Category: Federal
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Senate Armed Services Committee holds confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense
The Senate Armed Services Committee held a confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense on Jan. 14, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not yet announced a date for a committee vote on Hegseth’s nomination. Hegseth must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can…
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Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds confirmation hearing for Chris Wright for secretary of energy
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a confirmation hearing for Chris Wright for secretary of energy on Jan. 15, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not yet scheduled a meeting to vote on Wright’s nomination. Wright must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can…
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Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee holds confirmation hearing for Sean Duffy for secretary of transportation
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a confirmation hearing for Sean Duffy for secretary of transportation on Jan. 15, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not yet scheduled a meeting to vote on Duffy’s nomination. Duffy must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can…
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Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds confirmation hearing for Marco Rubio for secretary of state
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a confirmation hearing for Marco Rubio for secretary of state on Jan. 15, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had scheduled a business meeting to consider Rubio’s nomination for January 20, 2025. Rubio must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can…
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Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for January 2025
In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies from December 2, 2024, to December 31, 2024. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS New vacancies There were 39 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions, a total vacancy percentage of 4.5%,…
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Biden has appointed 235 federal judges through January 1 of his fourth year
President Joe Biden (D) has appointed and the Senate has confirmed 235 Article III federal judges through January 1, 2024, his fourth year in office. This is the most Article III judicial appointments confirmed through this point in all presidencies since President Ronald Reagan (R). The Senate had confirmed 234 of President Donald Trump’s (R)…
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No members of Congress have announced 2026 retirement plans since Nov. 27
No members of the U.S. Congress have announced plans to not seek re-election in 2026 since Nov. 27. That means the total number of congressional retirements for 2026 remains at one. The last incumbent to announce their retirement was Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who said he would not seek re-election to the U.S. House of…
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Trump announces pick for next SEC chairman
President-elect Donald Trump announced last week that he will nominate Paul Atkins as the next Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman. Atkins’ views on ESG differ from those of current SEC Chairman Gary Gensler. For example, Atkins wrote a letter opposing the SEC’s 2022 proposed climate disclosure rules, arguing they overstepped the agency’s delegated authority.…
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President Biden has appointed 221 federal judges through December 1 of his fourth year
President Joe Biden (D) has appointed and the U.S. Senate has confirmed 221 Article III federal judges through December 1, 2024, his fourth year in office. This is the second-most Article III judicial appointments through this point in all presidencies since President Ronald Reagan (R). The average number of federal judges appointed by previous presidents…
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Donald Trump (R) announced Kelly Loeffler as his nominee for administrator of the Small Business Administration in his second presidential term
Donald Trump (R) announced on Dec. 4, 2024, that he had selected former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) as his nominee for administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). This position requires Senate confirmation. In a statement, Trump said, “Small Businesses are the backbone of our Great Economy. Kelly will bring her experience in business…