Republican plan to confirm Trump nominees quicker advances in the Senate

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Senate Republicans on Wednesday advanced a resolution that would shorten debate time on most presidential nominees, after complaints that Democrats have been using the arcane Senate debate rules to stall Trump administration nominees.

By a party-line, 10-9 vote, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee approved a resolution from Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., that would slash post-cloture debate for most executive branch nominees from 30 hours to just 8 hours.

The resolution mimics a 2013 bipartisan agreement to shorten debate time, which passed with 78 votes. But unlike the 2013 measure that was only in effect that year, the Lankford resolution would change the debate time permanently.

Republicans said the change is needed because Democrats are dragging out nominations, which has prevented the Senate GOP from advancing other agenda items. Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said Democrats are using the floor time as a stalling tactic and are “thwarting the will of the people.”

Democrats clearly oppose the plan. The top Democrat on the panel, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said time is needed to properly vet the nominees, who in some cases have been underqualified.

Klobuchar also objected to making the change permanent and noted the Senate has only permanently changed the rules in recent history on one other occasion, when it shortened debate time on nominees from 100 hours to 30 hours in 1986.

“Because of vetting issues and time we need to look at judicial and executive branch nominees, we think this is a very bad time to change this rule, which would only be the second time permanently in history,” Klobuchar said.

Rules Committee member Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who is the majority leader, did not say whether or when the Senate would consider the change on the Senate floor or whether the 60-vote threshold would be maintained for passing it.

In past instances of rules changes, the Senate has used the so-called nuclear option and allowed a simple majority to make the change.

McConnell voted in favor of the change at the committee.

“What we are talking about now strikes me as wasting the Senate time,” McConnell said, referring to the Democrats holding up nominees.

McConnell pointed to the many nominations for which Democrats have required “pointless” hours of empty debate time, who then pass with little opposition.

“The question is what is the constructive use of the Senate time?” McConnell said.

Partisan delaying tactics have escalated in the past decade.

Democrats accused the GOP of slow-walking former President Barack Obama’s nominations, which led to the 2013 temporary rule change.

Democrats argued Wednesday that Trump has actually exceeded Obama when it comes to clearing judicial nominees and that Democrats have used the full debate time infrequently.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the minority whip and a member of the committee, said 76 of 84 judicial nominees were considered in eight hours or less.

“It’s a solution in search of a problem,” Durbin said of the Lankford proposal.

At the close of the meeting, senators in both parties said they are eager to get past the gridlock in order to pass the upcoming dozen appropriations measures that in recent years have stalled in the upper chamber.

“When the appropriations process breaks down, the Senate breaks down,” said Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala. “And it reflects on both of us, Republicans and Democrats.”

Blunt and Klobuchar said they planned on working further on ending the gridlock, somehow.

“I think Sen. Klobuchar and I are going to do our best to bring the institution to what it should and can be,” Blunt said, to which Klobuchar responded, “It’s a big job, but I think we’re up for it.”

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