Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman provided the crucial vote Thursday as a Senate committee approved President Donald Trump’s nominee to run the Department of Homeland Security.
Fetterman was the only Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to vote in favor of Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).
The committee approved Mullin’s nomination by an 8-7 vote. Chair Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican opposing Mullin. The two had a heated exchange at Mullin’s confirmation hearing Wednesday.
Mullin is expected to win confirmation from the full Senate and is hoping to take office March 31. Mullin would replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, whom Trump removed March 5 amid bipartisan concern about DHS’s immigration-enforcement activities and the slow pace of releasing federal disaster aid.
