Trump wants Senate to advance spending bills, nominations before break

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., addresses reporters in Washington, May 8, 2018. (Associated Press)

President Donald Trump sent a clear message to the U.S. Senate on Saturday that he wants spending legislation on his desk before the lawmakers take their August break.

He also blamed Democrats, saying they have held up many of his nominations for key positions and efforts to advance his agenda.

"The Senate should get funding done before the August break, or NOT GO HOME," the president wrote on Twitter. "Wall and Border Security should be included. Also waiting for approval of almost 300 nominations, worst in history. Democrats are doing everything possible to obstruct, all they know how to do. STAY!"

The president's push for speedy action on spending measures and nominations, followed a recent letter from a group of Senate Republicans, pressing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to cancel the August recess later this year.

That effort was led by Sen. David Perdue of Georgia.

“This is a commitment to [McConnell] that we are willing to do whatever is necessary to get these confirmations accomplished and also to ensure that we debate the funding bills now in whatever manner they come,” Perdue told reporters Tuesday.

In their letter, Senate Republicans urged McConnell to take a more assertive role in advancing spending deals and completing the necessary work on Trump nominees who are still awaiting confirmation in the Senate, the Washington Free Beacon reported.

We, and the American people, expect Congress to work tirelessly to restore American greatness.

— Senate Republicans' letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

“We stand ready to work Mondays and Fridays, nights as well as weekends, to ensure the funding process is not used to jam the president with a bad spending deal,” the letter said. “We, and the American people, expect Congress to work tirelessly to restore American greatness.”

Perdue and the senators say spending more time on their pending work is particularly critical when Congress is facing what they called "historic obstruction" by Democrats.

According to Marc Short, the White House legislative affairs director, Trump has faced 89 Democratic-led filibuster votes during his presidency. By contrast, Short said, there were only 32 Senate filibusters of presidential nominees during the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations combined.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.