Continued Confirmations of Abundantly Qualified, Non-Controversial Nominees
‘Let’s take a look at some of the individuals we’ve been moving through under the new procedures. This week alone, we’ve now confirmed the Energy Department’s General Counsel by a vote of 68 to 31. The director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, 72 to 27. And an Assistant Secretary of State, 90 to 8. Yesterday afternoon, we advanced the nominations of three district court judges with 64 votes, 89 votes, and 94 votes. So, we aren’t exactly talking about lightning-rod partisans, here.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the need to confirm more of the president’s well-qualified nominees:
“A few weeks ago, a majority of the Senate took a modest step to revive some of our institutional traditions and process the president’s nominees for lower-level positions in a more fair and expeditious manner. At the time, our Democratic colleagues protested angrily. They’d gladly supported a nearly-identical procedural step in 2013, when it stood to benefit President Obama. But now, with a different occupant of the White House, the same principles apparently didn’t apply.
“They said their unprecedented delays and obstruction were justified because this administration’s nominees were so controversial. They said there were legitimate reasons why they’d forced cloture votes on 40-plus different positions for the first time ever and wasted so much floor time. My Democratic colleagues insisted -- insisted -- these were highly controversial people. Well, Republicans knew better. So we took the sensible step to expedite the proceedings for these lower-level nominations.
“Let’s take a look at some of the individuals we’ve been moving through under the new procedures. This week alone, we’ve now confirmed the Energy Department’s General Counsel by a vote of 68 to 31. The director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, 72 to 27. And an Assistant Secretary of State, 90 to 8. Yesterday afternoon, we advanced the nominations of three district court judges with 64 votes, 89 votes, and 94 votes.
“So, we aren’t exactly talking about lightning-rod partisans, here. These are abundantly qualified, non-controversial public servants. They’re the kinds who used to go through in big groups by voice vote. The two leaders would put together packages and voice vote them. Well, our friends across the aisle aren’t letting that happen. But now we’re beginning to make better progress nonetheless. And now that we’re finally able to get these people voted on, our Democratic colleagues do not even mostly oppose them.
“It would be almost comical if it weren’t a sad reminder of how pointless the past two years’ obstruction has been. But it’s also a hopeful sign as we move forward. After studying and considering these nominees, the Senate will keep filling judicial vacancies. We’ll keep confirming the president’s team. We’ll keep giving the American people the government they voted for.”
Related Issues: Judicial Nominations, Nominations, Restoring the Senate, Senate Democrats
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