As Senate Republicans and Democrats argued over the parameters of a potential agreement, the Senate’s ability to approve a large number of Trump appointees seemed precarious on Saturday.
It was expected that senators would have left Washington long ago, but Trump’s insistence on pushing his nominations through the record blockage by Senate Democrats has kept them here. However, by the time the afternoon rolled around, very little had changed.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told HeadlinesForever Digital, “Unfortunately, not really, no.” in response to a question about if any progress had been achieved.
“The Dems are dug in on a position that’s just not working,” according to him.
The president, Democrats, and Republicans have all been in talks for some time. Last night, Thune and Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader of the Senate from New York, met to go over a proposal that the Democrats had. According to Thune, since then, the two have spoken via intermediaries rather than speaking directly with one another. Yet he anticipated that they would converse once more in the course of Saturday.
Despite Republicans’ best efforts, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has refused to budge from her stance that nominees who received unanimous committee approval should receive expedited floor votes.
Senate Democrats are seeking a commitment that there would be no further rescissions packages and an agreement on the release of withheld funds, according to a person involved with the discussions. This is especially important for them as the federal funding deadline approaches. They are providing two rounds of nominees—one to move forward immediately and another in the fall—in return.
There are more than 150 nominations on the Senate agenda, and Trump has ordered members to remain in town and approve them all while he is at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey.
In a Saturday post on Truth Social, the president praised Senate Republicans, writing, “for fighting, over the Weekend and far beyond, if necessary, to get my great Appointments approved, and on their way to helping us MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
“The Radical Left Democrat Senators are doing everything possible to DELAY these wonderful and talented people from being approved,” according to him. “If George Washington or Abraham Lincoln were up for approval, the Dems would delay, as long as possible, then vote them out.”
Only Secretary of State Marco Rubio was able to reach the floor unscathed, despite Republicans having confirmed more than a hundred of the president’s candidates.
The upper house has traditionally advanced nominations by unanimous consent and voice votes, but not a single one of Trump’s nominees has received either of these processes. This time four years ago, the confirmation by voice vote had been completed for 49 of Joe Biden’s appointees.
Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin said that Republicans can proceed with one of three options—a deal with Democrats, an adjournment of the Senate to allow the president time to schedule recess appointments, or a rules-change package, which some Republicans refer to as the “nuclear option.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), who has been pushing for recess appointments since before Trump took office, said that Democrats should decide whether Republicans go through with the plan.
“The Democrats’ obstruction is leading to, in very short order, us taking the necessary actions to give the President power to make recess appointments,” said Mr. Trump.
Republicans aren’t hesitant to proceed with a rules change, even though it would be a delicate move that would ignite a ruckus among Democrats. Republican senator from North Dakota Kevin Cramer replied, “I think that’d be best” when asked whether legislators should amend the rules before they leave town.
But reaching an agreement is preferred, ideally on a possible package with more than 60 candidates who were passed out of committee in a bipartisan manner.
“The reason why we’re that way is because Schumer led us down this road,” stated Mullin. “He didn’t have to do it this way.”