Noem awaits confirmation for DHS role. What to know about the Senate confirmation process

Kristi Noem’s time as the veritable CEO of South Dakota is drawing to a close, and the next chapter in her political story is about to be written.

Noem, the second-term governor of South Dakota, will soon take part in a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday in Washington, where she will take questions from members of the Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs to determine her suitability for the role of Homeland Security secretary in President-elect Donald Trump’s executive cabinet.

Noem, who is also the state’s first female governor, delivered Tuesday what was likely her last State of the State address in Pierre.

Trump nominated Noem in November to head the sprawling Department of Homeland Security, which is made up multiple high-profile agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Secret Service, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other offices.

Noem was once considered a contender for Trump’s vice presidential pick — she had been aligning herself with Trump’s agenda for a number of years — but that ultimately went to Ohio senator and now Vice President-elect JD Vance.

The governor’s chances fizzled out after she received widespread criticism for publishing an account in a memoir where she recalled a 20-year-old story in which she personally killed a 14-month-old hunting-dog-in-training named Cricket who disrupted a pheasant hunt.

But the rancher and governor was eventually overcame the criticism, following Trump’s successful re-election in November. Noem later told the Argus Leader on Nov. 13 she had asked Trump to name her to the secretary role.

“I wanted to be in a position where I was dealing with one of [Trump’s] No. 1 priorities and a national security issue,” Noem told reporters at the time.

More: Why Gov. Kristi Noem says she asked Trump for Homeland Security secretary job

Here’s what to know about the confirmation process.

Kristi Noem’s DHS confirmation process, outlined

Noem’s confirmation hearing is scheduled to take place 8 a.m. CST / 9 a.m. EST Wednesday at the Senate Dirksen Building in D.C.

Senate Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) is scheduled to introduce Noem to the committee. He will also be joined by North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer, and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson.

Individual senators on the homeland security committee will have the opportunity to query about Noem’s qualifications and background, as well as inquire about her priorities as the head of the homeland security office. The process will also allow senators to press Noem — and, by extension, Trump — on her agenda.

The hearing will also allow senators to seek commitments from Noem should she be installed in the role.

After the confirmation hearing, the Homeland Security committee will vote on whether to recommend Noem to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote, which would be open to floor debate. Noem would need a majority of senators to vote for her to be confirmed.

Noem is not considered a particularly controversial nominee outside of South Dakota, and she has seen early support from South Dakota’s congressional delegation, including Thune, Rounds and Johnson. U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, of Maryland, chairman of the homeland security committee, has also expressed support for Noem.

Noem has taken a tough immigration stance and personally ordered the deployment of South Dakota National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border on multiple occasions. She has also referred to the border as a “warzone” and an “invasion.”

Noem, if confirmed, would work with “border czar” nominee Tom Homan, Trump’s former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, and deputy chief of policy pick Stephen Miller.

Both Homan and Miller are aggressive proponents of stricter immigration policy and enforcement, which would align with Trump’s goal to implement a large-scale effort to deport millions of immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization.

The Homan and Miller picks indicate Noem wouldn’t be solely responsible for carrying out Trump’s immigration platform.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: What to know about Gov. Kristi Noem’s Homeland Security confirmation

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