Senate Makes Final Confirmations of 2023 Legislative Session
The Senate confirmed several nominations as a block before leaving for the year.
By unanimous consent, the U.S. Senate today confirmed en blanc a list of individuals nominated by President Joe Biden to serve in various rules across the federal government. This was the last action taken by the Senate during its 2023 session. The legislative chamber will return the week of January 8, 2024 - and immediately conduct votes on judicial nominees for lifetime appointments.
Mark Toshiro Uyeda was confirmed as a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission for a term expiring June 5, 2028. This is a reappointment for Uyeda as he has served on the commission since June 2022.
Uyeda was re-nominated to this position by Biden in June 2023. Notably, he is the first Asian American to serve on the SEC. Uyeda joined the SEC in 2006 as an attorney and adviser. Prior to serving as a commissioner, he was a staffer for SEC Commissioner Michael Piwowar and SEC Chair Jay Clayton. He was also detailed as a Republican staffer for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Claudia Slacik and William Brodsky were confirmed as Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation for terms expiring December 31, 2026. These are reappointments for both Slacik and Brodsky - with Slacik serving since February 2022 and Brodsky serving since May 2022.
Slacik was re-nominated to this position by Biden in July 2023. She has a career spanning over 30 years in the financial services sector - including time working for JPMorgan, Citibank and Bankers Trust in New York and London. From 2013 to 2016, she served as the Chief Banking Officer of the Export Import Bank of the United States. She currently serves on the boards of Junior Achievement Worldwide and the Collegiate Churches of New York.
Brodsky was re-nominated to this position by Biden in July 2023. He has been in the financial services industry for over 50 years. From 1985 to 1997, he served as President and CEO of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He then served as Chairman and CEO of the Chicago Board Options Exchange from 1997 to 2013 and later as Chairman from 2013 to 2017. He currently serves as a life Trustee of Syracuse University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He is also Chairman of Cedar Street Asset Management and Options Solutions.
Spencer Bachus III was confirmed as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a term expiring January 20, 2027. This is a reappointment for Bachus as he has served on the board since May 2019.
Bachus was re-nominated to this position by Biden in September 2023. Before his service with the Export-Import Bank, Bachus was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented Alabama’s 6th Congressional District from January 1993 to January 2015. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the top Republican on the House Committee on Financial Services. That included a stint as Chair from January 2011 to January 2013.
Tanya F. Otsuka was confirmed as a member of the National Credit Union Administration Board for a term expiring August 2, 2029. She will replace Rodney E. Hood, who has served on the board since April 2019.
Otsuka was nominated to this position by Biden in September 2023. Since March 2020, she has served as Senior Counsel for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Previously, she joined the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in 2010 as a law clerk. She eventually rose to staff attorney and counsel at the FDIC.
Jennifer L. Fain was confirmed as Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. This position has been led by an acting official since January 2023, when Jay N. Lerner retired after serving since January 2017.
Fain was nominated to this position by Biden in September 2023. She previously served as Acting Inspector General for the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) from July 2019 to March 2022. Previously, Fain spent over 22 years in service to the Inspector General Community - most notably at the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Tobin John Bradley was confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala. The posting has been led by a chargé d’affaires since August 2023, when William W. Popp resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to Uganda.
Bradley was nominated to this position by Biden in April 2023. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, with the rank of Minister-Counselor. He currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
And finally, David E. White Jr. was confirmed as the Deputy Director of the Peace Corps. The position has been vacant since January 2017, when Carlos J. Torres resigned.
White was nominated to this position by Biden in June 2023. A U.S. Army veteran, he currently serves as Special Assistant to the President in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. He previously served on the National Security Council as Senior Advisor to the White House Coordinator for Operation Allies Welcome.