This website is accessible to all versions of every browser. But if you see this message, your browser doesn't support all of today's Web standards and can't properly display the site's design details. You can still read text below, but for a better experience, upgrade your browser and come back to KnowledgeNews.

You are here: home > americana

Advice and Consent

If you can't stand the heat,
stay out of the confirmation process

Political commentators often claim that, once upon a time, Senate confirmation hearings were less partisan. That tale is only partly true. It is true that, in its entire history, the Senate has rejected only 15 of more than 700 Cabinet nominees and approved about 80 percent of all Supreme Court nominees.

It's also true, however, that the Senate has always guarded its constitutional right to provide "advice and consent" on important appointments. And it's never been afraid to wield that right as a political weapon.

Members, read this article now

Get it as an easy-print PDF

Friends, if you're not a member of KnowledgeNews:

Become a lifetime member now
or
Start a free 21-day trial of our learning service

E-mail this page

Printer-friendly page

Americana