TO SEN. SCHUMER, OUR FRIEND
For the sake of America, it’s the Senate’s obligation to speedily confirm the Cabinet
The new minority leader in the Senate, Charles Schumer of New York, has vowed that he and his fellow Democrats will aggressively target President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees as part of an effort to stretch the confirmation hearings of these accomplished Americans for months.
Some advice from two people who’ve been there: It’s a bad idea.
The American people said with a bold voice on Election Day that they want Washington to get into gear. Stalling the confirmation of presidential nominees en masse will be viewed, rightly, as just an extension of the petty politics that Americans are so strongly rejecting.
Under the Constitution, the Senate’s job is to “advise and consent” to the president’s Cabinet choices, and to object only in instances in which an individual might be uniquely unqualified to serve. This is an obligation we and our Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle understood and respected, even when considering nominees from a new president from the other party. COUNTRY FIRST In 1993, we were both involved in the confirmation of President Clinton’s Cabinet nominees. All were confirmed by the day after the inauguration. In our view, if the president’s nominees were qualified in terms of education, experience and character, it was our duty to the country to allow him to begin his term with his Cabinet in place.
Our predecessors in the Senate felt the same way, as have our successors — at least to this point.
In 2001, the Senate approved seven of President Bush’s Cabinet nominees within hours of his inauguration, including his secretaries of State, Defense and Treasury. Heeding the Constitution and putting the country first, Democrats allowed the new president to assemble his Cabinet as quickly as possible, even with the sting of the Florida recount and the Bush v. Gore court ruling still fresh in their minds.
In 2009, seven of President Obama’s nominees were confirmed the day he was sworn into office. One day after inauguration, Hillary Clinton was confirmed as secretary of State. Four other nominees were confirmed by the end of the first week.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., insisted at the time that having nominees in place “before the inauguration” was something that should be done “for the good of the American people.” ‘THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME’ Sen. Leahy’s words echoed the 2009 recommendations of the bipartisan Continuity of Government Commission, established after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and chaired by former presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford and former senators Alan Simpson and David Pryor.
“The most dangerous time for presidential succession is the inauguration of a new president, when the outgoing line of succession is gathered together and the incoming line is not yet in place,” the commission warned.
It urged enhanced cooperation between the incoming and outgoing administrations and their allies so that the Senate could confirm Cabinet appointments before the new president takes office on Jan. 20.
Taken altogether, you may see why we find Sen. Schumer’s state- ments so worrisome. The Democrats’ apparent plan to impede the confirmation process and obstruct the new president’s nominees en masse would trample constitutional precedent, tarnish America’s reputation, and potentially jeopardize the nation’s security.
Today, it is more crucial than ever for the next president to hit the ground running. The American people have spoken, and they expect their elected representatives in Washington to get busy on pressing matters such as job creation, securing our communities, and restoring honesty to our government.
We urge our friend, Minority Leader Schumer, to put the interests of the nation first, heed the Senate’s well-established traditions and obligations, and speedily confirm Trump’s Cabinet.
The country deserves nothing less — and at a time of such consequence for our country and its future, we suspect our fellow citizens will stand for nothing less.