U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, addressed the Senate on Wednesday to discuss what he described as significant obstruction by Senate Democrats in confirming President Donald J. Trump’s nominees. According to Barrasso, over the past nine months, Democrats have delayed the confirmation process for sub-cabinet positions through filibusters and limited debate.
“For nine long months, the Senate Democrats have waged an unprecedented effort to slow down the Senate and delay the President from getting his team on the field. It has been an unprecedented blockade. President Trump was elected to get America back on track. And that means getting the team on the job,” Barrasso said during his remarks.
Barrasso cited data showing that 109 sub-cabinet nominees had been confirmed, but each faced a filibuster by Democrats. He noted that only seven of these nominees received more than ten minutes of debate, with 81 receiving no debate at all.
“In fact, of the Democrats who filibustered all 109 sub-cabinet nominees, the average Democrat debate was two minutes. 81 nominees had zero Democrat debate. Only seven of them went for more than ten minutes. In other words, the Senate Democrats declined to come to the Floor to discuss 75 percent of these sub-cabinet nominees that ultimately were all confirmed by the United States Senate. This is in spite of the fact that each one of them required two full hours of debate,” Barrasso stated.
He argued that this approach prevented legislative work from progressing efficiently: “218 hours of debate time spent on the Senate Floor – ignored by the Democrats, wasted time, couldn’t do legislation, couldn’t do other things because of this historic obstruction by the Democrats of what the American people voted for.”
Barrasso also pointed out that many nominees currently await confirmation despite bipartisan support and having passed committee scrutiny: “And that’s because there are still 145 nominees on the executive calendar that we have right here on our desk waiting to be confirmed… They’re ready to go, ready to get put to work.”
Comparing current practices with previous administrations, Barrasso said most nominations under George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were approved quickly without roll call votes or lengthy debates.
“You know, 98% of George H.W. Bush’s and Bill Clinton’s nominees, they were confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent… During President Trump’s second term, the number that went by voice vote or unanimous consent – here we are nine months in – zero,” he said.
Barrasso called for a return to prior norms and warned Republicans may move to change Senate rules if current practices continue: “If Democrats won’t stop abusing the rules of the Senate, Republicans are prepared to change the rules… Now, we’re not talking about cabinet secretaries or Supreme Court justices. We’re talking about restoring the norms of the Senate for hundreds of routine, qualified nominees who come through committee process.”
He concluded: “I would say enough with the Democrat obstruction, enough with this phony scrutiny, and enough with another Schumer shutdown. The American people elected President Trump and they elected Republicans to get America back on track. And that is what we continue and will continue to do.”
