Despite those pleas, McConnell objected to a unanimous consent agreement, noting that Senate confirmations of President Barack Obama’s judicial nominees have been on par with those of President George W. Bush’s nominees. So far during Obama’s term, Republicans said, the Senate has confirmed 158 of the president’s 205 judicial picks, a confirmation rate of 77 percent. President Bush got only 74 of percent of his nominees during his first term. McConnell said he would allow confirmation of two judges, but not 17.

“The president is being treated very fairly and I am happy to continue to work with the Majority Leader, but we cannot allow the majority to jam us here at the end of our session,” McConnell said.

“We’re trying to get consent agreements to process the next two district court nominations that are in the queue and we are hoping that will come about,” McConnell continued. “That is the procedure we’ve been following. I’m hopeful we can achieve that.”

The Minority Leader was referencing an agreement reached in March to process 14 judicial nominees, about two per week. Democrats, who claimed the GOP was dragging its feet on judicial nominations, forced the deal by threatening to take up 17 nominations one by one, a process that would have tied up the Senate floor for weeks.

Senate GOP aides would not rule out a package of nominations, including judicial appointees, being completed before the end of the session, a common practice in the chamber.