During a recent Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Republican Senator Susan Collins refrained from indicating whether she would support the confirmation of Tulsi Gabbard as President Donald Trump's director of national Intelligence. When questioned about her satisfaction with Gabbard's responses during the hearing, Collins stated, 'There's a lot more of the hearing to go.'
Collins also declined to speculate on whether Gabbard would garner enough committee votes to proceed to a full Senate floor vote, emphasizing that 'it's too early to tell.'
The path to Gabbard's confirmation is contingent on the committee's decision. If all Democrats on the panel oppose Gabbard, a single Republican vote could impede her nomination from advancing out of the committee. In the event of a blockage by the panel, Senate Majority Leader John Thune would need to determine if parliamentary maneuvers could be utilized to bring Gabbard's nomination to the floor, a process Thune acknowledged as 'rarely' executed.
Thune expressed skepticism about the feasibility of arranging a confirmation vote for Gabbard if the committee rejects the nomination, underscoring the complexities involved in the confirmation process.
