Senate Republicans have voted to change the rules to make it easier to confirm President Trump’s nominees, allowing the chamber to confirm certain nominees in groups rather than by individual vote.

The vote Thursday comes after months of Republican lawmakers criticizing their Democratic counterparts for dragging out the confirmation process, one of the few elements of power the minority party has in GOP-unified government.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., began the rules change process this week , which would allow the chamber to consider non-cabinet level executive branch nominees in batches. The senate is expected to finalize the rules change next week.

“It’s time to take steps to restore Senate precedent and codify in Senate rules what once was understood to be standard p

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