The American People Deserve To Have Key Officials In Place
‘I mentioned yesterday that our Democratic colleagues are setting records. Just 15 months in, they’ve chosen to force 84 cloture votes on President Trump’s executive and judicial nominees. Eighty-four. That’s more than three times as many nominee cloture votes as happened in the first two years of Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton combined. Many on nominees who were then confirmed nearly unanimously. I hope these stalling tactics end soon. Because the personnel business isn’t going anywhere.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the need to confirm more of the president’s well-qualified nominees and Senate Democrats’ historic obstruction:
“Yesterday, the Senate confirmed John Ring to the National Labor Relations Board. Now the NLRB is once again fully-staffed, and ready to call balls and strikes fairly for America’s workers. This morning, we confirmed Patrick Pizzella, the president’s highly-qualified nominee to fill the number two job at the Department of Labor.
“Mr. Pizzella brought a sterling reputation and an impressive resume. It includes time at GSA, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Education, the Federal Housing Finance Board, and OPM. Even with 8 years as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Administration and Management and four years as a Senate-confirmed member of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, this dedicated public servant saw his confirmation process play out in a manner that’s become all too familiar.
“Months of waiting on the Senate calendar. Months of obstruction by our Democratic colleagues. Months of needless vacancy in this critical agency position. After this morning’s vote, Mr. Pizzella can finally get to work.
“But the same story of obstruction applies to the next nomination on the slate as well. Andrew Wheeler is ready and waiting -- and waiting, and waiting -- to clock in as Deputy Administrator of the EPA. His qualifications are beyond question. He has won the support of the American Farm Bureau Federation and has won praise from both sides of the aisle.
“Mr. Wheeler’s former boss, our colleague Senator Inhofe, says, quote, ‘there is no one more qualified.’ Our former colleague Senator Lieberman has called Mr. Wheeler ‘fair and professional,’ and said ‘I hope his nomination will receive...fair consideration by the Senate.’
“Delaying key executive nominees does not come cost-free to the country. The Deputy Administrator is the EPA’s chief operating officer. He plays a major role in protecting Americans’ air and water while minimizing unnecessary obstacles for workers and job creators. The American people deserve to have him and other key officials in place.
“I mentioned yesterday that our Democratic colleagues are setting records. Just 15 months in, they’ve chosen to force 84 cloture votes on President Trump’s executive and judicial nominees. Eighty-four. That’s more than three times as many nominee cloture votes as happened in the first two years of Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton combined. Many on nominees who were then confirmed nearly unanimously. I hope these stalling tactics end soon. Because the personnel business isn’t going anywhere.
“Today, in fact, CIA Director Mike Pompeo is appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the first time as the president’s nominee for Secretary of State. He’s yet another qualified nominee who deserves fair and swift consideration -- for the country’s sake.
“For now, I meant what I said on Monday: We will remain in session as long as it takes to process this week’s slate of nominees. After Mr. Wheeler, we still have two judicial nominees, Rebecca Grady Jennings for the Western District of Kentucky and John Broomes for the District of Kansas. One way or another, the easy way or the hard way, this Senate will get the people’s business done.”
Related Issues: Nominations, Labor, Senate Democrats
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