Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) dropped his hold on the nomination of Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) for a top job at the State Department, clearing the way for her possible approval by week’s end.
Kyl’s hold on Tauscher’s nomination for undersecretary of State for arms control and international security was tied to his concerns over the Obama administration’s ongoing negotiations with Russia on strategic arms reductions. Kyl charged the administration was not properly informing the Senate of the ongoing discussions, prompting him to block the nomination of Tauscher, whose State Department position would include jurisdiction over treaty negotiations.
The Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved Tauscher, a seven-term House Member, for the State job last month.
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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