Senate approves second round of streamlined nominees

The Senate on Wednesday evening approved a second piece of legislation, 89-8, that would allow for a more efficient handling of the confirmation of executive nominees in the upper chamber.

Like the bill that was passed earlier in the afternoon this resolution would reduce the number of positions requiring full Senate confirmation, allowing most of the work to be completed at the committee level.

The resolution passed Wednesday evening, however, only makes changes within the standing rules of the Senate and does not require the approval of the House or White House.

Both pieces if legislation came about as a result of a deal that was struck earlier in the year between Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Prior to that vote the Senate also defeated an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), 63-34, that would have attempted to prevent the creation of duplicative and overlapping federal programs. That amendment demanded a two-thirds majority to pass.

"If you are against his amendment you are against eliminating the very cause of our problems in this country and you are against doing the proper oversight," said Coburn prior to the vote.

Despite the defeat, however, that vote could be seen as a symbolic victory for Coburn as the amendment managed to reach the 60-vote threshold required for passage in the regular amendment process.