Fetterman emerges as Mullin swing vote
John Fetterman’s potential yes vote could move Markwayne Mullin’s DHS secretary nomination to the floor as early as next week, as the two parties remain far apart on immigration reforms.
TODAY IN CONGRESS
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Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is expected to cast the decisive vote this morning to advance to the Senate floor Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-Okla.) nomination to be Homeland Security Secretary, after signaling an openness to do so on Wednesday, even as opposition hardens on both sides of the aisle over DHS funding.
At a contentious Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Fetterman stopped short of a formal commitment but made clear he is inclined to keep the process moving, telling Mullin he would “remain with an open mind” as the panel weighs the nomination.
This posture effectively puts the Pennsylvania Democrat at the center of the confirmation math. With Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) breaking with his own party and announcing he will oppose Mullin over concerns about his temperament and past rhetoric, Republicans are likely to need at least one Democratic vote to advance the nomination out of committee.
Paul opened with a direct challenge to Mullin’s fitness for the job, citing past comments he said appeared to excuse political violence and warning that someone who “applauds violence” should not lead an agency tasked with enforcing federal law.
Mullin pushed back forcefully, defending his record and asking senators to judge him on his performance rather than past rhetoric. At times, the nominee struck a more conciliatory tone—walking back prior comments about Alex Pretti’s fatal shooting and pledging to require judicial warrants for most home entries—while still embracing the core of President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda. He also faced bipartisan scrutiny over claims of past “classified” overseas work that the FBI could not corroborate. Mullin agreed to discuss the matter in a secure setting after the hearing, but confusion remained over the whole ordeal.
The exchange grew personal and, at moments, theatrical. Mullin became emotional while discussing his family, then combative when pressed by Paul and others—reinforcing concerns among skeptics about his temperament even as allies framed his style as blunt but authentic.
As you know, Democrats are currently withholding DHS funding as part of a standoff with Republicans over immigration enforcement reforms, particularly limits on federal officers after a series of controversial incidents, including the Pretti and Renee Good shootings in January in Minneapolis.
Against that backdrop, Fetterman’s willingness to advance Mullin without even seeking policy concessions has frustrated some Democrats, who see the nomination as leverage in the funding fight.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) urged constituents back home to contact Fetterman’s office and oppose the nomination, an unusual move that reflects how closely House Democrats are tracking the Senate dynamics.
However, Fetterman signaled a different political calculus during the hearing, emphasizing the need for a secure border and aggressive enforcement against criminal actors. These positions put him closer to Mullin than to many of his Democratic colleagues. If Fetterman votes to advance Mullin, the nomination will likely clear the committee and set up a floor vote as early as next week.
HAPPENINGS
All times Eastern.
The House is in at 9 a.m. and will vote at 10 a.m. on a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to make non-citizens who willfully harm federal law enforcement animals, such as police dogs or horses, inadmissible to and deportable from the U.S.
The Senate is in at noon and will resume debate on the SAVE America Act. No votes have been scheduled yet, but they are possible.
The Senate Homeland Security Committee will hold a confirmation vote at 9:30 a.m. on the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to be Secretary of Homeland Security.
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will hold a hearing at 9:30 a.m. on the Energy Department’s implementation of President Trump’s May 2025 nuclear energy executive orders.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will hold a press conference at 10:45 a.m.
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. on the six-month impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act defunding Planned Parenthood.
President Trump will participate in a greeting at 11 a.m. with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan, a bilateral meeting with Takaichi, a policy meeting at 3 p.m., a greeting with Takaichi at 7 p.m., and dinner at 7:15 p.m.
IN THE KNOW
— The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday, adopting a wait-and-see posture as policymakers grapple with economic uncertainty driven by the war in Iran and its impact on energy prices and inflation. The Federal Open Market Committee signaled the conflict has complicated the outlook—raising inflation risks while clouding growth—leaving the Fed reluctant to move until the trajectory of the war and its economic spillover becomes clearer.
— House Democrats are warning the Labor Department’s latest workforce guidance could allow states to sidestep core protections for vulnerable workers, arguing the policy invites waivers that undercut the intent of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development Ranking Member Alma Adams (D-N.C.) are urging the department to rescind the guidance, warning it could weaken services for people with barriers to employment and shift control of workforce funding away from local communities.
— Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), alongside Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) and Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), reintroduced legislation to expand TRICARE coverage for traction alopecia, a condition disproportionately affecting servicewomen—particularly Black women—due to military grooming standards. The bill would classify traction alopecia and wigs as covered treatments while requiring the Defense Department to warn about hair and scalp risks as part of Pressley’s broader push linking racial equity to public health and military policy.
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