🚨 Senator Mike Lee Urges Americans to Demand Senate Stay and Work Through August Recess

 

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

BREAKING 🚨 Senator Mike Lee Urges Americans to Demand Senate Stay and Work Through August Recess

Washington, D.C. – In a fiery new video posted Wednesday, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) issued an urgent call to action: he’s demanding that the U.S. Senate either stay in session to confirm President Donald Trump’s 144 pending nominees — or give the President the constitutional opportunity to make recess appointments.

Lee, frustrated by what he described as "every conceivable procedural roadblock" from Senate Democrats, emphasized that the growing confirmation backlog has reached crisis levels.

“We really have no choice but to make sure that we get our work done,” Lee declared.
“The backlog is now up to 144 Trump nominees, and we cannot in good conscience leave D.C. until that’s cleared.”

No August Recess Until the Work Is Done

Senator Lee made it clear that the Senate must either work through the August recess or allow the President to exercise his recess appointment powers, a move blocked in recent years by technical procedural maneuvers.

“We can’t have it both ways,” Lee warned. “If Congress chooses to recess, it must do so in a way that allows the President to fill these critical roles. Otherwise, we stay and confirm.”

Lee's remarks challenge the long-standing practice of pro forma sessions — brief Senate meetings held every three days during recesses to block presidential appointments. He called the tactic a "manipulative procedural gimmick" that hampers the government's ability to function efficiently.

A Call to the American People

In his video, Senator Lee urged Americans to call their Senators and demand that they remain in Washington to do their job:

“This isn’t fun. We all want to go back to our states and see our families. But this is our responsibility. We owe it to the American people — and to the President who won the election — to get these nominees confirmed.”

What’s at Stake

The 144 unconfirmed nominees span across multiple federal agencies and judicial appointments — positions that, Lee argues, are critical to reversing the influence of the entrenched deep state bureaucracy.

“If we don’t act now,” Lee warned, “we’ll allow unelected bureaucrats to continue running the show — and that’s not what the American people voted for.”

What Happens Next?

With pressure mounting and public frustration growing, the Senate’s upcoming August calendar remains in question. It’s unclear whether Republican leadership will heed Lee’s call — or whether Democrats will relent on their obstruction.

For now, Lee’s message is clear: either stay and work, or step aside and let the President act.

FAQs: Senator Mike Lee on Senate Confirmation Backlog

Q1. What did Senator Mike Lee say in his recent video?
Senator Mike Lee called on the U.S. Senate to stay in session through the August recess to confirm 144 of President Trump's pending nominees. He criticized Democrats for delaying the confirmation process through procedural roadblocks.

Q2. How many Trump nominees are currently awaiting confirmation?
As of Senator Lee’s statement, there are 144 Trump nominees pending Senate confirmation.

Q3. Why is Senator Mike Lee opposing the August recess?
He believes taking a recess without addressing the backlog of nominees would allow the deep state and unelected bureaucrats to continue controlling key government agencies.

Q4. What is the “recess appointments clause” that Senator Lee referenced?
It’s a constitutional provision that allows the President to make temporary appointments without Senate approval when the Senate is in official recess. Senator Lee urged that if the Senate insists on a recess, it should be a true one — not a “pro forma” session — so Trump can use this authority.

Q5. What are “pro forma” sessions?
“Pro forma” sessions are brief meetings held every three days during Senate recesses. Their main purpose is to prevent the President from making recess appointments. Senator Lee opposes using them in this case.

Q6. What is Mike Lee urging the public to do?
He’s asking Americans to call their Senators and demand that they stay in D.C. and finish confirming the nominees, or at least allow President Trump to make recess appointments.

Q7. What impact could this backlog have on the government?
The backlog delays leadership in key federal agencies, which could hinder the Trump administration’s agenda and allow entrenched federal officials to retain influence.

Q8. Has Senate leadership responded to Mike Lee’s demands?
As of now, there has been no official response from Senate leadership regarding a change to the August recess plans.

Tell your senators:

Clear the confirmation backlog!#ClearThe135 pic.twitter.com/gQ4MTFSBaZ

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) July 29, 2025