Wicker Sees Davidson Approval Before 2021's End; Others Unsure
Senate prospects for confirming NTIA administrator nominee Alan Davidson remained murky Thursday, as chamber leaders continued to haggle over how many of President Joe Biden’s nominees they would have to invoke cloture on before final votes and who they would…
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be able to bundle together in a package to clear via unanimous consent. Senate leaders faced pressure to reach a deal on nominations this week instead of returning in the days before Christmas, given expectations that talks on the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation package will drag on into 2022. “I think he’s going to make it” through confirmation “before the first of the year,” said Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., in an interview. Biden would need to renominate Davidson in January absent confirmation because all presidential nominations expire at the end of the 117th Congress’ first session. Senate Commerce cleared Davidson Thursday on a voice vote, with three Republicans asking to be recorded as no votes (see 2112150069). Others were less optimistic. “We’re trying” to set either a vote on Davidson or put him in the UC confirmations package, committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told us. “I haven’t seen [Davidson’s] name in any of the proposed lists of folks” the Democrats “want to get done,” but “I can’t say for certain” he won’t be added, said Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D. Thune, also Communications Subcommittee ranking member, was one of the three Republicans who voted against Davidson but is believed unlikely to block floor progress on the nominee.