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Posted on 01/28/2019 3:13:03 PM PST by jazusamo
Senate Republicans are planning to advance a proposal that would dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to advance hundreds of Trump nominees by the end of March.
Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of GOP leadership, said the Rules Committee, which he oversees, would take up the proposal.
“I’m looking at the first quarter of the year,” Blunt said, asked about a timeline for taking up the change.
The timeline, which was first reported by Politico, is the latest sign that Republicans are feeling bullish about changing the rules for President Trump’s nominees after discussing the idea at a retreat earlier this month.
Currently nominations face up to an additional 30 hours of debate time even after they’ve cleared an initial vote that shows they have the simple majority support needed to pass.
But the proposal being discussed by Republicans, which was introduced by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) during the previous Congress, would cut the debate time down to eight hours. It would further cap post-cloture debate time for district court nominations at two hours.
The proposal, which hasn’t formally been reintroduced in the 116th Congress, would not apply to Supreme Court nominees, circuit court nominees or most Cabinet picks.
Republicans have been fuming for years over the slow pace of confirmation votes on Trump’s pick, accusing Democrats of misusing the chamber rulebook to drag out otherwise uncontroversial nominees.
Republicans are expected to try to implement the the rules change as a standing order, which would require 60 votes. But nominations have become increasingly partisan during the Trump administration and it’s unlikely they would be able to get enough support from Democrats.
If they can’t get Democratic support, Republicans are publicly floating using the “nuclear option”— which would let them change the rules with only a simple majority.
Republicans held only a 51-seat majority last year, leaving them unable to push through the proposal because of opposition from some moderate members. But a larger 53-seat majority during the current Congress gives them more leeway to muscle through the change.
Sen. Todd Young (Ind.), the chairman of the Senate GOP campaign arm, told radio host Hugh Hewitt earlier this month that he thought Senate Republicans could quickly take up the maneuver.
“This needs to happen for the good of the country. And I think there’ll be some Democrats who’ll be warm to this idea as well,” he said at the time.
Republicans have been fuming for years over the slow pace of confirmation votes on Trump’s pick, accusing Democrats of misusing the chamber rulebook to drag out otherwise uncontroversial nominees.
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1. You have been in power for some years now, stop whining
2. ALL his nominees are controversial...and racist and stuff
3. All democrats will vote NO on every one anyway.
Do it. Who cares about precedent, the Democrats will do it anyway once they regain power. The ends justifies the means, that is the reality of the situation we’re now in.
This slow walking of nominees started under Bush43 by Democrats.
Democrats complained that Republicans did this to Obama judges, but I cannot find anything close to what we see today.
Discard the old rules. They were designed for a time when the democrats acted in good faith. Those days are long gone. Don’t even bother consulting with them anymore. Just go around them.
And just why the heck not?
“PLOTS” for Republicans.....it would be “PLANS” for Democrats! Like “PLOTS” is supposed to say “SINISTER”!
F 60 vote cloture McConnell, you worthless piece of KY scum.
Wake up KY.
Two years in and he still is not fully staffed. This is unacceptable
“PLOTS” for Republicans.....it would be “PLANS” for Democrats! Like “PLOTS” is supposed to say “SINISTER”!
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Might want to get ahold of that Mueller guy, the Russians might be behind this PLOT.
When was that? I do not remember such a time ever existing.
Before the Civil War, maybe?
The Caning of Senator Charles Sumner, 1856.
You know, it’s been two full years and they couldn’t come up with this before now?
Honestly what the heck do these folks do for a day job? They sure aren’t serving us!
From the Politico article today it says the decision hasn’t been made as to whom it will and will not affect.
excerpt:
“The change would likely shave debate time for sub-cabinet and District Court nominees, though no decision has been made.”
About Damn Time.
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It's about ****ing time!
‘plots’ yea right!
Thanks.
I agree, this should have been changed quickly.
I’m guessing but may McCain and Flake had something to do with as well as the “girls.”
The GOP will do nothing...
The greatest con (deceive, trick, hoodwink) the GOP
Give us the Senate and House and The President and we will do all these things...NOTHING
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