The Senate acted swiftly to confirm several of President Donald Trump’s cabinet members, including significant roles like the FBI director and the Director of National Intelligence. However, it seems they’re now coasting into spring with some important positions still unfilled. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) was able to address the situation in just a week, but only if he committed to long days and late nights.
These vacancies aren’t minor. They include crucial roles such as the ambassador to the UK, particularly significant now as the U.S. engages in delicate trade negotiations with important allies. The list also features the head of the National Anti-Terrorism Center, which operates under the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence.
It’s not unrealistic to expect a Republican-led Senate to put in a solid week of work (just once).
And it doesn’t stop there. The Treasury Department still has an open spot for the Secretary of Currency, responsible for the oversight of both U.S. and global banks. Other key roles are also vacant, like the directors of the Human Resources Administration, which manages employment across government departments, including the White House.
Roughly 30 candidates have already passed the Senate committee and are now waiting on the executive calendar for a vote. One of the latest nominees is Brian Burch, suggested as ambassador to the Vatican. Though the Vatican might not be a major geopolitical position, it would be prudent to have representatives in place as 1.4 billion Catholics prepare to choose a new Pope.
Without filling these crucial roles, the president’s ambitious conservative agenda can’t fully take shape. Waiting until August just isn’t feasible, as the current Senate schedule indicates.
This is the reality we’re facing.
The Senate’s constitutional role of providing advice and consent involves two separate calendars: the Legislative and Executive. Right now, the Senate is busy on the legislative side, dealing with budgets and bills, and moving between these calendars isn’t straightforward without unanimous consent. Lately, switching to an executive calendar has taken quite a bit of time—around 30 hours.
Thus, Thune needs to act decisively. On Thursday, it’s crucial that he brings all nominations from the executive calendar to the floor before senators head out for the weekend. After that, he’ll need to submit each nomination individually. This strategy would ideally set them up for discussions come Monday.
It’s really not that complex. It just takes some leadership and motivation.
Thune must be upfront with his members: they need to stay until the job is done. It’s a tall order since senators often head to D.C. late Monday and leave by 3:30 PM. Realistically, the Senate’s “work” often adds up to just two days, and that needs to change. They can’t expect to easily juggle weekend plans.
Most of the pending nominations aren’t at the cabinet or sub-cabinet level, so the minority party’s chances to stall are somewhat limited. Democrats can only extend each vote for two hours. The Senate could start early, stay late, and even work through the night. Even if Democrats drag their feet on all candidates, the entire list could potentially be addressed in about 70 hours.
Would committing two hours to all 30 nominations be desirable? Sure. But who knows, they might end up being put off for a few more days. After all, the Democrats have their own lives, families, and fundraising events to attend.
If the Republicans wish to speed things up, they’ll need the Democrats to engage. That means showing up and holding the floor. Thune encountered a similar situation last year when he tried to advance a nomination for a co-chair. Nine of his own party’s senators skipped a 1 AM vote on a Friday! For example, Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is a solid conservative but missed a vote due to tickets for the Masters Tournament.
I get it; it sounds appealing, but the weekend event will be over, so there really are no more excuses.
A little-known fact? Senators generally dislike being on the floor. Despite the job’s expectations, they tend to be restless, hungry, and thirsty for more than plain water.
So make it enjoyable.
Whenever I need a newsroom filled with reporters to stick around for a long day, I resort to the tried-and-true method: pizza and beer. It’s a tradition that has lasted through the years. Just bring in some food. Have Republicans enjoy a little drink. Seriously, this is work—it could even be fun.
They might enjoy it—at least until they don’t.
Ultimately, some senior (or just exhausted) Democrats may decide to have their colleagues drop their delay tactics so that everyone can wrap things up and head home. This matter shouldn’t stretch into Saturday, but Thune needs to make that clear. If that’s what’s necessary, he should push for it, with his team backing him up.
Keep in mind, we’re now in a post-nuclear Senate environment. Thanks to the late former Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), only 51 votes are needed to confirm nominations. No room for filibusters or excuses.
Of course, Democrats could make this simpler. If they agreed to stop delaying the inevitable, Republicans could finish up everything from their offices without any additional fuss.
It’s not an easy task. But expecting a Republican-controlled Senate to actually work for a week—just this once—to aid the president in building his team shouldn’t be beyond reason.
So, marketing? Maybe some Grubhub would help. Have a few cases of beer and wine on hand. It’s actually doable and definitely worth the effort.
