[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 1162]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          CABINET NOMINATIONS

  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I wish to talk a little bit this 
afternoon about the way my colleagues on the other side of the aisle 
are, unfortunately--and with no reason--delaying and delaying the 
confirmation of heads of critically important agencies, Cabinet 
Secretaries, for our country.
  Now, we have differences of opinion in this body. That is often a 
good thing. We debate, we share ideas, we agree, we disagree, we give 
the voters the very best we have, and then we let them make their own 
decisions, which they do at the ballot box.
  On election day, the American people chose President Trump and Vice 
President Pence. The American people did so knowing they would appoint 
a new Cabinet and be focused on the issues they ran on, but the 
American people did not vote for delay and they did not vote for 
obstruction. They voted for action and they voted for a smooth 
transition, which is what this body has traditionally done.
  It has been a longstanding tradition of the U.S. Senate, working 
hard, to confirm Cabinet nominees of a newly elected President in a 
timely fashion, particularly when it comes to the President's national 
security team.
  For example, in 2009, upon the election of President Obama, 7 of his 
Cabinet members were sworn into office on the first day, 5 more were 
confirmed by the end of the first week--14 Cabinet officials inside of 
a week.
  Where are we right now? Two Cabinet officials and one CIA Director. 
That is not what the American people expect. That is not the tradition 
in the Senate. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have a 
responsibility to the American people to put a government in place and 
to treat the confirmation process with the same courtesy and 
seriousness the Senate gave to President Obama's Cabinet-level 
nominees, and that is not happening right now. This is serious 
business, particularly on national security issues.
  I am hopeful my colleagues on the other side of the aisle can start 
getting serious and show this administration the same courtesy that 
Republicans showed President Obama's administration when he came into 
office.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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