Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter to his incoming predecessor, Sen. John Thune (R-SD), asking him to consider a bipartisan approach to the Senate confirmation process.
President-elect Donald Trump has made a number of Cabinet picks who have raised the eyebrows of Republicans and Democrats alike. On Sunday, Schumer asked Thune, who will soon become Senate majority leader when the new Congress is sworn in, to consider Democrats in the confirmation process.
“Senate Democrats stand ready and willing to work with Senate Republicans to provide advice and consent as we evaluate all of the incoming president’s nominations,” Schumer wrote.
“In particular, we commit to working in a bipartisan fashion to process each nominee by reviewing standard FBI background-investigation materials, scheduling hearings and markups in the committees of jurisdiction, and considering nominees on the Senate floor,” he continued.
Schumer pointed to the system of checks and balances and the role the Senate has played in their constitutional duties in “ensuring the President appoints well-qualified public officials.”
Schumer said the Democratic caucus looks “forward to joining [Thune] in these efforts as soon as possible” when the new Congress is sworn in in January.
Republicans will have a three-seat majority in the Senate and could vote to confirm all of Trump’s nominations if the entire body desires.
The plea for Republicans not to leave their Democratic colleagues out in the cold comes after four years of Democrats controlling the upper chamber. During that time, the party passed big-ticket spending bills via reconciliation, which only required a simple majority to approve.
Democrats also toyed with eliminating the filibuster for some or possibly all legislation, which would have nullified the minority party in future Congresses. Those plans were derailed by two Democrats-turned-independents, Sens. Joe Manchin (I-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), who opposed the plan. Neither senator sought reelection this cycle and will be replaced next year.
Some Senate Democrats have still indicated that they will vote to confirm some of Trump’s picks without fuss.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said he “look[s] forward to voting” to confirm Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to serve as secretary of state. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) said he was willing to confirm “the right people” in order to streamline government productivity.
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“They don’t have to agree with me on anything. There’s going to be disagreements. But I do want to see people who are qualified,” Kelly told Semafor. “I’m not in the category of, like, ‘try to slow him down.’ Because if he has the right people, I want them in those positions as early as possible. I think it’s the best thing for our country.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a liberal who frequently disagreed with Trump during his first administration, told the outlet, “I’m willing to have a vote. That doesn’t mean I approve a vote to confirm.”