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Of the seven women nominees of color, only one has been confirmed — three await their confirmation vote, and three have yet to have had their committee vote

Some of the loudest opposition from Senate Republicans is directed at nominees who are women of color, including Tanden and Haaland

Accountable Senate War Room: “The plain obstruction and delay in the confirmation of women of color only reaffirms how threatened Republican senators are by the historic diversity of President Biden’s strong nominees”

Washington, D.C. – Today, on the first day of Women’s History Month, the Accountable Senate War Room released the following statement concerning the disparate delays in confirming President Biden’s women Cabinet nominees of color. While President Biden’s Cabinet has been slower to be confirmed writ large, Biden’s nominees of color — especially women nominees of color — have faced increased opposition and open hostility towards their confirmations, compared to the experiences of their white, male counterparts. 

Of the seven women nominees of color, only one has been confirmed — three await their confirmation vote, and three have yet to have had their committee vote. Further, women nominees of color comprise nearly a quarter of President Biden’s Cabinet nominees but makeup only 10% of confirmed nominees. 

“It is abhorrent that Republican senators have focused their attacks and obstruction on President Biden’s nominees of color — and to see that trend metastasize with the plain obstruction and delay in the confirmation of women of color only reaffirms how threatened these members are by the historic diversity of President Biden’s strong nominees,” said Mairead Lynn, spokesperson for Accountable Senate War Room. 

Congresswoman Deb Haaland, President Biden’s pick for secretary of Interior, Vanita Gupta, Biden’s pick to be associate attorney general at the Justice Department, and Neera Tanden, Biden’s pick to run the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), are all incredibly qualified women of color, yet are facing some of the strongest opposition from Senate Republicans. Other women nominees of color like Marcia Fudge for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secretary, Isabel Guzman to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA), and Cecilia Rouse to lead the Council of Economic Advisers are all still awaiting confirmation votes. Rouse was announced on November 30, 91 days ago. 

As Women’s History Month begins and many celebrate the fact that President Biden nominated more women and women of color to serve in his Cabinet than any other administration, it is deeply important to also acknowledge the obstacles faced by non-white women in the greater quest for representation and equity, especially in government.  

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