Senate Republicans are mulling using the “nuclear option” to change rules in an effort to speed up consideration of President Trump’s nominees as soon as next week.

Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday that the Senate could turn to the proposed rules change after they try to take up Trump’s proposal to reopen the federal government, which is likely to be blocked by Democrats.

“I support the move, because Democrats have been in an ahistorical fashion violating precedence about the number of hours in which one debates noncontroversial nominees that have been reported out of different committees of jurisdiction,” Young said, when asked about using the “nuclear option.”

He added that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had made the argument to Republicans that without a rules change, “there will be no way for this president or for future presidents … to populate their administration with their own people.” – READ MORE