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

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

This morning, C-SPAN said that Yellen and Blinken could be voted on today, but McConnell in his morning remarks said that Blinken would be voted on next week. Any news on Yellen and/or Blinken?

Yellen was voted (unanimously) out of committee earlier today, so there are no obstacles to confirming her today.

It's been reported that there are a few holds against Blinken's nomination in committee at the moment, which would prevent them from using unanimous consent to discharge from the committee and vote immediately. If the holds aren't lifted, they'll have to wait for the Foreign Affairs committee to vote at their next regular meeting (which is on Monday).

Risch (chair of committee) said he was "working on" getting the holds lifted, but Menendez (lead Dem) said he expected it would only happen on Monday.

Why is Risch still committee chair? Dems have the majority.

Committee positions, including chairmanships, are formally assigned by the organizing resolution that Schumer and McConnell are still arguing about.

[Tender Branson]

ICYMI:

https://twitter.com/VP/status/1352392594442121223

Question:

Is Harris supposed to swear in every cabinet member that got confirmed by the Senate ?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

ICYMI:

https://twitter.com/VP/status/1352392594442121223

Question:

Is Harris supposed to swear in every cabinet member that got confirmed by the Senate ?

Other than the Chief Justice swearing in the President and the Speaker of the House being sworn in by the Dean and then swearing in everyone else, who swears in whom is a little ad hoc in the United States. Technically anybody with the ability to legally witness oaths can swear in any officeholder, even the President; LBJ was sworn in by a federal district judge in Dallas, Coolidge by his own father, a State of Vermont notary public.

[brucejoel99]

ICYMI:

https://twitter.com/VP/status/1352392594442121223

Question:

Is Harris supposed to swear in every cabinet member that got confirmed by the Senate ?

Other than the Chief Justice swearing in the President and the Speaker of the House being sworn in by the Dean and then swearing in everyone else, who swears in whom is a little ad hoc in the United States. Technically anybody with the ability to legally witness oaths can swear in any officeholder, even the President; LBJ was sworn in by a federal district judge in Dallas, Coolidge by his own father, a State of Vermont notary public.

Case-in-point - Austin's ceremonial swearing-in with Harris will take place on Monday, but somebody else who's legally able to swear him in nevertheless did so today so that he could immediately take office:

https://twitter.com/jeneps/status/1352682688231174144

[Tender Branson]

Lloyd Austin sworn in as nation's first Black Pentagon chief

Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin was sworn in as secretary of Defense on Friday, becoming the first Black head of the Pentagon in U.S. history.

After he was sworn in by Tom Muir, acting director of Washington Headquarters Services, Austin jumped into his duties with an intelligence briefing and meetings with Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, according to a Pentagon statement.

Austin also had plans to chair a COVID-19 briefing, attended by the Norquist, Milley, service secretaries and chiefs, combatant commanders, staff and Pentagon COVID-19 Coordinator Max Rose.

The Senate earlier on Friday confirmed Austin in a 93-2 vote, giving Biden his second Cabinet member two days after his inauguration. Avril Haines was confirmed as director of national intelligence on Wednesday.

The only votes against Austin's confirmation came from GOP Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Mike Lee (Utah).

"It’s an honor and a privilege to serve as our country’s 28th Secretary of Defense, and I’m especially proud to be the first African American to hold the position," Austin tweeted after he was confirmed. "Let’s get to work."

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/535426-austin-sworn-in-as-nations-first-black-pentagon-chief

[Zache]

Will Hawley vote for any of Biden's nominees?

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Will Hawley vote for any of Biden's nominees?

I doubt it.

[President Johnson]

Lloyd Austin has been confirmed as the Defense Secretary by the Senate. Vote was 93-2.

The 2 no votes were from Mike Lee and Josh Hawley. 5 senators did not vote.

Wow, didn't expect him to get that many votes. Uncle Joe was really made great picks.

And the most beautiful thing about this swearing-in picture is Kamala in the vice president's office where she belongs.

[brucejoel99]

Lloyd Austin has been confirmed as the Defense Secretary by the Senate. Vote was 93-2.

The 2 no votes were from Mike Lee and Josh Hawley. 5 senators did not vote.

Wow, didn't expect him to get that many votes. Uncle Joe was really made great picks.

And the most beautiful thing about this swearing-in picture is Kamala in the vice president's office where she belongs.

Just wait 'til she's in the Oval.

[President Johnson]

Lloyd Austin has been confirmed as the Defense Secretary by the Senate. Vote was 93-2.

The 2 no votes were from Mike Lee and Josh Hawley. 5 senators did not vote.

Wow, didn't expect him to get that many votes. Uncle Joe was really made great picks.

And the most beautiful thing about this swearing-in picture is Kamala in the vice president's office where she belongs.

Just wait 'til she's in the Oval.

