Commerce Committee favorably reports out nominees in final executive session of 118^th Congress 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his opening statement at today’s Senate Commerce Committee executive session to consider nominations, Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) outlined his intentions to thoroughly review and quickly confirm President-elect Trump’s nominees as the incoming Chairman of the Committee. The cabinet nominees of previous Presidents-elect have been granted nomination hearings prior to the inauguration and were voted on by the Committee within a week of their hearing. Sen. Cruz also reaffirmed his commitment to working with the incoming Democratic minority on the Committee to address shared priorities and make our country more prosperous. 

The Commerce Committee reported out the following nominations favorably:

• Ronald Batory to be a Director on the Amtrak Board of Directors
• Lanhee Chen to be a Director on Amtrak Board of Directors
• David Capozzi to be a Director on the Amtrak Board of Directors
• Elaine Clegg to be a Director on the Amtrak Board of Directors
• Adam White to be a Member on the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• Felix Sanchez to be a Member on the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• Louis Sola to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner
• Dr. Lisa Ballance to be a Member on the Marine Mammal Commission
• Coast Guard Promotions PN2130, PN2131, PN2132, PN1534-2, PN2228, PN2229, PN2230, PN2231 

Sen. Cruz’s remarks as prepared for delivery are included below:

“Thank you, Madam Chair.  As this is the Commerce Committee’s final markup of the 118^th Congress, I want to personally thank you for your leadership these past two years and I look forward to our continuing work together on shared priorities and making our country more prosperous. 

“We’re losing a few esteemed members of our committee and I want to take just a moment to express my appreciation to Vice President-elect Vance, Senator Sinema, and Senator Tester for their friendship, their comity, and their commitment to finding common ground on many of the issues that come before us. 

“Madam Chair, as it looks like we’ll be trading seats, I want to say that I intend to adhere to many of the customs and practices that you’ve established with regard to minority rights at the Committee. 

“The American electorate sent a resounding message to Washington on November 5^th and with it an unequivocal mandate for Donald Trump and his agenda.  The President-elect has already announced his cabinet and I think we have two stellar nominees already before this Committee in former Congressman Duffy and New York business leader Howard Lutnick.   

“We have already begun the vetting process of Mr. Duffy and Mr. Lutnick, and into next Congress, we will both thoroughly vet new nominees and, I believe, swiftly confirm them, responsibly carrying out the Senate’s advice and consent role.   

“Past practice shows us how to do so.  For example, this Committee held a hearing on President Obama’s nomination of Ray LaHood to be Secretary of the Department of Transportation and then reported him out favorably the very next day. 

“In the past, this Committee and others have often even held nomination hearings prior to the inauguration.  Under President Biden, both Secretaries Blinken and Yellen had their hearings before January 20^th, as did Secretaries Ross and Chao under Trump.  What is more, this Committee has voted on cabinet nominees, including Secretary Buttigieg, within a week of their hearings.  As the incoming Chairman of this Committee, I intended to follow a similar practice for nominations next Congress and to work to move qualified and competent nominees expeditiously.   

“Alexandar Hamilton, the first executive officer to receive the Senate’s advice and consent, wrote in Federalist 76 that the purpose of the Senate’s advice and consent role is ‘to prevent the appointment of unfit characters.’  That is the standard on which the Senate should judge nominees—not whether they have jumped through procedural hurdles.  

“I look forward to working with all members of the Committee in exercising our constitutional role and reviewing President Trump’s nominees with every bit of the respect for bipartisanship than has been afforded this Congress.”

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