SRES 377119th CongressPassed Senate

An executive resolution authorizing the en bloc consideration in Executive Session of certain nominations on the Executive Calendar.

Introduced: Sep 8, 2025

Defense & National Security

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This Senate Executive Resolution (S. Res. 377) authorizes the en bloc (group) consideration in Executive Session of a specified list of nominations on the Senate’s Executive Calendar. In practical terms, it allows the Senate to proceed to review and vote on a large batch of nominations as a single block rather than handling them individually. The roster includes dozens of executive-branch positions across multiple federal departments and agencies (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, State, Transportation, VA, and others), as well as several ambassadorial and high-level posts. The resolution has been considered and agreed to, meaning this mechanism for batch consideration is in effect. The goal is to speed up the confirmation process by enabling Congress to vet and confirm numerous nominees in a more streamlined manner, while still operating under the Senate’s formal rules for executive nominations. It does not remove the usual nomination screening or voting processes; rather, it consolidates them for a set list of nominees.

Key Points

1En bloc authorization: The resolution grants that it shall be in order to move to proceed to en bloc consideration of a defined list of nominations on the Executive Calendar, allowing them to be considered together in Executive Session.
2Scope of nominations: The roster covers a broad array of positions across many agencies, including DOE, EPA, DoD, Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, State, Transportation, Energy, Homeland Security-related roles, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, and others, plus several ambassadorial and senior agency posts.
3Procedure and setting: The en bloc consideration is to occur in Executive Session, i.e., a closed or restricted-session setting used for certain Senate actions on nominations.
4Outcome mechanics: The resolution establishes the framework for ordering consideration of these nominations as a bloc; individual nominations could still be acted upon in that process, subject to Senate rules and votes.
5Status and adoption: The resolution was introduced by Senator Thune, ordered to lie over, then considered and agreed to in the Senate, signaling that the en bloc process for these nominations is authorized.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Nominated individuals and their respective federal agencies (DOE, EPA, DoD, Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, State, Transportation, VA, and related programs) who would be reviewed and potentially confirmed in a batch.- The Senate, particularly its leadership and committees handling executive nominations, which would implement and manage the en bloc process.Secondary group/area affected- Interest groups and stakeholders focused on these agencies and posts, including industry groups, labor organizations, environmental groups, defense and energy policy advocates, and foreign affairs interests, who may monitor or influence confirmation outcomes.Additional impacts- Process efficiency: Potentially faster confirmation of a large set of nominees, reducing floor time spent on individual nominations.- Debate and scrutiny: May reduce or alter opportunities for extended debate on each nomination; could concentrate scrutiny on the slate as a whole rather than on individual nominees.- Transparency and accountability: En bloc moves can raise concerns about thorough, individual vetting if not paired with adequate committee review and public reporting.- Administrative impact: Agencies receive confirmation of leadership in a more synchronized timeframe, which can affect policy priorities, program implementation, and interagency coordination.

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