NOW PLAYING
The Senate confirmed dozens of President Trump’s nominees on Friday, the final day of session before the upper chamber of Congress broke for August recess.
In a single 51-47 vote, senators voted to confirm a group of 74 executive nominees.
The vote fell along party lines, with GOP Sen. Cynthia Lummis (Wy.) and Mitch McConnell (Ky.) not in attendance.
Here’s what you need to know about six notable nominees confirmed under today’s vote:
FEMA Administrator
The Senate voted to confirm business executive Cameron Hamilton to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during a turbulent time at the agency.
Hamilton previously served as the acting leader of FEMA at the beginning of Trump’s second term. He was ousted after he contradicted Trump and then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem by saying that the agency should not be eliminated.
Hamilton told lawmakers during his June confirmation hearing that the agency should “seek to strike a new balance to encourage cost reasonableness and cost savings.”
TSA Administrator
David Cummins, a senior vice president of government services contractor Serco, will take the helm at the Transportation Security Administration after he was confirmed by the Senate on Friday.
His appointment comes at a time when the Trump administration is pushing to downsize this federal agency and replace some of its airport services with private contractors. In April, the president proposed cutting over 9,400 workers and around $1.5 billion in funding from TSA.
Cummins outlined his key objectives in this new role in a Friday press release from the agency, including “improving morale” at the agency, implementing new technology at TSA checkpoints, reducing travel wait times and protecting transportation networks from drone and cyber threats.
“TSA will deliver on its role to secure the Golden Age of Travel the Trump administration has ushered in,” Cummins said in a statement. “We do not have to choose between a secure checkpoint, an efficient checkpoint, or an elevated experience.”
Commissioner of Labor Statistics
The Senate approved veteran economist Brett Matsumoto’s nomination as commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Matsumoto first joined the BLS in 2015 and most recently worked on the White House Council of Economic Advisors.
His appointment follows Trump’s dismissal of former BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer last August over unsubstantiated accusations that the long-serving labor economist manipulated an unfavorable July 2025 employment report.
Matsumoto assured lawmakers during his June confirmation hearing that he believed “strongly” in the bureau’s work “to produce objective quality measures.”
“It is important for the public to be confident that decisions at the BLS are being driven by science rather than politics,” he said at the time.
Secretary of Labor
Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling will now oversee the department in a permanent capacity after the Senate confirmed him to a full-time post on Friday.
Sonderling has served in an acting role since April 20, following the resignation of former Secretary Lori Chavez DeRemer amid an investigation into alleged misconduct by her and her husband.
He previously served as DeRemer’s deputy for over a year. Under the first Trump administration, Sonderling was the administrator of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division.
Sonderling said in a June statement that he was “deeply grateful” for Trump’s endorsement of him for a full-term post.
“Serving in both of President Trump’s Administrations has been the greatest honor of my life,” he wrote on social media. “If confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to continuing that service as Secretary of Labor and advancing the President’s agenda on behalf of America’s workers, families, unions, and job creators.
Ambassador to Jamaica
The Senate also confirmed Kari Lake as the next U.S. ambassador to Jamaica, after the president nominated the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media back in May.
The former news anchor and Republican Arizona gubernatorial and Senate candidate has been a close ally of the Trump administration. She will replace Chargé d’Affaires Scott Renner, who has been serving as acting ambassador to the country since last January.
Lake thanked the president for his nomination earlier this year in a social media post, saying she knows the country of Jamaica “very well” and that it is “full of incredible people.”
“If confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to strengthening the partnership between our nations, advancing America’s interests abroad, and building on the deep friendship shared by the American and Jamaican people,” she added.
The Hill’s Rachel Frazin contributed reporting.
Add as preferred source on Google Tags congress Cynthia Lummis Donald Trump Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA Kristi Noem President Trump SenateCopyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Comments: Link copiedMore Senate News
See All
Senate Trump urges GOP to keep Senate in session until college sports bill passes by Alexander Bolton 2 hours ago Senate / 2 hours ago 
