Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution provides that the President of the United States “shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint…officers of the United States.” Once a nomination is received by the Senate, the Senate’s executive clerk, acting on behalf of the Senate’s presiding officer, refers the nomination to the appropriate Committee or Committees on the day it is received. Once the Senate Commerce Committee receives a nomination referral, nominees are asked to supply additional information and meet with Committee members and staff. After completing the vetting, nominees may be asked to testify at one or more official nomination hearings, and a vote expressing a positive recommendation from the Senate Committee or Committees of jurisdiction is generally required before a full Senate vote.
Under U.S. Senate rules, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is responsible for considering over 100 senior official posts that are subject to Senate confirmation, including the Secretaries of Commerce and Transportation, who serve as both department heads and members of the President’s Cabinet. In addition, because the Senate Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over the U.S. Coast Guard, it must also review and approve all promotions of officers. However, with the exception of 56 flag officers (admirals), most Coast Guard officers are not asked to individually submit information, and their positions are not listed in the nominations pages below.
