Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and co. have hit the ground running in the new year. This week, they’re working to pack in as many of Trump’s cabinet nominees’ confirmation hearings as possible. Like many congressional procedures, the cabinet confirmation process is not totally clear. And unlike many congressional proceedings there isn’t a Schoolhouse Rock video explaining the confirmation process. So we’ve been forced to take this explanation on ourselves.
Here’s what you need to know:
All cabinet-level officials, as well as hundreds of other agency heads and senior positions, require senate confirmation. The first step of the confirmation process is the vetting and disclosure process, which the vast majority of Trump’s nominees have not completed. Then, the nominee is given to the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the appointed position, the Senate Judiciary committee, for example, oversees the Attorney General. Full list of committee jurisdictions here. That committee then can hold hearings (happening this week) and either vote to move the nominee to the Senate floor for a full vote or refuse to do so, killing the nomination. The committee can report the nomination favorably, unfavorably, or without recommendation to the rest of the Senate. Once a nomination gets out of the committee, it goes to a full Senate vote, where it needs a simple majority vote.
Palmer Candy Company (www.palmercandy.com), a privately-held, fifth-generation manufacturer of chocolate and holiday confections, announced today a limited recall of certain chocolate products after being informed by a supplier that a milk powder ingredient used in a compound chocolate coating that they supply to Palmer Candy Company has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella
Hostess Brands, LLC (“Hostess”) is voluntarily recalling its Holiday White Peppermint Hostess® Twinkies® because of a recall by Blommer Chocolate Company of the confectionary coating used on the Holiday White Peppermint Hostess Twinkies product. The confectionary coating contains milk powder ingredients recalled by Valley Milk Products, LLC due to a concern of Salmonella contamination. No illnesses have been reported to date, and none of the confectionary coating sampled has tested positive for Salmonella. However, Hostess is initiating this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution.
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Chicken Strips Products Due To Possible Listeria Contamination FSIS is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that ready-to-eat chicken strips products produced by House of Raeford, a Mocksville, N.C. establishment, may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. A recall was not requested because it is believed that all products have now been consumed.
Bakers of Paris is recalling plain, almond, and chocolate croissants sold in 18 Northern California Whole Foods Market stores due to an undeclared allergen. The croissants, sold individually in self-service cases and in clear plastic packs of four, are made with an egg wash which is not declared on the ingredient list. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening reactions if they consume this product. No allergic reactions have been reported to date.
Recall Notification Report 001-2017 (Italian Sausage) 4G Meat Processing LLC., a Kansas City, Mo. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,288 pounds of pork and turkey Caldarello Italian Sausage rope products due to misbranding. The products contain Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), which is not declared on the product label. Additionally, the finished product label does not contain an ingredients statement or safe handling instructions.
Mikesell’s Potato Chip Company. is recalling its 2.25 oz. Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
On December 19th, Route 11 Potato Chips was advised by its seasoning supplier that an ingredient in its Sour Cream & Chive seasoning was subject to a recall. The ingredient, nonfat dry milk powder, was produced in a facility where the FDA identified Salmonella in the environment.
Whitestone Feeds, Inc. has initiated a voluntary recall of a single product from its beef cattle feed line. Effective immediately, all JES Premium 40 Tubs are being recalled. A farm located in Alabama reported that five of its beef cows died after having access to the subject batch of cattle tubs. Samples from the subject batch were assayed following a customer complaint.
TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (NYSE: THS) today announced an amendment to the Best By Dates in its December 11, 2016, press release related to its voluntary recall of certain macaroni and cheese cup products. The products contain cheddar cheese seasoning which may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Longmont, Colorado, Huvepharma, Inc., which recently acquired the Longmont Colorado manufacturing facility including the respective FDA registration associated with this recall, is voluntarily recalling 1 lot of Duramycin-10 Soluble Powder, distributed by Durvet, to the consumer level. The product had a stability failure at the 48 month time point. Risk Statement: The product does not have the potential to result in a health risk to any animals that are indicated for use.
It’s straight out of a horror movie: hundreds of pregnant horses hooked up to blood-draining machines, some so weak they collapse and die. This torture is driven by European pharmaceutical companies who use the blood to speed up factory farming! Ministers are meeting in 2 weeks — add your name urging the EU to end the horrific horse blood trade, then tell everyone:
It’s straight out of a horror movie: hundreds of pregnant horses hooked up to blood-draining machines, some so weak they collapse and die. But we can stop this right now.
The industrial horse torture is driven by European pharmaceutical companies who use the blood to speed up factory farming! The EU has said it’s considering action, but so far nothing has happened.
No more horses need to die! Ministers are meeting in just 2 weeks — let’s light a fire under the EU with a massive million person petition demanding they ban the abusive pregnant horse blood trade. Add your name now, then share this with everyone — let’s make our call massive!
Click to help stop the torture of pregnant horses!
Death is far from the only horror: so much blood is taken that it can lead to shock and anaemia. And because only the blood of pregnant horses is valuable, they’re often forced into repeat pregnancies and abortions.
Demand is driven by pharmaceutical companies who sell the hormone found in pregnant horse blood to factory farmers to get pigs and other animals in “heat” on demand — another layer of abuse in this sorry story.
If we shed a light on this horror by raising a massive global outcry now, we can help get a ban of all products made from the suffering of animals — making it difficult for companies to make big profits from this disturbing industry. Add your name then forward this to friends and family — let’s build pressure on the EU to act!
Click to help stop the torture of pregnant horses!
Horses are full of beauty, grace and majesty — it’s hard to understand how people could be so cruel. But when we come together in massive numbers to protect animals from the horrors they face every day, we can do incredible things. Let’s do it now for these horses who need us to be their voice more than ever.
With hope,
Oli, Rewan, Bert, Ari, Camille, Nataliya, Ricken and the entire Avaaz team
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and co. have hit the ground running in the new year. This week, they’re working to pack in as many of Trump’s cabinet nominees’ confirmation hearings as possible. Like many congressional procedures, the cabinet confirmation process is not totally clear. And unlike many congressional proceedings there isn’t a Schoolhouse Rock video explaining the confirmation process. So we’ve been forced to take this explanation on ourselves.
Be a Seed for Change 
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