Thanks for the HELP: Sen. Cassidy Hails Key Senate Confirmations

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Amid the partisan gridlock of a government shutdown, the Senate confirmed 107 of President Donald Trump’s nominees this week, many of whom will play major roles in the administration.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, is celebrating the confirmation of 15 nominees who were cleared out of his committee after months of Democrat delays.

“As Chairman of the HELP Committee, I’m focused on putting President Trump’s team in place as quickly as possible. These nominees are crucial to advancing Republicans’ pro-worker, pro-family, pro-patient agenda,” said Cassidy, who is a physician, in a statement first provided to The Daily Signal.

“While Democrats continue to hold the government hostage, Senate Republicans are working to deliver results for the American people.” 

The massive wave of confirmations is thanks to a recent Senate rules change, which allows the Senate to confirm some nominees in groups, as opposed to individually.

Senate Republican leadership proposed the rules change after months of Democrats’ slow-walking confirmations by not allowing for unanimous consent or voice votes.

This week’s roster of nominees passed by a 51-47 vote Tuesday, with no Democrats voting for it.

The confirmation of 15 nominees is a major leap forward for Cassidy’s HELP Committee, as a statement from Cassidy’s office notes that “under Cassidy’s leadership, the Committee has voted to advance 28 of Trump’s nominees, 24 of which have been confirmed by the Senate.”

Among the nominees are Kirsten Baesler, who will serve as assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education in the Department of Education; Brian Christine, who will serve as an assistant secretary of health and human services, and David Keeling, who will serve as an assistant secretary of labor. 

On Thursday, the HELP Committee will continue its work as it considers five more of Trump’s nominees.