Republicans Say They Want to Confirm Trump’s Nominees Faster. Do They Have the Votes to Change Senate Rules?

“The founding fathers wanted us to do these things in a consensus basis. I hate to give that up,” Sen. Mike Rounds said of rule changes.

John Thune
Senate Majority Leader John Thune gives remarks during a post-Senate luncheon press conference outside the Senate Chamber of the Capitol. Aaron Schwartz/Sipa USA via AP

When the Senate returns in September, Republicans are saying one of the first things they’ll consider is a change to chamber rules that would allow for speedier confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominees.

But considering those changes — and actually enacting them — could be two very different things.

“We have 144 nominations left to do and 160 still going through committee,” Sen. Bernie Moreno said in the Capitol last week. “That’s a huge number. The way the Democrats are forcing us to do it with historic obstruction doesn’t make any sense. So I think there’s a huge appetite for us to change the rules.”