Senate Rushes to Reward President Trump With Victories
The Senate confirmed Sen. Marco Rubio as Secretary of State just hours after President Donald Trump took his oath of office on Monday in one of the first significant acts of the new administration.
The Florida Republican sailed through, with a number of Democrats, including Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, having voiced support for their GOP colleague.
Rubio is slated to be the first Hispanic American to hold the powerful position.
The chamber is fast-tracking nominees who handle national security issues, at least the ones viewed as less controversial. Other Cabinet-level picks, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are scheduled to have confirmation hearings in the coming weeks.
The Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved Rubio’s nomination in a vote earlier in the day, teeing up the floor vote later in the evening.
There was also flurry of committee activity Monday, paving the way for Trump to install his chosen Cabinet officials.
Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was expected to get quick attention, as well, after the Armed Services Committee voted 14-13—strictly along partisan lines—to send his nomination to be secretary of Defense to the Senate floor for a vote.
The Senate Homeland Security Committee was scheduled to meet to consider both Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee to be secretary of Homeland Security, and Russell Voight to head the Office of Management and Budget.
And Senate Intelligence Committee voted overwhelmingly late Monday afternoon to approve John Ratcliffe to be the next CIA director, sending his nomination along to the full Senate for a vote.
And on Tuesday, the Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to hold its hearing on Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.