confirmation hearings

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She Lacks Medical License, Could Become US' Top Doctor

Dr. Casey Means faces Senate scrutiny over lapsed license, vaccine skepticism

(Newser) - A wellness influencer with a lapsed medical license is set to defend her bid to become the nation's top doctor on Capitol Hill. Dr. Casey Means, President Trump's nominee for surgeon general , will face senators Wednesday in a closely watched confirmation hearing, where her unconventional resume and ties...

Surgeon General Nominee Goes Into Labor Just Before Hearing

Casey Means will still face tough questions, but at a later date

(Newser) - A Senate committee has postponed the confirmation hearing for Dr. Casey Means, President Trump's nominee for surgeon general , after she went into labor. Means, expecting her first child, was set to appear virtually before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday morning, two days after her...

'SharpieGate' Figure Will Lead NOAA
'SharpieGate' Figure
Will Lead NOAA
Oct 8, 2025 10:55 AM CDT

'SharpieGate' Figure Will Lead NOAA

Neil Jacobs takes helm years after ethics controversy

(Newser) - The Senate has approved Neil Jacobs as the new head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a move that brings back a familiar face from the " SharpieGate " hurricane forecast controversy. The atmospheric scientist who previously served as the NOAA's acting director was confirmed as part...

Senate Leaves DC With No Deal on Trump Nominees

Republicans say they may change rules to speed up nominations when they return in September

(Newser) - After days of contentious back-and-forth, during which President Trump told Chuck Schumer he could "go to hell," the Senate ultimately left Washington, DC, for its August recess Saturday night without a deal on confirmations for dozens of Trump nominees still awaiting advancement. Lawmakers say the president privately instructed...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Confirmed as Health Secretary

Mitch McConnell is the only 'no' vote among Republicans

(Newser) - The Senate on Thursday confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as President Trump's health secretary, per the AP . Republicans fell in line behind Trump despite hesitancy over Kennedy's views on vaccines, voting 52-48 to elevate the scion of one of America's most storied political—and Democratic—families to...

Senate Panel Backs RFK Jr. for Health Secretary

His nomination now goes to the full Senate

(Newser) - A Senate panel advanced the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become the next health secretary on Tuesday morning, reports the New York Times . In the closely watched vote by the Senate Finance Committee, Kennedy prevailed in a 14-13 result along party lines, per the Hill . The pivotal vote...

Rubio Talks China, Ukraine at Friendly Confirmation Hearing

He calls China 'biggest threat' to US prosperity

(Newser) - Sen. Marco Rubio, a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, appeared before the panel for a confirmation hearing Wednesday that was a lot friendlier than hearings for some of President-elect Trump's other nominees. The warm welcome Rubio received from both sides of the aisle suggests he will...

'I Do Not Believe That You Are Qualified'

Pete Hegseth, defense nominee grilled at Senate hearing, cites a 'smear campaign' against him

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth was getting grilled on Capitol Hill Tuesday in his confirmation hearing to be the next defense secretary. At the same time, the former Fox host defended himself against what he calls a "smear campaign" by the media. Some early highlights:
  • Critic: "I do not believe that
...

Johnson: Releasing Ethics Report on Gaetz a 'Terrible' Idea

Speaker hedges on revealing what's in House panel's findings on Trump's nominee for AG

(Newser) - It didn't look likely on Thursday that the House Ethics Committee would release its report on the investigation into now-former Rep. Matt Gaetz, accused of drug use, bribery, and sexual misconduct with a minor. Nothing Friday has changed that narrative in the eyes of House Speaker Mike Johnson, per...

Senate Confirms, Then Unconfirms, First Female Army Secretary

Christine Wormuth was briefly the first woman confirmed in Army's highest civilian post

(Newser) - On Wednesday, Christine Wormuth became the first woman confirmed by the Senate as Army secretary. Hours later, she unexpectedly became the first woman to be unconfirmed as Army secretary. In what analysts believe was the result of a procedural issue, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer asked for the confirmation to...

