WASHINGTON — It often takes many months for new presidents to fill crucial positions across the federal government, but President Joe Biden is lagging recent predecessors in the time it is taking to staff his administration. The delay is partly because of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden is lagging behind previous presidents when it comes to filling crucial positions, and many of those positions are ambassadors

  • That's due in large part to holdups by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas 

  • Cruz is currently holding up the appointment of Barbara Leaf to the State Department's Middle East bureau. Cruz said he was dissatisfied with her answers to questions about Israel, Egypt and Iran

  • Critics say Cruz's delays are impeding U.S. diplomacy 

A career diplomat who has served under Republicans and Democrats, Barbara Leaf is one of Biden’s latest nominations to hit a snag in the U.S. Senate. Cruz put a hold on her appointment to the State Department’s Middle East bureau. He reportedly was dissatisfied with her response to his questions over Israel, Egypt and Iran. 

“He doesn't like the administration's approach to Iran, doesn't like a policy that the Biden administration is pursuing, and thus is using her as a hostage,” said Max Bergmann, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. 

Leaf is one of dozens of Biden’s State Department nominees who have been in limbo for months because Cruz has formally delayed their confirmations. Many of them are would-be ambassadors. One reason Cruz gave is his opposition to Biden waiving sanctions on a pipeline being built to bring natural gas from Russia to Germany. The waiver was sought by Germany, a crucial U.S. ally.

“At the exact same time that Biden is shutting down jobs and a pipeline in America, he is green-lighting and giving a gift to Vladimir Putin of a pipeline between Russia and Germany, producing jobs in Russia, producing billions of dollars in Russia and taking away jobs in America. This pipeline is a disaster,” Cruz said last month on the Senate floor. 

Democrats accuse the Texas Republican of engaging in political grandstanding to burnish his reputation with conservatives.

“One, it puts him at center stage of fighting the Biden administration on an issue he knows is popular with Republican voters. And two, it allows him to shine a spotlight on what he considers to be a policy failure,” said Mark Jones, political science professor at Rice University. 

The vetting process is so delayed, only two of Biden’s selections for various ambassadorships have been confirmed, according to the Center for Presidential Transition. It means Biden is lagging behind his three predecessors at the same point during their first year of presidency.

“There has been, time after time, obstruction that has prevented qualified nominees from being in vital positions,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. “The blame is clear. It is frustrating. It is something that we wish would move forward more quickly.” 

Senators using procedural moves to delay the confirmation of a president’s nominees is an old Senate maneuver used by members of both parties. But critics are concerned Cruz is taking the tactic to a new and extreme level, hampering American diplomacy.  

“Right now, the US.. government is not running on all cylinders because we don't have the proper people in place," Bergmann said. 

If Cruz does not budge, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will face a decision whether to change the rules to make it easier for nominations to get through. But If he does, that would prevent Democrats from using the same tactic against a Republican president in the future.