DemDaily: The Cabinet and Confirmation Count
January 24, 2017
Donald Trump may be sworn in as the President, but most of his Cabinet is still waiting in the wings -- as the first tier of the 1,200+ presidential or "political" appointees that require Senate confirmation.
The Cabinet includes the heads of 15 Executive Departments and six "Cabinet-level" positions, as well as the Vice President and White House Chief-of-Staff.
The Process
- A Presidential Nomination is sent to the United States Senate for confirmation, where it is:
- Submitted first for review by the Senate Committee relevant to the nominee's department, which:
- Conducts public Confirmation Hearings on the nominee's credentials and policy positions.
- If a majority of the committee approves, the nomination is "voted out" of Committee with a recommendation and sent to the full Senate for a "floor" vote.
- Full Senate Vote: A simple majority of the vote is required to confirm.
The Confirmation Count
|
Position
|
Confirmed
|
Hearings Completed | Date of Confirmation Vote | Senate Vote Tally |
| Secretary of Homeland Security | John Kelly | January 10 | Friday, January 20 | 88 in favor 11 against |
| Secretary of Defense | James Mattis | January 12 | Friday, January 20 | 98 in favor 1 against (*Gillibrand/NY) |
| CIA Director (non-cabinet) | Mike Pompeo | January 12 | Monday, January 23 | 66 in favor 32 against |
| Position | Nominee | Senate Committee | Hearings Completed | Date of Confirmation Vote |
| Secretary of State | Rex Tillerson | Foreign Relations | January 11 | Monday, January 23 |
| Secretary, Housing & Urban Development | Ben Carson | Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs | January 12 | Tuesday, January 24 |
| Secretary of Transportation | Elaine Chao | Commerce, Science, & Transportation | January 11 | Tuesday, January 24 |
| Secretary of Commerce | Wilbur Ross | Commerce, Science, & Transportation | January 18 | Tuesday, January 24 |
| U.N. Ambassador (non-cabinet) | Nikki Haley | Foreign Relations | January 18 | Tuesday, January 24 |
| Position | Nominee | Senate Committee | Hearings Completed | Committee Vote Scheduled |
| Secretary of Education | Betsy DeVos | Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions | January 17 | Tuesday, January 31 |
| Attorney General | Jeff Sessions | Judiciary | January 10-11 | Tuesday, January 31 |
| Secretary of the Interior | Ryan Zinke | Energy & Natural Resources | January 17 | Not yet scheduled |
| Secretary of Energy | Rick Perry | Energy & Natural Resources | January 19 | Not yet scheduled |
| Secretary of the Treasury | Steve Mnuchin | Finance | January 19 | Not yet scheduled |
| Administrator of the EPA (non-cabinet) | Scott Pruitt | Environment and Public Works | January 18 | Not yet scheduled |
Nominees: Committee Hearings In Progress or awaiting Scheduling
Cabinet
Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price
Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, David Shulkin
Secretary of Labor, Andrew Puzder
Cabinet-level
Small Business Administration Linda McMahon
Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney
Director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats
U.S. Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer
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