By Thomas McKinless

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor Wednesday that he had filed for cloture on four federal appointees, but “shouldn’t have had to,” calling out Democrats’ use of procedural hurdles in the chamber for “qualified nominees.”“In different times, we may have even considered [these nominees] on voice votes,” McConnell said. “But this is where we are.” Democrats have used procedural tactics to take a one-at-a-time approach to federal confirmations throughout 2017, which slows the process of advancing nominees to a final vote.