Overview

• The Senate has delayed its annual August recess and convened weekend sessions to cast votes on over 150 of President Trump’s pending nominations.
• Senate Republicans are proposing procedural reforms including en bloc voting, shortened debate times and a narrower definition of who requires confirmation to clear the nomination backlog.
• Majority Leader John Thune has warned that recess appointments remain a contingency if confirmations continue to stall.
• Democrats have blocked unanimous consent and voice votes on nearly every second-term nominee, forcing roll-call votes and extended debate.
• Thune, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and White House officials remain in talks over a bipartisan package of nominees, but have yet to reach an agreement.