WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., broke with his party Thursday to support advancing U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s nomination for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, providing a decisive vote in committee.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-7 on March 19 to advance Mullin’s nomination to the full Senate.
Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote in favor, while Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., cast the lone Republican vote against the nomination.
“In January, I called on the president to fire Noem—and he did,” Fetterman said in a statement. “We need a leader at DHS. We must reopen DHS.”
Fetterman said he approached the nomination with “an open mind” and cited his working relationship with Mullin as a factor in his decision.
“My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security,” he said.
Mullin was nominated earlier in March by President Donald Trump to replace former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
The committee vote followed a contentious confirmation hearing Wednesday, during which Paul criticized Mullin’s temperament and past remarks.
The nomination comes as the Department of Homeland Security faces a partial shutdown tied to a funding lapse that began in February during ongoing immigration policy negotiations.
The full Senate is expected to take up the nomination as early as next week.
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