The Senate on Thursday confirmed a roster of agency and ambassador nominees, including for EPA and the Interior and Energy departments.
The chamber was able to confirm the picks en bloc after Republicans changed its rules. Sub-Cabinet, civilian nominees will no longer need to be considered one by one.
“If the Senate had continued at the pace that we’ve been proceeding at … through the month of July, there would still be hundreds of empty desks in the executive branch on President [Donald] Trump’s last day in office in 2029. Think about that,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
Nominees confirmed include Leslie Beyer to become assistant Interior secretary for land and minerals management, Katherine Scarlett to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and Jessica Kramer to manage EPA’s water office.
