Senate Republicans are invoking the "nuclear option" after encountering Democratic obstruction to staffing President Trump's administration.

The Senate voted 53-45 to change the Senate rules, clearing a path to begin rapidly confirming a backlog of dozens of Trump nominees.

The change applies to lower-level nominees who have been stuck in limbo for months. The new rules have no impact on votes for the judiciary or the Cabinet.

GOP invokes nuclear option

This is the fourth time in history that the Senate has invoked the "nuclear option."

The first time was under then-Senate majority leader Harry Reid (Nv.), who lowered the threshold to confirm executive branch and judicial picks during the Obama administration.

The "nuclear option" inevitably rebounds on the party that pulls the trigger, as Democrats are warning now.

This already happened to Democrats during Trump's first term, when then-Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) cited Reid's move as a precedent to invoke the nuclear option for Trump's Supreme Court picks.

No alternative

Republicans under John Thune (R-Sd.) say that Democrats have left them with no alternative but to change the rules.

"We’re going to fix this today, and restore the longtime Senate precedent of expeditious confirmation, and the Senate’s role as first and foremost a legislative body,” Thune said.

For months, Democrats have upended normal procedure to hold up Trump's nominees, claiming his picks are egregiously unqualified.

“We’re supposed to debate and take votes on nominees, especially when the executive branch is grossly breaking norms by sending us woefully unqualified, unscrupulous, and in some cases, deeply dishonest individuals for powerful and important positions,” said Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-Ny.).

Enough delay

Under the new rules, the Senate can vote on unlimited nominees in single blocs. There are 150 nominees awaiting confirmation, with the first 48 set for votes next week.

The GOP moved to invoke the nuclear option after negotiations with Democrats unraveled. Democrats accused Republicans of being impatient, but Republicans say they're done waiting after eight months of roadblocks.

“It’s time to take steps to restore Senate precedent and codify in Senate rules what once was understood to be standard practice — and that is the Senate acting expeditiously on presidential nominations to allow a president to get his team into place,” Thune said Monday on the Senate floor. “And so this afternoon, I’ll be taking the necessary procedural steps to amend the rules.”