Pushing nominees through the Senate confirmation process takes twice as long under President Donald Trump as it did during President Ronald Reagan’s time in office — a record that appears to have limited Trump’s influence during his three years as president.
On average, it takes 115 days to confirm a presidential appointee for Trump, compared with 56.4 days under Reagan, according to new data from the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. In 2019, the process took even longer: an average of 136 days for the Senate to confirm appointees, particularly for sub-Cabinet positions.
The delays come from several factors including the extensive paperwork applicants must complete, as well as the increasingly common practice of the opposing party delaying nominations by placing holds on them, or filibustering them, according to the partnership’s research. Continue reading.