- Transition « Confirming the Cabinet
Confirming the Cabinet
Notes:
Keep in mind that Cabinet nominees are just the start. According to the Partnership for Public Service roughly 1,200 positions in the federal government require Senate confirmation.
On Feb. 15, 2017 Andy Puzder (b. July 11, 1950) withdrew from consideration for Secretary of Labor. His confirmation hearing had been delayed four times as he worked to disentangle himself from his business interests and provide paperwork (from Jan. 12, Jan. 17, Feb. 2 and Feb. 7). On Feb. 7 the New York Times reported Puzder had hired an undocumented immigrant to work as a housekeeper for several years. President Trump announced Alexander Acosta as his new pick on Feb. 16.
Democrats boycotted the Finance Committee executive session on Jan. 31, delaying the Committee's votes on Mnuchin (Treasury) and Price (HHS). When the Committee met the next day, Democrats were again absent. Chairman Hatch temporarily suspended the rules, and Republicans on the Committee voted 14-0 to advance the nominations.
Democrats boycotted the Environment and Public Works Committee business meeting on Feb. 1, delaying the Committee's vote on Pruitt (EPA). When the Committee met the next day, Democrats were again absent. Chairman Barasso temporarily suspended the rules, and Republicans on the Committee voted 11-0 to advance the nominations.
The full vote on DeVos (Education) at noon on Feb. 7 came only after Senate Democrats held an all-night session to protest her nomination. Two Republican Senators, Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) opposed the nomination, leaving a 50-50 vote, and requiring Vice President Pence to cast the tie breaking vote. The vote on DeVos also held up the vote on Sessions (Attorney General) as his vote was needed on DeVos.
See also:
congress.gov: Nominations
Photodog Coverage of Hearings from Jan. 18-Feb. 1, 2017
The President . . . shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law.
(Article II, Section 2, Clause 2)
Department |
Nominee |
Annc'd |
Committee |
Hearing |
Open |
Comm.
Vote
|
Vote |
Full
Vote
|
Vote |
State |
Rex Tillerson |
Dec. 13 | Foreign
Relations |
Jan.
11 |
PDF |
Jan.
23 |
11-10 |
Feb. 1 |
56-43 |
Treasury |
Steve Mnuchin |
Nov. 30 | Finance |
Jan.
19 |
PDF |
Feb.
1 |
14-0* |
Feb. 14 |
53-47 |
Defense |
Gen. James Mattis (ret.) | Dec. 6 | Armed
Services |
Jan.
12 |
PDF |
Jan. 18 |
26-1 |
Jan. 20 |
98-1 |
Attorney General |
U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (AL) | Nov. 18 | Judiciary |
Jan.
10-11 |
PDF |
Feb.
1 |
11-9 |
Feb. 8 |
52-47 |
Interior |
U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke (MT) | Dec. 15 | Energy |
Jan.
17 |
PDF |
Jan. 31 |
16-6 |
Mar. 1 |
68-31 |
Agriculture |
Fmr. Gov. Sonny Perdue (GA) | Jan. 19 | Agriculture
|
Mar.
23 |
PDF |
Mar. 30 |
voice/1 no |
Apr. 24 |
87-11 |
Commerce |
Wilbur Ross Jr. |
Nov. 30 | Commerce |
Jan.
18 |
PDF |
Jan. 24 |
voice |
Feb. 27 |
72-27 |
Labor |
Andy Puzder |
Dec. 8 | HELP |
withdrew |
|||||
Alexander Acosta |
Feb. 16 |
HELP |
Mar.
22 |
PDF |
Mar. 30 |
12-11 |
Apr. # |
# |
|
HHS |
U.S. Rep. Tom Price (GA) |
Nov. 29 | HELP |
Jan.
18 |
PDF |
Feb. 10 | 52-47 |
||
Finance |
Jan.
24 |
PDF |
Feb. 1 | 14-0* | |||||
HUD |
Dr. Ben Carson |
Dec. 5 | Banking |
Jan.
