Republicans tucked a measure intended to expedite the confirmation of Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defense into a must-pass Congressional spending bill late Tuesday.
The measure would essentially limit debate on a waiver that is needed in order for retired Gen. Mattis to serve as secretary of defense.
Under current law, the Department of Defense cannot be run by an individual who has served in the military in the last seven years. The waiver would allow Mattis to serve in that role even though he has only been out of the military for three years.
The spending bill does not automatically approve that waiver, it only limits the amount of time senators have to debate it to 10 hours. It will still take 60 votes to approve. But the expedited process could still save precious time in the Senate as lawmakers are expected to be busy in the new year installing the rest of Trump’s cabinet, repealing the Affordable Care Act and getting a jump start on the appropriations process.
What makes Mattis so unique is that unlike the other cabinet positions, which only require a simple majority vote after Democrats voted to change the rules on presidential nominees in 2013, the waiver required to approve Mattis still needs 60 votes to pass, essentially making him subject to a 60-vote threshold.
While many Democrats warned Republicans about including the Mattis provision in the spending bill, it’s not immediately clear if they will risk shutting down the government over it.
Lawmakers are in a rush to get the continuing resolution passed by Friday and head home for the holidays.
Bring it.
Fuck them. I have never seen an incoming administration attempt to do more grandstanding before taking office than the amateur hour Trump Administration. Let them bring up all their legislative maneuverings and fuckery once Trump is in office. This should not be the time for them to start screwing the American people. Pass a clean funding bill. Debate the merits of a waiver for Mattis and the reason for the prohibition once Trump is in office. Let his Administration deal with the consequences of their brinksmanship on behalf of a statutorily prohibited appointee amongst all the other inexperienced amateurs in this Cabinet of clowns. .
shut down then. I already hate the incoming government anyway.
No. If there was even a semblance of good faith going on with the Rethugs I’d say maybe. But there ain’t. Never was and never will be. If the government has degraded so badly to the point where this is where we’re at, I say shut this sh*t down.
Most likely Manchin will try his hand at “comity” maybe even Heitkamp. Those are the only ones I could see crossing over.
On the one hand, civilian control of the military. On the other, the one guy who might be able to keep Flynn, Yates, and maybe Bolton in line.
In a word, fuck.