Senate

GOP senator: Work during August recess to help confirm judges

by Jordain Carney - 06/01/18 11:12 AM ET

GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) said on Friday that the Senate should work into the August recess to help confirm judicial nominations, blaming Democrats for trying to “obstruct” President Trump’s picks.

“Lets work Friday/Saturday/August recess to get more done in the Senate [and] help the judicial branch do its job,” Grassley wrote in a tweet.

Senate Judic Cmte has been hard at work processing judges to fill the 147 judicial vacancies At evry turn it seems we are met w Democrat filibusters Lets work Friday/Saturday/August recess to get more done in the Senate & help the judicial branch do its job

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 1, 2018

{mosads}In addition to working into the four-week summer break, Grassley is calling for “filibuster Fridays,” arguing Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) should force the Senate to stay in Friday and Saturday to speed up confirmation of nominations.

“I’d like 2see #filibusterfridays in the Senate If Dems want to filibuster we can vote on Fridays +into wknds,” Grassley said in a tweet.

“Another summer, another heavy work load NOW is the time to vote on Fridays (even wknds!) to get MORE nominations confirmed Especially judges Help the judicial branch,” he added.

I’d like 2see #filibusterfridays in the Senate If Dems want to filibuster we can vote on Fridays +into wknds Democrats obstruct most judicial noms (36 filibusters by Dems 2day at same pt in Obama admin Republicans had filibustered 2!)

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 1, 2018

Sometimes democrats filibuster a judicial nom & then the judge passes almost UNANIMOUSLY(ie Nye Coggins etc) it’s easy for the taxpayers to see the waste of time and $$ in actions like this

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 1, 2018

Conservative lawmakers, outside groups and the White House have been publicly clamoring for McConnell to cancel at least part of the August recess to help confirm more of Trump’s nominees and avoid passing another mammoth omnibus funding bill.

More than a dozen GOP senators sent a letter to McConnell last month voicing their support for working through the break. Grassley did not sign the letter.

McConnell is expected to announce his decision on the recess next week but has hinted that he’s weighing cutting short the four-week recess.

“I wouldn’t buy any non-refundable tickets,” the Senate GOP leader told Fox News late last week, asked about the August recess.

GOP senators, while noting the decision is ultimately up to McConnell, are signaling they expect to have at least part of the August recess canceled.

Asked about the break before the Senate left for a week-long Memorial Day recess, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the No. 2 Senate Republican, predicted that “we’re going to be here for a while.”

GOP Sen. James Lankford (Okla.) separately told the Brian Kilmeade Show on Thursday that McConnell has warned senators not to make plans.

“Mitch announced to us last week everybody don’t make plans in August. Assume we’re going to be here,” he said.

Tags August recess Chuck Grassley Donald Trump James Lankford John Cornyn Mitch McConnell United States Senate