12 |
PDF |
Jan. 24 |
unanimous |
Mar. 2 |
58-41 |
Transportation |
Elain Chao |
Nov. 29 | Commerce |
Jan.
11 |
PDF |
Jan. 24 |
voice |
Jan. 31 |
93-6 |
Energy |
Fmr. Gov. Rick Perry (TX) |
Dec. 14 | Energy |
Jan.
19 |
PDF |
Jan. 31 |
16-7 |
Mar. 2 |
62-37 |
Education |
Betsy DeVos |
Nov. 23 | HELP |
Jan.
17 |
PDF |
Jan. 31 |
12-11 |
Feb. 7 |
51-50 |
Veterans Affairs |
David J. Shulkin | Jan. 11 | Veterans'
Affairs |
Feb.
1 |
PDF |
Feb. 7 |
15-0 |
Feb. 13 |
100-0 |
Homeland Security |
Gen. John F. Kelly (ret.) | Dec. 12 | Homeland
Security |
Jan.
10 |
PDF |
Jan. 20 |
favorably |
Jan. 20 |
88-11 |
EPA |
Okla. AG Scott Pruitt |
Dec. 8 | Environment |
Jan.
18 |
PDF |
Feb. 2 |
11-0* |
Feb. 17 |
52-46 |
OMB |
U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney (SC) |
Dec. 16 | Budget |
Jan.
24 |
PDF |
Feb. 2 |
12-11 |
Feb. 16 |
51-49 |
Homeland
Security |
Jan.
24 |
PDF |
Feb. 2 |
8-7 |
|||||
USTR |
Robert Lighthizer | Jan. 3 | Finance
|
Mar.
14 |
PDF |
Apr. 25 |
unanimous |
May # |
# |
UN Ambassador |
Gov. Nikki Haley |
Nov. 23 | Foreign
Relations |
Jan.
18 |
Jan. 24 |
voice |
Jan. 24 |
96-4 |
|
SBA |
Linda McMahon |
Dec. 7 | Small
Business |
Jan.
24 |
PDF |
Jan. 31 |
18-1 |
Feb. 14 |
81-19 |
CIA |
U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo |
Nov. 18 | Select
Intelligence |
Jan.
12 |
PDF |
Jan. 20 |
favorably |
Jan. 23 |
66-32 |
Notes:
Keep in mind that Cabinet nominees are just the start. According to the Partnership for Public Service roughly 1,200 positions in the federal government require Senate confirmation.
On Feb. 15, 2017 Andy Puzder (b. July 11, 1950) withdrew from consideration for Secretary of Labor. His confirmation hearing had been delayed four times as he worked to disentangle himself from his business interests and provide paperwork (from Jan. 12, Jan. 17, Feb. 2 and Feb. 7). On Feb. 7 the New York Times reported Puzder had hired an undocumented immigrant to work as a housekeeper for several years. President Trump announced Alexander Acosta as his new pick on Feb. 16.
Democrats boycotted the Finance Committee executive session on Jan. 31, delaying the Committee's votes on Mnuchin (Treasury) and Price (HHS). When the Committee met the next day, Democrats were again absent. Chairman Hatch temporarily suspended the rules, and Republicans on the Committee voted 14-0 to advance the nominations.
Democrats boycotted the Environment and Public Works Committee business meeting on Feb. 1, delaying the Committee's vote on Pruitt (EPA). When the Committee met the next day, Democrats were again absent. Chairman Barasso temporarily suspended the rules, and Republicans on the Committee voted 11-0 to advance the nominations.
The full vote on DeVos (Education) at noon on Feb. 7 came only after Senate Democrats held an all-night session to protest her nomination. Two Republican Senators, Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) opposed the nomination, leaving a 50-50 vote, and requiring Vice President Pence to cast the tie breaking vote. The vote on DeVos also held up the vote on Sessions (Attorney General) as his vote was needed on DeVos.
See also:
congress.gov: Nominations
Photodog Coverage of Hearings from Jan. 18-Feb. 1, 2017
Ross |
Price |
Pruitt |
Haley |
Mnuchin |
Perr |
another view |
|||||
Shulkin |
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