The upper house of the U.S. Congress, also known as the Senate, approved the appointment of forty-eight nominees put forward by President Donald Trump in a single voting session that took place on a Thursday. This followed last week’s decision by Senate Republicans to alter the rules of the Senate. The voting, which saw Republican Senators beating their Democratic counterparts by 51 votes to 47, confirmed President Trump’s nominees who now look forward to filling positions in various sectors of the federal government and representing America’s interests abroad.
The intent of Republican leaders to swiftly resolve the backlog of civilian nominees awaiting confirmation has been clearly stated. They aim to expedite this process in the forthcoming weeks by voting on multiple batches of nominees at once. Republicans have expressed their desire to end what they perceive as the Democrats’ stonewalling tactics.
In a statement delivered from the Senate’s floor, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso announced, ‘Today marks the end of Democrats’ obstruction.’ He also indicated the readiness of over one hundred more nominees who are set to get a confirmation verdict by the end of that same week.
It is noteworthy that the pool of 48 nominees, which the Senate approved, had initially received bipartisan backing at the level of committee consideration. This broad support base played a critical role in facilitating their simultaneous confirmation with the implementation of the new Senate rules.
A significant number of the nominees that got the nod will be taking up less prominent roles in Trump’s government. Their seats will be at under and assistant secretary positions dispersed across the federal government’s landscape.
Included in this group are six individuals chosen by President Trump to serve as ambassadors. One such nominee is Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former presenter for Fox News. Guilfoyle is set to take on the role of American ambassador to Greece.
Another key appointment is that of Callista Gingrich, previously America’s ambassador to the Holy See. Gingrich will now take on new responsibilities representing the U.S. in Switzerland. The list of ambassadors also includes individuals with close ties to both political and media circles.
Kimberly Guilfoyle’s connections extend to the Trump family and to Democratic circles in California. She used to be engaged to Donald Trump Jr., President Trump’s eldest son. Moreover, Guilfoyle was once married to Gavin Newsom, the current Democratic governor of California.
Callista Gingrich, on the other hand, is the spouse of Newt Gingrich, a former Speaker of the House. Their long-standing involvement in the political sphere brings a wealth of experience to their respective roles.
Republicans insist that amending the Senate’s standing rules had become inevitable in response to what they termed as the Democrats’ unwarranted stonewalling of the confirmation process. They maintain that this stalling tactic was hitherto unseen in American political history.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, speaking on the Senate floor on the same Thursday, pointed out, ‘The Democrats have been prolonging the confirmation of each of President Trump’s nominees for approximately eight months now.’ He further added that the change in Senate rules was a crucial move to restore traditional procedures, thereby ensuring the Senate’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities efficiently.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, has defended the delay of the confirmation procedure with the assertion that some of Trump’s choices for positions were of such poor quality that they warranted an unprecedented level of scrutiny.
President Trump remains anomalous as the only president in about a century to see his second term commence with no nominee getting approved via either a voice vote or unanimous consent.
The post Senate Approves Trump’s 48 Nominees in Single Session appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
