Monday afternoon, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Cheryl Ann Krause for the Third Circuit, unanimously. But that was after Republicans forced hours of wasted "debate" time to lapse before voting. That makes
23 blocked votes on nominees the Senate had to wait on, who were eventually confirmed unanimously.
Majority Leader Harry Reid is getting fed up with it and vented on the floor Monday, issuing another threat to reform the rules.
He launched a broadside on the GOP's ongoing efforts to "put up roadblock after roadblock" in the confirmation of nominees. Republicans have used up maximum debate time for most nominees to delay a final confirmation vote, even those who are ultimately confirmed with broad or unanimous support.
"We changed some of the rules. We didn't change that," Reid said of the Senate's November rules change that required a simple majority to confirm all nominees except the Supreme Court. "If they're going to continue this, maybe we'll have to take another look at that. Just, it's outrageous what they've done."
What he has in mind is forcing Republicans to use the debate time—30 hours of debate on cabinet and circuit judge nominations and eight hours on sub-cabinet nominations—to actually debate the nominations. And if they don't show up on the floor to use that time, they lose it.
There are 145 nominations that have been passed by committees and are ready for floor action. At the pace the Republicans are forcing, they can't possibly be completed before November's election. Which is all part of Mitch McConnell's plan. It's time to take this tool for Senate self-destruction away from him.