Tuesday: More work on nominations

The Senate starts at 10 a.m. and around noon it will vote to confirm a controversial nominee to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

On Monday, the Senate voted 51-37 to advance Keith Harper’s nomination. 

{mosads}Citing ethical concerns, all but one Senate Republican opposed ending debate on Harper’s nomination, partly because he was a former fundraiser for President Obama.

Harper, a member of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, was a top bundler for the Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008 and a member of the administration’s transition team. He will be the first member of a federally recognized tribe to serve in an ambassador role.

The Senate is expected to spend the rest of the week working to confirm several more of Obama’s judicial and executive nominations.

After confirming Harper, the Senate will also vote to end debate on the nomination of Sharon Bowen to be a commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Republicans could force up to four hours of debate on Bowen before final confirmation Tuesday.

Senators will meet off the floor from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. for weekly caucus luncheons.

The House is not in session this week.