Biden enters 1st full week as president with only 2 confirmed Cabinet picks
As Biden assumes his first full week in office, he enters with only two Senate confirmed appointees -- lagging behind previous administrations in having Cabinet nominees confirmed.
The Senate convenes at 3 p.m. on Monday and will continue considering the nomination of Janet Yellen to be treasury secretary ahead of an evening vote.
After that, House impeachment managers will walk over and read the article of impeachment against former President Donald Trump to the Senate. The trial isn't slated to start until Feb. 8 to give Trump's defense time to prepare and Biden the chance to have his nominees confirmed and spending priorities addressed in the Senate.
On the campaign trail, Biden guaranteed his White House would "look like the country." Half of Biden's Cabinet picks are women, and the majority are people of color. Biden has noted that many of his selections would be pioneers in their roles -- including the first woman to serve as treasury secretary, the first Black defense secretary, the first openly gay man confirmed to a Cabinet role and the first Native American Cabinet secretary.
Last week, Avril Haines was confirmed as the first female Director of National Intelligence and Lloyd Austin as the first Black Pentagon chief.