Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Senate Pressing Forward With The Confirmation Of President Biden’s History-Making Cabinet-Level Nominees

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the confirmations of highly qualified nominees to serve as part of President Biden’s cabinet. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Today, the Senate continues its steady progress in approving highly qualified nominees to serve in the executive branch.

Last night the Senate confirmed Dr. Miguel Cardona as the Secretary of Education, fulfilling President Biden’s promise to elevate someone with public school experience.

Gina Raimondo will soon become the former Governor of Rhode Island as she prepares to take the top job at the Commerce Department.

And pending the Senate’s approval, Dr. Cecilia Rouse will soon become the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.

This morning, I want to pause for moment to recognize the historic nature of the nominees that President Biden has nominated—and that the Senate has confirmed—in the first month of the nascent administration.

So far, the Senate has promoted the first black Secretary of Defense and the first woman to serve as deputy Secretary of Defense.

After an unbroken streak of 77 male Secretaries in a row, all the way back to Alexander Hamilton, the Senate confirmed the first woman to serve as Treasury Secretary.

By the end of the day, we’ll have confirmed the first Black woman to lead the Council of Economic Advisers, the first Latino and the first immigrant to lead the Department of Homeland Security, the second black woman to serve as UN Ambassador, the third Latino to serve as Education Secretary, and the first openly gay Secretary of any cabinet agency.

Cabinet agencies, we all know, have immense influence over the policy of the United States. It is critical for their leaders to have lived experiences that represent the broad spectrum of Americans those agencies serve. Not only that, but the nominees I just mentioned are some of the most qualified public servants in America, and are already hard at work at delivering results for the American people.

The Senate will continue to confirm more nominees as quickly as possible. The process can certainly move more quickly with the cooperation of our Republicans colleagues, whose states and constituents benefit equally from having these qualified nominees in place.

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