Mitch McConnell told Democratic senators that he had voted in favor of a "nuclear option" to speed up judicial appointments



[ad_1]

This person also said that McConnell, unless there is an unplanned agreement with the Democrats, is considering changing the rules of the Senate at some point after the suspension of the work of Congress next week.

The rule change has been on the table for weeks and GOP leaders have clearly moved in this direction, but McConnell's comments at an in camera luncheon for Senate Republicans mark the first time that he made it clear to his colleagues that the votes were in place. . Republicans have considered taking steps to speed up the nomination process that was paralyzed by the democratic efforts to maximize the 30 hours of debate currently allowed by Senate rules after the breakup of filibusters. Democrats protested against the idea, which can be implemented with a simple majority vote. McConnell is reported to have proposed a rule change in 2017, which would have lowered the threshold of obstruction for Supreme Court candidates.

McConnell countered that the Democrats indulged in "blind obstruction".

Republicans Support Senate Rule Change to Accelerate Confirmations of Trump Candidates

The change of the rule would reduce from 30 hours to two hours the time given to the debate once the buccaneer moored. The change would apply to almost all judicial and executive candidates, but not to high-level candidates such as cabinet officials, federal appeals court judges and Supreme Court justices.

Democrats used similar debate terms when they were in the last majority, ending in 2015, while they pushed Obama's government nominations. But these rules have changed – for which bipartisan support has been obtained – have lapsed at the end of the Congress session, which is why Republicans should make this change again now.

An extremely divided Senate Rules Committee approved approved the changes last month along with a vote of the party line.

Senate Speaker Roy Blunt, the Missouri Republican who sponsored the measure, said at the time that Trump's candidates had faced 128 filibusters from Democrats, far more than candidates of several presidents before the president's combination.

"The presidents deserve to have their teams in place," Blunt said, noting that the changes would apply even if a Democrat won the White House in 2020. "We have never seen the same level before. obstruction in the confirmation process, a presidency. "

But the Democrats resisted the proposal, saying that despite complaints about minority parties by maximizing the time allotted for debate, Trump and McConnell boasted of the record number of trial and trial court judges. confirmed appeal during the first two years of Trump's tenure.

[ad_2]

Source link