GOP warns: We’ll stay in session 24-7 to confirm Trump nominees
A top Senate Republican is warning that the Senate could work around the clock as they try to confirm three more of President Trump’s nominees.
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) stressed that how late the Senate is in session is up to Democrats. Absent a deal, he said lawmakers will stay in Washington through Saturday.
“We can do it cooperatively so we can burn time when we’re out of session or if they won’t agree to that, we can stay in session 24 hours,” he told The Hill, asked about the schedule for the rest of the week.
Senate Republicans want to confirm Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) for attorney general; Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) for secretary of Health and Human Services; and Steve Mnuchin for Treasury secretary.
{mosads}Unless both sides can get an agreement to speed up debate time, a final vote on Sessions will take place on Wednesday night, Price early Friday morning and Mnuchin on Saturday.
Cornyn said Republicans are ready to stay in 24/7 if that’s needed. “A lot of our members are happy to do that,” he said.
One Republican senator has to preside over the Senate when it’s in session. Top lawmakers in both parties have previously threatened weekend work, though lawmakers could ultimately reach a deal.
The threat for a dayslong continuous session comes after Democrats pulled an all-nighter to protest Betsy DeVos’s nomination for Education secretary.
Though Democrats ultimately failed to block her nomination, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) brushed off a question about if Democrats felt they’re strategy is working.
“We’re going to have long debates on Sessions and we’re going to have debates on Price,” he said.
But Schumer sidestepped specifically threatening another all-night session, telling reporters to “stay tuned.”
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