Chuck Grassley Places Hold on Trump’s Treasury Nominees

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate President pro tempore Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the highest-ranking member of the GOP-led Senate, announced on Aug. 1 that he is blocking three nominations made by President Donald Trump to positions in the Department of the Treasury. The nominees blocked are Brian Morrissey Jr., to be the general counsel of the Department of the Treasury; Jonathan McKernan, to be the under secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance; and Francis Brooke, to be assistant secretary of the Treasury for International Trade and Development. Grassley has placed a hold on each of the nominations, which is a courtesy afforded to any senator that allows them to temporarily stop all consideration of the nominee, though it may be overridden by a majority of senators on a motion to proceed....