National | Politics

Confirmation hearings open for first of Donald Trump's nominees

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), left, with former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Sessions has been nominated to lead the Department of Justice. Photo: Ryan J. Reilly

The Senate is opening confirmation hearings for several of Republican president-elect Donald Trump's nominees.

The Senate Committee on the Judiciary goes first on Tuesday morning to take up the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) to be Attorney General of the United States. The hearing continues through Wednesday.

On Tuesday afternoon, John F. Kelly goes before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. He's been nominated to served as Secretary of Homeland Security.

Wednesday morning will see three more hearings, in addition to the second day of the Sessions grilling. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations takes up Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State while the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will hear from Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education. Elaine Chao goes before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for her hearing as Secretary of Transportation.

Tillerson is getting another day on Thursday while the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs takes up Ben Carson to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will be meeting to hear from Wilbur Ross, Jr., as Secretary of Commerce.

Finally, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will hold two sessions on Thursday for Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kansas) to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The morning hearing is open to the public while the one in the afternoon is closed for security reasons.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has not yet announced a hearing for Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Montana) to be Secretary of the Interior. He would oversee the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hasn't announced a hearing for Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt (R) to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency either. He has fought tribes on sovereignty, land and other matters.