Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), citing concerns about two of his recommended nominees. Senator Hawley appended questions to his letter for the nominees to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to answer regarding their policy views on several issues, including Big Tech and rail safety. Senator Hawley is currently holding both nominees.
Senator Hawley's letter comes as the Senate looks to pass a negotiated nominations package, likely to include dozens of Democrat-recommended nominees and only a few Republican appointees.
"If Republicans are planning to install dozens of Biden nominees for positions across the federal government—without a vote—in exchange for just a handful of our own selections, I want to be sure that we get our nominees right," wrote Senator Hawley.
He continued, "For example, Andrew Ferguson, nominated to be a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), should answer additional questions on his philosophy concerning Big Tech, given the importance of that issue to our Conference. I also believe that Todd Inman, who is under consideration for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), should be asked to further articulate his views on various transportation policies, including rail safety and autonomous vehicles."
Read the full letter here or below.
December 20, 2023
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Minority Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Leader McConnell:
I write today regarding the expected year-end nominations package and my specific concerns with two of your own recommended nominees.
The expected nominations package will likely include dozens of nominees that have been recommended by Senate Democrats. Many of these Biden nominees will no doubt advance policies and values antithetical to those held by members of the Republican Conference. By agreeing to such a negotiated package in exchange for just a few Republican appointees you have personally deemed a priority, I believe we risk giving away too much.
In particular, two of the nominees you have sought to include in this package need more time for careful evaluation by our own Conference, especially by non-Committee members. If Republicans are planning to install dozens of Biden nominees for positions across the federal government—without a vote—in exchange for just a handful of our own selections, I want to be sure that we get our nominees right. For example, Andrew Ferguson, nominated to be a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), should answer additional questions on his philosophy concerning Big Tech, given the importance of that issue to our Conference. I also believe that Todd Inman, who is under consideration for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), should be asked to further articulate his views on various transportation policies, including rail safety and autonomous vehicles.
I have appended written questions below that I have for each of these two nominees. As you are aware, I am currently withholding my consent for these nominees to be confirmed without a floor vote—as is any senator’s right to do—until I and others can evaluate satisfactory responses to these important policy questions.
I would like to meet with the nominees to discuss these questions.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator