Senate Republicans used what is known as the nuclear option to break a Democratic blockade of President Trump’s nominees, weakening Congress’s vetting role.
Senator John Thune, the majority leader, began the process on Monday by introducing 48 of President Trump’s nominees together to allow them to be confirmed as a group.
Though it failed, Mr. Schumer’s proposal brought the contentious debate over the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files to the Senate, which has largely avoided it.
Representative Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, introduced a discharge petition last week to bring the bill calling for the release of the Epstein files to a vote on the House floor.
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