This week, the Senate continued to move forward with President Trump’s Cabinet Secretary nominations. The Senate confirmed Betsy DeVos as the Secretary of Education, and former Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) as the Attorney General. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) has indicated the Senate may take up the nominations of former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) for Secretary of the Department of Energy and Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) as the Secretary of the Department of the Interior next week.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has been pushing Senate leadership for a confirmation vote for both Perry and Zinke. Senate Republican leadership has not announced a date for when the Senate will vote on the nomination of Scott Pruitt for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, the Senate Agriculture Committee has not announced a hearing date for the nomination of Sonny Perdue for the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.