Senate GOP Moves With ‘Record Speed’ To Confirm Trump’s 17th Cabinet Nominee

The Senate voted to confirm Wall Street investor Howard Lutnick as President Donald Trump’s Commerce Secretary along party lines Tuesday evening.

Senators voted 51 to 45 with Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Gary Peters of Michigan and Republican Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Dan Sullivan of Alaska not voting.

Lutnick becomes Trump’s 17th cabinet nominee to win confirmation. Senate Republicans’ quick confirmation of Trump’s cabinet nominees far outpaces the confirmation schedules of the three prior administrations.

While the Senate GOP secured the confirmation of Trump’s 17th cabinet nominee in 30 days, the Democratic-controlled Senate took nearly 60 days to confirm former President Joe Biden’s 17th cabinet nominee in 2021, according to a senior GOP aide.

“Under Leader Thune and Whip Barrasso, the Senate is moving at record speed to get the President’s Cabinet in place,” Kate Cooksey Noyes, communications director for Barrasso, said Tuesday.

Lutnick secured the support of every GOP senator, who praised his moving personal story about rebuilding his investment firm in the aftermath of 9/11 and his commitment to fighting for American industries as commerce secretary.

“I’m pleased that Mr. Lutnick will be bringing a ‘get it done’ approach to the Department of Commerce,” Thune said on the Senate floor Tuesday prior to Lutnick’s confirmation vote. “I am confident that he will work every day to help American commerce thrive so that the American people can thrive.”

As Commerce secretary, Lutnick will play an influential role in crafting the Trump administration’s trade policy. The president announced