WASHINGTON – Andrea Travnicek, former director of the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, has been confirmed as assistant secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The U.S. Senate approved a measure allowing President Trump’s nominees, who have been favorably reported out of committee on a bipartisan basis, to be confirmed en bloc. The Senate confirmed a group of 48 nominees Thursday, Sept. 18, including Travnicek.

Senate Democrats have drug out the confirmation process for all of President Trump’s civilian nominees, refusing to allow even nominations with strong bipartisan support to be confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent (UC), Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, said in announcing the Senate vote.

“President Trump’s nominees have faced historic obstruction with not a single one of them this term being confirmed by UC or voice vote. President Trump deserves to have his team in place and this measure allows the Senate to confirm nominees who have been favorably reported out of committee en bloc,” Hoeven said.