Exclusive — Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso: Democrats Filibustering Trump Nominees in ‘Petty Partisan Tantrums’

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) on Thursday on the Senate floor will deliver a speech decrying Senate Democrats’ historic level of obstruction in confirming President Donald Trump’s nominees.

“Senate Republicans are building a stronger, more prosperous America. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are preoccupied by petty partisan tantrums. They are lacking direction and lashing out,” Barrasso is expected to say, according to prepared remarks obtained by Breitbart News.

“Their latest stunt is to filibuster President Trump’s nominees. Senate Republicans have confirmed 68 Trump nominees since January. Senate Democrats have filibustered 67 of them. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the only exception. Senate Democrats are so supportive of government waste that they’re wasting the Senate’s time,” the Wyoming conservative continued.

He explained how Democrats have increasingly used the Senate filibuster, a measure that many of them wanted to abolish under President Joe Biden, to frustrate the confirmation of Trump’s nominees:

I’ve reviewed nomination records stretching back over 40 years. Many noncontroversial positions are being filibustered for the first time ever. Democrats filibustered the Chief of Protocol for the Department of State. Democrats filibustered the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security. Democrats filibustered the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. This is not about qualifications or backgrounds. This is all meant to obstruct President Trump.

Indeed, Democrats’ newfound love for the filibuster this congressional term has led to the first-ever recorded votes for at least five roles in the history of the Senate. This includes:

• Chief Protocol for the Department of State
• Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security
• Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
• Ambassador to Panama
• Ambassador to NATO

Despite this, it appears that Senate Republicans will press on to confirm the president’s nominees at a “record-breaking pace.”

“What Senate Democrats are doing is unprecedented in Senate history. It is not principled pushback. It is full-scale stonewalling. It may slow us down but it will not stop us. Senate Republicans confirmed President Trump’s cabinet at a record-breaking pace. We will keep fighting to confirm President Trump’s qualified nominees, no matter how low Democrats sink,” Barrasso said.

Senate Republicans are also working to end the Democrats’ “delusional dream” to eliminate Americans’ use of gas-powered vehicles: