Replies

.10mThe post-cloture change today in the Senate is NOT a rules change. This is a PRECEDENT change. The Senate does conducts much of its business via precedent. And it is a lot easier in the Senate to establish a new precedent…than to alter the Senate rules.
******
.11m..All Democrats voted yes..to sustain the ruling & maintain the 30 hr standard. 2 Republicans voted against trimming the time to two hours.

They were Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Susan Collins (R-ME).
****
.11m..The Senate voted 51-48 to change the Senate standard to speed up confirmation of nominees. The chair ruled that up to 30 hrs of debate were permitted. GOPers appealed the ruling, saying it should be 2 hrs.
In other words, the GOP needed the NAYS to prevail to overcome rhe chair

****
.12m..Senate votes to accelerate the process to confirm some of Trump’s lower-level nominees. The vote overturns Senate tradition that permits 30 hrs of debate after ending a filibuster on some nominees. The new provision permits only 2 hours of debate before taking a confirmation vote

****
.13m..McConnell made a pt of order that it’s 2 hrs of debate available after invoking cloture on lower tier nominees. From the chair, Cotton said no. It’s 30 hrs. McConnell appealed the ruling. So the GOP will vote no, hoping to overrule the chair & establish a new precedent

*****
.44m..The GOP plan is to allow only two hours of debate..before a confirmation vote..on lower-tier nominees..rather than the current standard of 30 hours...AFTER the Senate has broken a filibuster.
*****
.45m.The Senate is now voting to establish a new precedent (not a rules change) to accelerate the confirmation of lower-level nominees. This vote needs a simple majority and needs the NOES to prevail in order for the GOP to get their way.