Overview
- Majority Whip John Barrasso said Republicans are drafting a plan and aim to vote by the end of next week, before the Rosh Hashanah recess on Sept. 22.
- The leading proposal would allow floor approval of multiple nominees en bloc if they advanced from the same committee, with Republicans considering a broader application.
- GOP leaders acknowledge the change may require a partisan rules maneuver by simple majority after Democrats signaled resistance.
- A working group led by Sens. Katie Britt, James Lankford, Ted Budd, Eric Schmitt and Ron Johnson met ahead of a special conference session to finalize options.
- Republicans are also weighing cuts to post-cloture debate time, limits on debate for some nominations and the prospect of recess appointments, citing Democratic slow-walking of all nominees and a current backlog of about 145.