Biden Cabinet Confirmation Live Thread ***hearings, votes, etc.***

[NewYorkExpress]

Zakheim (Board of Directors, Institute of Peace) confirmed 84-10:

NAYs ---10
Braun (R-IN)
Hawley (R-MO)
Lee (R-UT)
Merkley (D-OR)
Paul (R-KY)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schmitt (R-MO)
Scott (R-FL)
Scott (R-SC)
Vance (R-OH)

Not Voting - 6
Booker (D-NJ)
Cardin (D-MD)
Lummis (R-WY)
Markey (D-MA)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Wicker (R-MS)

Wonder why Merkely voted no here?

[NewYorkExpress]

I'm shocked any Republicans voted for cloture on Werfel. Any chance we can get any of them to vote AYE on the nomination itself?

[NewYorkExpress]

There's no way Garcetti has the votes now, right?

[NewYorkExpress]

I'm going to assume Manchin is voting no as part of his spat with Biden over EPA regulations, which means he'll be a more consistent no vote going forward (and might even switch parties now).

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/Fritschner/status/1669050058245914624

If they do that, Scott probably drops out immediately (or at least he'd be under intense pressure to do so).

[NewYorkExpress]

Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley nominated to lead Social Security Administration.

The Biden administration has tapped former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley to head the Social Security Administration, the White House announced Wednesday.

[NewYorkExpress]

Biden is nominating Doug Emhoff's Chief of Staff, Courtney O'Donnell, to be Ambassador to UNESCO.

A top aide to both Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, is President Joe Biden’s choice to represent the United States at the United Nations agency devoted to education, science and culture worldwide.

The U.S. recently rejoined the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization after a five-year hiatus initiated by Biden’s immediate predecessor in the White House, Donald Trump.


The Democratic president’s choice to become the U.S. permanent representative to the Paris-based UNESCO, with the rank of ambassador, is Courtney O’Donnell, according to a White House official, who spoke Monday on the condition of anonymity to discuss the nomination before a formal announcement.


O’Donnell currently wears two hats: She’s a senior adviser to Harris and acting chief of staff for Emhoff, and she lends her expertise to a range of national and global issues, including gender equity and countering prejudice against Jews, a top issue for Emhoff, who is Jewish.

O’Donnell also was communications director for Jill Biden, when she was second lady during Joe Biden’s vice presidency when Barack Obama was president. O’Donnell helped Jill Biden raise awareness and support for U.S. military families and promote community colleges.

[NewYorkExpress]

Jack Lew will be the nominee for Ambassador to Israel.

President Joe Biden is nominating former US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew as his ambassador to Israel at a fraught moment in US-Israel ties.

Lew, who also served as chief of staff during the Obama administration, will likely face a tough confirmation battle as Republicans seek to challenge Biden’s policies toward Israel.

Tensions between Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government have persisted for months, in part over contentious judicial reforms and what Biden regards as extremist positions taken by members of Netanyahu’s government. Israel’s moves to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank have also drawn US criticism.

On the one hand, this is a really good nomination by Biden, while on the other hand, I can see Netanyahu deciding to just not let Lew into the country, essentially betting that Trump will win in 2024, and he'll be able to do whatever he wants (i.e end Democracy in Israel) without consequence.

[NewYorkExpress]

Biden has nominated former regulator and airline executive Michael Whitaker to lead the FAA.

President Joe Biden on Thursday tapped veteran regulator and airline executive Michael Whitaker to be the next head of the Federal Aviation Administration, nearly 18 months after the last Senate-confirmed administrator left the post.

The year-and-a-half-long vacancy at the top of the agency has sparked significant concern from lawmakers amid a spike in aircraft near-misses, flight delays and cancellations and chronic staffing problems at air traffic control facilities — all as travel soars out of its pandemic-era trough.


Biden’s previous pick for the post, Phil Washington, withdrew his nomination in March amid tepid support from Democrats and criticism from some Republicans that Washington, a longtime transit leader, didn’t have the aviation experience necessary for the job.

Given Phil Washington ultimately could not be confirmed, I don't really like Whitaker's chances at confirmation at this early juncture.