Confirmation hearing for ag secretary nominee delayed

The delay is related to background checks

President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Agriculture will need to wait a little longer before appearing in front of the Senate Ag Committee.

There’s a delay related to Brooke Rollins’ paperwork, including a background check and other disclosures, POLITICO reported.

Background checks are a regular part of the nomination process.

“The appointment of any civilian employee to a position in the Federal Government is subject to a background investigation,” the U.S. Office of Personnel Management says. “Examples of factors investigated with a background evaluation are an applicant's employment history, past illegal drug use, and previous records criminal.”

The process isn’t bound by law but has been part of the procedures since the Second World War.

Once the investigators do their part, the information is delivered to the incoming administration who decides whether to move forward with the nomination process.

Rollins’ confirmation hearing with the Senate Ag Committee was originally scheduled for Jan. 15, POLITCO’s reporting indicates.

The U.S. Senate calendar shows multiple confirmation hearings that day.

They include hearings for Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, and for Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.

During confirmation hearings, senators question nominees on topics like backgrounds and policy positions.

Once the committee reviews the nomination, senators send the nomination to the full Senate with recommendations to approve, not approve, or with no recommendation.

In February 2021, current Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack received unanimous support during his confirmation hearing and was later approved to be ag secretary by a 92-7 vote.