Grassley places hold on DHS nominee

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) added himself to the list of Republicans Wednesday who placed a hold on Jeh Johnson’s nomination to be next Homeland Security secretary.

Grassley was the third GOP senator who has threatened to block Johnson’s confirmation, joining Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

{mosads}Each senator has a different request before they will lift their holds.

Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is asking for a response to the letter he and five other Republicans sent last week demanding Johnson’s views on immigration policy.

“We asked if he would cooperate with us on oversight matters and work with us to improve immigration policies going forward,” Grassley said. “We have not yet received a response from Mr. Johnson.”

Johnson’s nomination passed the Senate Homeland Security Committee on a voice vote Wednesday, with McCain and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voting “no.”

McCain says he will block Johnson’s nomination until he gets a commitment that the Department of Homeland Security will provide metrics on measuring border security.

Graham, meanwhile, is holding Johnson’s nomination until he gets the opportunity to interview U.S. personnel who were in Benghazi, Libya, the night of last year’s terrorist attack.

President Obama last month nominated Johnson, who was Pentagon general counsel during Obama’s first term, to succeed Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security secretary.