Thune Trying to Include FCC Nominees in Pre-Labor Day Nominations Package
A pre-Labor Day nominations package that would confirm FCC nominee Geoffrey Starks and Commissioner Brendan Carr's full five-year term ending in 2023 under unanimous consent is still possible, though much depends on the outcome of ongoing negotiations, Senate Commerce Committee…
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Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Thursday. The Senate recessed Thursday night without a deal following negotiations between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., about a nominations package aimed at allowing the chamber to recess for the remainder of August. McConnell vowed earlier Thursday the Senate would “continue to work right through” the rest of the month to confirm a slate of at least 16 of Trump's nominees over Democrats' resistance absent a deal. Thune said he is talking with Schumer and others about getting the two FCC nominees and others under Senate Commerce's jurisdiction included in the package, too, but “at the moment, we don't have a deal yet.” Thune has been hopeful Senate leaders would agree to confirm Carr and Starks under unanimous consent before two previous recesses this summer, but progress on a nominations package has been elusive (see 1807310065). Senate leaders at the last minute scotched a bid to clear the FCC nominees before July 4 (see 1806290037).