Senate Seeks A Way Out of Confirmation Purgatory

Senators are preparing to remain in Washington through the weekend as Republicans seeking to speed up confirmations of President Trump’s nominees struggle to reach an agreement with Democrats demanding concessions, Eleanor Mueller reported for Semafor.

Committees are caught in confirmation gridlocks.

“Something’s got to give,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee is caught in its own confirmation gridlock.

The White House has not yet authorized a rescheduled vote on Trump’s nominee to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), according to a person familiar with the situation.

Despite reports that cryptocurrency industry executives lobbied against the nominee, the White House has reiterated its support.

One Republican senator told Semafor that members are now preparing for a vote after the August recess. “Waiting won’t make any difference, because there’s no time to move on the floor,” the lawmaker added.