Kristi Noem confirmation hearing for DHS secretary postponed
The confirmation hearing for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was postponed by two days.
Noem will appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday at 9 a.m. She was previously slated to appear before the committee on Wednesday.
A committee aide told The Hill the hearing was postponed “due to a delay on the FBI background check for Governor Noem.”
Noem is not the only presumptive nominee whose hearing has been delayed by paperwork.
Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of the Interior, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R), had his hearing delayed by two days.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) attributed the postponement to paperwork delays at the Office of Government Ethics (OGE).
“Despite his compliance and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee noticing the hearing in accordance with all rules, OGE has yet to complete its review. This bureaucratic delay is unacceptable,” Lee said.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said Sunday that a “paperwork problem” was holding up a hearing from former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), whom Trump tapped to lead the U.S. intelligence community.
“It’s a paperwork problem right now with the Office of Government Ethics,” Barrasso said in an interview this weekend. “We had hoped to have the hearing later this week. It looks like it’s going to be the following week.”
A spokesperson for the Office of Government Ethics did not address any specific case but directed The Hill to a document on its website indicating that on average, the last two presidential transitions began submitting paperwork earlier.