(TargetLiberty.org) – President Biden’s attempts to finish building his administration hit another roadblock on Wednesday, when a prominent GOP senator blocked dozens of his State Department nominations.
On August 11, Senate Democrats tried to push through confirmation for nearly 30 presidential nominees. Their aim was to get the appointments confirmed before the Senate recess – but they failed. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) blocked every single nomination, the same as he’s blocked every other State Department nomination since Biden dropped sanctions on a Russian gas pipeline in May.
EARLIER: Sen. Ted Cruz blocks Biden's State Department nominees ahead of Senate break https://t.co/UGmaJ5hXiD pic.twitter.com/IWFYrTHLds
— The Hill (@thehill) August 11, 2021
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline will carry Russian gas to Germany, but since 2018, the US has opposed it, arguing that it will undermine European energy security. In January, Congress passed a law sanctioning any company that works on the pipeline – but Biden has refused to apply those sanctions. Many critics hold concerns that not placing sanctions on the pipeline would further strengthen Vladimir Putin.
Now Cruz says he’s going to veto every nomination Biden makes for a State Department post until the president obeys the law and imposes the sanctions.
As of August 6, Biden has nominated 88 people for State Department posts, including over 60 US ambassadors; only 8 have been approved – none of them ambassadors. Unless Biden blocks Nord Stream 2, says Cruz, that’s the way it’s going to stay.
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