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Approaching one month in office, President Biden has faced historic levels of obstruction from Senate Republicans who refuse to confirm his Cabinet 

Senators Hawley, Cruz, Graham, and Daines’ latest attempts at obstruction are just the tip of the iceberg

Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, Republican senators have continued to delay, obstruct, and otherwise stall the confirmation of President Biden’s Cabinet nominees, leaving some of the top positions unfilled weeks into the new administration. As the United States faces historic economic, health, and national security crises, Biden’s Cabinet must be confirmed as quickly as possible so the new administration can get to work tackling some of these challenges and getting the American people back on their feet.  

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has opposed all but one of Biden’s Cabinet picks, and is currently holding up Gina Raimondo, Biden’s nominee for Commerce secretary. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) has voted against every single one of Biden’s Cabinet picks. Most notably, Hawley placed a hold on Biden’s nominee for DHS secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, further putting national security at risk after he led the efforts to overturn a democratically-held election when his preferred candidate didn’t win. Senator Steve Daines this weekend announced his intent to block the nomination of Congresswoman Deb Haaland, Biden’s pick for Interior secretary, citing the threat she poses to his oil industry donors. Senator Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee with oversight on judicial nominations, further slowed down the confirmation process of Merrick Garland, Biden’s pick for attorney general, by denying him a hearing this week, even as other committees moved forward with Cabinet confirmation hearings. 

This is only the tip of the iceberg of the obstructionism Senate Republicans have caused since President Biden was sworn into office. The American people overwhelmingly voted for Joe Biden and his plan to build back better after four disastrous, harmful years under Trump. The Republican senators who continue to slow down the process are going directly against the will of the people, and are putting the country’s national security, health and safety at greater risk. Senate Republicans — including Daines, Hawley, Cruz, and Graham — must put their constituents’ needs ahead of their special interest donors to ensure that Biden’s Cabinet is fully formed as soon as possible.       

Read more on GOP senators’ attempts to further obstruct the confirmation of President Biden’s Cabinet nominees: 

This opposition comes on the heels of an already-delayed process for all of President Biden’s nominees after Republican senators failed to move the confirmation process along during the lame-duck period when they remained in power. Nearly a month into the new administration, Biden’s Cabinet is in danger of not being fully formed for the foreseeable future, leaving some of the top posts unattended. 

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