[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Page 10376]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on another matter, yesterday I shared 
some data reflecting the historic level of obstruction Senate Democrats 
have displayed when it comes to confirming our President's nominees. I 
noted that the opposition they have shown to these nominees most of the 
time seems to have little to do with the nominees themselves, nor 
whether or not Democrats even support them. In many cases, our 
Democratic colleagues actually support the nominees.
  Take the nominee before us today for a U.S. district court judge in 
Idaho. He was reported out of committee on a voice vote. Every single 
Democrat then voted for cloture on his nomination. Yet Democrats still 
chose to throw up procedural hurdles to a nominee for whom they have no 
objection.
  In fact, Senate Democrats have continuously forced procedural hurdles 
more than 30 times, compared to only 8 cloture votes Republicans 
required on nominees at this point in President Obama's administration.
  They are obviously bound and determined to impede the President from 
making appointments, and they are willing to go to increasingly absurd 
lengths to further that goal--like requiring 30 hours of debate time on 
a noncontroversial nominee after having just voted unanimously that 
debate on the nomination was unnecessary.
  If our Democratic colleagues keep up this current rate of 
obstruction, only allowing about one confirmation every 3\1/2\ days, it 
will take the Senate almost 11\1/2\ years to confirm the remaining 
Presidential appointments that must come before us.
  I will say that again. At this rate, it would take us nearly 11\1/2\ 
years to confirm the remaining Presidential appointments. That is why I 
say to my friends across the aisle, this near total obstruction simply 
cannot continue.
  As the Democratic leader once said himself, ``Who in America doesn't 
think a president, Democrat or Republican, deserves his or her picks 
for who should run the agencies? Nobody.'' That is a direct quote from 
the Democratic leader.
  He went on. He said: ``The American people deserve a functioning 
government, not gridlock.''
  So I would again ask my friend the Democratic leader and his party to 
consider the consequences of their actions and chart a different path. 
That is the best outcome for the country and for the Senate.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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