‘Everything Is Under Consideration’: Senate GOP Vows Action To Steamroll Dems’ Obstruction

Senate Republicans are mulling various strategies to circumvent Democrats’ unprecedented roadblocks slowing the confirmation process of President Donald Trump’s nominees.

Trump has urged Senate GOP leadership to make significant progress clearing the backlog of roughly 150 nominees awaiting floor consideration or forgo the traditional August recess to continue plowing through confirmation votes. Many Senate Republicans suggested Tuesday that the conference may pursue changes to Senate rules to allow the upper chamber to quickly confirm Trump’s picks rather than let Democrats’ roadblocks continue to delay the confirmation process.

“Everything is under consideration,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso told the 🏢Daily Caller News Foundation. “This has been an unprecedented, historic blockade by the Democrats. Presidents deserve to get their team in place as does President Trump.”

“If the Democrats don’t change their behavior, we’re going to need to change the way things are done,” Barrasso added.

Senate Republicans’ vow for action comes as Republicans have said they are done putting up with Democrats’ delay tactics after the caucus has thus far refused to grant any of the president’s appointees an expedited confirmation process.

Former President Joe Biden had 44 nominees confirmed via voice vote by July 29 of his presidency. Senate Republicans ultimately signed off on allowing 57% of his nominees to be confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent during his presidency, according to the Senate GOP-aligned Senate Republican Communications Center (SRCC).

Senate Democrats, however, have permitted zero of Trump’s picks to bypass a roll call vote that would allow for an expedited confirmation. Additionally, Democrats have agreed to allow just one of the president’s nominees, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to skip a procedural vote. The caucus, however, still forced Rubio to be subject to a final confirmation vote despite no senators voting against his nomination.