It’s been nearly 11 weeks since President Donald Trump nominated Sonny Perdue as Agriculture Secretary, and a partisan brawl in the Senate will push the wait into early April, or late May. While it is still possible that leaders could strike an eleventh-hour deal for a quick vote to confirm Perdue sometime soon, the odds are becoming minimal. House Agriculture leaders have asked the Senate to make time for a vote on Perdue’s nomination this week, and Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts is seeking a voice vote with little or no debate, but the battle of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch is taking up any real estate left on the Senate schedule. Democrats are filibustering the nomination, while Republicans remain determined to confirm Gorsuch before the end of the week, and a two-week recess. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes Perdue will likely need to wait until late April or even early May to take his post at the Department of Agriculture. That’s because when Senators return after recess, they will have five workdays to fend off a partial government shutdown.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.