Summary
Senate Republicans have changed Senate rules to speed up the confirmation process for some of President Trump's nominees. This rule change allows for faster group confirmations of certain positions, excluding judicial nominees. The move followed complaints about delays caused by minority party tactics.
Key Facts
- Senate Republicans voted to change the rules to confirm Trump's nominees more quickly.
- The change allows for groups of non-cabinet level nominees to be confirmed together instead of individually.
- Over 1,000 government positions need Senate confirmation, a process known to take a long time.
- The average time to confirm a nominee has increased from 49 to 193 days over recent presidential terms.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer opposed the rule change, saying it favors the executive branch.
- The new rule was used to advance 48 nominees for likely confirmation soon.
- In 2013, a similar rule change removed the 60-vote requirement for most confirmations, and in 2017 this was extended to Supreme Court nominees.
- The rules do not change the process for judicial nominees.
