Senate Republicans Give Trump Two Big Wins

Late last year, Senate Republicans considered modifications to the chamber’s confirmation process in response to a backlog of judicial nominations caused by obstructionist tactics employed by minority Democrats.

President Trump blasted Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for maintaining the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition, which let home-state senators to influence nominees and could essentially obstruct their confirmation if the slips were not submitted.

Republican senators deliberated multiple options prior to a Wednesday meeting aimed at expediting confirmations.

The primary option resembled a Democratic proposal introduced two years prior, which would have allowed a single vote on up to 10 nominees. Additional proposals encompassed significantly decreasing discussion duration, rendering certain nominations nondebatable, and eliminating requisite procedural votes.