WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate legislation targeting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will go to a vote under a deal that ended Sen. Ted Cruz’s blockade on several of President Joe Biden’s nominees, leading to the confirmation of a slate of his judicial and diplomatic appointments early Saturday.
The agreement between Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Cruz cleared the way for a vote on sanctions legislation on the natural-gas pipeline to take place before Jan. 14. In return, the Texas Republican removed his hold on 32 of the roughly 160 Biden nominees awaiting Senate confirmation.
Cruz’s legislation would limit the president’s ability to waive sanctions on the pipeline from Russia to Germany. The legislation would require 60 votes to pass the Senate, where Democrats and Republicans hold 50 seats each.
The deal comes at a crucial juncture for the administration as it works with Germany and other allies in confronting Russia’s military buildup on the border with Ukraine. Germany backs the almost-completed pipeline, while the U.S. views it as potential leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin to discourage him from new military action against Ukraine.
Cruz said he was blocking the confirmation votes to put pressure on the Biden administration to sanction Russia for building the pipeline through the Baltic Sea, a path that circumvents Ukraine and denies it business.
Senators confirmed more than 50 Biden nominees, including former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as U.S. ambassador to Japan.
Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff under President Barack Obama and longtime power broker in Democratic politics, lost some support in his party due to his handling of the police shooting of Black teenager Lacquan McDonald in 2014.
