WASHINGTON — The Senate followed the House in leaving for the Christmas break on Thursday, clearing another batch of President Donald Trump’s nominations but kicking to January the fate of the next handful of spending bills.

The Senate confirmed, 53-43, an en bloc package of 97 nominations. Senators also by unanimous consent confirmed the nomination of Kevin E. Lunday to be commandant of the Coast Guard. And they reached an agreement to set up confirmation of additional Trump nominees when they return in January.

“One of the lessons I think you always have to keep in perspective in this job, is that the most important vote isn’t the last vote, it’s the next vote,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters late Thursday night, after being asked about lessons from his first year leading the chamber.

According to Thune’s office, the additional civilian confirmations Thursday night bring the total for the year to 417.

“When we close out this year with a total of 417 nominees [confirmed], we will have the backlog of nominees essentially cleared,” Thune said on the Senate floor.

Senate Republicans had essentially changed the Senate rules earlier in the year to allow them to get long lists of nominees through to confirmation without needing Democratic votes, after Democrats blocked pre-recess unanimous consent packages that used to be commonplace.

But the aspiration of Thune and Senate Republican appropriators to get the ball rolling on a package of fiscal 2026 spending bills was not to be. The rules require unanimous consent to combine more than one regular appropriations measure into a single bill — and that agreement proved elusive despite talks that went on throughout the day Thursday.

Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, both Colorado Democrats, raised objection to the Trump administration’s announcement earlier this week about future plans for a key facility in their home state.

“The National Science Foundation will be breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. This facility is one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country,” White House budget director Russ Vought had posted on X.

Bennet, who is running for governor, and Hickenlooper said in a statement they “will pull every lever available” in defense of NCAR.

“President Trump is attacking Colorado because we refuse to bend to his corrupt administration. His reckless decision to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research will have lasting, devastating impacts across the country,” they said.

The way forward

That sets the stage for January, when lawmakers will have less than a month to figure out how to fund the government and avoid another partial government shutdown. Thune said he thought another shutdown would be “toxic” for Democrats and Republicans alike.

“I don’t think either side wants to see that happen,” Thune said. “So I’m hoping that there will be goodwill and we’ll figure out how to fund the government.”

He did concede that some of the more contentious of the 12 regular spending bills may end up being funded through a full-year continuing resolution, replying in the affirmative to speculation from reporters in the Capitol late Thursday that the State-Foreign Operations, Homeland Security and Financial Services spending bills might prove too difficult to move.

Also on the agenda for the new year may be what to do about reviving and possibly overhauling the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, which will have lapsed by the time the House and Senate return. A House discharge petition this week got the signatures required to force a vote on a three-year extension.

Thune said that while there was a potential path for negotiations, it would be difficult.

“It’s the Christmas season. It would take a Christmas miracle to execute on actually getting something done there,” Thune said.

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—Jacob Felton contributed to this report.

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