Senate Republicans Confirm 49 Nominees for Government Positions

Senate Republicans confirmed 49 nominees on Monday for positions across multiple federal agencies. The group includes a dozen U.S. attorneys, several U.S. marshals, ambassadors, and officials for the departments of War, Transportation, and Energy. The confirmations bring the total number of civilian nominees installed to 60 percent.

This marks the fourth time Republicans have advanced a slate of nominees in a batch since changing Senate rules last year.

Democrats had blocked most nominees for much of last year. Civilian nominees were previously often confirmed without a full floor vote. Republicans responded by changing Senate rules to lower the threshold for certain confirmations to a simple majority. The change eliminated the previous 60-vote requirement to overcome a filibuster.

Republicans are also advancing a budget reconciliation process to fund immigration enforcement agencies. The package includes $72 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol through the end of the current presidential term. Some items were removed from the package after review by the Senate parliamentarian, including funding for security enhancements and the Secret Service.