Senate Republicans took a final procedural step Wednesday to speed up consideration of President Donald Trump’s lower-level nominees, setting up the confirmation of dozens of appointees as early as this week.
The chamber voted 47-52 on a procedural question over the votes needed to invoke cloture on an executive resolution to consider a group of nominations at the subcabinet level. It previously took 60 votes, but the vote means it now takes a simple majority.
The action happened around a measure that would authorize the en bloc consideration in executive session of dozens of those nominees. The Senate then voted 52-47 to invoke cloture on the resolution, which starts a procedural clock that allows a floor vote.
The move was a continuation of a process started on Sept. 11, a so-called “nuclear” move to change the chamber’s rules in what Republicans said was necessary to combat a blockade from Democrats.
Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said on the floor ahead of the votes Wednesday that Republicans are “taking decisive action” and “are going to break the Senate’s procedural logjam.”
“There is a role in the Senate for advice and consent, but Senate Democrats have done everything you can think of to prevent President Trump from putting his team in place,” Barrasso said. “It needs to get these people on the job.”
Barrasso said the Senate would vote Thursday on the initial group of 48 nominees, all of whom received bipartisan support when they were considered by committees.
“We’re not going to stop there, though. Over 100 more nominees will be ready for confirmation by the end of this week,” Barrasso said.
Last week, Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said on the floor that it was an “embarrassment” that none of Trump’s nominees in his second term had been confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent, and it was “time to fix this place.”
Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the floor at that time the rule change further weakened the Senate and turned the chamber “into a conveyor belt for unqualified Trump nominees.”
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