Anjani Sinha Could Soon Be Confirmed as US Envoy to Singapore in 'Group Vote'

Trump Administration Using New 'En Bloc' Strategy to Push Through Nominations

- Bhagyashree Garekar

AUSTIN, Texas — Six months after he was nominated by US President Donald Trump to be the US Ambassador to Singapore, Dr Anjani Sinha could finally be confirmed by the Senate in a "group vote" within weeks.

Dr Sinha's nomination is among the hundreds of Trump picks being slow-walked by the Democrats in Congress.

As part of a new strategy unveiled this week to overcome procedural hurdles thrown up by the Democrats, the administration will push through nominations in groups rather than individually.

As many as 100 pending nominations might now be cleared before the end of September.

First up is a batch of 48 nominees whose confirmation is being fast-tracked by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota.

A resolution moved by him on Sept 8 authorizes the "en bloc consideration" of these nominees, including undersecretaries in various departments and staff positions in agencies.

Mr Thune's list includes eight ambassadors, but Dr Sinha's name is not on it.

Instead, his nomination has been "recommitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on a point of order," according to a Congress notification dated Sept 9.

Dr Sinha came under criticism during his Senate confirmation hearing on July 9, when he struggled to answer questions from Senator Tammy Duckworth on topics such as the US relationship with Singapore and the city-state's role in Southeast Asia.

After the somewhat rough hearing, Dr Sinha's nomination was on July 16 "favorably reported" by the committee headed by Republican Senator James Risch and placed on the Senate's Executive Calendar.

The expectation was that it would proceed to the next step, securing a simple majority in a full Senate vote.

However, a point of order — or an objection — raised by a Democrat has retarded its progress.