Republicans are doing all that they can to revise the Senate’s regulations in order to expedite the consideration of President Donald Trump’s nominees.
On Wednesday, the Rules and Administration Committee along with Mitch McConnell (Republican – Kentucky) the Majority Leader made the rules change official in a party-line vote of 10-9.
If the full Senate approves the rules, it would have an affect on the proposal regarding the way the chamber deals with all of President Donald Trump’s picks.
At present, the nominations are required debate time of 30 hours. However, the proposal from Grand Old Party Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma would reduce the debate hours down to eight.
Republicans claim the change is essential since the Democrats are taking their time with President Donald Trump’s pick as their way to weaken Trump’s administration.
McConnell states the Democrats are just “wasting the Senate’s time” by unnecessarily dragging the debate time for unquestionable nominees. “At some point, the question is, what is a constructive use of the Senate’s time?” said McConnell.
Lankford commented that he is “not trying to partisan” but “fix” an elongated issue. Democrats “had this [in 2013] and then they added the nuclear option on top of it,” said Lankford.
As per the Partnership for Public Service and The Washington Post, since late last week, President Donald Trump received a confirmation of 395 nominations for 85 days as an average timeframe from selection to confirmation.
“The Dems will not approve hundreds of good people, including the Ambassador to Germany. They are maxing out the time on approval process for all, never happened before. Need more Republicans!” tweeted Trump this week.
It’s been over a year since the Republicans have been contemplating the rules change. There are some Republicans who are advising management to go “nuclear” in order to get the approval of rule change with just having a majority of votes.
Senator Ron Johnson (Republican – Wisconsin) commented he is in favor of changing the rulebooks with “Harry Reid’s precedent of 51 votes,” mentioning to the previous Senate Democratic leader.
“We should have done this a year ago. …It’s so abusive what the Democrats are doing here,” stated Johnson. “Both sides are abusing this process but Democrats are abusing it to the nth degree here now. …[The] logjam has to break.”
The previous chairman and existing associate of the Rules Committee, Senator Richard Shelby (Republican – Alaska), stated “the Democrats, and I’ve got a lot of Democratic friends, they’re slow-walking all the stuff, and they’re bringing us to do this.”
The Judiciary Committee’s chairman, Senator Chuck Grassley (Republican – Iowa), sparked anger from the Democrats by gesturing he will go ahead with some official nominations over the oppositions of home state legislators.
At the leadership press conference held weekly, Charles Schumer (Democrats – New York), the Minority Leader shot back at Lankford retorting, “history is only partially being remembered.”
Democrats continue to be bitter over the refusal by Republicans over President Obama’s nominee Garland to the Supreme Court.
“I didn’t hear three words when Senator Lankford spoke on the floor,” said Schumer. “Blue slip, 60 votes, Merrick Garland.”
Senator Dick Durbin (Democrats – Illinois) quipped about the Grand Old Party argument that it was primarily the Democrats to go nuclear. “I have two words for Senator Lankford. Merrick Garland,” said Durbin.