CNN: Senate breaks filibuster of Mayorkas nomination to be Homeland Security secretary

[BumRushDaShow]

9. There is no "60 vote cloture" ("filibuster" ) for confirmations

That final vote was 3 short from 100.

Here is a summary of floor proceedings - https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/78/13

01/28/2021 By unanimous consent agreement, debate and vote 2/1/2021.
01/28/2021 Considered by Senate.
01/28/2021 Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 55 - 42. Record Vote Number: 10.
01/27/2021 By unanimous consent agreement, vote 1/28/2021.
01/27/2021 By unanimous consent agreement, mandatory quorum required under Rule XXII waived.
01/27/2021 Cloture motion presented in Senate.

Roll call vote - https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=117&session=1&vote=00010

I am guessing what happened was that once the nomination got out of Committee, it went to the floor for a unanimous consent request to confirm and that request received an "objection" (which would be expected). They then did a "voice vote" where (with Democrats controlling) they would probably have declared that "the yays have it", and a motion was put in to do a full roll call vote.

So apparently this vote was to "cut off debate" (which is what the traditional "60-vote cloture" also references, i.e., "cutting off debate" ). If it had failed, that would then mean they would initiate some "x" amount of time to debate the nomination and THEN vote for the confirmation. So the procedural tool - regardless of whether it requires a simple majority or 3/5, saves time ("fast track" ) by ditching the time that would need to be set aside for debating a confirmation.

From the roll call - these 3 didn't vote -

Cramer (R-ND)
Graham (R-SC)
Warner (D-VA)

These Republicans voted to cut off debate -

Capito (R-WV)
Collins (R-ME)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Portman (R-OH)
Romney (R-UT)
Sullivan (R-AK)