The Senate has confirmed Ohio appeals court Judge Matthew R. Byrne to a lifetime seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.<\/p>\n
Byrne was approved Tuesday in a 52-45 vote after the Senate narrowly advanced his nomination the previous evening.<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump nominated Byrne earlier this year for the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael H. Watson.<\/p>\n
Byrne currently serves on Ohio\u2019s Twelfth District Court of Appeals, where he has sat since winning election in 2020.<\/p>\n
Before joining the bench, Byrne spent roughly a decade practicing employment law.<\/p>\n
Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Byrne had participated in more than 800 appeals and written hundreds of majority, concurring, and dissenting opinions.<\/p>\n
Husted described Byrne as hardworking, thoughtful, and fair while praising his commitment to the rule of law.<\/p>\n
Byrne\u2019s record also drew attention because of his past involvement with organizations opposing abortion.<\/p>\n
He has been affiliated with groups including Ohio Right to Life, Cincinnati Right to Life, Warren County Right to Life, the Center for Christian Virtue, and the Federalist Society.<\/p>\n
Byrne also previously served on the board of a pregnancy center opposed to abortion.<\/p>\n
The final confirmation vote was 52 votes in favor and 45 against.<\/p>\n
Article III federal judges receive lifetime tenure once confirmed by the Senate.<\/p>\n
Byrne\u2019s confirmation adds another Trump nominee to the federal bench during the president\u2019s second term.<\/p>\n
This comes as\u00a0Senate leaders are keeping the chamber in Washington, D.C., this week for a final legislative push before lawmakers return home.<\/p>\n
Majority Leader John Thune filed procedural motions Monday targeting utility costs, congressional stock trading, healthcare rules, and a Cabinet nomination.<\/p>\n
The Senate also completed work Monday on the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act, passing the measure 77-22.<\/p>\n
The college sports bill establishes national rules for athlete compensation, transfers, scholarships, medical coverage, and name-image-likeness agreements.<\/p>\n
The measure now heads to the House, which must act before the current Congress ends for the bill to survive.<\/p>\n
Thune\u2019s next major target is H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, already approved overwhelmingly by the House.<\/p>\n
The House passed that bill 417-3 on September 16, with 210 Republicans and 206 Democrats voting yes.<\/p>\n
The legislation addresses electricity infrastructure costs created by enormous data centers and other facilities consuming at least 100 megawatts.<\/p>\n
It requires state regulators to consider standards making qualifying large-load customers cover incremental generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades.<\/p>\n
Republicans have highlighted the measure while arguing households should not subsidize power infrastructure built primarily for major technology companies.<\/p>\n
Senator John Kennedy summarized that argument by saying, \u201cyou\u2019ve got to pay your own electricity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senator Josh Hawley said Missouri residents fear data centers could consume farmland while pushing household electricity bills sharply higher.<\/p>\n
Democrats opposing immediate passage say the House proposal remains voluntary because states only must consider the federal standard.<\/p>\n
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the measure \u201ca fraud\u201d and argued Democrats have proposed a stronger mandatory alternative.<\/p>\n
Senator Chris Van Hollen called the House bill \u201ca little step forward\u201d while arguing Congress should impose tougher protections.<\/p>\n
Republicans dispute that criticism and say Democrats blocked a bipartisan affordability bill that had attracted 417 House votes.<\/p>\n
Senator John Cornyn accused Schumer of focusing on election politics rather than the substance of the data-center legislation.<\/p>\n
Thune filed cloture on the motion to proceed, setting up a Wednesday test requiring 60 votes to advance debate.<\/p>\n
If cloture succeeds, senators could offer amendments unless leaders negotiate an agreement limiting debate and speeding final passage.<\/p>\n
Another bill in Thune\u2019s queue is H.R. 7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act.<\/p>\n
The House passed that legislation 232-198 in July, with 218 Republicans and 13 Democrats voting for passage.<\/p>\n
The bill generally bars lawmakers, spouses, and dependent children from purchasing individual stocks while covered by the restrictions.<\/p>\n
It requires advance public notice before covered individuals sell certain investments, generally between seven and fourteen days beforehand.<\/p>\n
Violations could trigger substantial financial penalties and forfeiture of profits, according to the House-passed text.<\/p>\n
The House package also contains federal voter-identification provisions, an addition that helped produce a sharply partisan House vote.<\/p>\n
Thune filed cloture on proceeding to that bill Monday, but the Senate has not yet taken the procedural vote.<\/p>\n
Tuesday\u2019s schedule also includes S.J.Res.197, a Democratic effort targeting a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rule.<\/p>\n
The resolution would disapprove the 2027 Affordable Care Act payment-parameters rule and Basic Health Program provisions.<\/p>\n
Senators were scheduled to vote Tuesday afternoon on whether to proceed to that resolution.<\/p>\n
Thune also filed cloture on Keith Sonderling\u2019s nomination to serve as secretary of labor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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