Note! Senate leaders can discharge a committee from consideration of nominee

[Tx4obama]

7. Text below

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Although very few nominations proceed without the support of a committee, chamber rules make it possible for the full Senate to consider a nomination a committee does not report. Technically, Senate Rule XVII permits any Senator to submit a motion or resolution that a committee be discharged from the consideration of a subject referred to it. A motion to discharge a committee from the consideration of a nomination is, like all business concerning nominations, in order only in executive session. If there is an objection to the motion to discharge, it must lie over until the next executive session on another day. It is fairly common for committees to be discharged from noncontroversial nominations by unanimous consent, often with the support of the committee, as
a means of simplifying the process. It is far less common for Senators to attempt to discharge a committee from a nomination by motion or resolution.
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http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=%270E%2C*P\%3F3%22P%20%20%0A