Quick Update on State Department Nominations

I got a couple of questions about some nominees for State, so I'll do a quick update here. The following nominations for the State Department has been submitted by the President to the Senate for confirmation and are currently undergoing committee consideration. Since the Senate is on spring break until 4/19, nothing is expected to happen until after April 20. The nominations listed below are in reverse chronological order based on the referral date to the SFRC.

Mar 26, 09 PN253 Department of State

Luis C. de Baca, of Virginia, to be Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, with rank of Ambassador at Large.

Mar 23, 09 PN226 Department of State

Johnnie Carson, of Illinois, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs).

Mar 23, 09 PN225 Department of State

Harold Hongju Koh, of Connecticut, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State.

Mar 18, 09 PN208 Department of State

Susan Flood Burk, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Executive Service, to be Special Representative of the President, with the rank of Ambassador.

Mar 11, 09 PN169 Department of State

Ivo H. Daalder, of Virginia, to be United States Permanent Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

I understand that an unnamed senator has also placed a hold on Mr. Gordon’s nomination. This nomination has already been considered and approved by SFRC but did not get confirmation prior to the spring break. Mr. Gordon is currently listed in the Senate Executive Calendar for full Senate vote on April 20.

April 20, 09 Nomination in the Senate Executive Calendar

Philip H. Gordon, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (European and Eurasian Affairs), vice Daniel Fried, resigned. Mar 31, 2009 Reported by Mr. Kerry, Committee on Foreign Relations, without printed report.