Barrett's Day 2 Theme: 'I Have No Agenda'
Barrett
Sidesteps
Questions
on Big Issues
the rundown
Oct 13, 2020 10:55 AM CDT

Barrett Sidesteps Questions on Big Issues

'I have no agenda,' says Supreme Court nominee

(Newser) - The actual questioning of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett has begun on Capitol Hill. However, Barrett is following the tradition of nominees not answering questions about how they might rule on key issues—in this case, ObamaCare and abortion, notes Politico . "If I give off-the-cuff answers, then I...

Trump's AG Nominee: It's Vital Mueller Finishes His Report

William Barr will tell senators that he won't interfere with Mueller investigation

(Newser) - His prospective boss may not be a fan of the Robert Mueller investigation, but Attorney General nominee William Barr promises that he won't interfere with it. In remarks released Monday ahead of his confirmation hearing before a Senate panel on Tuesday, Barr says it's "vitally important" that...

Kavanaugh Insists: It Didn't Happen
Kavanaugh:
My Accuser
Is Wrong
Sep 17, 2018 10:35 AM CDT

Kavanaugh: My Accuser Is Wrong

Kellyanne Conway says the woman should not be ignored or insulted

(Newser) - Brett Kavanaugh doubled down Monday on his denial of a sexual misconduct allegation going back to his high school days. "This is a completely false allegation," Kavanaugh said in a statement cited by CNN . "I have never done anything like what the accuser describes—to her or...

Cory Booker Raises Drama of Kavanaugh Hearings

Democratic senator says he's willing to risk expulsion by releasing email

(Newser) - Day three of the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing has opened with a bang: Democratic Sen. Cory Booker says he has ordered his staff to release a Kavanaugh email even though it's supposed to remain under wraps. It's not clear yet what the email says, but NBC News reports...

Kavanaugh Turns Away From Parkland Dad's Handshake

Fred Guttenberg says he just wanted to talk to Supreme Court nominee, father to father

(Newser) - "Chaos" is the word being used to describe the first day of Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing , and now new labels are being applied to Kavanaugh himself, including ill-mannered and "coward." Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was killed in the Parkland shooting, said he...

On Eve of Hearing, Lawyer Releases 42K Pages on Kavanaugh

Schumer slams 'least transparent SCOTUS process in history'

(Newser) - Tuesday is the first day of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh—but only those who were able to review 42,000 pages of documents overnight will be fully prepared, according to Sen. Chuck Schumer. The Senate minority leader blasted the "absurd" process Monday night...

Senate Panel Votes to Endorse Haspel as CIA Director

Full Senate will now vote on Haspel's confirmation

(Newser) - Gina Haspel won the endorsement of the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday, with the panel voting 10-5 to advance her nomination as CIA director to the full Senate. Haspel, who would be the first woman to lead the Central Intelligence Agency and the second person to lead the agency after being...

9/11 Architect Has 6 Paragraphs of Information About Haspel

And more from Gina Haspel's confirmation hearing

(Newser) - President Trump's controversial pick to lead the CIA is testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday—and the man behind the 9/11 attacks is hoping to weigh in. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, currently detained at Guantanamo Bay, this week asked a military judge at Gitmo for permission to share six...

Trump's FBI Pick: Nobody Asked Me for 'Loyalty Oath'

Christopher Wray testifies before Senate Judiciary Committee

(Newser) - President Trump's pick to replace James Comey as head of the FBI appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday for his confirmation hearing and testified that his loyalty would be to the law, not to the White House. "No one asked me for any kind of loyalty oath...

Woman May Go to Prison for Laughing in Sessions' Hearing

Activist Desiree Fairooz is currently on trial for the outburst

(Newser) - Laughter may be the best medicine, but it's a lawyer, not a doctor, that a Code Pink activist now needs for guffawing during Attorney General Jeff Sessions' Senate confirmation hearing. HuffPost reports that 61-year-old Desiree Fairooz is on trial this week after being arrested by US Capitol Police for...

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