Northeast South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) addressed the Senate floor to discuss recent efforts by Republicans to restore previous Senate precedent regarding the confirmation process for presidential nominees. Thune described a move initiated on Monday aimed at codifying what he referred to as “standard practice” in expediting action on nominees so that presidents can assemble their teams without unnecessary delay.

Thune commented on Democratic responses to this initiative, stating, “I will say that the commentary has felt somewhat muted so far – and I suspect that is because Democrats know they don’t have a leg to stand on here.” He attributed the lack of strong opposition from Democrats to an acknowledgment of past actions that contributed to what he described as the breakdown of the confirmation process: “After years of partisanship and slowly eroding the confirmation process, they finally went all-in and broke it.”

He suggested some Democrats might privately welcome these changes, noting, “I suspect Democrats would prefer not to reap what they’ve sowed this Congress. The prospect of blanket obstruction of every single nominee of a Democrat president can’t look that attractive.”

Addressing criticisms from Democratic leadership about Republican measures, Thune said, “Of course the Democrat leader has made an attempt to attack Republicans’ measure and defend his party’s historic obstruction.” He challenged claims that Republican nominees were unqualified by pointing out bipartisan support for many confirmations: “If these nominees are as ‘historically bad’ as the Democrat leader claims, why are Democrats voting for them in committee or on the Senate floor? Why have 62 of the 139 civilian nominees the Senate’s confirmed so far been confirmed with Democrat support?”

Thune cited specific examples such as a U.S. attorney nominee from Minnesota who received bipartisan backing but whose confirmation was blocked. He questioned whether this indicated genuine concern over qualifications or reflected partisan motivations: “Is the Democrat leader suggesting that his own members are supporting ‘historically bad’ nominees?”

He also responded to concerns about transparency raised by Democratic leaders regarding en bloc consideration of nominees: “To hear the Democrat leader tell it, you’d think the Senate was going to start approving nominees in the dead of night behind closed doors in the Capitol basement.” Thune noted that all nominations undergo committee scrutiny before reaching floor consideration.

Concluding his remarks, Thune urged colleagues across party lines to join efforts aimed at restoring traditional procedures: “Let’s protect decades of Senate precedent on confirmations and get this institution fully functioning again.”