After almost 7 months Senate finally moves to fill USDA’s long-vacate top food safety post

Almost seven months after being nominated by President Trump, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will finally conduct a public nomination hearing on Nov. 28 for Mindy Brashears to become USDA’s under secretary for food safety. The hearing on Nov. 28, might lead to a confirmation in mid-December, finally filling the position after five years since someone has been in the Under Secretary for Food Safety job. The Senate will focus on Brashears and two other Trump appointees who are up for top USDA jobs. The other two are Naomi Earp who is nominated as assistant secretary of agriculture for civil rights, and Scott Hutchins as under secretary of agriculture for research, education, and economics. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has urged the Senate to confirm all of the USDA nominees. The Secretary of Agriculture and 12 other top jobs at USDA require both a Presidential nomination and Senate confirmation. The Senate has only confirmed seven of USDA’s top 13 posts. Observers say Senate Democrats have worked to delay confirmation of Trump appointments. The process can be slowed down if senators demand the maximum time for floor debate before votes occur. According to the Washington Post and the Partnership for Public Service, the Senate has confirmed only 377 of 702 “key” presidential appointees. Currently, 182 Trump appointees are waiting for a Senate confirmation vote. The president has not yet nominated people for 134 of the “key” jobs. @ https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/11/senate-finally-moves-to-fill-usdas-long-vacate-top-food-safety-post/