This week, multiple Senate Committees announced hearing dates for several of President-elect Trump’s cabinet nominees.
Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), announced that her committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominee for Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT), on Tuesday, January 17, 2017. Murkowski also announced that her committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominee for Secretary of the Department of Energy, former Texas Governor Rick Perry, on Thursday, January 19, 2017. Additionally, Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, John Barrasso (R-WY), announced that his committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominee for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Attorney General for the State of Oklahoma Scott Pruitt, on Wednesday, January 18, 2017. President-elect Trump has yet to nominate someone for the Secretary for the Department of Agriculture. Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Pat Roberts (R-KS), stated that his committee will not be able to consider a nominee for Ag Secretary until after the President-elect in inaugurated, as a result of a number of procedures that need to happen prior to a hearing. Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s name has been mentioned recently as a possible candidate.