The Senate panel overseeing the confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Education Department is waiting on documents from the transition team to proceed further, likely punting the hearing to after Inauguration Day.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate HELP Committee, said the timeline for Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing is dependent on getting paperwork. Cabinet nominees have to submit documentation like financial disclosures and conflict of interest forms to the Office of Government Ethics.
“It really depends on us getting paperwork,” Cassidy told POLITICO when asked about the timeline for the confirmation hearing. “Right now the hold seems to be on their side.”
Senate committees have set up a string of confirmation hearings for Trump’s national security and energy-related cabinet picks next week. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona’s confirmation hearing was held Feb. 3, 2021, 14 days after Joe Biden’s inauguration, and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ hearing was held on Jan. 17, 2017, three days before Trump’s first inauguration.
The Louisiana Republican has not met with McMahon but said they’ve briefly spoken on the phone. McMahon, who led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term, began sitting down with committee members and Senate leadership at the end of last year.
