Senate Republicans Consider Rule Changes to Speed Up Judicial Confirmations

Senate Republicans are weighing changes to the chamber’s confirmation process as they face a growing backlog of judicial nominees stalled by Democratic opposition. President Donald Trump has criticized Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for maintaining the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition, which lets home-state senators block nominees by withholding approval. GOP lawmakers are reviewing several proposals ahead of a Wednesday meeting to accelerate confirmations. According to The Hill, the leading plan mirrors a Democratic proposal from two years ago allowing a single vote on up to 10 nominees at once. Other options include cutting debate time, limiting procedural votes, and making some nominations nondebatable. Because rule changes require only a simple majority, Republicans could act alone—though such a “nuclear option” would highlight partisan divisions.

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), who leads a GOP working group on the issue, said members have been meeting through the August recess to finalize reforms. “Everybody has been talking through various options,” Britt said. “One of the things that that process does is empower the committee process.” The debate follows weeks of gridlock as Democrats demand roll-call votes on nearly every nominee. Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) kept the Senate in session over a weekend to advance stalled confirmations, urging cooperation between the White House and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). However, negotiations collapsed after Schumer reportedly demanded $1 billion in federal funds and assurances against future spending cuts—terms Trump angrily rejected in a Truth Social post.

Despite limited progress, the Senate confirmed Jeanine Pirro, Trump’s pick for Washington D.C.’s top prosecutor, before leaving for August recess. In total, lawmakers approved just seven of Trump’s more than 150 pending nominees. “Not a single one of President Trump’s nominees has been confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). “Even the most routine nominees are being filibustered.”