The Senate confirmed more than 30 ambassadors and other administration officials early Saturday morning after months of delay, but Democratic leadership gave up on their goal of passing the bill by Christmas.
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The Senate confirmed ambassadors and district court judges after Sen. Ted Cruz held up the confirmation process to get the Biden administration to back off on its decision to drop sanctions on a natural gas line from Russia to Europe.
According to the Associated Press, the latest round of confirmations came after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) agreed to vote on Nord Stream 2 before January 14.
The Senate voted 48-21 early Saturday to confirm Ram Emanuel, former mayor of Chicago, to be ambassador to Japan, with support of senators who supported him for his experience in public service, having served as a member of the House of Representatives and the first White House chief of staff in the Obama
The Senate left for the holidays, which delayed the passage of the bill that would give voting rights to people with disabilities.
Biden said in a statement that he was in talks with Manchin, who is a swing vote on the bill.
Democrats are expected to discuss how to modify the Senate rules for the passage of the voting rights legislation.
Cruz has been pushing for the restoration of Trump-era sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 line, which is expected to start delivering natural gas from Russia to Germany next year. He thinks the project would increase Germany's dependence on Russia for energy. Critics say the ambassadorial vacancies and other empty posts have hurt U.S. international relations. The Associated Press reported that more diplomatic positions are empty almost a year after Biden took office. Cruz told CNN earlier this month that the national security implications of Biden's surrender to Putin are massive.
The Senate confirmed a big slate of Biden ambassadors.
The US Senate confirmed ex-Chicago Mayor Emanuel to be ambassador to Japan.
GOP senators and Manchin are in talks.
