Senate to Vote Monday on Kevin Warsh’s Fed Chair Nomination

The Senate is scheduled to hold a cloture vote at 5:30 p.m. ET on Monday, May 11, on Kevin Warsh’s nomination to be chair of the Federal Reserve. Lawmakers will also take an en bloc nominations vote the same evening. Majority Leader John Thune filed cloture on Warsh’s nominations on April 30; the roll call schedule lists an en bloc nominations resolution, S.Res.690, and a motion to invoke cloture on Warsh’s nomination to the Board of Governors (Executive Calendar #728). Thune also filed cloture on Warsh’s separate nomination to serve as chairman for a four-year term (Executive Calendar #727).

The Senate Banking Committee advanced Warsh’s nomination on April 29 by a 13-11 party-line vote, with all Republican committee members in favor and all Democrats opposed.

Warsh can be confirmed by a simple majority in the 100-member Senate. Republicans hold a 53-seat majority. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania intends to vote in favor of the nomination, which could make him the only Democratic crossover on the floor.

Jerome Powell will remain on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors through January 2028 after his term as chair ends. Powell has said he would not act as a “shadow chair” or publicly oppose his successor. If Warsh is confirmed, the board could include two former chairs.

The nomination has unfolded alongside ethics and oversight matters. The Justice Department concluded an investigation related to remodeling of the Fed’s headquarters; Senator Thom Tillis initially opposed moving forward while that probe was open and later supported the nomination after it closed. The Senate recently adopted a rule barring senators, staff and officers from trading on prediction markets; the rule was approved by unanimous consent.

Warsh’s public financial disclosures show holdings tied to SpaceX, Polymarket, cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence–related investments. He has pledged to divest assets that would create conflicts if he is confirmed. He would be the first Fed chair nominee to report cryptocurrency investments.

If confirmed by mid-May, Warsh would assume office before the Fed’s June 16–17 monetary policy meeting. Warsh has argued that productivity gains from artificial intelligence can help reduce inflationary pressure; some Federal Reserve officials have said the effects of AI on inflation remain unclear.