Bridenstine re-nominated to head NASA

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – President Donald Trump has re-nominated Republican Oklahoma Rep. Jim Bridenstine to head NASA.

A news release from the White House on Monday announced dozens of nominations, including that of Bridenstine to replace Charles F. Bolden, Jr., who resigned.

Bridenstine’s original nomination expired in December when the Senate left town for the year without acting on dozens of Trump’s nominees, including Bridenstine, and returned the nomination to the White House.

Nominees in limbo included former pharmaceutical company executive Alex Azar II of Indiana to run Health and Human Services and Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback for an ambassador’s post. The list of nominees include both Azar and Brownback to the same posts.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the nominees will be considered once resubmitted.