Senate Faces Busy Week with Cabinet Hearings

This week, the Senate has a packed schedule. They're having more than a dozen hearings for President-elect Trump's Cabinet picks. Some people are expected to sail through, like Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State. But others might face tough questions, like former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary. Sen. John Cornyn from Texas called the upcoming hearings a bit of a "train wreck. " He’s glad they’re happening, though, because the FBI background checks will be part of the process. The first day, Tuesday, starts with Hegseth, along with former Rep. Doug Collins and former Governor Doug Burgum. Wednesday gets busier with Rubio, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, John Ratcliffe, and others. Thursday has Bondi again, plus Elise Stefanik and Lee Zeldin. There will be more hearings in the coming days.

If these nominees pass their committee votes, they need 50 Senate votes for confirmation. Vice President-elect JD Vance can break ties from Jan. 20. Some Democrats like Sen. John Fetterman are supporting certain nominees, but others are warning Republicans not to rush the process. Hegseth has faced allegations of misconduct, and some Republicans are hesitant to support him. The Democrats are also concerned and want the FBI checks done properly before confirmation. Other nominees like Tulsi Gabbard are facing skepticism due to past ties with foreign adversaries. The Senate is rushing some confirmations, and the Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says they're not taking the time to vet the nominees properly. This is raising questions about what they might be trying to hide.

Actions