Senate Republicans Scramble to Secure Betsy DeVos Education Nomination

Senate Republicans are working to secure the nomination for education department secretary for Betsy DeVos after two Republican senators said they could not support her.

DeVos’ nomination moved to the full Senate after the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted 12-11 along party lines to confirm her. Two liberal Republican senators, Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), however, said they could not support her and would vote only to advance her nomination to the floor of the Senate.

As Roll Call reports, since the GOP has a 52-48 advantage in the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence would likely break a tie if only Collins and Murkowski vote against DeVos. However, if Sessions is confirmed by the Senate next, the GOP would be left with one less senator, leaving DeVos with a failing vote of 49-50.

According to the report, Senate leadership has scheduled the DeVos nomination to precede that of Sessions since she might need his vote in order to pave the way for Pence to break a tie. 

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/02/01/senate-republicans-scramble-secure-betsy-devos-education-nomination/