Senate Republicans took the first step on Monday to invoke the so-called “nuclear” option to change chamber rules and allow dozens of President Donald Trump’s pending nominees to be swiftly confirmed en bloc.

Although nominees are already approved with a simple majority and are not subject to the 60-vote filibuster, they require individual and time-consuming votes due to Democratic opposition. Each can often take days to confirm, an arduous process Republicans say requires an overhaul in the face of “unprecedented” roadblocks from Democrats.

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“This isn’t about the quality of the candidates or any other substantial issue. This is simply the world’s longest, most drawn-out temper tantrum over losing an election,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said of Democrats. “Democrats can’t stand the fact that President Trump was elected.”

Thune took the first procedural step Monday evening. Following a series of votes in the coming days, it will allow leadership by next week to combine multiple sub-Cabinet nominees into a singular streamlined process so GOP senators can confirm Trump’s picks en masse. Judicial nominees are not subject to the change and will still require individual approval.

Democrats, presenting unified opposition to the rules change, say it marks the latest precedent-setting move to erode chamber tradition and that Democrats have refused to fast-track confirmations through traditional unanimous consent agreements because of unqualified nominees.

In recent decades, both parties have slowly weakened the minority’s power in the Senate and invoked the nuclear option to force changes in the confirmation process using only a simple majority.

SENATE GOP EYES SEPTEMBER RULE CHANGE VOTE TO BREAK NOMINEE BACKLOG

“Historically bad nominees deserve a historical response,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said. “[Republicans] are ready to detonate Senate precedent altogether and go nuclear on all the nominees. So much for oversight.”

Negotiations over the potential rule changes between the two sides appeared to break down entirely in recent days after weeks of GOP leaders mulling over proposed alterations. Republicans announced they would use their control to make desired changes on what is likely to be a series of party-line votes before the effort is ultimately approved next week.