HELP Committee Votes to Advance EEOC, Education, HHS Nominees

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a mark-up to advance nominees to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Department of Education, and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“Workers, seniors, students, and families in Washington state and across our country deserve fully-staffed federal agencies that are working hard to support them and make their lives better,” said Senator Murray. “The nominees we voted on today are highly qualified and ready to hit the ground running to protect workers’ rights and foster equal opportunity in the workplace, support older adults and people with disabilities, and help ensure every student can get a high-quality education. I’ll be working hard to get their nominations across the finish line.”

The HELP Committee voted 11-11 on advancing the nomination of Kalpana Kotagal to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Senators Murray, Sanders (I-VT), Casey (D-PA), Baldwin (D-WI), Murphy (D-CT), Kaine (D-VA), Hassan (D-NH), Smith (D-MN), Rosen (D-NV), Lujan (D-NM), and Hickenlooper (D-CO) voted in favor of the nomination. Senators Burr (R-NC), Paul (R-KY), Collins (R-ME), Cassidy (R-LA), Murkowski (R-AK), Braun (R-IN), Marshall (R-KS), Scott (R-SC), Romney (R-UT), Tuberville (R-AL), and Moran (R-KS) voted against the nomination. Because of the 11-11 vote, the Committee will transmit a notice of a tie vote to the Secretary of the Senate. The nomination will now await a motion to discharge the nomination in a vote by the full Senate.

The HELP Committee advanced the nomination of LaWanda Toney to be Assistant Secretary for Communications and Outreach at the Department of Education by a vote of 13-9. Senators Murray, Sanders (I-VT), Casey (D-PA), Baldwin (D-WI), Murphy (D-CT), Kaine (D-VA), Hassan (D-NH), Smith (D-MN), Rosen (D-NV), Lujan (D-NM), Hickenlooper (D-CO), Murkowski (R-AK), and Romney (R-UT) voted in favor of the nomination. Senators Burr (R-NC), Paul (R-KY), Collins (R-ME), Cassidy (R-LA), Braun (R-IN), Marshall (R-KS), Scott (R-SC), Tuberville (R-AL), and Moran (R-KS) voted against the nomination.

The HELP Committee advanced the nomination of Nasser Paydar to be Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education at the Department of Education by a vote of 15-7. Senators Murray, Sanders (I-VT), Casey (D-PA), Baldwin (D-WI), Murphy (D-CT), Kaine (D-VA), Hassan (D-NH), Smith (D-MN), Rosen (D-NV), Lujan (D-NM), Hickenlooper (D-CO), Paul (R-KY), Collins (R-ME), Cassidy (R-LA), and Braun (R-IN) voted in favor of the nomination. Senators Burr (R-NC), Murkowski (R-AK), Marshall (R-KS), Scott (R-SC), Romney (R-UT), Tuberville (R-AL), and Moran (R-KS) voted against the nomination.

The HELP Committee advanced the nomination of Rita Landgraf to be Assistant Secretary for Aging at the Department of Health and Human Services by a vote of 18-4. Senators Murray, Sanders (I-VT), Casey (D-PA), Baldwin (D-WI), Murphy (D-CT), Kaine (D-VA), Hassan (D-NH), Smith (D-MN), Rosen (D-NV), Lujan (D-NM), Hickenlooper (D-CO), Burr (R-NC), Collins (R-ME), Cassidy (R-LA), Murkowski (R-AK), Braun (R-IN), Marshall (R-KS), and Romney (R-UT). Senators Paul (R-KY), Scott (R-SC), Tuberville (R-AL), and Moran (R-KS) voted against the nomination. 

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