U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, addressed the Senate on efforts by Republicans to revert to traditional procedures for confirming sub-cabinet presidential nominees. Barrasso argued that the new rules would help resolve a backlog of nominations and reduce what he described as partisan delays.
“This rules update will clear the nominee backlog. It will allow us to scrutinize effectively and confirm qualified nominees efficiently… What changes is the pointless, partisan delays nominees face on the Senate Floor,” said Barrasso.
Barrasso referenced the Senate’s early history, noting its tradition of swiftly confirming presidential appointments. He cited Alexander Hamilton’s immediate confirmation as Secretary of Treasury in 1789 as an example of how such processes functioned for over two centuries.
He criticized current practices under Senate Democratic leadership, particularly those led by Senator Chuck Schumer, stating that they have resulted in prolonged confirmation processes even for routine positions. According to Barrasso, prior presidents typically saw most nominees confirmed quickly and often in groups or by unanimous consent—a practice he claims has halted during President Trump’s second term.
“No president has ever faced a total shutdown of nominees like President Trump is facing now. The result is a historic backlog. 149 qualified, ready-to-serve nominees are still waiting to be considered on the Senate Floor. They are stuck in Senate purgatory,” said Barrasso.
The new process proposed by Republicans will group together non-Cabinet executive branch positions—such as deputy secretaries and ambassadors—for confirmation votes if they have already passed through committee approval. Cabinet-level and judicial nominations would continue with individual floor votes.
Barrasso stated that these rule changes aim to allow essential government roles to be filled more efficiently while preserving existing vetting measures like FBI background checks and reviews from the Office of Government Ethics.
“President Trump was elected to get America back on track. He deserves to have his team in place and on the job – and so do the American people. Senate Republicans are committed to make the Senate work again, just as it has for every President until now,” Barrasso concluded.
