WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate has confirmed dozens of President Donald Trump's nominees at once, voting for the first time this session under the chamber's new "nuclear" rules.

The new rules were implemented to speed up the confirmation process of executive branch positions that had been delayed by Democrats looking to resist Trump and the GOP-dominated Congress.

Lawmakers voted along party lines to confirm a total of 48 nominees, many being for undersecretary or assistant secretary positions throughout the federal government in a variety of agencies.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday on the Senate floor that those confirmed had all received bipartisan votes in committee, including deputy secretaries for the Departments of Defense, Energy, Interior and others.

Kimberly

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