Senate GOP poised to go 'nuclear' on Trump picks

Senate Republicans are set to hit the gas on confirming hundreds of President Trump’s nominees by muscling through a rules change that would dramatically cut down on the amount of time required to confirm district court and executive nominations.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who supports the change, hasn’t tipped his hand on when the proposal will come to the Senate floor. But members of his leadership team say it will be taken up after lawmakers return to Washington next week.

“I think we have 51 Republicans who would rather do it with 60 [votes], most of us,” said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a member of leadership who helped spearhead the proposal along with Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.). “We cannot continue to let this current situation be the way we do business.”

Republicans say they want to change the rules by way of a standing order, which would require 60 votes and the support of Democrats, but recognize that they are unlikely to hit that mark since no Democrats are signaling support.

The resolution would reduce the amount of debate time required for district judge picks and most executive nominations.

The Senate allows for an additional 30 hours of debate on nominees even after it’s clear that they can defeat a filibuster and ultimately be confirmed. The Blunt-Lankford proposal would reduce that extra time to as few as two hours.

Supreme Court nominees, appeals court judges, Cabinet picks and roughly a dozen boards and commissions would be exempt from the proposed change.

Republicans say the rules change is something Democrats would likely pursue if they controlled the White House.

“It’s pretty clear that they’re willing to do that in 2021 but they’re not willing to do it now, which is not a very principled position,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of McConnell’s leadership team.