Senate Republicans are weighing the option of going nuclear after weekend negotiations with Senate Democrats collapsed over efforts to push through President Donald Trump’s nominees.
The confirmation path for dozens of Trump’s pending nominees unraveled after the president accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of engaging in “political extortion,” claiming Schumer’s demands in exchange for moving forward on confirmations were unacceptably high.
With no agreement reached, lawmakers have departed Washington, leaving behind a stalled effort to bundle and confirm dozens of nominees who had advanced through committee with bipartisan backing. A change to the Senate’s confirmation rules now appears increasingly likely.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., slammed Schumer and Senate Democrats for what he called “unprecedented” obstruction of the president’s nominees, pointing out that every nominee—except Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was confirmed with ease earlier this year—had faced a filibuster, Fox News reported.
“We have been working through the list, but there is still a large backlog because of the unprecedented filibuster by the Democrats of every nominee,” Barrasso said, per Fox. “And if they don’t change their behavior, we’re going to have to change how things are done here, because a president needs to have his or her team in place.”
Under standard procedures, altering Senate rules requires a 67-vote supermajority—necessitating support from Democrats. However, lawmakers could invoke what’s known as the “nuclear option,” allowing rule changes to pass with only a simple majority.
While there is growing political appetite among Republicans to take that route, doing so would set a precedent, potentially empowering Senate Democrats to make similar changes when they regain control.
“I think that way is going to happen anyways, because of what Schumer has done. He’s forced this, and it’s ridiculous that he’s doing this,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said. “And so, whatever, we’re at this point, and we’ll do, you know what they say, every action requires an equal [reaction], and that’s what we’re at right now.”
Options under consideration include reducing debate time for nominees, eliminating procedural votes for certain lower-level appointments, and allowing civilian nominees to be confirmed “en bloc”—a practice already used for military nominations. At the committee level, lawmakers are also discussing whether to shrink the number of positions that require Senate confirmation altogether, Fox reported.
Currently, more than 1,200 positions require Senate confirmation. Senate Republicans have confirmed over 130 of President Trump’s nominees so far but had aimed to push through at least 60 more before adjourning until September. Meanwhile, over 140 nominees remain pending on the Senate calendar.
“I think they’re desperately in need of change,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters. “I think that the last six months have demonstrated that this process, nominations, is broken. And so I expect there will be some good robust conversations about that.”