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thisfinecrewNomination Hearing - Elaine Chao
When: Wednesday 11 January from 10:15am
Committee Members: (as at 6 Jan) Chairman: Senator John Thune (R - SD), Senator Roger F. Wicker (R - MS), Senator Roy Blunt (R - MO), Senator Ted Cruz (R - TX), Senator Deb Fischer (R - NE), Senator Jerry Moran (R - KS), Senator Dan Sullivan (R - AK), Senator Dean Heller (R - NV), Senator James M. Inhofe (R - OK), Senator Mike Lee (R - UT), Senator Ron Johnson (R - WI), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R - WV), Senator Cory Gardner (R - CO), Senator Todd Young (R - IN), Ranking Member: Senator Bill Nelson (D - FL), Senator Maria Cantwell (D - WA), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D - MN), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D - CT), Senator Brian Schatz (D - HI), Senator Edward J. Markey (D - MA), Senator Cory A. Booker (D - NJ), Senator Tom Udall (D - NM), Senator Gary C. Peters (D - MI), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D - WI), Senator Tammy Duckworth (D - IL), Senator Margaret Wood Hassan (D - NH), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D - NV)
What the committee should be concerned about: Chao ran the Labor Department under the George W. Bush administration and served as deputy secretary of transportation under President George H.W. Bush. She had a poor track record in the Labor Department, where she "drew fire from labor unions and liberals for doing too little to enforce existing laws on wages, overtime and workplace safety." She was also disliked by federal employees working for her: some of them threw a "good riddance" party when she left. There are also questions about the ethics of some of the businesses where she has been a board member, such as Wells Fargo, where managers tolerated and even encouraged employees to sign customers up for services they did not want.
However, Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer (D - NY) has signaled that the Democrats are unlikely to mount any serious objections to her appointment. When the nomination was announced, Senator Schumer praised her government service, and said he hoped to work collaboratively with her and Trump's proposed infrastructure plan. [It seems likely the Democrats are relieved that Trump has picked someone with experience, who actually understands how to work with Congress, and who is only at ordinary levels of Republican evil. She also does add some much needed diversity to Trump's cabinet.]
Suggested action: Given the Democrats don't seem inclined to oppose this nomination -- she seems like a pick that would be "normal" in any other Republican cabinet -- it's probably not worth calling about this one. But please let us know in comments if there are strong reasons the committee should reject the nomination.
Housekeeping note: This is the last of the confirmation hearings scheduled for Wednesday 11 January. I'll be back later with posts on the hearings scheduled for Thursday 12 January.
When: Wednesday 11 January from 10:15am
Committee Members: (as at 6 Jan) Chairman: Senator John Thune (R - SD), Senator Roger F. Wicker (R - MS), Senator Roy Blunt (R - MO), Senator Ted Cruz (R - TX), Senator Deb Fischer (R - NE), Senator Jerry Moran (R - KS), Senator Dan Sullivan (R - AK), Senator Dean Heller (R - NV), Senator James M. Inhofe (R - OK), Senator Mike Lee (R - UT), Senator Ron Johnson (R - WI), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R - WV), Senator Cory Gardner (R - CO), Senator Todd Young (R - IN), Ranking Member: Senator Bill Nelson (D - FL), Senator Maria Cantwell (D - WA), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D - MN), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D - CT), Senator Brian Schatz (D - HI), Senator Edward J. Markey (D - MA), Senator Cory A. Booker (D - NJ), Senator Tom Udall (D - NM), Senator Gary C. Peters (D - MI), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D - WI), Senator Tammy Duckworth (D - IL), Senator Margaret Wood Hassan (D - NH), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D - NV)
What the committee should be concerned about: Chao ran the Labor Department under the George W. Bush administration and served as deputy secretary of transportation under President George H.W. Bush. She had a poor track record in the Labor Department, where she "drew fire from labor unions and liberals for doing too little to enforce existing laws on wages, overtime and workplace safety." She was also disliked by federal employees working for her: some of them threw a "good riddance" party when she left. There are also questions about the ethics of some of the businesses where she has been a board member, such as Wells Fargo, where managers tolerated and even encouraged employees to sign customers up for services they did not want.
However, Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer (D - NY) has signaled that the Democrats are unlikely to mount any serious objections to her appointment. When the nomination was announced, Senator Schumer praised her government service, and said he hoped to work collaboratively with her and Trump's proposed infrastructure plan. [It seems likely the Democrats are relieved that Trump has picked someone with experience, who actually understands how to work with Congress, and who is only at ordinary levels of Republican evil. She also does add some much needed diversity to Trump's cabinet.]
Suggested action: Given the Democrats don't seem inclined to oppose this nomination -- she seems like a pick that would be "normal" in any other Republican cabinet -- it's probably not worth calling about this one. But please let us know in comments if there are strong reasons the committee should reject the nomination.
Housekeeping note: This is the last of the confirmation hearings scheduled for Wednesday 11 January. I'll be back later with posts on the hearings scheduled for Thursday 12 January.
