Grassley Opening Statement at Executive Business Meeting on Patel Nomination, Administrative Committee Matters

 

Good morning. Today’s markup will be brief, and so I’ll get right down to business. On our agenda, we’ve got three administrative committee matters, and one nomination listed. The Minority has exercised their right under the committee rules to hold over the nomination of Kash Patel to be the Director of the FBI. So, we’ll hold that nomination over.

 

Before we turn to the administrative matters, I’d like to point out that Committee Democrats are engaging in a double standard by forcing us to meet this morning. Last Congress, Republicans routinely didn’t require the Committee to meet in person just to hold over a nomination.

 

Republicans extended this courtesy at least 17 times last Congress, even when very controversial nominees were on the agenda. But now that Republicans are in the Majority, Committee Democrats aren’t extending this same practice to us. Our Committee works best when both sides uphold norms, regardless of which party holds the Majority at any given time. I’m disappointed that my colleagues aren’t reciprocating a courtesy we extended in good faith when we were in the minority.

 

Before we turn to the administrative matters, I’ll give Ranking Member Durbin the chance to make any brief comments.