Senate War Room

Republican senators threw political temper tantrums to obstruct, slow-walk, smear, and oppose President Biden’s crisis-tested and qualified nominees even after they knew their tactics would fail.

Many of these Senators were willing to use critical time and energy – while their constituents battled dual health and economic crises – to launch bad-faith attacks against Biden’s nominees in an apparent nod to their special interest donors, many of whom could now face heightened oversight and accountability under President Biden’s historically diverse Cabinet.

The Obstruction of Xavier Becerra, HHS

Xavier Becerra was confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services on March 18, over 100 days since his nomination was announced.

Despite a vicious and ongoing pandemic that has taken the lives of over 500,000 Americans, created one of the worst unemployment crises in our country’s history, and forced millions into poverty, Senate Republicans stopped at nothing to obstruct, delay, and smear the confirmation of Xavier Becerra by pulling out one flimsy objection after another to distract from their fear that Becerra will take on special interests, including Big Pharma.

Take a look at who funded the obstruction of Becerra:

The Obstruction of Deb Haaland, Interior

Deb Haaland made history as the first Native person to serve in a presidential Cabinet. While this is a historic achievement for both Haaland and our country, her confirmation was an uphill battle.

Since the nominee was announced on December 17, the same Republican Senators who wholeheartedly supported Trump’s conflicted former oil lobbyist turned-Interior Secretary David Bernhardt smeared and ultimately opposed Haaland because she will take on their oil and gas special interest donors.

Take a look at who funded the obstruction of Haaland:

The Obstruction of Merrick Garland, Attorney General

Merrick Garland was confirmed to serve as the United States Attorney General on March 10, 2021, over 60 days since he had been nominated by President Biden.

Senate Republicans purposely delayed the confirmation of the country’s top law enforcement official despite members of their own party having helped incite a violent insurrection at our nation’s Capitol.

These tactics fell flat — as we knew they would — because Merrick Garland is a proven leader and advocate who’s ready to get to work for the American people in pursuit of justice.

The Obstruction of Alejandro Mayorkas, DHS

Senate Republicans slow-walked the confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas every step of the way despite both a massive Russian cybersecurity attack and domestic insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in the span of weeks.

Additionally, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and a chaotic vaccine rollout, it had never been more critical for an incoming administration to have a strong and swiftly-confirmed DHS Secretary ready to lead FEMA and tackle our nation’s most crucial emergency response challenges.

The Obstruction of Nominees of Color, Especially Women Nominees of Color

Biden’s highly qualified and historically diverse Cabinet would upend the status quo and rein in the special interests and corporate donors that for too long have benefitted while working families are left behind.

While most of Biden’s nominees have experienced some form of opposition, an analysis from Accountable.US shows that Senate Republicans tended to use harsher language for President Biden’s Cabinet nominees of color than the language they use to discuss white nominees.