[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 15 (Friday, January 24, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Cabinet Nominations

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, a few days ago--I think you were in the 
chair, and I was here--we saw the minority leader stand at that podium 
and pledge to cooperate with Republicans when nominees, he said, were 
highly qualified and bipartisan. It took less than 72 hours for the 
minority leader to violate that pledge.
  Senate Democrats seem to be back to their old, tired habits of 
obstructing and opposing. Look at the confirmation process that we 
finished yesterday for the Central Intelligence Agency Director, John 
Ratcliffe.
  Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a Democrat on the Senate Intelligence 
Committee, gave Director Ratcliffe a ringing endorsement. Director 
Ratcliffe ``is qualified for the job. He's a serious guy, and he's got 
the background. I've got confidence he'll do a good job.''
  Yet Senator Schumer held up the confirmation process for 2 solid 
days.
  Despite the delay, the Senate overwhelmingly confirmed this highly 
qualified Director--Director Ratcliffe--by a vote of 74 to 25. Twenty-
one Democrats voted in favor of his confirmation, yet a 2-day delay.
  I want every American to know what is happening here in the Senate. 
The far-left Members of the Democrat caucus are intentionally delaying 
the confirmation of President Trump's national security team. It is not 
advice and consent. It is the Democrats' playbook for trying to deny 
President Trump his Cabinet.
  The Senate is preparing to vote this weekend on more highly qualified 
nominees. One of them is South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.
  Governor Noem is the nominee to be Secretary of Homeland Security. 
She will secure the border.
  In the first 3 days of the Trump administration, illegal encounters 
dropped nearly 35 percent compared to the final 3 days of the Biden 
administration. Nearly 4,000 illegal immigrants tried to cross in 
President Biden's final days in office. Under President Trump, the 
numbers plummeted, and they will continue to plummet. The impact of the 
Trump policies is real, and this is only the beginning.
  Working with Kristi Noem, the Senate is going to secure the border. 
Governor Noem understands what is needed to tackle the border crisis. 
As she said in her hearing, she will ensure our Border Patrol agents 
and our Immigrations and Customs Enforcement group have all the tools, 
the resources, and the support that they need to carry out their 
mission efficiently and effectively.
  As Governor, she sent South Dakota National Guard troops to Texas to 
help secure the border--Governor, National Guard troops to help in 
Texas. Oh, she is going to be aggressive in her mission to stop this 
flood of illegal immigrants.
  I believe she is an excellent and well-qualified choice. After a 
thorough vetting process, Governor Noem received bipartisan support in 
the Homeland Security Committee. There are 15 members of the committee. 
Thirteen voted in favor of her; only two opposed. That is overwhelming 
and bipartisan.
  Senator Gary Peters of Michigan--he is the lead Democrat on the 
Homeland Security Committee--he voted yes. Will Senator Schumer 
needlessly slow down a confirmation vote that his lead Democrat 
supports, just to obstruct President Trump?
  When it comes to confirming Governor Noem, there is no time to waste. 
Few Agencies are more important to this Nation, to our safety, and to 
our security than the Department of Homeland Security. Any delay denies 
our country a Homeland Security Secretary at a time when open borders 
endanger every American in this country today--potential risk to their 
safety as well as their security.
  Here in the Senate, Senate Republicans are working around the clock 
to confirm qualified nominees like Kristi Noem, like Scott Bessent for 
Treasury, like Sean Duffy. We will be in the Senate voting as long as 
it takes. How long it takes in the Senate is up to the Democrats to 
decide.
  Our committees are approving additional nominees on a bipartisan 
basis and at a rapid clip. We need to confirm them on the Senate floor 
without delay, and that is what Republicans intend to do.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.