Senate confirms 27 Obama nominees
Administration officials had suggested president would use recess appointments if Republicans did not release dozens of holds.
Faced with the threat of dozens of recess appointments next week, the Senate confirmed 27 of President Obama's nominees Thursday evening, including three Treasury Department deputies and a top Homeland Security Department intelligence official.
The votes end a weeklong showdown between Obama and Senate Republicans, who had placed holds on 63 administration nominees, according to White House figures.
At a meeting with congressional leaders on Tuesday, Obama threatened that if Republicans did not lift their holds, he would use the upcoming President's Day recess to install his nominees, thereby bypassing the need for Senate votes.
"In most cases, these holds have had nothing to do with the nominee's qualifications or even political views, and these nominees have already received broad, bipartisan support in the committee process," Obama said in a statement on Thursday. "Instead, many holds were motivated by a desire to leverage projects for a senator's state or simply to frustrate progress. It is precisely these kinds of tactics that enrage the American people."
On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed two national security nominees: Clifford Stanley as undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness, and Philip Goldberg as assistant secretary of State for intelligence and research. The chamber also rejected, on a cloture vote, labor lawyer Craig Becker to be a member of the National Labor Relations Board.
The 27 nominees confirmed on Thursday by unanimous consent include Mary John Miller and Marisa Lago, assistant secretaries at the Treasury Department; Charles Collyns, deputy undersecretary at Treasury; Caryn Wagner, undersecretary for intelligence and analysis at DHS; Patrick Corvington, chief executive officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service; Douglas Wilson, an assistant secretary of Defense; Mary Sally Matiella, assistant secretary of the Army; and Douglas Criscitello, chief financial officer at the Housing and Urban Development Department.
The Senate also approved several other nominees at the Commerce, Health and Human Services, Justice and Veterans Affairs departments.
Leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee welcomed the vote on Wagner-whose nomination reportedly was held up by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.-noting the critical role she will play in improving the nation's intelligence capabilities.
"Gaps in analytical efforts resulted in Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab boarding a flight to the United States on Christmas Day with an explosive device," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the committee's ranking member. "That is only one of the types of threats that the DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis, as part of the intelligence community, will have to address under Ms. Wagner's leadership."
Votes on a number of key Defense and Treasury department nominees are still being blocked by Republican holds.
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., has placed holds on Terry Yonkers, assistant secretary of the Air Force; Frank Kendall, principal deputy undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics; and Erin Conaton, undersecretary of the Air Force. Shelby has concerns about the Air Force's aerial refueling tanker acquisition and the FBI's Terrorist Device Analytical Center.
Earlier in the week, Shelby lifted holds on dozens of other Obama nominees.
Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., has reportedly placed holds on several Treasury nominees, including Lael Brainard, undersecretary for international affairs, and Michael Mundaca, undersecretary for tax policy. The holds were in response to the Obama administration's delay of new Internet gambling prohibitions.
The White House signaled on Thursday that it would delay any immediate use of recess appointments.
"While this is a good first step, there are still dozens of nominees on hold who deserve a similar vote, and I will be looking for action from the Senate when it returns from recess," Obama said. "If they do not act, I reserve the right to use my recess appointment authority in the future."