U.S. Senate Confirmations to Date

Compared to recent years...

I (and I’m sure many other citizens) have wondered why the US Senate confirmations of federal positions have not moved along at a faster pace.

When one party wants to obstruct these confirmations just for the sake of obstructing, there are a variety of tactics they can employ that everyday citizens don’t appreciate the significance of.

As one simple example, the approval of a candidate can be done in two ways: a voice vote or a roll-call vote. The latter takes MUCH more time, especially when some Senators just happen to have other commitments when it is their turn to vote, etc.

The information below gives a good idea of how things are happening in the current Senate, as compared to prior situations when the shoe was on the other foot.

Five Charts That Explain What Is Happening With Nominees in the Senate

In the Face of Historic Democrat Obstruction, Republicans Forge Ahead to Confirm President Trump’s Team

President Trump is the ONLY President on record to not have a single civilian nominee confirmed via voice vote (or unanimous consent)!

Regardless of this unprecedented obstruction, Senate Republicans are confirming nominees the hard way and ahead of the first Trump administration’s pace:

Senate Republicans have kept up the pace by voting more than any Senate in the last 35-plus years:

Even taking more votes in seven months than the Senate has in 32 out of the last 36 entire years…

And spending more time in session than any year in the last 15+ years:

So there you have the answer as to why things are moving slowly regarding key appointments to federal agency/department positions…

Here is another recent development, which makes it clear: The Dems are purposefully slow walking this process to be able to bribe the Republicans.

This is a good overview: Seven Months of Unparalleled Republican Successes.

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