Senate Streamlines Approval for Federal Positions

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure to streamline its confirmation process. By a vote of 79-20, the Senate reduced the number of federal positions requiring full Senate confirmation, The Washington Post reported.

The vote reduces by 169 the total number of positions requiring Senate approval. About 1,400 positions require such confirmation now. Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky supported the measure.

A Senate resolution, also expected to pass, would create a second category of 272 nominees who would be able to bypass Senate committee action and go directly to the Senate floor. That measure comes with provision that no senators object to the nominee bypassing the committee, the Post reported.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., told the Post that the Senate needs to focus on more important matters “than on confirming hundreds of junior and part-time positions in any president’s administration.”