What Would You Say You Do Here?

by Amy West, GovTrack.us, Oct. 31, 2025

The government shutdown continues. Most federal employees are working but not getting paid while some are working and getting paid. The House, however, has got them all beat: they are not working and they're getting paid. If you would like to ask your representative what they're doing while on this lengthy vacation, please go to GovTrack.us and use the Find Your Representatives tool.

The Senate is nominally working, but most of this week's votes were for resolutions objecting to various Trump tariffs that, even if the House deigned to show up for work, would not pass in that chamber.

Neither chamber has given any sign of working on either the existing CR (which runs out on 11/21, three weeks from now), a new CR or, even regular old appropriations bills to just, you know, fund the government.

The Senate could open the government by following the same pattern they just did for presidential nominations and eliminate the filibuster for continuing resolutions. They would have the bill they want passed and signed by the President, the government would reopen, federal workers would be paid and they would not have had to concede anything to Democrats in either the House or the Senate. The President (who has argued for this before) demanded that the Senate follow this path last night. However, this time, the Senate has decided it will ignore what the President wants.

The argument against eliminating the filibuster in this case is that the Democrats might someday retake the Senate and undo whatever the Senate does now. That absolutely is a risk.

But at this point, when the bill that Congressional Republicans want to pass has no concessions for Democrats, and they refuse to take the step that could get that bill passed right now without Democrats, one has to wonder what the Republicans' goal is.

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Hawaii Congressional Delegation

Oct. 27, 2025, 5:23 p.m. — Vote

On the Nomination PN520-5: Rebecca L. Taibleson, of Wisconsin, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit

Nomination Confirmed 52/46

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 27, 2025, 6:18 p.m. — Vote

On the Nomination PN466-3: Bill Lewis, of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Alabama

Nomination Confirmed 58/40

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 28, 2025, 11:34 a.m. — Vote

Upon Reconsideration: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 5371

Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected 54/45

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 28, 2025, 12:13 p.m. — Vote

Motion to Invoke Cloture: Jordan Emery Pratt to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida: Jordan Emery Pratt, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida

Cloture Motion Agreed to 52/47

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 28, 2025, 2:20 p.m. — Vote

On the Nomination PN346-6: Jordan Emery Pratt, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida

Nomination Confirmed 52/47

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 28, 2025, 2:58 p.m. — Vote

Motion to Invoke Cloture: Edmund G. LaCour, Jr. to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama: Edmund G. LaCour, Jr., of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama

Cloture Motion Agreed to 53/46

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 28, 2025, 6:10 p.m. — Vote

S.J.Res. 81: A joint resolution terminating the national emergency declared to impose duties on articles imported from Brazil.

Joint Resolution Passed 52/48

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Yea

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Yea

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 29, 2025, 11:43 a.m. — Vote

Motion to Proceed on S.J.Res. 80: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to “National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Reco

Motion to Proceed Agreed to 54/46

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 29, 2025, 12:22 p.m. — Vote

On the Nomination PN466-2: Edmund G. LaCour, Jr., of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama

Nomination Confirmed 51/47

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 29, 2025, 2:08 p.m. — Vote

Motion to Proceed on S.J.Res. 69: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to “Record of Decision for the Barred Owl Management Str

Motion to Proceed Rejected 25/72

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 29, 2025, 5:18 p.m. — Vote

S.J.Res. 77: A joint resolution terminating the national emergency declared to impose duties on articles imported from Canada.

Joint Resolution Passed 50/46

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Yea

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Yea

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 30, 2025, 11:53 a.m. — Vote

S.J.Res. 80: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to “National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Reco

Joint Resolution Passed 52/45

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 30, 2025, 12:35 p.m. — Vote

S.J.Res. 88: A joint resolution terminating the national emergency declared to impose global tariffs.

Joint Resolution Passed 51/47

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Yea

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Yea

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].

Oct. 30, 2025, 1:35 p.m. — Vote

Motion to Invoke Cloture: Joshua D. Dunlap to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the First Circuit: Joshua D. Dunlap, of Maine, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit

Cloture Motion Agreed to 51/47

Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay

Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay

Trackers: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI], Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI].