Vilsack Confirmation Scheduled for Tuesday…Maybe

The Senate Agriculture Committee is slated to begin the confirmation process for Secretary of Agriculture nominee Tom Vilsack on Tuesday, but that isn’t a sure thing. The committee is facing restructuring with the retirement of former committee chairman Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas. No interim committee chair was appointed with Roberts’ exit and now and current chairwoman Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and incoming ranking member John Boozman of Arkansas are working to get the committee assembled before it can take up business like confirmation hearings for Vilsack and other USDA leadership positions. The committee will be half Republicans and have Democrats, and while incumbent members are balanced right now, Stabenow said she’s awaiting Senate leaders’ — namely Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — decision on final committee members, who have to be in place for hearings to begin. See more on this developing story.