Republicans in the House of Representatives added language to a must-pass spending bill Tuesday that would speed up the confirmation of retired Gen. James Mattis for secretary of defense, Politico reported.
The action forces Democrats to either go along or risk a government shutdown. The deadline to pass the short-term spending bill is Friday.
Mattis must receive a waiver from Congress to serve since federal law requires retired military personnel be out of the service for seven years before heading the Defense Department. Mattis retired in March 2013.
The language in the bill still would require 60 votes for the waiver, but expedites the process, Politico reported.
Democrats had previously vowed to fight an effort to speed up the process through a spending bill.
"We believe that should not be short-shrifted through" incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had said.
Trump formally announced Mattis' nomination at a rally n Fayetteville, North Carolina on Tuesday night.
"I look forward to being the civilian leader so long as the Congress gives me the waiver and the senate votes to consent," Mattis told the crowd in a brief statement.
"He will get that waiver, right?" Trump said afterward. "He is going to get that. Oh, if he didn't get that waiver, there would be a lot of angry people. Such a popular choice."
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