Majority Leader: Trump Nominees' Confirmation Hearings Top Priority for Senate

Republicans in the US Senate will prioritize the confirmation hearings of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees before Inauguration Day, with the hope they will be in place on day one of his presidency, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a briefing on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — McConnell said national security posts, including the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and the director of the CIA, were a top priority and he hoped the nominees would be in place on day one of Trump’s presidency.

"The priorities between now and January 20 are hearings on Cabinet members," McConnell told reporters. "We hope the minority will treat President-elect Trump’s cabinet selections in the same way that we treated President Obama: We confirmed a number on Inauguration Day itself. We hope to be in a position to do that once again."

McConnell pointed out that Senate Republicans would process a waiver for the nominee for Secretary of Defense, Gen. James Mattis.

Mattis requires a waiver to serve in the post because he retired from active military duty less than seven years ago.

The US Constitution requires certain presidential appointments, including Cabinet-level positions, to be confirmed by the Senate.

McConnell also said he believed all of Trump’s nominees would be confirmed.

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