The Senate prepared to begin its August recess Thursday after quickly approving a batch of 65 Trump administration nominees, but four remaining Defense Department picks awaiting confirmation did not make the cut.
The four civilian nominees, who have all passed committee consideration, will now be put on hold until at least Sept. 5 when the Senate gavels in for its next votes.
Democrats had used procedural moves to slow-roll Trump’s nominees on the Senate floor amid the Obamacare debate, but the delays lifted this week with the approval of Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer and seven other DoD nominees.
“I would hope my colleagues across the aisle would stop their stall tactics, so we can confirm the rest of the nominees,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the Senate majority whip.
Here are the nominees still awaiting confirmation on the Senate floor:
- John Gibson, to be deputy chief management officer
- David Trachtenberg, to be principal deputy undersecretary for policy
- Owen West, to be assistant secretary for special operations and low-intensity conflict
- Charles Stimson, to be general counsel of the Navy.
