The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Howard Lutnick as the secretary of the Department of Commerce despite fears that the Trump administration plans to cut NOAA funding or dismantle the agency altogether.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Commerce, which oversees such agencies as NOAA, was confirmed on a 51-45 vote, with no Democrat senators supporting his nomination.
“Howard Lutnick is the right person to run the Commerce Department and help American businesses succeed,” U.S. Representative Brett Guthrie (R-Kentucky), who chairs the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said in a congratulatory statement following the 18 February vote. “I look forward to working with Secretary Lutnick to jumpstart our economy and execute President Trump’s agenda to lift up all Americans.”
Lutnick’s nomination received support from the American Sportfishing Association, BoatUS, the Center for Sportfishing Policy, and the Coastal Conservation Associations.
However, Lutnick’s confirmation process has been overshadowed by fear and uncertainty at the department he is now set to lead.
NOAA’s infiltration by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to shrink the federal workforce, and rampant rumors of forthcoming budget cuts at NOAA have rekindled fears among Democrats that Trump could eliminate NOAA or shift its functions to other agencies, as outlined in the conservative Project 2025 policy outline.
While Trump has denied any ties to Project 2025, individuals closely associated with the document have been given roles in the administration, such as new Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought.
For his part, Lutnick worked to assure senators ahead of his confirmation vote that he had ...
