Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) touted on Friday the panel’s quick work over the summer to approve more than 4,500 military nominees for Senate confirmation, emphasizing that more nomination approvals are ahead in September, according to a press release.
Throughout July and up to its annual August recess, the panel cleared nominees for a number of top Pentagon posts including agency leaders Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist, the press release highlighted.
The panel also cleared for confirmation DOD’s top military posts including Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley and Chief of Naval Operations Vice Adm. Michael Gilday.
Inhofe credited a strong working relationship with Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and the flexibility of the entire SASC committee.
“As we work to meet the needs of a nation increasingly at risk, it’s critically important that we have Senate-confirmed leadership in place at the Pentagon,” Inhofe said in the release. “Ranking Member Reed and I, along with our entire committee, adjusted our schedule and process to clear as many nominations as possible. I thank every member of the committee for their dedication, time and support throughout this process,” he added.
In September the committee will prioritize additional DOD civilian and military nominations as they are received, Space News reported. The Army and the Air Force remain without confirmed top civilian leadership, the report notes.
Defense advocates on the panel are hoping for an even busier September confirmation slate, according to Military Times.
Last week Inhofe said he expects a rush of confirmation hearings following the August congressional recess “if I’m successful at convincing the administration we need a whole bunch of additional nominees. And we do,” Inhofe said according to the report.
ADC photo by Will Noonan