Latest news with #nominees
CBS News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Senate GOP threatens confirmations rule change amid Democrats' "path of obstruction" on Trump's nominees
Washington — Senate Republicans are mulling a possible rule change to allow them to more swiftly confirm President Trump's nominees amid Democrats' efforts to slow the process in protest to the president's policies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Wednesday that interest is "growing quickly" among Senate Republicans for a change to the rules governing the nominations process as he's bemoaned an "unprecedented level of obstruction and delay" by Democrats in recent days. "There's certainly interest in looking at options that might enable us to break the logjam and expedite consideration of nominees in a way that, in the end, would benefit both parties when their party has the presidency," Thune said. With around 1,300 positions requiring Senate confirmation, the process is an arduous one that has become more cumbersome in recent years. The average time to confirm a president's nominee has nearly quadrupled during the last six administrations, according to the Center for Presidential Transition. And Democrats have taken their slow-walking of Mr. Trump's nominees to new extremes in recent months, putting up procedural hurdles to delay the confirmations nearly across the board. Still, the opposition by Democrats has not been universal, since any single senator can effectively stall the path to swift confirmation. In recent years, both Democrats and Republicans have made pushes to change the confirmation process, like by cutting down the time requirements for the nominations and reducing the number of votes needed to a simple majority. Senate Republicans have been tight-lipped about the possible new changes to the process, which would represent a further change to the institution that has traditionally been resistant to change. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, told CBS News that Senate Republicans are "actively discussing" possible changes, calling the obstruction of Mr. Trump's nominees "unconscionable." He noted that he would say the same if the dynamic was occurring under a Democrat. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, told CBS News that "we are actually not looking to do reforms, but we don't have a choice." "This is Chuck Schumer's fault. He's the one that's forcing this. And, and so I don't know what he expects to happen, but we will have to have some reforms if this is the way they continue to operate," Mullin added. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican who during the Biden administration delayed the nominations of hundreds of military officers, argued that the chamber should remain in session to get the nominations done. "We ought to stay if we don't get as many as we want to get," he said. "President Trump says he wants us here," Tuberville said. "We work for him." Earlier this month, Mr. Trump called for Senate Republicans to stay in session into their August recess to get the nominations done. And some other Senate Republicans, like Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, have echoed the sentiment. Lee has argued that the GOP should either "exhaust" Democrats by working through August — or give Mr. Trump the ability to make recess appointments. Asked about recess appointments, which afford the president the ability to temporarily fill vacancies while the Senate is in recess, Thune suggested that Senate Republicans would be more likely to "make a modification to our rules" to sidestep Democrats' delay. "At some point, we may need to look at doing things differently on nominees generally, if the Democrats continue this path of obstruction that they're on right now," Thune said. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump took aim at another facet of the Senate's confirmation process late Tuesday in a post on Truth Social, urging Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican who leads the Senate Judiciary Committee, to end blue slips — a practice that gives senators veto power over judicial nominations in their home state. Thune told reporters that the blue slip process is "something that's been used for a long time by both sides, and neither side has violated its usage in the past." "I don't sense any rush to change it, and I think the key is to make sure that we're making good headway on moving the list of judges that are on the President's list," he added.
Washington Post
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Republicans consider changing Senate rules to speed confirmation of Trump nominees
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are considering changing Senate rules to speed up confirmation of President Donald Trump's executive branch nominees, forcing a possible clash with Democrats as Trump pressures them to fill dozens of administration posts before they leave town for the monthlong August recess. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has already more than doubled the number of executive branch and judicial confirmations from Trump's first term by holding the Senate in session for more days and longer hours. Still, Trump says he wants more, and Democrats are delaying a vote on most every nominee, arguing that Trump's picks are extreme.
