Senate Republicans took a final procedural step Wednesday to speed up consideration of President Donald Trump’s lower-level nominees, setting up the confirmation of dozens of appointees as early as this week.
The chamber voted 47-52 on a procedural question over the votes needed to invoke cloture on an executive resolution to consider a group of nominations at the subcabinet level. It previously took 60 votes, but the vote means it now takes a simple majority.
The action happened around a measure that would authorize the en bloc consideration in executive session of dozens of those nominees. The Senate then voted 52-47 to invoke cloture on the resolution, which starts a procedural clock that allows a floor vote.
