[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14184]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 251--AMENDING RULE XXXI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE 
       SENATE, TO PROVIDE FOR TIMELY CONSIDERATION OF NOMINATIONS

  Mr. GARDNER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Rules and Administration:

                              S. Res. 251

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. TIMELY CONSIDERATION OF NOMINATIONS.

       Rule XXXI of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs 3 through 7 as paragraphs 4 
     through 8, respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph 2 the following:
       ``3.(a) In this paragraph, the term `basic requirements' 
     means--
       ``(1) an agreement with the Office of Government Ethics;
       ``(2) a financial disclosure form;
       ``(3) a background check conducted by the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation;
       ``(4) a questionnaire of each relevant committee;
       ``(5) tax forms, if required by a relevant committee; and
       ``(6) any other requirements of a relevant committee.
       ``(b) If a nomination has not been confirmed or rejected 
     not later than 180 days after the day on which the nominee 
     completes the basic requirements, the appropriate committees 
     shall be automatically discharged and the nomination shall be 
     eligible for expedited consideration in accordance with 
     subparagraph (c).
       ``(c)(1) The majority leader may provide notice that a 
     nomination that is eligible for expedited consideration in 
     accordance with this subparagraph shall be considered on an 
     expedited basis.
       ``(2) Notwithstanding rule XXII, expedited consideration of 
     a covered nomination under this subparagraph, including 
     consideration of any debatable motion or appeal in connection 
     therewith shall be limited to 2 hours, evenly divided in the 
     usual form.''.

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