Associated Press
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Republicans consider changing Senate rules to speed confirmation of Trump nominees
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans are considering changing Senate rules to speed up confirmation of President Donald Trump's executive branch nominees, forcing a possible clash with Democrats as Trump pressures them to fill dozens of administration posts before they leave town for the monthlong August recess. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has already more than doubled the number of executive branch and judicial confirmations from Trump's first term by holding the Senate in session for more days and longer hours. Still, Trump says he wants more, and Democrats are delaying a vote on most every nominee, arguing that Trump's picks are extreme. 'We may need to look at doing things differently on nominees generally if the Democrats continue on this path of obstruction that they're on right now,' Thune said Wednesday morning, adding that the number of votes they would have to change Senate rules 'is growing quickly on our side right now.' The standoff between the two parties, with Trump encouraging Republicans to move even more swiftly or cancel their August recess, is likely to come to a head in the coming days. Democrats have little desire to give in to Thune's demand to confirm a tranche of nominees before they leave, even as senators in both parties are eager to skip town after several long months of work and bitter partisan fights over legislation. The Senate clash over nominees is not new, though it has intensified over the last two decades as both parties have increasingly used stalling tactics to delay confirmations that were once quick, bipartisan and routine. In 2013, Democrats changed Senate rules for lower court judicial nominees to remove the 60-vote threshold for confirmations as Republicans blocked President Barack Obama's judicial nominations. In 2017, Republicans did the same for Supreme Court nominees as Democrats tried to block Trump's nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch. Still, Democrats have blocked more nominees than usual this year, denying any quick unanimous consent votes and forcing roll calls on each one, a lengthy process that takes several days per nominee. It's the first time in recent history that the minority party hasn't allowed at least some quick confirmations. Thune said the rules are being 'misused by Democrats' and there is a lot of interest in the GOP conference to look at options to speed up the process that 'in the end could benefit both parties when they have the presidency.' The GOP leader is facing his own pressure from Trump, who has publicly called on Republicans to cancel the August recess to confirm more nominees. Trump also criticized Senate Republicans on social media this week for continuing with the so-called 'blue slip' process that allows home state senators to approve or block some judicial nominees. In a Tuesday post on Truth Social, Trump called on Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to have the 'courage' to stop honoring the blue slip forms that are submitted to the home state senators, regardless of party. Trump said as a result of this 'custom' only Democrats or 'a weak and ineffective Republican' can get nominated. 'Chuck Grassley, who I got re-elected to the U.S. Senate when he was down, by a lot, in the Great State of Iowa, could solve the 'Blue Slip' problem,' Trump posted. Opening a committee hearing on Thursday, Grassley defended the practice and added that he was 'offended by what the president said, and I'm disappointed that it would result in personal insults.' Thune also backed the process Wednesday, noting that he used the blue slip process himself during former President Joe Biden's administration when there was a judicial vacancy in South Dakota. 'I don't sense any rush to change it,' Thune said.
New York Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Confirmation Slowdown Forces a Senate Showdown
President Trump's first nominee was confirmed on the day he was inaugurated, when senators voted unanimously to install their former colleague Marco Rubio as secretary of state. It has been tough sledding for executive branch nominees ever since. Citing objectionable Trump administration candidates and lawless acts by the president and his team, Senate Democrats have slowed the process to a trickle, insisting on recorded votes for every nominee in a move that has left top agency slots vacant. It has also angered Republicans who accuse them of a new level of obstruction when it comes to confirmations. Senator John Thune, the South Dakota Republican and majority leader, is threatening to cancel part of the Senate's August recess, scheduled to begin at the end of the week, to process nominees if Democrats do not relent and allow some of Mr. Trump's picks to speed through. Republicans have also begun considering changes in Senate rules and practices to overcome the tactic. 'If you look at just the historical precedent with regard to noms,' Mr. Thune said on Tuesday, referring to nominations, 'we have never seen in history anything like what the Democrats are now doing.' He added: 'If it doesn't change, we're going to grind it out here and Democrats are going to be here whether they like it or not.' Democrats say they are weighing whether to make a deal with Republicans on a consensus package of nominees before breaking for recess, and want to see whom Mr. Thune puts forward. But they say they are comfortable with their actions so far, given what they call the poor caliber of the president's nominees and the fact that his administration is routinely usurping the powers of Congress, including by withholding appropriated funds. 'Historically bad nominees deserve historic levels of scrutiny,' said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Senate could be forced stay in Washington despite August recess
Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on how Senate members are staying around longer to potentially confirm President Donald Trump's nominees on 'Special Report.'
