Schatz to put hold on all nominees until USAID is restored
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As Paul notes below, Prime Minister Musk, without any public disagreement from Lieutenant Governor Trump, has attempted to illegally shut down USAID. Brian Schatz, long one of the most clear-eyed members of the Democratic caucus, has an appropriate response:
Sen. Brian Schatz (D., Hawaii) said he would place a “blanket hold” on all of President Trump’s State Department nominees until the administration’s attack on the leading U.S. foreign-assistance agency ends, a move that threatens to stall Trump’s ability to get his foreign-policy team in place.
Schatz’s threat came as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency aims to close the U.S. Agency for International Development; the agency’s existence as an independent government organization is codified in federal law. Over the weekend, DOGE staffers forced their way into USAID’s headquarters in Washington, gaining access to classified information and closing the building to employees on Monday.
The Senate typically speeds up the confirmation of many nominees through “unanimous consent,” a process that bypasses a formal vote if no senator objects. By objecting, Schatz’s hold would halt the Senate’s ability to move nominees quickly, requiring Senate Majority Leader John Thune to use precious floor time to advance the president’s picks through the confirmation process.
“I will oppose unanimous consent,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “I will vote no. I will do maximal delays until this is resolved.”
There’s no magic bullet an opposition party has to do anything to directly stop things the majority want to do unless it involves non-reconciliation legislation, and I get very quickly weary of people who pivot from “Republicans winning elections is no big deal” to “Democrats are opposing Trump wrong.” But while there are no guarantees about whether protest actions will break through to the public, it’s still imperative that Democrats do what they can to convey that the Trump administration is engaged in a series of actions that are both mostly illegal and very bad for people’s masic material interests (and no I don’t think you need to pick.) It’s good to see an important Senate Democrat understanding this.
…two more congresspeople who understand the magnitude of what’s happening:
Members of Congress with @beyer.house.gov @vanhollen.senate.gov now seeking entry at USAID
[image or embed]— Aaron Fritschner (@fritschner.bsky.social) February 3, 2025 at 10:44 AM