Senator lifts hold on OAS ambassador nomination

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Sen. Ben Cardin has lifted the hold he had placed on the nomination of Carlos Trujillo to be U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States.

Cardin said the State Department provided him with information he had been asking for months, regarding the decision process to end a temporary protected status for immigrants from Haiti and two Central American nations.

"I had a chance to review it, and I hope that we will be talking about that, because I think it is very informative as to the importance of the extension of TPS in regard to those countries", said Carding earlier this week during a business meeting held by the Foreign Relations Committee. His office released a transcript Friday.

Cardin had said last month he was placing the hold because he believed that the recommendation made by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ignored input from the embassies, which were supportive of extending TPS.

The Trump administration ended the temporary protection for El Salvador, Haiti and Nicaragua and will make a decision later this year for Honduras.

The nomination of Trujillo has already passed the committee and now needs to get a vote on the Senate floor.

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