Senate Confirms 74 Trump Nominees in One Vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed 74 of President Trump's nominees on Friday before lawmakers left for their August break. In a single vote of 51 to 47, senators approved a large group of people chosen to lead government agencies and fill other important roles. The vote split along party lines, meaning Republicans voted yes and Democrats voted no. Two Republican senators, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, were not there to vote.

Cameron Hamilton was confirmed to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA, which helps people recover after disasters like hurricanes and floods. Hamilton had already been serving as the temporary leader of FEMA at the start of Trump's second term. He lost that job after he publicly disagreed with President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who wanted to shut the agency down. During his June confirmation hearing, Hamilton told lawmakers that FEMA should look for ways to save money while still helping people in need.

David Cummins will now run the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, the agency that screens passengers at airports. Cummins previously worked as a senior vice president at a company that provides services to the government. The Trump administration has been pushing to make TSA smaller and hire private companies to handle some airport security work. In April, President Trump proposed cutting more than 9,400 TSA workers and about $1.5 billion in funding. Cummins said his goals include improving morale at the agency, using new technology at checkpoints, and cutting down on long wait times for travelers.

Brett Matsumoto was approved to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, which tracks jobs and wages across the country. Matsumoto is an experienced economist who first joined the BLS in 2015 and later worked for the White House Council of Economic Advisors. His confirmation came after Trump fired the previous BLS leader over claims — which were never proven — that she had changed an employment report to make it look worse than it really was. Matsumoto promised lawmakers that the BLS would make decisions based on science, not politics, and said it is important for the public to trust the numbers the agency puts out.

Keith Sonderling was confirmed as Secretary of Labor, meaning he will officially lead the Department of Labor on a full-time basis. He had already been serving in the role temporarily since April, after the previous secretary resigned because of an investigation into her conduct. Sonderling also served in the Labor Department during Trump's first term, running the division that enforces rules about workers' wages and hours. He said serving in both of Trump's administrations has been the greatest honor of his life.

Kari Lake was confirmed as the next U.S. ambassador to Jamaica, where she will represent the United States in that Caribbean nation. Lake is a former TV news anchor who ran for governor and then senator in Arizona as a Republican, though she lost both races. She has been a strong supporter of President Trump and had been leading the U.S. Agency for Global Media before this new role. Lake said she knows Jamaica very well and called it a country full of incredible people, adding that she looks forward to building a stronger friendship between the two nations.