It could take until the end of February for former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, President Donald Trump’s energy secretary-designate, to be approved for the Cabinet post to which he was officially nominated about two months ago.
On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) began procedural work that would set up six of Trump’s Cabinet nominees for confirmation votes by the full Senate as soon as Thursday. Republicans have enough votes on their own to confirm any Cabinet pick without Democratic help, but they still need some additional assistance to end debate on the nominations and actually take the votes.
While Perry’s nomination process has not been particularly controversial so far, Senate Democrats have taken a harder line on other nominees such Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who Trump tapped to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
While the Senate confirmed Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) to be director of the Office of Management and Budget Thursday, Pruitt and other nominees are still ahead of Perry in the queue, and Democrats could obstruct votes to end debate on those nominations and proceed to votes. Democrats had turned to those tactics to slow the Pruitt vote, even as lawmakers prepare to gavel out for a weeklong Presidents Day recess scheduled to begin Friday.
If Senate Democrats dig in their heels, Perry’s confirmation vote might slide out out beyond the scheduled recess to the end of February. That would leave DOE rudderless more than a quarter of the way through Trump’s first 100 days in office.
A spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) did not reply to a query about whether Democrats had any party-wide objection to Perry’s nomination.
Editor’s Note, 02/17/2017, 1:16 p.m. Eastern: The story was updated to reflect Rep. Mick Mulvaney’s confirmation as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
