02.28.19

Progress Continues on Nominees in Senate

‘On Tuesday, Eric Miller became the 31st circuit court judge confirmed under this administration. Yesterday, we confirmed Michael Desmond to serve as chief counsel at the IRS. Of course, this progress is only remarkable given Senate Democrats’ historic obstruction. As I noted yesterday, for example, Mr. Desmond’s nomination earned near-unanimous approval from the Finance Committee in August of last year, but only this week received a vote here on the Senate floor.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the need to confirm more of the president’s well-qualified nominees:

“This week, the Senate has made progress in confirming the president’s nominees. On Tuesday, Eric Miller became the 31st circuit court judge confirmed under this administration. Yesterday, we confirmed Michael Desmond to serve as chief counsel at the IRS. Of course, this progress is only remarkable given Senate Democrats’ historic obstruction. As I noted yesterday, for example, Mr. Desmond’s nomination earned near-unanimous approval from the Finance Committee in August of last year, but only this week received a vote here on the Senate floor.

“So many important roles are still vacant, with well-qualified nominees ready and waiting to fill them. Later today, we’ll vote to confirm Andrew Wheeler to serve as Administrator of the EPA. Mr. Wheeler has spent the last year as deputy and now acting administrator. He’s wasted no time in proving he has what it takes to lead the Agency.

“Drawing on a wealth of experience that includes service as Staff Director of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and a tenure at the EPA that first began back in 1991, Mr. Wheeler has proven his ability to advance pragmatic solutions to pressing environmental challenges. I hope each of my colleagues will join me in supporting yet another well-qualified nominee and vote to confirm him.

“And later today, we’ll also have an opportunity to take care of one other long-overdue item -- the nomination of John Ryder to the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Even after being reported out of committee by voice vote twice, this well-qualified, uncontroversial nominee was nearly subjected to a needless cloture vote this week. I’m glad that, instead, we’ll be voting today to confirm Mr. Ryder and sending him to work on behalf of Tennessee Valley communities.”

 

Related Issues: Energy, Judicial Nominations, EPA, Nominations