Letter to Chairman Shelby - Call to Clear Nominations Backlog

Letter

Dear Chairman Shelby:

We write to express our deep concern that the Senate Banking Committee has yet to act on any of the nominees President Obama has sent to the committee for consideration during this Congress.

For more than a year, the committee has failed to carry out one of its basic duties. It is the only committee in the Senate that did not act on a single nominee last year. Sixteen nominations are now pending before the committee. Four nominees have been waiting for action for over a year. Others have been in limbo for more than nine months. Only three have had hearings. Two have withdrawn. The committee has not held a single executive session to consider nominations, and no nominee has been discharged from the committee for full Senate consideration.

We are aware of your concern that the Administration has not nominated anyone to serve as Vice Chair for Supervision at the Federal Reserve, but the response to one vacancy should not be the creation of 16 more.

We respectfully ask that you clear the backlog of nominees without further delay. Once confirmed, they will play important roles -- some in strengthening our economy, others in promoting financial stability, or protecting national security including efforts to fight ISIS, or safeguarding Americans from abuse and fraud, or ensuring our public transportation is safe. Failure to act impairs agencies' and offices' ability to fulfill all of their functions. Those nominees who have complete files deserve the Banking Committee's immediate consideration.

Sincerely,

Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH)

Sen. Jack Reed (RI)

Sen. Charles Schumer (NY)

Sen. Robert Menendez (NJ)

Sen. Jon Tester (MT)

Sen. Mark Warner (VA)

Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA)

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (ND)

Sen. Joe Donnelly (IN)

cc: Senator Mike Crapo

Senator Bob Corker

Senator David Vitter

Senator Pat Toomey

Senator Mark Kirk

Senator Dean Heller

Senator Tim Scott

Senator Ben Sasse

Senator Tom Cotton

Senator Mike Rounds

Senator Jerry Moran

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