holds Michael Waltz

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 24 met in business session and voted to send two ambassadorial nominees to the Senate floor with a "do pass" recommendation and to hold consideration of a third nominee.

During the first action the committee took up the nomination of John Arrigo of Florida to be U.S. ambassador to the Portuguese Republic. A motion to report the nomination to the floor with a "do pass" recommendation was moved and seconded and the clerk reported that "the motion has passed"; the committee recorded the nominee as sent to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation. No roll-call tally for that nomination was provided in the transcript.

The committee next considered Christine Toretti of Pennsylvania to be U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden. A roll-call vote was requested and the clerk reported, "The yeas are 15 and the noes are 7." The clerk announced the motion has passed and that Toretti "will be referred to the floor with a do pass recommendation."

The committee took up Michael G. Waltz for an ambassadorship but recorded that there was a request to hold the nomination. Chairman Risch recessed the business meeting "until further notice as we consider Mister Waltz further." The committee did not take a final vote on that nominee during the session.

Committee members present debated no substantive policy during the nominations portion; the chairman opened the hearing portion of the meeting after completing business.

The committee recorded that the business meeting had a quorum and proceeded with votes and roll calls as indicated in the record.