WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement applauding the appointment of two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretaries and one Deputy Assistant Secretary:
“Scott, Mindy, and Naomi are qualified public servants who will help Secretary Perdue continue doing tremendous work at USDA. These appointments came out of necessity because the last Congress was unable to move at an appropriate speed. These necessary actions highlight the need for further Senate reforms to the way we handle the confirmation process, and I urge my colleagues to consider making serious changes.”
Scott Hutchins was previously nominated to serve as USDA Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Under Secretary; Mindy Brashears as Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Under Secretary; and Naomi Earp as Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights. All failed to receive a vote on the Senate floor during the 115th Congress, despite receiving overwhelming support from senators and industry groups. Many senators are considering further ways to streamline the nomination process for administration officials.
###