Senate lawmakers struck a bipartisan agreement to confirm a slew of Trump administration nominees this week, clearing the way for Republican Leaders to cancel the remaining few days of their unusual August work session.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., introduced a long list of judicial and executive branch nominees last week and Democrats Tuesday agreed to withdraw typical procedural hurdles that would have dragged out the confirmations for many days.
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Democrats face a tough midterm election map and are eager to return to the campaign trail for the final week of traditional summer.
Both the House and Senate are scheduled to return to Washington after Labor Day and work until mid- to late-October.
Lawmakers are also expected to be in the Capitol on Friday, when the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., will lie in state and a service is scheduled.
The Senate confirmed seven nominees on Tuesday and another eight will get up or down votes after the Labor Day holiday. Nearly two dozen other nominees were confirmed by voice vote Tuesday.
The vast majority of the nominees are judges, but the group also includes Richard Clarida to serve on the Federal Reserve board, Joseph Hunt to serve as assistant attorney general, and Isabel Marie Keenan Patelunas to be assistant secretary for intelligence and analysis at the Treasury.
Congress is typically not in session in August.
Senate Republican leaders added an August work schedule in order to vote on a massive bill funding the Defense Department and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Departments.
McConnell also used the summer session to push Democrats to confirm nominations at a quicker pace rather than forcing long debates and delays on votes.
