"The Senate voted along party lines, overruling the chair to allow non-Cabinet and non-judicial nominees to be voted on in big groups. They are expected to vote on the first such bloc of 48 nominees next week, after additional procedural votes. The intrigue: There was a last-ditch effort at a bipartisan deal for a more limited rules change that would cap any bloc of nominees at 15. Key senators huddled for hours Thursday afternoon."
"The vote to allow the Senate to take up the bipartisan proposal Thursday failed to receive the needed unanimous consent, and Republicans denied Democrats' request to let negotiations drag into the weekend. Democrats have criticized Republicans for invoking the "nuclear option" by using a simple majority to change chamber rules, warning of more controversial nominees and of what will happen when Democrats are next in the majority. Republicans have repeatedly blasted Democrats' slow-walking of President Trump's nominees, especially those appointed to non-controversial positions and who receive bipartisan support."
"Democrats have not allowe d a single Trump civilian nominee to be confirmed with a voice vote or unanimous consent - a courtesy usually provided by the minority party for many lower-level positions by this point in an administration. The rule change is similar to a proposal from Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). Her 2023 plan - put forth when Democrats controlled the Senate and the White House - limited the number of nominees in any bloc to 10. There will now be no numerical limit on non-Cabinet, non-judicial nominees who can be voted on en bloc."
The Senate voted along party lines to overrule the chair and permit en bloc voting of non-Cabinet, non-judicial nominees, removing any numerical limit on such groups. Senators plan to vote on an initial bloc of 48 nominees next week after further procedural steps. A bipartisan proposal to cap blocs at 15 failed to secure unanimous consent after hours of negotiations and a denied request to extend talks into the weekend. Democrats warned that the move constituted a "nuclear option," while Republicans accused Democrats of delaying broadly supported Trump nominees. The change resembles an earlier proposal that would have limited bloc sizes.
Read at Axios
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