January 20, 2029

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

https://mobile.twitter.com/SalehaMohsin/status/1352715699089772545

[AndyHogan14]

https://mobile.twitter.com/SalehaMohsin/status/1352715699089772545

Boo.

[Antonio the Sixth]

https://mobile.twitter.com/SalehaMohsin/status/1352715699089772545

Boo.

That is ridiculous. Schumer is in control of the floor agenda already, isn't he? Why isn't he rushing this more?

[Tender Branson]

https://www.diepresse.com/5926629/senat-bestatigt-ersten-minister-ab-montag-geht-es-um-trumps-impeachment

https://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrichten/politik/welt/2089818-Lloyd-Austin-als-US-Verteidigungsminister-bestaetigt.html

https://orf.at/stories/3198549

[brucejoel99]

https://mobile.twitter.com/SalehaMohsin/status/1352715699089772545

Boo.

That is ridiculous. Schumer is in control of the floor agenda already, isn't he? Why isn't he rushing this more?

Unanimous consent would've been required to hold the vote this quickly, so they might've gotten word that somebody (Hawley?) was gonna prevent that from occurring.

[Antonio the Sixth]

https://mobile.twitter.com/SalehaMohsin/status/1352715699089772545

Boo.

That is ridiculous. Schumer is in control of the floor agenda already, isn't he? Why isn't he rushing this more?

Unanimous consent would've been required to hold the vote this quickly, so they might've gotten word that somebody (Hawley?) was gonna prevent that from occurring.

Ah, I see. Of f**king course it would be Hawley.

[brucejoel99]

https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1352756651250622470

[Bootes Void]

538 hasn't done any writeups on Biden nominees like they did with Trump. Infact I haven't heard much in the news about Biden's nominees so far

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

538 hasn't done any writeups on Biden nominees like they did with Trump. Infact I haven't heard much in the news about Biden's nominees so far

Yeah, and the NYT isn't keeping track of the Senate voting like they did in 2017. It actually feels normal and nice.

[Progressive Pessimist]

538 hasn't done any writeups on Biden nominees like they did with Trump. Infact I haven't heard much in the news about Biden's nominees so far

Yeah, and the NYT isn't keeping track of the Senate voting like they did in 2017. It actually feels normal and nice.

Politics is becoming boring again! Yay!

It's still important though, Democrats better not fall back asleep!

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

The amount of misinformation on social media is just ridiculous. Earlier today on Twitter, some Trump supporters were sharing a fake/altered picture of a news article in which it shows Lloyd Austin saying that he would "defund the military" and "hand over control of the U.S. military to China".

The article was clearly false and edited but that didn't stop the Trump supporters from going nuts and of course saying that Biden and the Democrats are "puppets of the CCP" and "radical socialists". The misinformation is absolutely sickening.

[Progressive Pessimist]

The amount of misinformation on social media is just ridiculous. Earlier today on Twitter, some Trump supporters were sharing a fake/altered picture of a news article in which it shows Lloyd Austin saying that he would "defund the military" and "hand over control of the U.S. military to China".

The article was clearly false and edited but that didn't stop the Trump supporters from going nuts and of course saying that Biden and the Democrats are "puppets of the CCP" and "radical socialists". The misinformation is absolutely sickening.

How can anyone think that Democrats are that blunt and nonchalant? I don't even know why I'm asking though because these people are, and have been, way past the point of reason.

[Hammy]

The amount of misinformation on social media is just ridiculous. Earlier today on Twitter, some Trump supporters were sharing a fake/altered picture of a news article in which it shows Lloyd Austin saying that he would "defund the military" and "hand over control of the U.S. military to China".

The article was clearly false and edited but that didn't stop the Trump supporters from going nuts and of course saying that Biden and the Democrats are "puppets of the CCP" and "radical socialists". The misinformation is absolutely sickening.

How can anyone think that Democrats are that blunt and nonchalant? I don't even know why I'm asking though because these people are, and have been, way past the point of reason.

Trumpists don't think, that's the problem. Their entire "ideology" is one big feedback loop.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Well, no, no one is handing the us military to china. Seriously ROFL.

As for cutting military spending, well it would actually be a good thing if we cut some military spending to reduce our deficit.  We spend way too much on the military. But when you have hawks like Adam Smith (D-WA) running democratic defense spending, probably we'll actually keep raising the military budget. Go figure.

[AndyHogan14]

So Blinken and Yellen are likely going to be confirmed early next week, right? Buttigieg and Mayorkas are the only other ones that have had hearings, right? Have we heard when they might be voted on? Also, I am surprised that Garland hasn't had any hearings considering the importance of the Attorney General. Although, if I am not mistaken, confirming an AG often takes longer than other cabinet officials (I remember reading something like that a few weeks back). In addition to Garland, do we know when some other hearings may get started?