It's not hyperventilating. It may start as a task force but it can easily and quickly be upgraded to a full-on department of the federal government by Congress.
It cannot easily be converted. The house margin is razor thin now that Gaetz and Stefanik gave up their seats for nominations, and filibuster-able.
And Senate leadership is status quo GOP with Sen Thune as Senate Majorty leader, and his allies Grassley and Cornyn, as well as shakey Senators like Collin and Murkowski reducing that majority, and the Senate is still filibuster-able as well.
And given the amount of controversy over a number of Secretary choices, it'll take 6-9 months alone just to go through the Senate Confirmation backlog.
Partaking in the revolving door (early-mid Obama 2 era) and chatting with friends of mine who still work on the Hill about these kinds of topics.
> Even with the thin margins, there are ways for them to achieve their goals quickly.
What ways? Thin margins BY DEFAULT slow everything down. The house is functionally split 218-215 now that Gaetz and Stefanik have been nominated.
Just 3 defection means House votes fail, and managing a caucus is DIFFICULT - especially given how split the GOP is.
For example, SR 15 in the 113th Congress ultimately removed the filibuster for judicial appointments (see: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-resoluti...).
That may be a moot point with regard to cabinet positions should the incoming Republican Senate go along with Trump's request for recess appointments, though.
Rule changes can occur any time, but except for the initial adoption of the rules by a majority vote by each House at the opening of each Congress are, themselves, subject to the rules adopted by that House for that Congress, which may impose additional process.
> It can be removed with a simple majority vote
It absolutely can, but both sides steer away from doing so due to situations like this - either party inevitably becomes the minority as some point in the Senate, so Senate leadership in both parties prefer to maintain it.
> That may be a moot point with regard to cabinet positions should the incoming Republican Senate go along with Trump's request for recess appointments, though
And that's my point. With Thune as Senate majority leader, Recess Appointments are basically moot.
The whole point of Recess Appointments is to undermine the power of the Senate, which much of the Senate obviously opposes.
