Posted on 02/07/2017 1:44:03 PM PST by jazusamo
A top Senate Republican is warning that the Senate could work around the clock as they try to confirm three more of President Trump's nominees.
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) stressed that how late the Senate is in session is up to Democrats. Absent a deal, he said lawmakers will stay in Washington through Saturday.
"We can do it cooperatively so we can burn time when we're out of session or if they won't agree to that, we can stay in session 24 hours," he told The Hill, asked about the schedule for the rest of the week.
Senate Republicans want to confirm Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) for attorney general; Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) for secretary of Health and Human Services; and Steve Mnuchin for Treasury secretary.
Unless both sides can get an agreement to speed up debate time, a final vote on Sessions will take place on Wednesday night, Price early Friday morning and Mnuchin on Saturday.
Cornyn said Republicans are ready to stay in 24/7 if that's needed. "A lot of our members are happy to do that," he said.
One Republican senator has to preside over the Senate when it's in session. Top lawmakers in both parties have previously threatened weekend work, though lawmakers could ultimately reach a deal.
The threat for a dayslong continuous session comes after Democrats pulled an all-nighter to protest Betsy DeVos's nomination for Education secretary.
Though Democrats ultimately failed to block her nomination, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) brushed off a question about if Democrats felt they're strategy is working.
"We're going to have long debates on Sessions and we're going to have debates on Price," he said.
But Schumer sidestepped specifically threatening another all-night session, telling reporters to "stay tuned."
By staying in session they extend the “legislative day” until they quit. The Senate rules say that no senator can speak more than twice in a “legislative day”. That means after all the Democrats have spoken twice, they can’t delay any more.
Great post, DoughtyOne. Thanks. BUMP!
Anyway, this is why weekend sessions are rare and sometimes just the threat of a weekend session will get their attention and will force them to sometimes cooperate with the majority party.
They should work 24..7 til they do something taxes, Obama care they the rats might cooperate a little
I have made a steady stream of calls to Senate Majority Whip, John Wayne Cornyn (he IS one of US! Honest!). Since he is one of my two Senators, he is also the one that I worry about the most, when it comes to things really mattering. To what effect, who can say? I’m watching what they do.
Talk is cheap.
Do it, or resign.
Why Cornyn - he is only the whip. It's the turtle who is the majority "leader." They should have started this back on January 21 when it became clear that Schumer was going to be obstructionist.
But I guess they figured that the voters would relent and decide that Oh, electing Trump was a mistake after all. Spineless GOPe idiots [but I repeat myself].
Sadly, you can count on the Congress-class Republicans to slow-walk victory until none exists.
Trump won’t have a full cabinet until early March. After that, every new initiative will be slow rolled and obstructed by the Dems.
I was just thinking about when his full cabinet would be approved.
It has now been 20 days, and just six of Trump’s 18 appointees have been approved.
If this rate remains constant, Trump’s last nominee will be approved on March 31st.
I agree with your thoughts. Trump will be opposed tooth and nail every step of the way. If they could, when Trump got a splinter they’d block him taking it out for months.
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