Senate Invokes Cloture on Lutnick; Trump Sends Trusty's FCC Nomination to Chamber
The Senate voted 52-45 along party lines Thursday to invoke cloture on commerce secretary nominee Howard Lutnick, setting up his final confirmation vote for next week. The Senate Commerce Committee advanced Lutnick last week amid opposition from panel Democrats over the nominee’s stance on implementing NTIA’s $42.5 billion BEAD program and other matters (see 2502050052). President Donald Trump formally sent the Senate on Wednesday night his nomination of Armed Services Committee Republican staffer Olivia Trusty to the FCC seat former Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel vacated Jan. 20 (see 2501160077).
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The Environmental Health Trust, meanwhile, hailed the Senate Thursday for confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as health and human services secretary because he “has been a leader … in helping to increase public awareness of the detrimental health impacts of wireless radiation on humans, flora, and fauna.” EHT noted Kennedy’s partnership in the group’s challenge to the FCC’s 2019 RF order in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (see 2108130073). The Senate voted 52-48 to confirm Kennedy, with former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joining all 47 Democrats in opposition.